Question particle
～か？（疑問の助詞）
1. What is the question particle?
Japanese makes a question by adding か at the end of a sentence.
This か is called the question particle.
It shows that the sentence is a question.
For example:
これは、ほん(本)です。
This is a book.
↓
これは、ほん(本)ですか？
Is this a book?
The meaning changes from a statement to a question.
2. Lesson goal
In this lesson, you will learn how to make questions using か with です / ます.
You will learn:
•how to add か to polite sentences
•how to make Yes/No questions
•how to form basic question sentences correctly
First, learn the basic pattern.
3. Basic pattern
Statement
これは、ペンです。
This is a pen.
Question
これは、ペンですか？
Is this a pen?
The rule is simple:
Sentence（です / ます） + か？
That is the basic structure.
4. Yes/No questions
Many questions with か can be answered with Yes/No.
Example 1
これはパンですか？
Is this bread?
↓
はい
YES, it is.
Example 2
あなたは、せんせい (先生)ですか？
Are you a teacher?
↓
いいえ、わたしは せいと (生徒) です。
No, I am a student.
The answers are usually:
•はい YES
•いいえ No
At this stage, focus on forming question correctly.
5. Verb sentences（ます）
You can also use か with verbs in the ます form.
Example
パンをたべます。
I eat bread.
↓
パンを たべますか？
Do you eat bread?
がっこうに、いきます。
I go to school.
↓
がっこうに、いきますか？
Do you go to school?
こうえんで、あそびます。
I play in the park.
↓
こうえんで、あそびますか？
Do you play in the park?
The structure does not change.
Just add か at the end.
6. Question words and か
Japanese has question words such as:
•だれ = who
•なに = what
•どこ = where
•いつ = when
These are question sentences using question words + か.
Example
だれが きますか？
Who will come?
なにを たべますか？
What will you eat?
どこに いきますか？
Where will you go?
いつ、べんきょう しますか？
When will you study?
7. Intonation questions
In casual speech, Japanese can make questions just by raising the tone.
Example
いきます？
Do you go?
たべます？
Do you eat?
This is common in conversation.
But in study, use か for clarity.
8. Position of か
か is always placed at the end of the sentence.
Correct
これは、ほん ですか？
Wrong
これはか ほん です。
9. Examples
Basic
これは ほん ですか？
Is this a book?
あなたは がくせい ですか？
Are you a student?
ねこ が いますか？
Is there a cat?
パン を たべますか？
Do you eat bread?
がっこう に いきますか？
Do you go to school?
こうえん で あそびますか？
Do you play in the park?
Question words
だれが きますか？
Who will come?
なにを たべますか？
What will you eat?
どこに いきますか？
Where will you go?
いつ、べんきょう しますか？
when will you study?
10. Common mistakes
1) Forgetting か
2) Wrong position
3) Mixing casual and polite forms
11. Mini practice
Change these sentences into questions.
1、これは ほん です。
→
2、あなたは がくせい です。
→
3、パンを たべます。
→
4、がっこうに いきます。
→
5、こうえんで あそびます。
→
１、これは ほんですか？
２、あなたは がくせい ですか？
３、パンを たべますか？
４、がっこうに いきますか？
５、こうえんで あそびますか？
12. Key points
•か shows that the sentence is a question
•add か to sentences ending in です / ます
•です / ます + か？ is the basic form
•か is placed at the end
13. Final message
In this lesson, you learned how to make questions.
Some example sentences included patterns you have not learned yet, such as “これは.”
As long as you understand how to add “か” and where to place it, that is enough for now.
You will learn sentences using “これは” in the next lesson.