How to Say ‘Hey, have you seen the remote?’ in Japanese
ねえ、リモコン知らない？
nee rimokon shira nai
[neh-eh ree-moh-KOHN shee-RAH nai]
💬 Usage Tip: Asking "don't you know?" with 知らない？ is the natural way to ask if someone has seen something. It sounds softer than asking "do you know?" with 知ってる？.
Phrase Breakdown
ねえ、リモコン
nee rimokon
Hey, the remote
ねえ (nee) is a casual 'hey' to get someone's attention. Stretch the long 'ee' sound. リモコン (rimokon) means TV remote control, from 'remote control.'
ねえ、リモコンどこ？
Hey, where's the remote?
Words in this phrase
ねえ
nee
[neh-eh]
hey
A casual way to get someone's attention, like 'hey' or 'listen.'
ねえ、ちょっと聞いて。
Hey, listen a second.
リモコン
rimokon
[ree-moh-KOHN]
remote control
Shortened loanword from 'remote control'; usually means the TV remote.
リモコンはどこ？
Where is the remote?
知らない？
shira nai
Don't you know (where it is)?
知らない (shiranai) is the casual negative of 知る (to know). With a rising tone it becomes the question 'Do you know?' or 'Have you seen it?'
私の鍵、知らない？
Have you seen my keys?
Words in this phrase
知ら
shira
[shee-RAH]
know (stem)
Stem of 知る (to know), used before the negative ending.
彼の名前を知らない。
I don't know his name.
ない
nai
[nai]
not; does not
Negative ending; with いか it forms 'doesn't go well.'
仕事がうまくいかないです。
Work isn't going well.
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