Mastering Japanese Question Words: “Dare”, “Nani”, “Doko” (Who, What, Where)

Want to ask “Who?”, “What?”, or “Where?” in Japanese?
In this beginner-friendly guide, you’ll learn how to use the essential Japanese question words:

• 誰（だれ） dare – who
• どなた donata – who (polite)
• 何（なに） nani – what
• どこ doko – where
  These words help you ask basic questions in Japanese and are used daily in conversation. Let’s get started!

How to Use “Dare” (Who): Asking About People

誰（だれ） – Who (casual/polite)

“Dare” means “who” in Japanese. Use it when you want to ask about a person’s identity. For polite situations, “donata” is a more respectful alternative.

How to Use “Donata” (Polite Form of “Who”)

どなた – Who (formal/respectful)

Polite version of 誰. Used in formal settings or when speaking with respect.

How to Use “Nani” (What): Asking About Things

何（なに） – What

“Nani” means “what”. It’s used when you want to ask about things, objects, or concepts. When followed by certain consonants like “desu”, it changes to “nan”.

How to Use “Doko” (Where): Asking About Places

どこ – Where

“Doko” means “where”. It’s used to ask about the location of something or someone.

Example Sentences Using Japanese Question Words

1. Who is that person?

あの人は誰ですか？
あのひとはだれですか？
Ano hito wa dare desu ka?
As for that person, who is it?

2. Who is that (politely)?

あの方はどなたですか？
あのかたはどなたですか？
Ano kata wa donata desu ka?
As for that person (honorific), who is it?

3. What is this?

これは何ですか？
これはなんですか？
Kore wa nan desu ka?
As for this, what is it?

4. Where is the station?

駅はどこですか？
えきはどこですか？
Eki wa doko desu ka?
As for the station, where is it?

5. Where is the restroom?

トイレはどこですか？
といれはどこですか？
Toire wa doko desu ka?
As for the toilet, where is it?

Vocabulary from This Lesson

Here are the key Japanese words used in this lesson:

• 誰：だれ (dare)：who
• どなた：どなた (donata)：who (polite)
• 何：なに／なん (nani/nan)：what
• どこ：どこ (doko)：where
• 人：ひと (hito)：person
• 方：かた (kata)：person (polite)
• 駅：えき (eki)：station
• トイレ：といれ (toire)：toilet
• あの：あの (ano)：that (over there)

Tips for Beginners

Japanese question words go in the same word order as statements – just add 「ですか？」 at the end.

Use どなた instead of だれ in polite or professional situations.

“何” is read as “なん” before words starting with です or だ-sounds (e.g., “なんですか？”).

日本語の疑問詞「誰」「何」「どこ」の使い方を初心者向けに解説。例文や丁寧語との違いも紹介し、日常会話での活用方法を学べます。