A sentence is made into a question by placing the particle か (ka) at the end. This works for both polite sentences (ending with desu/masu) and plain sentences.

The basic patterns of questions are described in the following table – ending a positive or negative sentence with か (ka). Using the negative form can both be a ordinary negative question, but can also be a way of making the question or request softer, very much as in English “Wouldn’t a walk be nice?” instead of straightly saying “Would you like to take a walk?”.

 

Pattern Japanese Example
[verb] ka.
見ますか。
Mimasu ka.
Do (you) see (it)?
見ませんか。
Mimasen ka.
Don’t (you) see (it)?  
見ましたか。
Mimashita ka.
Did (you) see (it)?
[clause] ka. 猫がねずみを見ましたか。
neko ga nezumi o mimashita ka.
Did the cat see a mouse?

Note on Casual Japanese

Please note that, in casual Japanese, the sentence ending か (ka) can be omitted, and only indicated by a slight raise of tone in the end of the sentence. Casual questions can also be done using の (no) in the end of the sentence, for example たべるの？ (taberu no).

 

Pattern Japanese Example

[plain clause]?

食べた？
Tabeta? (raised tone in the end)
Did you eat?

[plain clause] no?

食べたの？
Tabeta no? (raised tone in the end)
Did you eat? (casual)

This page is a modified version, based on “Some Notes on Japanese Grammar” published for your personal use, with the kind permission of Keith Smillie (http://www.cs.ualberta.ca/~smillie/)

Related posts:

  1. Past tense
  2. Japanese Uncertainty
  3. Casual Japanese Verbs
  4. Common Japanese Phrases
  5. Polite Japanese Verbs