How to Say ‘What kind?’ in Japanese
どんな〜ですか。
don naa desu ka
[don naa dess ka]
💬 Usage Tip: Pattern: [どんな + 名詞 + ですか] → “What kind of (noun) is it?” Example: [どんなスポーツですか]
🇯🇵 In Japan: Asking this keeps the other person talking—great for hobby chat and making conversation flow.
Phrase Breakdown
どん
don
[don]
what kind of
Used to ask about the type, nature, or characteristics of something.
どんな本が好きですか。
What kind of books do you like?
ですか
desu ka
is it? (polite question)
Polite question ending used after nouns/phrases.
どんなひとですか。
What kind of person are they?
Words in this phrase
です
desu
[dess]
is / am / are
A polite copula used to make statements politely in Japanese.
趣味は音楽です。
My hobby is music.
か
ka
[ka]
question marker
Placed at the end of a sentence to turn it into a question.
休みの日は何をしますか。
What do you do on your days off?
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