How to Say ‘What’ in Japanese
なに
なに
💬 Usage Tip: [なに] is [何]. Before particles like [を], it often sounds like [なにを] (sometimes [なんを] in fast speech, but beginners can stick with [なに]).
🇯🇵 In Japan: In polite conversation, pairing with [ですか] makes it softer: [何をしますか] “What do you do?”
Word-by-Word Breakdown
なになに
[nani]
what
Question word meaning “what.” Common pattern: なにをしますか (What do you do?).
ひまなとき、なにをしますか。
When you have free time, what do you do?
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