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Module 7. Question Patterns

This document provides examples of how to form yes-no and WH questions in Japanese. [1] Yes-no questions are formed by adding "ka" to the end of a statement. [2] WH questions are formed by adding an interrogative pronoun like "dare" (who) followed by "ka" to the end of a statement. [3] The position of the interrogative pronoun depends on whether it comes before or after the verb. Examples of questions are provided to demonstrate these patterns.

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Kaneki Ken
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91 views

Module 7. Question Patterns

This document provides examples of how to form yes-no and WH questions in Japanese. [1] Yes-no questions are formed by adding "ka" to the end of a statement. [2] WH questions are formed by adding an interrogative pronoun like "dare" (who) followed by "ka" to the end of a statement. [3] The position of the interrogative pronoun depends on whether it comes before or after the verb. Examples of questions are provided to demonstrate these patterns.

Uploaded by

Kaneki Ken
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Question Patterns in

Nihongo
Dr. Lety Chawag
• (Declarative Sentence) My name is Lety.
• (Interrogative Sentence) Is my name lety? Yes-no question

• Process: Transpose the linking verb to the beginning part .


• We added a question mark.

Namae wa reti desu. S+SC + Linking verb My name is Lety.


Namae wa reti desu ka. Is my name lety?
SOV Pattern ( Subject + Direct Object + Transitive Verb)
Declarative sentence:
I applied make-up.
Subject Transitive verb (action ) Direct object SVO

Interrogative Sentence ( Question)


Did I apply make-up? ( yes-no question)
AV Subject Main verb DO
Shitsumon(question) : How did we convert the sentence to a yes-no question?
Kotae(answer) : We added a word – principal auxilary/helping verb
Yes-No Question
Rule 1: To form Yes-No Questions in Nihongo, simply add the question
marker, “ ka” at the end of the sentence.
Examples: Sinigakusha wa hon o kaimashita. ( declarative sentence)
Subject + wa Object + o Verb Question Marker
“ka”

Sinigakusha wa Hon o Kaimashita Ka.


The psychologist a book bought ?

English equivalent: Did the psychologist buy a book?


You ate chocolates. (Declarative sentence)
Transform the sentence to a question – yes-no question.
Anata wa tsukoretu tabemashita. ( declarative)

Did you eat chocolates? Interrogative sentence.


add helping verb /auxillary verb

Anata wa tsukoretu tabemashita ka. - yes-no question (interrogative)


Renshuu
(Practice)
Yes-No Questions: We just added the question marker “ka.”
1. Hyakunin taichō wa iesu Kirisuto o kami no koto shite
mitomemashita ka.
Did The centurion acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Son of God?
2. Hyakunin taichō wa yaku hyaku-nin no heishi no shiki-kandesu ka.
Is a centurion a commander of about 100 soldiers?
3. Rōma no hyakunintaichō wa kare no shinkō no tame ni sukuwa
remashita ka.
Was The Roman centurion saved because of his faith?
Example: Subject + wa Subjective Linking/ Question
Complement Copula Verb Marker
Anata wa Sinigakusha Desu Ka
You Psychologist are ?

English translation following the S-SC-LV Pattern :

Are you a psychologist?

Note: To convert a declarative sentence to a yes-no question, just add the word ka at
the end. There is no need for a question mark at the end of the Nihongo
sentence. The question mark is replaced by the word “ ka.”
2. W-H Questions or
Informative Questions
To form W-H questions, add the following interrogative pronouns at the end of the sentence and
the question marker “ka.”
who – dare
what – nan/nani
where – doko de/ doko ni
when- itsu
why – naze/doushite
which – dochira
how much –ikura
Examples:

English Nihongo
Who is the Dean of CCJE? CCJE no gakkobuchou dare desu ka?
Where is the library? Toshokan wa doko desu ka?
What is your phone number? Anata no denwa bangou wa nan desu ka?
Why are you sleepy? Doushite totemo nemu ii desu ka?
Why is that..? Naze desu ka?
When is your birthday? Tanjoubi wa itsu desu ka?
Which will you choose? Dochira wa erabimasu ka?
Renshuu
(Practice)
1.How many did a centurion command?
Hyakutaichou wa nan-nin no heishi o shiki shimasu ka.
nan (what is the number)
2.Who was saved by Jesus?
Dare ga iesu ni yotte sukuwa remashita ka.

3. Why was the Roman centurion saved?


Naze rōma no hyakunintaichō ga sukuwa remashita ka.
Position of the Question Words/
Interrogative Pronouns
1.Before the verb ( at the middle of the sentence)

Subject + question pronoun + Verb + question marker


O namae wa nan desu ka. (What is your name?)
Eki ga/wa doko desu ka. ( Where is the train station?)
Tanjoubi wa itsu desu ka. ( When is your birthday?)
2. At the beginning of a sentence
Interrogative Pronoun verb Question marker English Equivalent
Naze desu ka Why is that?

Doushite totemo nemui desu ka. Why are you sleepy?


Doko ni sunde imasu ka Where do you live?

Shitsumon wa arimasu ka. ( Do you have any question?)


Assessment 6d
Construct Yes-No questions for the given statements.
1. Haien wa sekai de san-banme no satsujin-shadesu.
Pneumonia has been the third killer of the world.
2. Iesu Kirisuto wa arayuru byōki o iyasu koto ga dekimasu.
Jesus Christ can heal every sickness.
3. Ningen no heikin jumyō wa nanajuu desu.
The average life span of man is 70.
4. Watashi wa jibun no shōrai o kami ni yudanetai to omotte imasu.
I want to entrust my future to God.
Vocabulary Today:

1. Shitsumon wa arimasu ka? ( Do you have any question?)

2. Dare ga kotaetae desu ka? (Who wants to answer?)

3. Hokani tae wa arimasu ka? ( Any other answer?)


Desu ( copula verb- linking verbs ) – is,
are,am
deshita – was, were
Imasu and arimasu ( There is, there are – use these if you talk of the
presence or existence of things
imasu – when you talk about the presence of animate objects ( people and
animals)
Arimasu - when you talk about the existence or presence of inanimate
objects ( plants, cellphones,)

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