Brenton
Philip SharpInquiring about Others
April 18th 2008 10:49
In Japanese there are a number of ways to directly inquire about another person. This list begins with phrases used to gather information from new people, and becomes progressively less formal and more friendly.
なまえは　なん　ですか (namae wa nan desuka) means ‘what is your name?’ ~は　なん　ですか (wa nan desuka) is a form that means ‘what is~’ and can be appropriated to various purposes.
The best answer is なまえは　NAME　です (namae wa NAME desu) where name is replaced with the name. E.g, なまえ　は　スピン せんせ{ 56; です (namae wa supin sensei desu) The name is Dr Spin. If you want to specifically want to say MY name you need to add ‘ わたし　の (watashi no) to the beginning of the sentence; わたし　の なまえ　は　[/html]スピン せんせ{ 56; [/html] です (watashi no namae wa Supin Sensei desu); My name is Dr Spin.
• VARIATION:
A politer variation of this form is the term ともします (tomoshimasu) meaning ‘to be called’.
あなた　は　なに　を　ともします (Anata wa nani o tomoshimasu) – What are you called?
わたし は　スピン せんせい ともします (watashi wa Supin sensei tomoshimasu); I am called Dr Spin.
なん　さい ですか. ‘Nan Sai Desuka’ is a common phrase meaning ‘How Old are you?’
The reply is # さい　です. ‘# sai desu’ (I am # many years old)
なん　ねん せい　ですか ‘Nan nen sei desu ka?’ This means, ‘what grade are you in?’
The answer for this is # ねん せい　です ‘# nen sei desu’ (Grade #).
どこ　に　すんでいますか ‘doko ni sundeimasuka?’ is a phrase meaning Where do you live?
The reply is PLACE に　すんでいます ‘PLACE ni sundeimasu.’ I live in this place.
しゅみ　は　なん　です か ‘shumi wa nan desuka’ means What are your hobbies.
The answer is しゅみ　は　HOBBY　です ‘shumi wa HOBBY desu’; My hobby is “HOBBY”.
いち　ばんz 88;すきな _______[/html]　は　なん　ですか ‘ichi ban sukina ____ wa nan desuka’ means what is your favourite ____?’
It can be answered as いち　ばん すきな _______　は　THING　です. ‘Ichi ban suki na ____ wa THING desu’.
The most common inquiry is おげんき　ですか? (Ogenki Desuka) or simply げんき ですか? (Genki desuka; omitting the honorific O). This is best translated as ‘how are you’ but is literally translated as ‘are you well.’
The standard answer is はい, (お)げんき[LINK="http://www.drspin.com.au/desu/"]　です [/html] (Hai, (o)genki desu) ‘yes I am well.’ However a simple はい (hai); yes, or いいえ (iie); no, will suffice, although the latter isn’t strictly polite. It’s acceptable though to admit not feeling well in company of friends.
いったいぜんたい (ittaizentai) is a phrase meaning ‘whatever is the matter?’, and is used to enquire as to what is the cause for concern. This can be also expressed less formally as いったいな (ittaina?).
どうして (Doushite) means literally ‘what kind of’, however it too can mean ‘whatever is wrong’ is expressed with the right urgency. This phrase can also be used to gather further detail on a topic of discussion.
なまえは　なん　ですか (namae wa nan desuka) means ‘what is your name?’ ~は　なん　ですか (wa nan desuka) is a form that means ‘what is~’ and can be appropriated to various purposes.
A politer variation of this form is the term ともします (tomoshimasu) meaning ‘to be called’.
あなた　は　なに　を　ともします (Anata wa nani o tomoshimasu) – What are you called?
わたし は　スピン せんせい ともします (watashi wa Supin sensei tomoshimasu); I am called Dr Spin.
なん　さい ですか. ‘Nan Sai Desuka’ is a common phrase meaning ‘How Old are you?’
The reply is # さい　です. ‘# sai desu’ (I am # many years old)
なん　ねん せい　ですか ‘Nan nen sei desu ka?’ This means, ‘what grade are you in?’
The answer for this is # ねん せい　です ‘# nen sei desu’ (Grade #).
どこ　に　すんでいますか ‘doko ni sundeimasuka?’ is a phrase meaning Where do you live?
The reply is PLACE に　すんでいます ‘PLACE ni sundeimasu.’ I live in this place.
しゅみ　は　なん　です か ‘shumi wa nan desuka’ means What are your hobbies.
The answer is しゅみ　は　HOBBY　です ‘shumi wa HOBBY desu’; My hobby is “HOBBY”.
いち　ばんz 88;すきな _______[/html]　は　なん　ですか ‘ichi ban sukina ____ wa nan desuka’ means what is your favourite ____?’
It can be answered as いち　ばん すきな _______　は　THING　です. ‘Ichi ban suki na ____ wa THING desu’.
The most common inquiry is おげんき　ですか? (Ogenki Desuka) or simply げんき ですか? (Genki desuka; omitting the honorific O). This is best translated as ‘how are you’ but is literally translated as ‘are you well.’
The standard answer is はい, (お)げんき[LINK="http://www.drspin.com.au/desu/"]　です [/html] (Hai, (o)genki desu) ‘yes I am well.’ However a simple はい (hai); yes, or いいえ (iie); no, will suffice, although the latter isn’t strictly polite. It’s acceptable though to admit not feeling well in company of friends.
いったいぜんたい (ittaizentai) is a phrase meaning ‘whatever is the matter?’, and is used to enquire as to what is the cause for concern. This can be also expressed less formally as いったいな (ittaina?).
どうして (Doushite) means literally ‘what kind of’, however it too can mean ‘whatever is wrong’ is expressed with the right urgency. This phrase can also be used to gather further detail on a topic of discussion.
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