How to Say ‘What is it?’ in Japanese
なんですか
なんですか
💬 Usage Tip: [何] is often read [なに], but before [です] it commonly becomes [なん] → [なんですか]. It softens into a polite “What is it?”
🇯🇵 In Japan: Direct “What?” can sound sharp in many languages, but [何ですか] is a standard polite question. For extra softness, people add [えっと] or [すみませんが…].
Word-by-Word Breakdown
なんなん
[nan]
what
Casual form of 「なに」 used before 「です」 in polite questions. Used to ask “what” something is in a soft, polite way: 「〜はなんですか」.
これはなんですか。
What is this?
ですです
[desu]
is (polite)
Polite copula used in questions too. In 「なんですか」 it helps form the polite question “what is it?”
おしごとはなんですか。
What is your job?
かか
[ka]
question particle (makes it a question)
Placed at the end of a sentence to indicate a question in polite speech. Similar to a spoken question mark.
だいじょうぶですか。
Are you okay?
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