How to Say ‘Is something wrong?’ in Japanese
どこか悪いんですか。
doko ka warui n desu ka
[doh-koh kah warui n dess kah]
🇯🇵 In Japan: Literally "Is somewhere bad?", meaning "Is part of your body unwell?". This is the natural, concerned follow-up when an older relative mentions not feeling great.
Phrase Breakdown
どこか
doko ka
somewhere
どこ (doko) means 'where.' Adding か makes it 'somewhere.' Here it asks about some part of the body.
どこか行きたいです。
I want to go somewhere.
Words in this phrase
どこ
doko
[doh-koh]
where; which part
In symptom questions, どこが…? means “Where (on your body) …?”
どこが痛いですか。
Where does it hurt?
か
ka
[kah]
some- (indefinite)
After a question word, か makes it indefinite: どこか = somewhere.
どこか行きたいです。
I want to go somewhere.
悪いんですか。
warui n desu ka
is (it) bad?
Asks with concern whether something is wrong. Put together with どこか, the sentence means 'Is something wrong with you?'
目が悪いんですか。
Do you have bad eyesight?
Words in this phrase
悪い
warui
[warui]
bad
Something that is undesirable or unpleasant.
彼は悪いことをした。
He did something bad.
ん
n
[n]
explanatory tone
Adds explanation or background to what the speaker is saying.
写真のプロジェクトをしているんだ。
I'm doing a photography project, you know.
です
desu
[dess]
is; polite copula
A polite sentence ending used in formal conversation.
少し伺いたいです。
I would like to ask a little.
か
ka
[kah]
question particle
か turns the sentence into a polite question.
行きますかと聞きました。
I asked, 'Will you go?'
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