何
nani[na̠ɲ̟i]
The English word "what" can be translated into Japanese as 何 (nani).
何 is a common and versatile way to say "what" in Japanese. You may also encounter the expression 何という which translates to "what is called." For a casual way to express surprise or disbelief, such as "what on earth" or "what in the world," use なんて. Additionally, 何 can be used as an interjection to express surprise.
Meaning: what? (interrogative pronoun) (pron)
Which one should you use?
While both are read as 何, the reading nan is typically used before counters or particles like の, whereas nani is used before most other particles or as a standalone question.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
nani
Did you know?
- The word nani can be used to start a sentence as nani-nani, which acts as a placeholder for a name or a specific object, similar to the English 'so-and-so'.
- The expression nande is a common way to ask 'why' or 'how', effectively using the root for 'what' to ask for a reason.
- The Japanese language uses the word 何 in ways that can sound much more aggressive than the English 'what' if the intonation is too sharp. A blunt 何? can sound like 'Huh?' or 'What did you say?' in a confrontational manner.
Examples in context
- 何時ですか。What time do you have?This sentence is useful for asking what time it is using 何.Tatoeba #5059 by bunbuku, translation #24596 by blay_paul
- 何のために？For what?Tatoeba #187722 by bunbuku, translation #24862 by AMIKEMA
- 何に使うの？What for?Tatoeba #187729 by bunbuku, translation #24867 by CK
- お名前は何ですか？What is your name?
- これは何という花ですか？What is this flower called?
- 何してるの？What are you doing?
- なんてことないさ！It's no big deal!
- 2814 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a mysterious package on the table.
- 健太 Kentaそれは何？Sore wa nani?What is that?
- 美咲 Misakiプレゼントだよ。Purezento dayo.It's a present.
- 健太 Kenta何が入っているの？Nani ga haitte iru no?What is inside?
- 美咲 Misaki開けてみて。Akete mite.Try opening it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “what” translations and entries 何, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
