誰か
dareka[da̠ɾe̞ ka̠]
The English word 'someone' can be translated into Japanese as 誰か (dareka). Wiktionary also lists 或る人 (aru hito).
Meaning: some person (pron)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 誰か | dareka | [da̠ɾe̞ ka̠] (narrow) |
| 或る人 | aru hito |
In more formal or polite contexts, you can use the term 方 to refer to someone or use その方 to show the utmost politeness and respect when referring to a person.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 誰か is composed of 誰 (dare), meaning 'who' and か (ka), an interrogative particle that turns the question into an indefinite pronoun.
Which one should you use?
While 誰か refers to an unspecified person in general conversation, 或る人 is used more stylistically to mean 'a certain person' or 'a certain man/woman', often appearing in literature or storytelling.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Japanese, the word 誰か does not change its form based on whether the person is the subject or the object of the sentence.
How do you pronounce it?
dareka
Did you know?
- In high-politeness settings, referring to 'someone' as その方 (sono kata) can make the speaker sound like a character from a historical drama or a formal court.
- The term 或る人 (aru hito) is so literary that using it in a casual text message would make you sound like a narrator in a 19th-century novel.
- While 誰か is a pronoun, it is common to avoid using it entirely in polite conversation by describing the person's role or position instead.
Examples in context
- 誰か来たよ。Someone has come.This sentence is useful for showing how to use 誰か to indicate someone has arrived.Tatoeba #10682365 by small_snow, translation #10129156 by Shishir
- 誰か手伝って。Someone help me.This sentence is useful for using 誰か when asking for help.Tatoeba #4584596 by tommy_san, translation #1650191 by marcelostockle
- 誰か待ってるの？Are you expecting someone?This sentence is useful for using 誰か when asking if someone is being waited for.Tatoeba #3577851 by tommy_san, translation #2095427 by CK
- お客様、その方は社長です。Sir/Madam, that person is the company president.
- さっき会ったあいつ、どこに行った？Where did that person we met earlier go?
- あの人、友達だよね？That person is your friend, right?
- 202 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yota and Misaki are looking for a lost item in the living room.
- 美咲 Misaki誰か私のペンを見た？Dareka watashi no pen o mita?Did someone see my pen?
- 陽太 Yotaいいえ、見てないよ。Iie, mite nai yo.No, I didn't see it.
- 美咲 Misaki誰かがここから持っていったと思う。Dareka ga koko kara motte itta to omou.I think someone took it from here.
- 陽太 Yota一緒に探してあげるよ。Issho ni sagashite ageru yo.I'll help you look for it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “someone” translations and entries 誰か, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
