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How to Say ‘What is this?’ in Japanese

これは何ですか？

kore wa nan desu ka

[koh-reh wah nan dess kah]

💬 Usage Tip: Here 何 is said (nan), not (nani), because です follows. Swap the first word to ask about other things: それは何ですか "what is that?".

Phrase Breakdown

これは

kore wa

this (topic)

'Kore' means this, and は is read 'wa' as the topic marker. Say ko-re wa.

Example

これは本です。

This is a book.

Words in this phrase

これ

kore

[koh-reh]

this

Refers to something close to the speaker.

Example

これが私の家です。

This is my house.

は

[wah]

topic marker

は marks the topic of the sentence.

Example

空席はありますか。

Are there any seats available?

何ですか？

nan desu ka

what is it?

'Nan' means what, and 'desu ka' makes it a polite question. Say nan-des-ka.

Example

それは何ですか？

What is that?

Words in this phrase

何

nan

[nan]

what

何 means what; in 何時 it helps ask 'what time'.

Example

何時に始まりますか。

What time does it start?

です

desu

[dess]

is; polite copula

A polite sentence ending used in formal conversation.

Example

少し伺いたいです。

I would like to ask a little.

か

[kah]

question marker

Placed at the end of a sentence to make it a question.

Example

A席はありますか。

Are there A seats available?

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