How to Say ‘Something’ in Japanese
何か
nani ka
[nah-nee kah]
💬 Usage Tip: [何か] means "something" in statements, but in questions it often means "anything." So [何かありますか] is naturally "Is there anything?"
Phrase Breakdown
何
nani
[nah-nee]
what / something
In this phrase, 何 helps form 'something' or 'anything' when followed by か.
何かありましたか。
Did something happen?
か
ka
[kah]
some / any
When attached after question words, it makes an indefinite meaning like 'something' or 'anything.'
何か変わりましたか。
Did anything change?
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