Learn Japanese - Lesson 8: What Is It?

Objective: To learn to ask "What is it?" questions.

Key Words

なん = what

[nan]

Grammar

なん is used when what is immediately followed by a noun or sentence marker, such as です or ですか, or when it is not the object of a verb.

Examples

これはなんですか？ = What is this?

[nan desuka]

あなたのなまえはなんですか？ = What is your name?

[are ha nan desuka?]

Practice

Write the following sentences in Japanese using hiragana/katakana.

  1. What is that person's name?
  2. What is that?
  3. What is this dog's name?
  4. What is this?
  5. What is that (over there)?

Translate the following Japanese sentences to English.

  1. この本はなんですか？
  2. そのイギリスじんのなまえはなんですか？
  3. それはなんですか？
  4. あのやまのなまえはなんですか？やまはうつくしいです。
  5. このへびのなまえはなんですか？

Review

Write the following sentences using hiragana/katakana.

  1. Hello! Is your name Shinji? Nice to meet you!
  2. My name is Ben. I am Irish.
  3. Is your boat very old?
  4. Thank you! This book is interesting.
  5. Sorry. My car is very small.
  6. I'm happy. Are you happy?

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