Questions Japanese people ask foreigners 100% of the time!!!
As I work as a Japanese tutor, I talk to so many different people from all over the world.
And there are certain questions that I always ask when talking to someone for the first time.
Well, it’s not just me, but probably any Japanese person will ask you these questions
to make conversation and get to know you. To be fair, it’s not just Japanese people
but most people ask these questions if they talk to a foreigner.
My Russian friends asked me these. My German friends asked me these.
In other words, you can change the word ” 日本 (Japan)” to your country and
ask questions to your Japanese mates!
I’ll get you prepared for how to answer all these questions in Japanese.
It will for sure help your first Japanese lesson too :)
Check out this article as well if you are planning to have one.
Also knowing what Japanese culture is like is extremely important.
So check out this article!
The conversation can vary depending on whether you are talking in person or not.
Question 1.
Do you speak Japanese?
=
日本語は話せますか。
Nihon-go wa hanaSE-masu ka? (form.)
日本語（は）話せる？
nihon-go (wa) hanaSEru? (inf.)
It literally means “CAN you speak Japanese?”.
In English it’s more common to ask “DO you speak Japanese?”,
and as a beginner, you learn the phrase :
日本語を話しますか。 nihon-go wo hanaSHI-masu ka
But in Japanese it’s more natural to ask “CAN you?”
so use the potential form*.
Your answer :
Yes, I can.
=
はい（、話せます）。
hai (, hanasE-masu) (form.)
うん（、話せるよ）。
un (, hanasEru yo). (inf.)
Only a little bit.
=
少しだけ…
sukoshi dake (can be used both in inf. and form. speech)
No, I cannot.
=
話せません。
hanasE-masen (form.)
話せない。
hanasE-nai (inf.)
—-
*How to make a potential (CAN) form*
For Iru/Eru ending verbs (except for irregulars like 帰る, 入る, 切る…) :
Get rid of る and put られる. (In informal speech, the first ら is often omitted.)
E.g
たべる ⇒ たべられる (inf.) / たべられます (form.) = can eat
—
For Other verbs (including the irregular 帰る, 入る, 切る…)
Change U sound into I + る
E.g
いく ⇒ いける (inf.) / いけます (form.) = can go
—
For irregulars :
する ⇒ できる = can do
くる ⇒ こられる = can come
—-
Question 2.
Where are you from?
=
出身はどこですか。
shusshin wa doko desu ka (form.)
出身は（どこ？）
shusshin wa (doko?) (inf.)
出身 means “one’s origin / where one is from”.
The person might omit the どこ (=where) part and ask just 出身は？ shusshin wa?.
Your answer :
(I’m from) the US / England / Canada / Australia.
= アメリカ / イギリス / カナダ / オーストラリア です。 (form.)
amerika / igirisu / kanada / oosutoraria desu
Get rid of “desu” for inf. speech.
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Some other options :
お国はどちらですか。
O-kuni wa dochira desu ka (very form.)
国はどこ？
Kuni wa doko? (inf.)
Literally, “Where is your country?”. どちら is a very formal version of どこ.
The answer would be the same.
or
何人ですか？
Nani-jin desu ka (form.)
何人？
Nani-jin? (inf.)
Literally, “What nationality are you?“.
I don’t think people would use it directly to you, but some people might use.
Your answer :
I’m American / English / Canadian / Australian.
= アメリカ人 / イギリス人 / カナダ人 / オーストラリア人 です。
amerika-jin / igirisu-jin / kanada-jin / oosutoraria-jin desu (form.)
Without “desu” – informal.
Question 3.
How long have you been learning Japanese?
=
どのくらい日本語を勉強していますか。 / しているんですか。
donokurai nihon-go wo benkyou shite-imasu ka / shite-iru N desu ka (form.)
どのくらい日本語を勉強してる（の）？
donokurai nihon-go wo benkyou shite(i)ru (no)? (inf.)
どのくらい can be replaced with どれくらい. The meaning is the same.
Your answer :
I’ve been learning for <time length>.
<time length> + 勉強しています。 / 勉強してる。
benkyou shite-imasu (form.) / benkyou shite(i)ru (inf.)
Or simply <time length> です。 works as well.
Example of the time length :
1 month = 一ヶ月 i-kka-getsu
2 months = 二ヶ月 ni-ka-getsu
3 months = 三ヶ月 san-ka-getsu
4 months = 四ヶ月 yon-ka-getsu
5 months = 五ヶ月 go-ka-getsu
Half a year = 半年 han-toshi
1 year = 一年 ichi-nen
2 years = 二年 ni-nen
3 years = 三年 san-nen
—
If you want to say “around <time>” then put ぐらい (or くらい) after the time.
E.g
十ヶ月ぐらい勉強してる。
ju-kka-getsu gurai benkyou shite(i)ru
= I’ve been learning for about 10 months.
or
“I’ve just started (learning) .”
= 勉強し始めたばかりです。 / 勉強し始めたばっか。
benkyou shi-hajimeta bakari desu (form.) / benkyou shi-hajimeta bakka (inf.)
Then they might say :
すごい！日本語が上手ですね。/ 日本語、上手だね。
sugoi! nihon-go ga jouzu desu ne (form.) / nihon-go, jouzu da ne (inf.)
= Wow! Your Japanese is good!
And you can respond like :
いえいえ、まだまだです。
ieie, mada-mada desu (form.)
いやー、まだまだだよ。
iyaa, mada-mada da yo (inf.)
= No, I still have lots more to work on.
*It’s important to be humble / modest in Japan ;)
Or
頑張っています。
ganbatte-imasu (form.)
頑張ってる！
ganbatte(i)ru (inf.)
= I’m working / studying hard!
* Japanese people like hard-workers :D
Question 4.1
Have you been to Japan?
(If you are not in Japan when talking.)
=
日本に行ったことがありますか。
nihon ni itta* koto ga ari-masu ka (form.)
日本に行ったことある？
nihon ni itta* koto (ga) aru? (inf.)
*If the speaker is not in Japan, they use ” 行った itta (went)”,
but if (s)he is in Japan, and you are not in Japan (e.g on Skype),
they will instead use ” 来た kita (came) + ことが ~”.
Your answer :
Yes, I have.
=
はい、あります。
hai, ari-masu (form.)
うん、あるよ。
un, aru yo (inf.)
You can put how many times you’ve been like this :
一回（だけ）（行ったことが）あります。 / あるよ。
ikkai (dake) (itta koto ga) + ari-masu (form.) / aru yo (inf.)
= (Just = dake) once.
二回 ni-kai = twice
三回 san-kai = three times
何回も nan-kai-mo = many times
Then they might ask you where you’ve visited :
どこに行きましたか？
doko ni iki-mashita ka (form.)
どこに行ったの？
doko ni itta no (inf.)
= Where did you go / visit?
Your answer :
東京と京都（です）。
toukyou to kyouto (desu – form.).
= Tokyo and Kyoto.
If you’ve visisted loads of places, you can use や in form. and とか in inform. speech.
E.g
東京とか神奈川とか京都とか沖縄とか…
toukyou toka kanagawa toka kyouto toka okinawa toka…
*とか works the best when you want to say “etc… / many more“.
—
No, I haven’t (been to Japan) yet.
=
まだありません。
mada ari-masen (form.)
まだない。
mada nai (inf.)
+
But I really want to go there.
=
本当に行きたいんですけどね。
hontou-ni iki-tai n desu kedo ne (form.)
本当に行きたいんだけどね。
hontou-ni iki-tai n da kedo ne (inf.)
or
But I’ll go soon / next year.
=
でも、もうすぐ / 来年 行きます。
demo, mou-sugu / rainen iki-masu (form.)
でも、もうすぐ / 来年 行くよ。
demo, mou-sugu / rainen iku yo (inf.)
Question 4.2
How long have you been / lived in Japan (already)?
=
日本に（もう）どのくらい いますか。 / 住んでいますか。
nihon ni (mou) donokurai + imasu ka / sunde-imasu ka (form.)
日本にどのくらい いるの？ / 住んでるの？
nihon ni donokurai iru no? / sunde(i)ru no? (inf.)
or
How long has it been since you came to Japan?
=
日本に来て、どのくらいですか。
nihon ni kite, donokurai desu ka (form.)
日本に来てどのくらい？
nihon ni kite donokurai? (inf.)
Your answer :
昨日来たばかりです。
kinou kita bakari desu (form.)
昨日来たばっかり。
kinou kita ba(k)kari (inf.)
= I just came / arrived here yesterday.
<time> 前に 来ました。 / 来た。
…mae ni ki-mashita (form.) / kita (inf.)
= I came here <time> ago.
E.g
二日前に futsu-ka-mae ni = 2 days ago
三日前に mi-kka-mae ni = 3 days ago
一週間前に i-sshuu-kan-mae ni = a week ago
or
一年ぐらい住んでいます。
ichi-nen gurai sunde-imasu
= I’ve been here for a year.
—
Be careful, if they add the word あと, the meaning will change.
日本にあとどのくらいいますか。
nihon ni ATO donokurai imasu ka (form.)
日本にあとどのくらいいるの？
nihon ni ATO donokurai iru no (inf.)
= How long (more) will you stay here?
Your answer :
あと <time> （ぐらい）です。 = (About) <time> more.
E.g
あと五ヶ月ぐらいです。
ato go-ka-getsu gurai desu
= About 5 more months.
Question 5.1
How is (your stay in) Japan? Do you like it (Japan)?
=
日本はどうですか。好きですか。
nihon wa dou desu ka. suki desu ka (form.)
日本はどう？好き？
nihon wa dou? / suki? (inf.)
Your answer :
It’s fun. = 楽しいです。 tanoshii desu
(Get rid of “desu” for inf. speech.)
It’s hard / difficult (because of work / study).
= （仕事で / 勉強で）大変です。
(shigoto de / benkyou de) taihen desu
Question 5.2
Why do you like Japan? / What do you like about Japan?
=
どうして日本が好きですか。/ 日本の何が好きですか。
doushite nihon ga suki desu ka / nihon no nani ga suki desu ka (form.)
どうして or なんで 日本が好き？/ 日本の何が好き？
doushite / nande nihon ga suki? / nihon no nani ga suki? (inf.)
Your answer :
日本の文化やアニメや音楽が好きです。
nihon no bunka ya, anime ya, ongaku ga suki desu (form.)
日本の文化とかアニメとか音楽が好き。
nihon no bunka TOKA, anime toka, ongaku ga suki (inf.)
= I like Japanese cultures, anime and music.
Hope you liked this article!
If you want an extented one or want me to add more questions,
please leave a comment and share ^_^
またね☆ See ya!
Thank you Misa =)