Units
⌂N5 Course home
Orientation
0How the course works
Chapters
1Saying what things are▸Chapter review1Introducing yourself2This, that, and what it is not3Whose it is, and checking4Telling the time
2Adjectives▸Chapter review5I-adjectives6Na-adjectives, and what you like7It was fun, and it was fun and cheap
3Verbs▸Chapter review8Everyday actions9Objects, means, and destinations10When, and how often11Yesterday
4Things, places and numbers▸Chapter review12Something, anything, nothing13What is where14Counting, listing, and prices
5Wanting, inviting, asking▸Chapter review15What you want to do, and what you want16Inviting and offering17The て form, and asking for things18May I, and you must not
6Joining actions, and what is going on▸Chapter review19Joining actions, and doing one after the other20Going on, and already done21Already, not yet, and becoming22Giving and receiving
7The plain form▸Chapter review23The plain form, and asking someone not to24What you can do, and what comes first25What you think and what they said26The plain past
8Describing and comparing▸Chapter review27Describing a noun, and naming an activity28Comparing two things29The most30の standing in for a noun
+Extra: JLPT N5
9Plans, experience and reasons▸Chapter review31What you intend to do32Things you have done33Explaining why34Advice, and what you must and need not do35Asking politely, and too much of a thing
Unit 1
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Chapter 1 grammar notesAnswers
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Chapter 1 review — slides
Chapter 1 review — teaching notes
Common mistakes — teaching notes
Kana chart
Unit 1 · なまえ · Part 2

Asking questions

〜ですか
Goals

By the end of this part, you can…

A conversation you can have in Japanese
YouIs Mr. Tanaka an office worker?
FriendNo. He is an engineer.
YouWhat is your job?
FriendI am a teacher. What is your name?
In this part
Warm-up — vocabulary

Say it in Japanese

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Grammar 1

Asking questions

To ask, add か at the end. Nothing else moves — the word order of the statement stays as it is, and a question word simply sits where the answer would go.

Builds onSaying what something is (X は Y です)
1See how it works
Pattern
 〜ですかdesu kaIs it ~? / What is ~?
Word order does not changeJapanese adds か at the end rather than moving anything. A question word simply sits where the answer would go.
Mr. Tanakaたなかさんtanakasan(topic)はwaoffice workerかいしゃいんkaishain(polite)ですdesuMr. Tanaka is an office worker.↓↓ たなかさんtanakasan はwa かいしゃいんkaishain(question) ?ですかdesu kaIs Mr. Tanaka an office worker?jobしごとshigoto はwawhatなんnan ですかdesu ka?What do you do?
2Build the pieceです → ですか
e.g.かいしゃいんkaishainですdesuis an office worker→かいしゃいんkaishainですかdesu kais an office worker?
3Say it in Japanese
Summary

This part at a glance

Grammar 1
Asking questions
〜ですかdesu ka
たなかさんtanakasan はwa かいしゃいんkaishain ですかdesu kaIs Mr. Tanaka an office worker?
Drill — fill in the blank

Choose the right word

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Drill — translate

Write it in Japanese

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Reading — read it aloud

しごと は なん ですか

The two of them keep talking, now asking each other questions.
すずきたなかさん、しごとtanakasan、shigotoはwaなんnanですかdesu ka。
たなかかいしゃいんkaishainですdesu。
すずきそうsouですかdesu ka。
たなかすずきさん、しごとsuzukisan、shigotoはwaなんnanですかdesu ka。
すずきエンジニアenjiniaですdesu。
たなかすずきさんsuzukisanはwaにほんじんnihonjinですかdesu ka。
すずきはい、にほんじんhai、nihonjinですdesu。
たなかなまえnamaeはwaなんnanですかdesu ka。
すずきすずきsuzukiですdesu。
Reading — questions

Answer in Japanese

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