JLPT N5 · Particles
か (ka)
か — the question particle
In short · A particle at the end of a sentence that makes it a question. It is added after polite sentences (〜です, 〜ます), and also to sentences with a question word.
Pattern
-
文（ですます）＋かpolite sentence + か -
疑問詞＋〜＋かquestion word + ... + か
How to use it
Adding か to the end makes the sentence a question. A question mark is not required.
How to answer
Answer with はい or いいえ. For a question-word question, give the actual information.
Casual speech
With friends, drop か and raise the tone (行く？). Adding か in casual speech can sound blunt.
Examples
-
あなたは学生（がくせい）ですか。
Anata wa gakusei desu ka.
Are you a student?
-
これはあなたの本（ほん）ですか。
Kore wa anata no hon desu ka.
Is this your book?
-
今日（きょう）は暑（あつ）いですか。
Kyō wa atsui desu ka.
Is it hot today?
Common mistakes
- か goes at the end, even in a sentence with a question word.
- A question mark after か is optional.
More grammar points
- は は (wa) — the topic particle
- を を (o) — the object particle
- に に (ni) — time, destination, location
- で で (de) — place of action & means
- と と (to) — and / together with
- の の (no) — possessive & noun linker
- へ へ (e) — direction
- も も (mo) — also / too
- か か (ka) — the question marker
- から から・まで — from … to …
- より より (yori) — than (comparison)
- だけ ～だけ — “only ～”
- で ～で — place, means and cause
- が ～が — marks the subject
- まで ～まで — “until / up to ～”
- も ～も — “also / too”
- なあ ～なあ — sentence-final feeling
- ね ～ね — “..., right? / isn’t it?”
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