What does it mean word for word?
The phrase breaks down literally into 何 (what), について (about), の (possessive particle), 話 (story/talk) and the polite question marker ですか？ (is it?).
Which one should you use?
While 何についての話ですか？ asks about the topic of a story or talk, you can also use どういう内容ですか？ if you want to more formally ask "What is the content/substance of it?" For a very casual version, 何の話？ can be used to mean "What's the story?" or "What are you talking about?"
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
何についての話ですか？ is a polite way to ask the question, making it suitable for use with strangers, colleagues or superiors. In contrast, 何の話？ is an informal way to ask the same thing, intended for use in casual settings with friends or family.
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle combination についての is used to turn the phrase "about [topic]" into an adjective that modifies the noun 話 (story/talk).
How do you pronounce it?
nan ni tsuite no hanashi desu ka?
Did you know?
- In a casual setting, saying 何の話？ (nan no hanashi) with a rising intonation can express total disbelief or confusion, acting more like 'What on earth are you talking about?' than a genuine question.
- The word 話 (hanashi) is used to describe business deals and proposals, meaning 何の話ですか？ can be a polite way to ask 'What is the proposal?' in a corporate setting.
- While English speakers often start a conversation with 'What is it about?', Japanese speakers may avoid this direct approach to prevent sounding abrupt, often using vague fillers instead.
Examples in context
- その話、何？What is that story about?
- その映画は何についての話ですか？Sono eiga wa nan ni tsuite no hanashi desu ka?What is that movie about?
- 昨日聞いたニュースは何についての話ですか？Kinou kiita nyuusu wa nan ni tsuite no hanashi desu ka?What is the news you heard yesterday about?
- この本は何についての話ですか？Kono hon wa nan ni tsuite no hanashi desu ka?What is this book about?
Example conversation
Yota and Misaki are talking about a new documentary.
- 陽太 Yota美咲、面白いドキュメンタリーを見つけたよ。Misaki, omoshiroi dokyumentarii o mitsuketa yo.Misaki, I found an interesting documentary.
- 美咲 Misakiへえ、それは何についての話ですか？Hee, sore wa nan ni tsuite no hanashi desu ka?Oh, what is it about?
- 陽太 Yota深海の魚についての話だよ。Shinkai no sakana ni tsuite no hanashi da yo.It's about deep-sea fish.
- 美咲 Misaki面白そうですね！Omoshirosou desu ne!That sounds interesting!
