Japanese for Beginners: Ask 'What Is in This?' and 'Does This Have ___?'
Learn to ask what's inside a dish and whether it contains a specific ingredient in Japanese. Master common food words and the patterns 〜は何ですか and 〜が入っていますか.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When you're curious about a Japanese dish, you don't need to avoid anything—you just want to know what's in it. This lesson teaches you two essential questions: 'What is in this?' and 'Does this have ___?' You'll learn common ingredient words and the grammar to ask naturally. Whether you're at a restaurant, a friend's home, or a supermarket, these phrases let you explore Japanese food with confidence. We'll focus on curiosity, not dietary restrictions, so you can enjoy discovering new flavors.
By the end, you can…
- ask 'What is in this?' in Japanese.
- ask 'Does this have ___?' using common ingredient words.
- understand and respond to simple questions about ingredients.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
これは何ですか。
What is this?
Kore wa nan desu ka.
Use when pointing at a dish or item you don't recognize. Politeness: neutral-polite, safe in most situations.
これは何が入っていますか。
What is in this?
Kore wa nani ga haitte imasu ka.
Ask about the ingredients of a dish. Literally: 'What is contained in this?' Note that 何 is read nani here, not nan, because it comes directly before が.
肉が入っていますか。
Does this have meat?
Niku ga haitte imasu ka.
Replace 肉 (niku) with other ingredients. 入っていますか means 'is contained?'
卵は入っていますか。
Does this have egg?
Tamago wa haitte imasu ka.
Using は (wa) instead of が (ga) spotlights egg as the topic, often implying contrast: 'What about egg? (I'm especially wondering about egg).'
これは魚ですか。
Is this fish?
Kore wa sakana desu ka.
Simple yes/no question about the main ingredient. Use for quick confirmation.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The key pattern is [ingredient] + が + 入っていますか (ga haitte imasu ka). 入っています means 'is contained' or 'is in'. For example, チーズが入っていますか (chiizu ga haitte imasu ka) means 'Does this have cheese?' To ask what's inside, use 何が入っていますか (nani ga haitte imasu ka)—note that 何 is read nani before が, not nan. You can also use は instead of が to spotlight a specific ingredient: 卵は入っていますか (tamago wa haitte imasu ka) often implies 'What about egg? (I'm particularly wondering about egg).' Both are correct; が is neutral, は adds emphasis.
When to use it
Use these questions when you're curious about a dish's contents. At a restaurant, you might ask これは何が入っていますか (kore wa nani ga haitte imasu ka) about an unfamiliar item. If you want to check for a specific ingredient, say 豚肉が入っていますか (butaniku ga haitte imasu ka) for pork. For a quick yes/no, これは牛肉ですか (kore wa gyuuniku desu ka) asks 'Is this beef?' Remember to keep your tone polite and friendly. If you're unsure, you can also ask 何が入っていますか (nani ga haitte imasu ka) without pointing, but pointing makes it clearer.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
すみません、これは何ですか。
Excuse me, what is this?Sumimasen, kore wa nan desu ka.それはお好み焼きです。
That is okonomiyaki.Sore wa okonomiyaki desu.何が入っていますか。
What is in it?Nani ga haitte imasu ka.キャベツと豚肉と卵が入っています。
It has cabbage, pork, and egg.Kyabetsu to butaniku to tamago ga haitte imasu.A little context goes a long way
In Japan, asking about ingredients is common and generally not considered rude, especially if you're curious or have preferences. However, in formal settings or with older people, use polite forms like 入っていますか (haitte imasu ka) rather than casual 入ってる？ (haitteru?). Also, when someone cooks for you, showing interest by asking about ingredients can be a compliment. Avoid asking in a way that sounds suspicious; a friendly tone matters.
One thing to watch for
Using ありますか (arimasu ka) instead of 入っていますか (haitte imasu ka) for ingredients.
Try this instead: ありますか means 'is there?' for objects, but for ingredients inside a dish, use 入っていますか. For example, say 卵が入っていますか (tamago ga haitte imasu ka) for 'Does this have egg?' not 卵がありますか (tamago ga arimasu ka), which would mean 'Is there an egg?' (like a whole egg sitting somewhere).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'Does this have chicken?' in Japanese?
Show a sample answer
鶏肉が入っていますか。 (Toriniku ga haitte imasu ka.)
鶏肉 (toriniku) means chicken. The pattern [ingredient] + が + 入っていますか asks if it's contained. You could also use は for emphasis: 鶏肉は入っていますか。
2What does これは何が入っていますか mean?
Show a sample answer
What is in this?
これは (kore wa) means 'this', 何が (nani ga) means 'what', and 入っていますか (haitte imasu ka) asks 'is contained?' So it's asking about the ingredients of the item.
3Translate to Japanese: 'Is this fish?'
Show a sample answer
これは魚ですか。 (Kore wa sakana desu ka.)
これは (kore wa) = this, 魚 (sakana) = fish, ですか (desu ka) makes it a polite question. This asks if the item is fish, not if it contains fish. For 'Does this have fish?' say 魚が入っていますか。
To ask about ingredients, use [ingredient] + が + 入っていますか (ga haitte imasu ka). For 'What is in this?', say これは何が入っていますか。 Keep it polite and curious!
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