How to Say ‘What's wrong?’ in Japanese
どうしましたか。
dou shi mashi ta ka
[doo shee mah-shee tah ka]
🇯🇵 In Japan: This is what a helpful passerby or police officer at a 交番 "police box" might say when you look lost. It sounds caring, not accusatory, closer to "What's the matter?"
Phrase Breakdown
どう
dou
[doo]
how; in what way
どう asks about manner or method: 'how?' or 'what should one do?'
どういきますか。
How do you go?
し
shi
[shee]
do (stem)
The stem of する, used to turn nouns like 確認 into verbs such as 'to check.'
確認しお願いします。
Please check it.
まし
mashi
[mah-shee]
polite past stem
Part of the polite past ending in a verb phrase.
昨日は多くのことを学びました。
I learned many things yesterday.
た
ta
[tah]
past tense ending
This ending completes the polite past tense form.
空席がございまし た。
There were vacant seats.
か
ka
[ka]
question particle
Indicates a question.
大丈夫ですか？
Are you okay?
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