How to Say ‘What is it?’ in Japanese
何ですか
nani desu ka
[nahn dess kah]
💬 Usage Tip: [何ですか] is the polite “what is it?” A softer, friendly version is [何ですか？] with an upbeat tone; a very casual one is [何？].
🇯🇵 In Japan: Direct questions can feel strong in Japanese, so keeping [ですか] helps you sound considerate on a first date.
Phrase Breakdown
何
nani
[nahn]
what
Question word “what.” Read なに before ですか in polite questions: 何ですか = “What is it?”
趣味は何ですか。
What are your hobbies?
です
desu
[dess]
(polite copula) is/are/am
Used in polite questions with か: 何ですか = “What is it?”
おすすめは何ですか。
What do you recommend?
か
ka
[kah]
question particle (makes it a question)
Sentence-ending particle that turns a statement into a question in polite speech.
趣味は何ですか。
What are your hobbies?
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