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Lesson Transcript

Hi, everyone.
Welcome to the Ultimate Japanese Particle Guide.
In this lesson, you'll learn the particle...
か (ka)
This particle is often referred to as the question particle, because it usually comes at the end of a sentence and turns it into a question.
Unlike question sentences in English, when a statement becomes a question in Japanese, the word order stays the same.
Let's see how it functions in a sentence. Risa, how do you say "Ken is Japanese"?
ケンは日本人です。(Ken wa Nihon-jin desu)
So to ask “Is Ken Japanese?”...
...all you have to do is add か (ka) at the end of the sentence.
ケンは日本人ですか?(Ken wa Nihon-jin desu ka?)
It's very simple, but be sure to use the rising intonation. Let's hear it again.
ケンは日本人ですか。(Ken wa Nihon-jin desu ka.)
In English, you have to change the word order. For example “Ken is Japanese” changes to “Is Ken Japanese?” But in Japanese, you don't have to do that...
...just add か (ka) to the sentence.
Let’s do one more example. How do you say “Ken can speak Japanese”?
ケンは日本語ができます。(Ken wa Nihongo ga dekimasu.)
And to ask “Can Ken speak Japanese?”
ケンは日本語ができますか。(Ken wa Nihongo ga dekimasu ka.)
Now those sentences that we just gave were all formal sentences. How about informal sentences?
It’s a little bit different. - you just add の (no) at the end of the sentence in plain form."
For example, クミは英語がわかる。(Kumi wa Eigo ga wakaru.)
becomes クミは英語がわかるの?(Kumi wa Eigo ga wakaru no?)
So people often use の (no) instead.
Let's take a look at a few more examples.
今夜、予定がありますか。 (Konya, yotei ga arimasu ka.)
“Do you have any plans tonight?”
日本は初めてですか。 (Nihon wa hajimete desu ka.)
“Is this your first time in Japan?”
イタリア料理はおいしいですか。 (Itaria ryōri wa oishii desu ka.)
“Is Italian food delicious?”
This particle can also indicate alternatives.
It comes after choices. We often omit the last "ka."
It corresponds to "or" in English. Let's see how it functions in a sentence.
紅茶かコーヒーが飲みたいです。(Kōcha ka kōhī ga nomitai desu.)
This means "I want to drink tea or coffee." Let's break it down. First we have...
紅茶かコーヒー (Kōcha ka kōhī)
This means "tea or coffee." Notice how the particle comes after the first choice.
Following that, we have the particle that marks an object of desire.
が (ga)
Finally, we have the verb in the -tai form, which expresses desire.
飲みたいです (nomitai desu.)
Let's take a look at a few more examples with the same particle used as an alternative marker.
車かバイクで広島に行きたいです。(Kuruma ka baiku de Hiroshima ni ikitai desu.)
"I would like to go to Hiroshima by car or bike."
明日か明後日、荷物が届きます。(Ashita ka asatte, nimotsu ga todokimasu.)
"The parcel will arrive tomorrow or the day after tomorrow."
紅茶か緑茶かコーヒーがあります。(Kōcha ka ryokucha ka kōhī ga arimasu.)
“There is tea, green tea, or coffee.”
Now, let's use what you learned in this lesson.
We learned how to say “Is Ken Japanese?”
ケンは日本人ですか。(Ken wa Nihon-jin desu ka.)
When the particle か (ka) comes at the end of a sentence, it turns it into a question. So, the structure is...
[sentence] か (ka)
Now let's try with "Is today Friday?"
Here are the words for "today" and "Friday."
今日 (kyō)
金曜日(kin-yōbi)
The affirmative sentence "Today is Friday" is...
今日は金曜日です。(Kyō wa kin-yōbi desu)
Try to say "Is today Friday?" in Japanese. [pause]
The answer is...
今日は金曜日ですか。(Kyō wa kin-yōbi desu ka.)
Did you get it right? In this sentence, the particle か (ka) marks a question.
Let's try one more. We also learned how to say "I want to drink tea or coffee."
紅茶かコーヒーが飲みたいです。(Kōcha ka kōhī ga nomitai desu.)
Here the particle か (ka) marks alternatives, meaning "or." The structure is...
[item 1] か (ka) [item 2]
Now let's try with "I want to eat ramen or pasta."
Here are the words for "ramen" and "pasta."
ラーメン (rāmen)
パスタ(pasuta)
Try to say "I want to eat ramen or pasta" in Japanese. [pause]
The answer is...
ラーメンかパスタが食べたいです。(Rāmen ka pasuta ga tabetai desu.)
Well done! In this case, the particle か (ka) marks an alternative, ramen or pasta!
In this lesson, you learned about the particle...
In the next lesson, you'll learn about the particle...
See you in the next lesson. Bye!
Bye~

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