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How to Say ‘Where did you meet?’ in Japanese

どこで会ったんですか？

doko de atsu ta n desu ka

[doko de a tah n dess ka]

💬 Usage Tip: The んですか ending makes this a curious, interested question, like "So where did you two meet?" It sounds warmer than a plain 会いましたか.

Phrase Breakdown

どこで

doko de

where (at what place)

'doko' means where, and 'de' marks the place of an action.

Example

どこで買いましたか？

Where did you buy it?

Words in this phrase

どこ

doko

[doko]

where

A question word asking about a place or location.

Example

どこに行きますか？

Where are you going?

で

[de]

Indicates the location of an action.

Example

家で食事する。

Eat at home.

会ったんですか？

atsu ta n desu ka

did (you) meet?

'atta' is the past of 'au' (to meet). The small っ means a brief pause before 'ta': 'at-ta'. 'n desu ka' asks for an explanation in a curious tone.

Example

いつ会ったんですか？

When did you meet?

Words in this phrase

会っ

atsu

[a]

met

Past tense of meet.

Example

昨日、友達と会った。

I met with a friend 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.

ん

[n]

(explanatory n)

Casual form of の; adds a tone of seeking or giving an explanation, often before です.

Example

どうしたんですか。

What happened?

です

desu

[dess]

is; am; are

A basic polite copula used to say 'is/am/are.'

Example

田中です。

I am Tanaka.

か

[ka]

question particle

Used to create a yes/no question in informal speech.

Example

行くか？

Shall we go?

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