専攻は何ですか？
senkou wa nan desu ka?
The English phrase "what is your major?" is translated into Japanese as 専攻は何ですか？ (senkou wa nan desu ka?)
This phrase is used specifically to ask about academic specializations in a university setting.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 専攻 (senkou) means "major" or "specialization".
Which one should you use?
The phrase 専攻は何ですか？ is a standard way to ask the question, while the version 専攻は何？ is a more casual way to ask "What's your major?" among peers.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
To make the question even more polite and respectful, you can add the honorific prefix ご to the start, resulting in ご専攻は何ですか？ Conversely, 専攻は何？ is informal because it drops the polite ending ですか and the honorific prefix ご, making it suitable for friends and peers.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase 専攻は何ですか？, the particle は (wa) marks the topic "major" and 何 (nan) is the interrogative word for "what".
How do you pronounce it?
senkou wa nan desu ka?
Did you know?
- In very casual student slang, the phrase 何系？ (nani-kei) is used to ask someone's academic background. It translates to 'What system?' or 'What type?', treating the major as a category of person rather than a course of study.
- When answering this question, students use the verb しています (shite imasu), which means 'doing'. This frames a major as an active process or an ongoing activity rather than a static status or title.
- The word 専攻 can be used outside of university to describe a 'specialized concentration' in professional or technical fields. This means the word describes an expertise or a craft rather than just a degree.
Examples in context
- 専攻は何ですか？Senkou wa nan desu ka?What is your major?
- 大学での専攻は何ですか？Daigaku de no senkou wa nan desu ka?What is your major in university?
- すみません、専攻は何ですか？Sumimasen, senkou wa nan desu ka?Excuse me, what is your major?
Example conversation
Two college students are introducing themselves at a campus orientation.
- 美咲 Misaki美咲です。健太さんの専攻は何ですか？Misaki desu. Kenta-san no senkou wa nan desu ka?I'm Misaki. Kenta, what is your major?
- 健太 Kenta僕は経済学が専攻です。Boku wa keizaigaku ga senkou desu.My major is economics.
- 美咲 Misakiそうなんですね。すごいですね！Sou nan desu ne. Sugoi desu ne!I see. That's impressive!
- 健太 Kenta美咲さんの専攻は何ですか？Misaki-san no senkou wa nan desu ka?What is your major, Misaki?
