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Interrogatives 2

Two ways to make intterogative questions

There are two ways to make interrogative questions.

  1. The first expression starts with an interrogative. If a particle follows the interrogative, the particle must be a "case indicator" particle. A "topic indicator" particle such as 「は」 or 「も」 never follows the interrogative in this type of questional sentence.

    This expression makes the question sound "straight" and sometimes even sound sharp and aggressive. That often makes people use the other expression.

  2. The other expression starts with a "topic". This makes the question sound rather hesitant because of the function of the "topic". This expression fits Japanese people's mentality more than the first expression, and is more widely used in non-academic language.

　

Interrogative + 「か」

Interrogative + 「か」 makes "some-" in the positive sentence, or "any-" in the questional sentence. This expression never can be used for a negative sentence that means "not any".

なにか something/anything
somewhat		 なにかたべるものがありますか
Do you have anything to eat?
なにか、へんですね。
Somewhat strange, isn't it?
だれか someone/anyone
somebody/anybody		 だれかさきに行ってください。
Somebody please go first.
どれか someone/anyone of many どれかひとつとってください。
Please take any one of them.
どちらか
どっちか		 one of either どちらかひとつとってください。
Please take one or other.
どこか some-/anywhere どこかきれいなところへ行きたいです。
I want to go somewhere beautiful.
いつか some-/anytime in the future
someday in the future		 いつか日本へ行きたいです。
I want to go to Japan some day.
＊ sometime/day in the past has a different expression, that is 「あるとき／あるひ／かつて」.
いくつか some/several りんごをいくつかあげましょうか。
Shall I give you some apples?
＊ For things that are counted with specific counters, 「なん+counter+か」 should be used. i.e. 「えんぴつをなんぼんか……」 (some pencils).
いくらか some amount/a little
some degree/more or less

さけはいくらかのみますが、たばこはぜんぜんすいません。
I drink some alcohol, but I don't smoke at all.

わたしはスペイン語がいくらかわかります。
I understand some Spanish.
＊For "to some extent" and "some degree", 「ある程度（あるていど）」 is used more often than 「いくらか」.
なぜか some how/don't know why, but

なぜかきょうはとてもきぶんがいいです。
Somehow I feel very happy today.

＊For "manage to do something", 「なんとか（or なんとかして）」 should be used rather than 「なぜか」. For example "I somehow managed to make money" is 「なんとかお金ができました」 in Japanese.
どうか by all means

「どうか」 is used to make a wish or to ask someone's favor.
どうかたすけてください。
Please help me by all means.
どうかこれからもおげんきで。
I wish you good health for life.

＊For "somehow", 「なぜか」 should be used rather than 「どうか」.
　

Interrogative + 「も」

Interrogative + 「も」 makes "not any-" in the negative sentence. This expression shouldn't be mixed with an expression that means "no matter -" or "-ever" in a sentence.

If a verb requires a particular particle, insert it between the interrogative and 「も」 except 「が」 which comes AFTER 「も」.
For example, to say "I didn't see anyone", the verb 「あう (to see/meet)」 requires particle 「に」. Then 「に」 is inserted between the interrogative 「だれ (who)」 and particle 「も」. Therefore, the Japanese version of the same sentence is 「だれにもあいませんでした」.

Originally, interrogatives + 「も」 would be used in the negative sentence. However, in the modern language, some of these are used to express "every" in the positive sentence. Sometimes a suffix (as indicated with ＊) is used to make the meaning clear. However expressions with a suffix may sound too old, or too literal in modern days.

なにも not anything/nothing
everything

なにもたべるものがありません。
I don't have anything to eat.
「にちようびは、なにも、しませんでした。」
I didn't do anything on Sunday.

Usually, 「みんな」 is used for "everything" in the positive sentence.
Following expressions with suffix 「-かも」 can also be used for "everything". However, it makes the sentence sound literal, that is, exaggerated.
＊もうなにもかもいやになりました。
＊I'm fed up with everything!
だれも no one/none
everyone/everybody

きょうしつにはだれもいませんでした。
There wasn't anyone in the classroom.
うちへかえるとちゅう、だれにもあいませんでした。
I didn't see anyone on the way home.

When used in the positive sentence, 「だれも」 should be followed by a case indicator particle.
ちかごろの日本人の旅行客はだれもがビデオカメラをもっています。
Every recent Japanese tourist has a video camera.

Usually, 「みんな」 is used for "everyone" in the positive sentence.
Following expressions with suffix 「-かれも」 can also be used for "everyone/every person". However, it makes the sentence sound literal, that is, exaggerated.
＊どうしてだれもかれもだまっているんですか。
＊Why everyone is so quiet?
どれも none of any
anyone/every single one

どれもおいしくありません。
None of them are delicious.

花はどれも（みんな）きれいです。
Any one flower is beautiful.

Usually, 「みんな」 is used for "every single one" in the positive sentence.
Following expressions with suffix 「-これも」 can also be used for "every thing". However, it makes the sentence sound literal, that is, exaggerated.
＊このうちにあるものは、どれもこれも（みんな）こわれています。
＊Everything in this house is broken.
どちらも
どっちも		 none of either
both

アイスクリームもケーキもどちらもたべないでください。
Don't eat neither ice cream nor cake.

アイスクリームもケーキもどちらもおいしそうですね。
Both ice cream and cake look delicious.
どこも nowhere
everywhere

なつやすみはどこへも行きませんでした。
I didn't go anywhere during summer holidays.

日本のきっさてんは、どこもすわると、おしぼりをくれます。
Coffee shops anywhere in Japan offer a complementary wet towel when you take a seat.

Following expressions with suffix 「-かしこも」 can also be used for "everywhere". However, it makes the sentence sound literal, that is, exaggerated.
＊とうきょうはどこもかしこも人でいっぱいです。
＊Everywhere in Tokyo is full of people.
いつも always/every time

せんせいはいつもへやにいません。
My teacher is always out of the room.

わたしのくるまはいつもこわれています。
My car is always broken.
どうしても for every reason/anyhow わたしはどうしても、にほんへ いきたいんです。
I want to go to Japan anyhow.
どうも anyway
anyhow (for negative only)

どうもわかりません。
I can't understand anyhow. どうもうまくいきません。
It wouldn't go well anyhow.

Being slightly apart from it's original meaning, 「どうも」 is used in greetings to add to the speaker's perplexity.
どうもありがとうございます。
Thank you very much. (I do not know how I can express my appreciation.)
どうもすみませんでした。
I am sorry. (I don't know how I can make a proper apology.)
　

Interrogative + 「でも」

Interrogative + 「でも」 forms the meaning of "no matter -" or "- ever" in the sentence. This expression shouldn't be mixed with an "interrogative + も" expression which means "not any" or "every" in the sentence.

If a verb requires a particular particle, insert it between the interrogative and 「でも」 except 「が」 which comes AFTER 「でも」. For example, to say "I am interested in whatever it is", the verb 「きょうみがある (to be interested)」 requires particle 「に」. Then 「に」is inserted between the interrogative 「なん (what)」 and particle 「でも」. Therefore, the Japanese sentence for this is 「わたしはなんにでもきょうみがあります」.

「が」 and 「を」 after interrogative + 「でも」 drops in most cases.

なんでも no matter what/whatever
anything		 わたしはなんでもたべます。
I eat whatever
I eat anything.
だれでも no matter who/whoever
anybody		 やまださんとはなすとだれでもたのしくなります。
Whoever talks with Miss Yamada will become happy.
やまださんは、だれにでもしんせつです。
Mr. Yamada is kind to anyone.
どれでも no matter which/whichever
anything		 どれでもすきなものをえらんでください。
Please choose whichever you like.
どちらでも
どっちでも		 no matter which/whichever
either one		 わたしはどちらでもいいです。
I'm fine with it either way.
どこでも no matter where/wherever
anywhere

わたしはどこへでも車でいきます。
I go anywhere by car.

ねこは、せかいじゅうどこにでもいます
Cats can be found anywhere in the world.
いつでも no matter when/whenever
anytime		 いつでもうちへきてください。
Please come to my house anytime.
いくつでも no matter how many/as many as wished どうぞいくつでもとってください。
Please take as many as you wish.
いくらでも no matter how much わたしはさけはいくらでものめます。
I can drink any amount of SAKE.
どんなに〜でも however (adjective+noun) is どんなにむずかしいもんだいでも、かならずこたえがあります。
However difficult the problem is, there should be an answer to it.

Any comments on this page to Kaz Hagiwara (K.Hagiwara@griffith.edu.au)