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Lesson 3. Forming Questions in Japanese using か (Ka) and ね (Ne)

Ka Ne Japanese, Questions in Japanese
Forming Questions in Japanese using か (Ka) and ね (Ne)

 

The particles か (ka) and ね (ne) can be used to form questions in Japanese. Let’s learn the usage of these two particles now!

 

The Exceptional (ka)

Most of Japanese sentences can be turned into questions by simply adding the particle か (ka) at the end of the sentence. In this case, the particle か (ka) is equivalent to a question mark (?). Read: か (ka) as the conjunction OR

For example, the following statement is a positive sentence.

外は暑いです。

Soto wa atsui desu.

It is hot outside.

 

The above positive statement will turn into a question with the additional か (ka) at the end of the sentence.

外は暑いですか?

Soto wa atsui desu ka?

Is it hot outside?

 

Another example.

キムさんは韓国人です。

Kimu-san wa kankokujin desu.

Mr. Kim is a Korean.

 

キムさんは韓国人ですか?

Kimu-san wa kankokujin desu ka?

Is Mr. Kim a Korean?

 

Here are a few things to take note:

  1. Just like most of the languages, the questions end with a rising intonation at the word か (ka).
  2. In formal Japanese, questions can end in the Japanese full stop (。).
  3. You do not need to change the word order, which is a basic asking question rule in English. Notice the English ‘is’ and ‘it’.

 

The Confirmation (ne)

ね (ne) is a common ending particle in Japanese sentence. It is commonly used to ask for confirmation – just as in n’est-ce pas [French] or isn’t it [English]. Examples:

いい天気ですね。

ii tenki desu ne.

It is a nice weather, isn’t it?

 

月が綺麗ですね。

Tsuki ga kirei desu ne.

The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?

 

The appropriate response would be:

そうですね。

Sō desu ne.

That’s right, (isn’t it?)

 

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