Questions - ka
A sentence is made into a question by placing the particle か (ka) at the end. This works for both polite sentences (ending with desu/masu) and plain sentences.
The basic patterns of questions are described in the following table - ending a positive or negative sentence with か (ka). Using the negative form can both be a ordinary negative question, but can also be a way of making the question or request softer, very much as in English "Wouldn't a walk be nice?" instead of straightly saying "Would you like to take a walk?".
Pattern
| | Japanese Example
|
| [verb] ka. |
|
見ますか。
Mimasu ka.
Do (you) see (it)?
見ませんか。
Mimasen ka.
Don't (you) see (it)?
見ましたか。
Mimashita ka.
Did (you) see (it)?
|
| [clause] ka. |
|
猫がねずみを見ましたか。
neko ga nezumi o mimashita ka.
Did the cat see a mouse? |
Note on Casual Japanese
Please note that, in casual Japanese, the sentence ending か (ka) can be omitted, and only indicated by a slight raise of tone in the end of the sentence. Casual questions can also be done using の (no) in the end of the sentence, for example たべるの？ (taberu no).
Pattern
| | Japanese Example
|
|
[plain clause]?
|
|
食べた？
Tabeta? (raised tone in the end)
Did you eat?
|
|
[plain clause] no?
|
|
食べたの？
Tabeta no? (raised tone in the end)
Did you eat? (casual)
|
This page is a modified version, based on "Some Notes on Japanese Grammar" published for your personal use, with the kind permission of Keith Smillie (http://www.cs.ualberta.ca/~smillie/)
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