How to Say ‘What kind?’ in Japanese
どんな〜ですか。
donna desu ka
[dohn-nah dess kah]
💬 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
どんな
donna
[dohn-nah]
what kind of; what sort of
Used with a noun to ask for details. In self-introductions, it’s common for asking about someone’s hobbies.
どんなしゅみですか。
What kind of hobby is it?
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 (polite)
Polite linking/ending word that makes your question sound polite and natural.
どんなスポーツですか。
What kind of sport is it?
か
ka
[kah]
? (question particle)
Turns the sentence into a question. Very common in polite conversation.
どんなカレーがすきですか。
What kind of curry do you like?
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