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How to Say ‘Did my cat get into your place?’ in Japanese

うちの猫、そちらに入りませんでしたか。

uchi no neko sochira ni hairi mase n deshi ta ka

[OO-chee no neh-KOH soh-CHEE-rah ni hah-ee-ree mah-seh n deshi tah kah]

🇯🇵 In Japan: Phrasing it as a gentle negative question avoids implying the neighbor did anything wrong, which matters when you'll be living next to them for years.

Phrase Breakdown

うちの猫、

uchi no neko

our cat

The topic of the sentence. In casual speech the particle は is dropped, so you pause briefly instead.

Example

うちの猫、見ませんでしたか。

Have you seen our cat?

Words in this phrase

うち

uchi

[OO-chee]

our; my household

Refers to one's own home or family; うちの means 'our'.

Example

うちの犬は大きいです。

Our dog is big.

の

[no]

's; of

A particle that shows possession or connection between nouns.

Example

知り合いの会社に興味があります。

I am interested in an acquaintance's company.

猫

neko

[neh-KOH]

cat

The common word for a cat.

Example

猫が好きです。

I like cats.

そちらに

sochira ni

into your place

A polite way to say 'to your home'. Stress each syllable evenly: so-chi-ra-ni.

Example

明日そちらに伺います。

I'll visit your place tomorrow.

Words in this phrase

そちら

sochira

[soh-CHEE-rah]

your; that (polite)

Polite word for 'that one' or 'your side', referring to the listener.

Example

そちらのバッグ、素敵ですね。

Your bag is lovely.

に

[ni]

to; into

Particle used before なる to show a change into a new state.

Example

気持ちが楽になりました。

I felt more at ease.

入りませんでしたか。

hairi mase n deshi ta ka

didn't it go in?

A polite negative question in the past tense. Japanese often asks 'didn't it...?' to sound softer.

Example

ここに入りませんでしたか。

Didn't it come in here?

Words in this phrase

入り

hairi

[hah-ee-ree]

enter; go in

Stem of 入る, meaning to enter or go inside.

Example

車いすでも入りやすい入口です。

It is an entrance that is easy to enter even in a wheelchair.

ませ

mase

[mah-seh]

polite negative (part of ません)

「ませ」 is part of 「ません」, the polite negative form.

Example

はいていません。

I haven’t vomited.

ん

[n]

negative ending

The final sound completing the negative polite form.

Example

一人は魚が食べられません。

One person cannot eat fish.

でし

deshi

[deshi]

was

Past tense form of 'desu'.

Example

昨日は雨でした。

It was rainy yesterday.

た

[tah]

past tense ending

This ending completes the polite past tense form.

Example

空席がございました。

There were vacant seats.

か

[kah]

question particle

Turns a sentence into a question. In polite speech, か is standard for asking questions in interviews.

Example

日本語は勉強していますか。

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