How to Say ‘What?’ in Japanese
なに
なに
💬 Usage Tip: [なに] is “what.” Before [を], it often becomes [なにを] (“what (object)”).
🇯🇵 In Japan: Tone matters: said sharply it can sound strong. With polite endings like [ですか] it becomes friendly and normal.
Word-by-Word Breakdown
なになに
[nani]
what
Question word used to ask about something. In work context: しごとはなにをしていますか (What do you do for work?).
しごとはなにをしていますか。
What do you do for work?
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