4.3 What is X?: Xは (wa) なん (nan) ですか (desu ka)
This module will introduce the simple yet powerful question: Xは何（なん）ですか (X wa nan desu ka).
Here is another useful sentence pattern to add to your toolkit:
Xは何ですか。
X wa nan desu ka.
What is X?
The word 何 (なん: nan) functions as the question word, indicating ‘what’. By substituting ‘X’ with a specific noun or topic, this sentence pattern enables you to ask about unfamiliar objects or concepts.
Here is an example of how to use this sentence pattern in a conversation:
If you are unfamiliar with the word あんこ (anko), you can substitute X with 何 and ask:
あんこは何ですか。
Anko wa nan desu ka.
What is anko?
| Anko is X. | |||
| あんこ | は | X | です。 |
| Anko | wa | X | desu. |
| What is anko? | |||
| あんこ | は | 何 | ですか。 |
| Anko | wa | nan | desu ka |
Another useful way to utilise this sentence pattern is to ask about how to say something in Japanese. Give the following pattern a try:
Xは日本語（にほんご）で何ですか。
X wa Nihongo de nan desu ka.
What is X in Japanese?
For example, if you want to ask how to say ‘English’ in Japanese, you can ask:
「English」は日本語で何ですか。
‘English’ wa Nihongo de nan desu ka.
What is ‘English’ in Japanese?
Exercise 1
Figures
1 “Dorayaki” (untitled) by Ocdp. Wikimedia Commons. Licensed under CC 0.
2 “Wondering Person” (untitled) by Pavel Danilyuk. Pexels. Licensed under CC 0.
