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How to Say ‘Should I do something at home?’ in Japanese

家で何かしたほうがいいですか。

ie de nani ka shi ta hou ga ii desu ka

[ie de nah-nee kah shee ta hoh gah ee dess kah]

Phrase Breakdown

家で何か

ie de nani ka

something at home

家で (ie de) means 'at home' and 何か (nanika) means 'something'. Say 'ie' as two clear vowels: i-e de nanika.

Example

家で何か作ります。

I'll make something at home.

Words in this phrase

家

[ie]

home; house

A noun meaning home or house. In conversation, 家 can also mean one's household or family home.

Example

家ではアサヒをよく飲みます。

At home, we often drink Asahi.

で

[de]

at; in

A particle showing the place where an action happens.

Example

家でキリンを飲みます。

I drink Kirin at home.

何

nani

[nah-nee]

what; something (with か)

When combined with か, 何か means 'something' (indefinite). Useful in interview follow-up questions.

Example

改善するために何かしていますか。

Are you doing anything to improve?

か

[kah]

some (indefinite)

After a question word, か makes it indefinite: 何か = something.

Example

誰かいますか。

Is someone there?

したほうがいいですか。

shi ta hou ga ii desu ka

should I do?

したほうがいいですか asks politely 'would it be better to do?' or 'should I do?'. Say it as shita hou ga ii desu ka.

Example

運動したほうがいいですか。

Should I exercise?

Words in this phrase

し

shi

[shee]

do (stem)

The stem of する, used to turn nouns like 確認 into verbs such as 'to check.'

Example

確認しお願いします。

Please check it.

た

[ta]

past tense ending

This marks the action as completed in the past.

Example

スタッフが来ました。

The staff member came.

ほう

hou

[hoh]

side; option; way

Used in comparisons to mean 'the one that...' or 'the option that...'

Example

ほうが早いと思います。

I think that option is faster.

が

[gah]

subject marker

Marks the subject of the sentence, such as スーツケース.

Example

スーツケースが一つありますと答えます。

I answer, 'There is one suitcase.'

いい

[ee]

good; okay

A common word for something being good, fine, or acceptable.

Example

その形でいいです。

That shape is fine.

です

desu

[dess]

is; polite copula

Polite form of 'to be' used in many basic sentences.

Example

こちらで大丈夫です。

This is fine.

か

[kah]

question particle

か is placed at the end of a sentence to mark it as a question in polite Japanese.

Example

先生ですか。

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