Common questions (casual) Flashcards
What is your name?
名前は何ですか？
Namae wa nan desu ka?
名前 (namae): “name” (with the honorific prefix “お” to show respect)
は (wa): Topic marker (indicates that “name” is the topic of the sentence)
何 (nani): “what”
です (desu): Copula, similar to “is” in English (used to make the sentence polite)
か (ka): Question marker (indicates that the sentence is a question)
My name is [name]
僕の (male) / 私の (female) 名前は [your name] だよ。
Boku no / Watashi no namae wa Sara da yo.
僕の (boku no): “my” (used by males; “私の” or “watashi no” is more neutral and can be used by anyone)
名前 (namae): “name”
は (wa): Topic marker
[your name]: Your actual name
だよ (da yo): Casual ending that adds a friendly tone
Where are you from?
どこから来たの？
Doko kara kita no?
どこ (doko): “where”
から (kara): “from”
来た (kita): “came” (informal past form of “come”) [formal: kimasu]
の (no): Casual question marker [formal: ka]
I am from [your place].
[your place] から来たよ。
[your place] kara kita yo.
Where do you live?
どこに住んでいるの？
Doko ni sunde iru no?
どこ (doko): “where”
に (ni): Location marker
住んでいる (sunde iru): “living” (present continuous form)
の (no): Casual question marker
I live in [your location]
[your location] に住んでいるよ。
[your location] ni sunde iru yo.
How old are you?
何歳ですか？
Nan-sai desu ka?
何歳 (nan-sai): “how old”
ですか (desu ka): Polite question ending
I am 21 years old.
21歳です。
Nijū-ichi sai desu.
Where do you go to school?
どこの学校に行っているの？
Doko no gakkō ni itte iru no?
Breakdown
どこ (doko): “where”
の (no):
学校 (gakkō): “school”
に (ni): Second location marker
行っている (itte iru): “going” (present continuous form)
の (no): Casual question marker
Where are you going?
どこに行くの?
Doko ni iku no?
どこ (doko): “where”
に (ni): Location marker
行く (iku): “to go”
の (no): Casual question marker
I am going to [your destination]
[your destination] に行くよ。
[your destination] ni iku yo.
Do you like this?
これが好きなの？
Kore ga suki na no?
Breakdown
これ (kore): “this”
が (ga): Subject marker
好き (suki): “like”
なの (na no): Casual question marker
I like it / I don’t like it.
like it
うん、好きだよ。 (if you like it)
Un, suki da yo.
I don’t like it.
いいえ、好きじゃないよ。 (if you don’t like it)
iie, suki janai yo.
How long have you been studying English?
英語をどのくらい勉強しているの？
Eigo o dono kurai benkyou shite iru no?
Breakdown
英語 (eigo): “English”
を (o): Object marker
どのくらい (dono kurai): “how long”
勉強している (benkyou shite iru): “studying” (present continuous form)
の (no): Casual question marker
How long have you been studying English?
英語をどのくらい勉強しているの？
Eigo o dono kurai benkyou shite iru no?
Breakdown
英語 (eigo): “English”
を (o): Object marker
どのくらい (dono kurai): “how long”
勉強している (benkyou shite iru): “studying” (present continuous form)
の (no): Casual question marker
I have been studying English for two years.
2年間勉強しているよ。
Ni nenkan benkyou shite iru yo.
Have you been to Hong Kong?
香港に行ったことがあるの？
Honkon ni itta koto ga aru no?
Breakdown
香港 (Honkō): “Hong Kong”
に (ni): Location marker
行った (itta): “went” (past form of “go”)
ことがある (koto ga aru): “have been” (indicating experience)
の (no): Casual question marker
I have been to / I have not been to.
I have been to.
うん、行ったことがあるよ。 (if you have been)
Un, itta koto ga aru yo.
I have not been to.
いいえ、行ったことがないよ。 (if you haven’t been)
iie, itta koto ga nai yo.
What is this?
これは何？
Kore wa nan(desuka)?
Breakdown
これ (kore): “this”
は (wa): Topic marker
何 (nan): “what”
This is a book.
これは本だよ。
Kore wa hon da yo.
When is your birthday?
誕生日はいつ？
Tanjoubi wa itsu?
Breakdown
誕生日 (tanjoubi): “birthday”
は (wa): Topic marker
いつ (itsu): “when”
It is on April 21st.
4月の21だよ。
Romaji: Shigatsu no ni jū ichi da yo
Do you want to go here?
ここに行きたい？
Breakdown
ここ (koko): “here”
に (ni): Location marker
行きたい (ikitai): “want to go”
Yes, I want to go / No, I don’t want to go.
Yes, I want to go.
うん、行きたいよ。 (if you want to go)
Un, ikitai yo.
No, I don’t want to go.
いいえ、行きたくないよ。 (if you don’t want to go)
iie, ikitakunai yo.
Which one do you like?
どっちが好き？
Docchi ga suki?
どっち (Docchi) - A casual way to say “which one.”
が (ga) - Subject marker, indicating what you’re talking about.
好き (suki) - Means “like.”
I like this one better, I like that one better
こっちが好き。 (Kocchi ga suki.)
I like this one.
あっちが好き。 (Acchi ga suki.)
I like that one.
I like both!
どちらも好き！ (Dochira mo suki!)
to taxi driver: please go to here
ここまでおねがいします。
Koko made onegai shimasu.
