Common questions (casual)

Question 1

What is your name?

Answer 1

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)

Question 2

My name is [name]

Answer 2

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

Question 3

Where are you from?

Answer 3

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]

Question 4

I am from [your place].

Answer 4

[your place] から来たよ。

[your place] kara kita yo.

Question 5

Where do you live?

Answer 5

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

Question 6

I live in [your location]

Answer 6

[your location] に住んでいるよ。
[your location] ni sunde iru yo.

Question 7

How old are you?

Answer 7

何歳ですか？
Nan-sai desu ka?

何歳 (nan-sai): “how old”
ですか (desu ka): Polite question ending

Question 8

I am 21 years old.

Answer 8

21歳です。
Nijū-ichi sai desu.

Question 9

Where do you go to school?

Answer 9

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

Question 10

Where are you going?

Answer 10

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

Question 11

I am going to [your destination]

Answer 11

[your destination] に行くよ。
[your destination] ni iku yo.

Question 12

Do you like this?

Answer 12

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

Question 13

I like it / I don’t like it.

Answer 13

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.

Question 14

How long have you been studying English?

Answer 14

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

Question 15

How long have you been studying English?

Answer 15

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

Question 16

I have been studying English for two years.

Answer 16

2年間勉強しているよ。
Ni nenkan benkyou shite iru yo.

Question 17

Have you been to Hong Kong?

Answer 17

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

Question 18

I have been to / I have not been to.

Answer 18

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.

Question 19

What is this?

Answer 19

これは何？
Kore wa nan(desuka)?

Breakdown
これ (kore): “this”
は (wa): Topic marker
何 (nan): “what”

Question 20

This is a book.

Answer 20

これは本だよ。
Kore wa hon da yo.

Question 21

When is your birthday?

Answer 21

誕生日はいつ？
Tanjoubi wa itsu?

Breakdown
誕生日 (tanjoubi): “birthday”
は (wa): Topic marker
いつ (itsu): “when”

Question 22

It is on April 21st.

Answer 22

4月の21だよ。
Romaji: Shigatsu no ni jū ichi da yo

Question 23

Do you want to go here?

Answer 23

ここに行きたい？
Breakdown
ここ (koko): “here”
に (ni): Location marker
行きたい (ikitai): “want to go”

Question 24

Yes, I want to go / No, I don’t want to go.

Answer 24

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.

Question 25

Which one do you like?

Answer 25

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.”

Question 26

I like this one better, I like that one better

Answer 26

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.

Question 27

I like both!

Answer 27

どちらも好き！ (Dochira mo suki!)

Question 28

to taxi driver: please go to here

Answer 28

ここまでおねがいします。

Koko made onegai shimasu.