これは何という曲ですか？
kore wa nan to iu kyoku desu ka?
To ask "what song is this?" in Japanese, use これは何という曲ですか？ (kore wa nan to iu kyoku desu ka?)
This phrase is used to ask for the name or title of a piece of music that is currently playing. If you want to be more direct about wanting the title specifically, you can say この曲の名前は何ですか？ (What's the name of this song?) or use the polite request この曲の名前を教えてください。 (Please tell me the name of this song.). You can also use the shorter 何という曲ですか？ to ask specifically for the song's name.
Which one should you use?
Using これは何という曲でしょうか？ makes the question sound more indirect and polite compared to the standard desu ka form. In casual settings, you might use この曲は何て言うの？ or これ、何の曲？
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a more polite and indirect tone, use これは何という曲でしょうか？ For casual settings or when speaking with friends, you can use the informal この曲は何て言うの？ or これ、何の曲？
How do you pronounce it?
kore wa nan to iu kyoku desu ka?
Did you know?
- The word 曲 (kyoku) refers to both the musical composition and the physical 'bend' or 'curve' of an object, as both concepts relate to a deviation from a straight line.
- The grammar in 何という曲 (nan to iu kyoku) literally translates to 'the song that says what', reflecting how Japanese describes titles as things that 'call' or 'say' a certain name.
- If you are asking about a piece of music in a high-end classical concert setting, you would likely use the word 楽曲 (gakkyoku) instead of the standard 曲 (kyoku).
Examples in context
- これは何という曲ですか？Kore wa nan to iu kyoku desu ka?What song is this?
- すみません、これは何という曲ですか？Sumimasen, kore wa nan to iu kyoku desu ka?Excuse me, what song is this?
Example conversation
Himari and Kenta are sitting in a cafe listening to the radio.
- 陽葵 Himari素敵なメロディですね。これは何という曲ですか？Suteki na merodi desu ne. Kore wa nan to iu kyoku desu ka?It is a lovely melody. What song is this?
- 健太 Kenta最近流行っている曲ですよ。Saikin hayatte iru kyoku desu yo.It is a song that is popular lately.
- 陽葵 Himariタイトルを教えてくれますか？Taitoru o oshiete kuremasu ka?Can you tell me the title?
- 健太 Kentaあ、ちょっと待ってくださいね。A, chotto matte kudasai ne.Oh, please wait a moment.
