Making Short Questions in Japanese

In today’s article, I present a selection of common questions and expressions used in daily Japanese life. These brief expressions can be employed to ask different types of questions, and therefore we will explore their multiple translations and meanings.

Hontou? 「本当」

The expression “本当？” (Hontou?) is used in Japanese to express surprise or disbelief regarding something that was said or happened. It can be translated as “Is it true?” or “Really?”. This question is commonly used in informal conversations among friends, colleagues, or family when someone is surprised by new or unexpected information.

本当？ Hontou?

• Seriously?
• Are you sure?
• Are you sure about that?
• Are you all sure?
• Is it really?

Nanikore「なにこれ」

The questions “なにこれ” (Nanikore) and “これなに” (Korenani) are used in Japanese to express astonishment, perplexity, or confusion in the face of something that has not been understood or that is considered strange, unusual, or surprising. Literally, “なにこれ” means “What is this?” and “これなに” means “What is this?”, but in practice, both are used similarly to express surprise or curiosity regarding something that has caught the speaker’s attention.

These questions are commonly used in informal situations among friends, colleagues, or family, and can be accompanied by gestures or specific intonations to emphasize astonishment or confusion.

何これ Nanikore 
これ何？Korenani

• What is this?
• What is that?
• What is it?
• This here, what is it?
• What is that supposed to be?

Nanishiteruno 「何してるの」

The questions “何してるの？” (Nanishiteruno?), “何するの？” (Nanisuruno?), “何をしていますか？” (Naniwo shiteimasuka?) and “何してんの？” (Nani shitenno?) are all used to inquire about the activities, future plans, or actions of the person you are talking to. They differ in terms of formality and context of use:

• “何してるの？” is informal and is used among friends or family to know what the person is doing at the present moment.
• “何するの？” is informal and asks about the person’s future plans or immediate activities.
• “何をしていますか？” is formal and shows respect when asking what the person is doing at the present moment, suitable for work environments or formal situations.
• “何してんの？” is informal and abbreviated, common among friends or close people to know what the person is doing at the present moment.

These questions are used according to the level of formality of the situation and the degree of closeness with the person you are communicating with in Japanese.

何してるの？nanishiteruno?
何するの？nanisuruno? 
何をしていますか？naniwo shiteimasuka?
何してんの？Nani shitenno?

• What are you doing?
• What are you doing?
• What will we do?
• What do you do?
• What are you doing?
• What are you all doing?

Nani ni tsukau no 「何に使うの」

The phrase “何に使うの” (Nani ni tsukau no) in Japanese can be translated as “What are you going to use this for?” or “What will this be used for?”. This expression is used to inquire about the purpose or intent of something, questioning how an object or resource will be used in a given situation.

It is common to hear this question when someone shows a new or unknown object, or when discussing the use of something specific in a practical context.

何に使うの
Nani ni tsukau no

• For what?
• For what purpose?
• What are you going to use?

Nan’notameni 「何のために 」

The phrase “何のために” (Nan’notameni) in Japanese can be translated as “For what?” or “For what reason?”. This expression is used to inquire about the purpose or intent of something, questioning the reason or motive behind a specific action, decision, or situation.

For example, you can use this expression to ask why someone is doing something or what the objective behind a certain action is.

何のために Nan'notameni

• What is the objective?
• For what purpose?
• For what?
• For what purpose?
• With what purpose?
• For what?

nannohanashi 「何の話」

The expression “何の話” (Nannohanashi) in Japanese can be translated as “What subject are we talking about?” or “What are we discussing?”. This phrase is used to clarify the theme or topic of conversation, indicating interest in knowing about the subject being discussed. It is common to use it when you want to better understand the context of the conversation or when you want to focus on a specific topic.

何の話? 
nannohanashi?

• What are you talking about?
• What are you talking about?
• What are you all talking about?
• What are you talking about?

Dakara nani 「だから何」

This expression in Japanese is translated as “So what?”. It is a direct way to express indifference or lack of interest regarding something that was mentioned earlier. It can be used in informal contexts among friends or in situations where one wishes to demonstrate a relaxed attitude.

だから何？
dakara nani?

• So what?
• And now?
• And then?
• Where are you going with this?

Nanda kore 「何だこれ？」

“Nanda kore” (or “Nan da kore”) is an expression that means “What is this?” or “What is that?” in Japanese. It is used when you want to ask about a specific object that is nearby or that has been mentioned in the conversation. This question is common in situations where something sparks curiosity or when you do not recognize something and want an explanation of what it is.

何だこれ？
Nanda kore?

• What is that?
• What is this supposed to be?
• What is that supposed to be?

Nani no youda 「何の用だ」

“Nani no youda” is an expression that can be translated as “What do you want?” or “What is your purpose?”. It is used to question someone’s intention or purpose regarding something specific. It can be employed in various contexts, from informal conversations to more formal situations, depending on the tone and intonation used.

何の用だ
nani no youda?

• What do you want?
• What do you desire?
• What do you want?
• What do you all want?
• What is it that you want?
• What do you want?
• What do you desire?
• What is it that you wish for?

Nandatte 「何だって。」

“Nandatte” is an informal Japanese expression that can be translated as “What do you mean?” or “What did you say?”. It is used in situations where you did not understand something that was said or when you want a clearer explanation about a subject. It can express surprise, curiosity, or the need for clarification.

何だって。
nandatte?

• What do you mean?
• What did you say?
• Excuse me?

Nani ga shitai 「何がしたい？」

“Nani ga shitai” is an expression that means “What do you want to do?” in Japanese. It is used to ask about someone’s desires, plans, or intentions regarding specific activities. It can be used in both informal and formal contexts to inquire about the person’s interests or objectives.

何がしたい？
Nani ga shitai?

• What do you want to do?
• What do you want to do?
• What would you like to do?
• What is it that you want to do?

Nani ka atta 「何かあった？」

“Nani ka atta” is a Japanese expression that can be translated as “Did something happen?” or “Was there any news?”. It is used to ask if something new has happened or to find out if there is any relevant or interesting information to be shared. This expression is common in everyday conversations to check if there are any updates or recent events to discuss.

何かあった？
Nani ka atta?

• Any news?
• Something new?
• Any updates?
• Anything new?
• Did something happen?

Nani kangae teru no 「何考えてるの」

“Nani kangae teru no” is a Japanese expression that means “What are you thinking about?” or “What are you pondering?”. It is used to inquire about someone’s thoughts, reflections, or ideas. It can be employed in various contexts to better understand what the person is contemplating or considering.

何考えてるの
Nani kangae teru no

• What are you thinking about?
• What are you pondering?
• What are you thinking?
• What are you thinking?
• What are you thinking about?

Nani matteru no 「何待ってるの？」

“Nani matteru no” is a Japanese expression that can be translated as “What are you waiting for?” or “What are you waiting on?”. It is used to ask what someone is waiting for or expecting to happen in a given situation. It can be used in various contexts to inquire about expectations or timelines.

何待ってるの？
Nani matteru no?

• What are you waiting for?
• What are they waiting for?
• What are you all waiting for?

Nani ga hoshī no 「何が欲しいの」

This expression in Japanese, “何が欲しいの” (Nani ga hoshī no?), is used to ask “What do you want?” or “What do you desire?”. It is a direct way to inquire about someone’s desires or needs regarding something specific. It can be used in various contexts to question what the person is interested in obtaining or achieving. The use of this expression shows interest in understanding the other person’s preferences and aspirations.

何が欲しいの
Nani ga hoshī no?

• What do you want?
• What do you desire?
• What do you want?
• What do you all want?
• What do you want?

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this brief article about some common questions in Japanese. Did you notice that most questions end with the particle 「の」? This is an important characteristic of the Japanese language that helps indicate possession or connection between elements in the sentence. It is interesting to observe that some of these questions can be formulated differently, such as using the form 「ですか」 at the end of the sentence or changing the position of 「何」 to the end, which demonstrates the flexibility and versatility of the structure of the Japanese language.

If you have more questions or want to learn more about the Japanese language, do not hesitate to explore other topics or seek more information. Thank you for reading!