Learning how to say “Who is she?” in Japanese can be a useful phrase when trying to understand someone’s identity or referring to a particular woman. In this guide, we will explore both formal and informal ways to express this question in Japanese. Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
Formal Expressions
When addressing someone of higher status, a formal setting, or a polite conversation, these phrases will come in handy:
1. 彼女は誰ですか？ (Kanojo wa dare desu ka?)
Translation: Who is she? (literal: “She, who is?”)
In Japanese, “彼女” (kanojo) means “she” or “girlfriend” depending on the context. “誰ですか” (dare desu ka) translates to “who is?” Forming this phrase, you indicate respect and politeness.
2. どなたですか？ (Donata desu ka?)
Translation: Who is this person? (literal: “Who is it?”)
“どなた” (donata) is a polite way to refer to a person. It is especially appropriate when you do not know the person well or when speaking formally. Adding “ですか” (desu ka) makes it a question.
Informal Expressions
In casual situations, among friends, or when speaking to someone of equal or lower status, you can use the following phrases:
1. 彼女は誰？ (Kanojo wa dare?)
Translation: Who is she? (literal: “She, who?”)
This expression drops the polite “ですか” (desu ka) at the end to make it sound more informal and relaxed. It is commonly used in everyday conversations.
2. あの子は誰？ (Ano ko wa dare?)
Translation: Who is that girl? (literal: “That girl, who?”)
Replacing “彼女” (kanojo) with “あの子” (ano ko), which means “that girl,” adds a friendly touch to the question. It is often used to refer to an unknown girl or someone with a closer relationship to the speaker.
Tips for Usage
Here are some tips to enhance your understanding of these expressions:
- Remember to add a question mark at the end of a sentence to indicate it is a question.
- Your tone of voice plays a significant role in conveying politeness or informality.
- Japanese sentence structure is flexible, so you can swap the order of words to emphasize different aspects. For example, “彼女は誰ですか?” (Kanojo wa dare desu ka?) can also be said as “誰ですか、彼女は?” (Dare desu ka, kanojo wa?)
- Pay attention to particles. “は” (wa) denotes the subject, and “か” (ka) turns a statement into a question.
Examples
Let’s take a look at some examples to provide you with a better grasp of these phrases:
- 彼女は誰ですか？ 次郎さんのお姉さんですか？
Who is she? Is she Jiro’s older sister? - どなたですか？ よろしければ、お名前を教えていただけますか？
Who is this person? If you don’t mind, could you tell me your name? - 彼女は誰？ あの美しい人が田中さんの妹ですよ。
Who is she? That beautiful person is Tanaka’s younger sister, you know. - あの子は誰？ 僕の親友の彼女だよ。
Who is that girl? She’s my best friend’s girlfriend.
Remember, practice makes perfect! By using these phrases in your conversations, you’ll become more comfortable with their usage in no time.
Now that you’ve mastered the formal and informal ways to say “Who is she?” in Japanese, you can confidently inquire about someone’s identity and engage in meaningful conversations.
Enjoy your Japanese language journey and embrace the rich culture that comes along with it. Ganbatte kudasai! (Good luck!)
