Japanese Elementary: Reporting Questions with 'asked if' and 'asked where'
Learn to report yes/no and wh-questions in Japanese using かどうか and question word + か, with the verb 聞く (kiku) or 尋ねる (tazuneru).
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In Japanese, when you report a question someone asked, you do not use a special 'if' word like English 'if'. Instead, you embed the question directly before a reporting verb such as 聞く (kiku, 'to ask') or 尋ねる (tazuneru, 'to inquire'). For yes/no questions, add かどうか (ka dou ka) after the plain form. For wh-questions, keep the question word and add か (ka) at the end of the embedded clause. This lesson teaches you to form sentences like 'He asked if I was ready' and 'She asked where I lived' accurately at an elementary level.
By the end, you can…
- report a yes/no question using かどうか with the verb 聞く.
- report a wh-question using a question word plus か with 聞く or 尋ねる.
- distinguish between reporting a statement and reporting a question in Japanese.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
彼は私に準備ができているかどうか聞きました。
He asked if I was ready.
Kare wa watashi ni junbi ga dekite iru ka dou ka kikimashita.
Yes/no question reported with かどうか. The plain form できている precedes かどうか.
彼女は私がどこに住んでいるか聞きました。
She asked where I lived.
Kanojo wa watashi ga doko ni sunde iru ka kikimashita.
Wh-question with どこ (doko) + か. The embedded clause uses plain form 住んでいる.
先生は私がいつ来るか尋ねました。
The teacher asked when I would come.
Sensei wa watashi ga itsu kuru ka tazunemashita.
Uses 尋ねる (tazuneru) for a slightly more formal 'inquire'. いつ (itsu) + か.
友達は私に何を食べたいか聞きました。
My friend asked what I wanted to eat.
Tomodachi wa watashi ni nani o tabetai ka kikimashita.
何 (nani) + か. The embedded clause keeps the plain desire form 食べたい.
彼は私がなぜ泣いているか聞きました。
He asked why I was crying.
Kare wa watashi ga naze naite iru ka kikimashita.
Wh-question with なぜ (naze) + か. Do not add かどうか here; かどうか is only for yes/no questions.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To report a yes/no question, take the plain form of the predicate and add かどうか (ka dou ka). Then add a reporting verb like 聞く (kiku) or 尋ねる (tazuneru). Example: 彼は私に準備ができているかどうか聞きました (Kare wa watashi ni junbi ga dekite iru ka dou ka kikimashita) — 'He asked if I was ready.' For wh-questions, keep the question word (どこ, いつ, 何, なぜ, etc.) and add か (ka) at the end of the embedded clause. Example: 彼女は私がどこに住んでいるか聞きました (Kanojo wa watashi ga doko ni sunde iru ka kikimashita) — 'She asked where I lived.' Note that the embedded clause uses plain form, not polite form, even when the main verb is polite. Do not combine a wh-word with かどうか; かどうか is only for yes/no questions.
When to use it
Use these patterns when you want to report a question that someone asked, either in conversation or in writing. They are common in everyday speech and in narratives. For example, if a friend asks you 'Did you finish your homework?' you can report it as 友達は私に宿題が終わったかどうか聞きました (Tomodachi wa watashi ni shukudai ga owatta ka dou ka kikimashita). If someone asks 'Where is the station?' you can report it as 彼は駅がどこにあるか聞きました (Kare wa eki ga doko ni aru ka kikimashita). Unlike reported statements, which use と言いました (to iimashita) with a quote particle と, reported questions require かどうか or question word + か and a verb of asking. Do not use と alone for questions.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
昨日、田中さんに会いましたか。
Did you meet Mr. Tanaka yesterday?Kinou, Tanaka-san ni aimashita ka.はい。彼は私に元気かどうか聞きました。
Yes. He asked if I was well.Hai. Kare wa watashi ni genki ka dou ka kikimashita.それから、何を聞きましたか。
And then, what did he ask?Sorekara, nani o kikimashita ka.私がどこに住んでいるか聞きました。
He asked where I lived.Watashi ga doko ni sunde iru ka kikimashita.A little context goes a long way
In Japanese, indirect questions are often softened with かどうか or question word + か, and the reporting verb 聞く is neutral. Using 尋ねる (tazuneru) sounds slightly more formal or written. When reporting questions about someone's personal life, such as where they live, it is common to use the plain form in the embedded clause even in polite conversation. Avoid direct translation of English 'if' as もし (moshi), which is used for conditionals, not for reported yes/no questions. Note that かどうか is only for yes/no questions; wh-questions use the question word plus か.
One thing to watch for
Using と (to) to report a question, as in 彼は私に準備ができていると言いました (Kare wa watashi ni junbi ga dekite iru to iimashita).
Try this instead: For reported questions, use かどうか for yes/no or question word + か for wh-questions, and a verb like 聞く. Correct: 彼は私に準備ができているかどうか聞きました (Kare wa watashi ni junbi ga dekite iru ka dou ka kikimashita). The particle と is for reported statements, not questions.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1Report this yes/no question: 'Did you eat breakfast?' using 聞く.
Show a sample answer
彼は私に朝ごはんを食べたかどうか聞きました。 (Kare wa watashi ni asagohan o tabeta ka dou ka kikimashita.)
This uses the plain past form 食べた + かどうか to report a yes/no question. The verb 聞きました is polite. Alternative: 尋ねました is also correct but more formal.
2Report this wh-question: 'Where is the station?' using 聞く.
Show a sample answer
彼は駅がどこにあるか聞きました。 (Kare wa eki ga doko ni aru ka kikimashita.)
The question word どこ is kept, and か is added after the plain form ある. The particle が marks the subject of the embedded clause. You could also say 駅はどこですかと聞きました, but that is a direct quote, not indirect reporting.
3Which is correct for reporting 'She asked if I was busy'? A) 彼女は私が忙しいと言いました。 B) 彼女は私が忙しいかどうか聞きました。
Show a sample answer
B) 彼女は私が忙しいかどうか聞きました。 (Kanojo wa watashi ga isogashii ka dou ka kikimashita.)
B uses かどうか with the verb 聞く, which correctly reports a yes/no question. A uses と with 言う, which reports a statement, not a question.
To report questions in Japanese, use かどうか for yes/no questions and question word + か for wh-questions, followed by 聞く or 尋ねる. Never use と for reported questions.
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