The Question Particle Yes-No Questions Expressing Agreement/Disagreement with hai and iie The Question Word dare The Question Word donata Acknowledging Information Japanese 1100-L04a Class Session 4a Chapter 3
Japanese 1100-L04a Most Japanese questions have the sentence-ending particle ka A question mark (?) is not needed (but is sometimes used) You can ask a question without the particle ka by ending a sentence with rising tone: Anata wa? (and, how about) you? The Question Particle
Japanese 1100-L04a Yes-No Questions The particle ka changes a declarative sentence to a question kore wa hon desu.kore wa hon desu ka. This is a book.Is this a book? The particle ka is pronounced with a rising tone
Japanese 1100-L04a Expressing Agreement/Disagreement with hai and iie When answering a question: hai indicates agreement iie indicates disagreement You can answer a question with a simple yes (hai) or no (iie) You can answer agreement with hai, sō desu You can answer disagreement with iie, chigaimasu (or iie, sō ja nai desu) You can answer a question with a full sentence: anata wa nihonjin desu ka. hai, nihonjin desu. iie, nihonjin ja nai desu Answering negative questions in Japanese is different than English: anata wa nihon-jin ja nai desu ka. hai (nihon-jin ja nai desu) iie (nihon-jin desu)
Japanese 1100-L04a The Question Word dare dare (who) is an interrogative pronoun Place dare in a sentence where you would expect an answer (and add ka): ano hito wa maiku-san desu. ano hito wa dare desu ka. Answer to this kind of question can be: maiku-san desuor ano hito wa maku-san desu.
Japanese 1100-L04a The Question Word donata (p39) donata (who) is used instead of dare to show respect: ano hito wa dare desu ka. ano hito wa donata desu ka. kata ( 方, person) can be used instead of hito for politeness: ano kata wa donata desu ka. kata cannot be used independently—it must be followed by a demonstrative adjective (i.e., kono, sono, ano)
Japanese 1100-L04a Acknowledging Information Acknowledging information during a Japanese conversion is required to avoid the appearance of disinterest or aloofness: ā, sō desu ka.Oh, really? Oh, is that so? Oh, I see. ā. (with falling pitch)Oh.