When you start learning Japanese, it's really important to master question words. These words help you have simple conversations.

Question words like "who," "what," "where," "when," "why," and "how" can turn basic sentences into questions.

Let’s look at how these words work!

Key Question Words:

1. Who (だれ - dare)
   Use "だれ" when you want to ask about people.

   • Example: あなたはだれですか？ (Anata wa dare desu ka?)
     Translation: Who are you?

2. What (なに - nani)
   Use "なに" when you want to ask about things or actions.

   • Example: これはなにですか？ (Kore wa nani desu ka?)
     Translation: What is this?

3. Where (どこ - doko)
   Use "どこ" to find out locations.

   • Example: 学校はどこですか？ (Gakkou wa doko desu ka?)
     Translation: Where is the school?

4. When (いつ - itsu)
   Use "いつ" for questions about time.

   • Example: パーティーはいつですか？ (Paatii wa itsu desu ka?)
     Translation: When is the party?

5. Why (なぜ - naze)
   Use "なぜ" when you want to know the reasons.

   • Example: なぜ遅れましたか？ (Naze okuremashita ka?)
     Translation: Why are you late?

6. How (どう - dou)
   Use "どう" to ask about the way something is done or the condition.

   • Example: どうやって行きますか？ (Dou yatte ikimasu ka?)
     Translation: How will you go?

Turning Statements into Questions:

You can turn statements into questions with these words. For example, if you say "これは本です" (Kore wa hon desu – This is a book), you can ask "これはなにですか？" (Kore wa nani desu ka?) to find out more about it.

As you practice these words, you’ll see that asking questions makes conversations more fun and interesting.

So, grab a notebook, practice these examples, and get ready to chat with others while learning Japanese!