疑問詞 + か

(疑問詞か・ぎもんしか) someone; something; somewhere etc.

1. Overview

In Japanese, 疑問詞 (ぎもんし / question words) such as "誰 (who)," "何 (what)," "どこ (where)," etc., can be combined with the particle か to form indefinite expressions. These combinations allow speakers to refer to someone, something, or somewhere without specifying a particular entity.

• Meaning: "someone," "something," "somewhere," etc.

2. Structure

• Grammar structure:

  • 疑問詞 + か

• Explanation:

  • When a question word (such as 誰, 何, どこ, etc.) is followed by か, it changes the meaning from a direct question to an indefinite reference, often corresponding to words like "someone" or "something" in English.

3. Usage Explanation

• Indefinite reference:

  • By adding か to a question word, it no longer functions as a question but instead refers to an unspecified person, place, or thing:
    • 誰か (だれか): someone
    • 何か (なにか): something
    • どこか: somewhere

• Politeness:

  • This structure can be used in both formal and informal settings without any change in formality. However, the sentence's overall politeness can change depending on verb conjugations or added polite forms.

• Negative forms:

  • In negative sentences, 疑問詞 + か typically translates to "anyone," "anything," or "anywhere":
    • 誰か + negative → "nobody"
    • 何か + negative → "nothing"

4. Key Points to Note

• Indefinite meaning:
  • The か particle in this usage implies an unspecified or indefinite meaning, so the exact entity is not identified or questioned.
• Polite questions:
  • Avoid confusing 疑問詞 + か with direct question structures. For direct questions, か is placed at the end of the sentence, not directly after the question word.

5. Example Sentences

1. 誰か来ましたか。
   Did someone come?

2. 何か食べたいですか。
   Do you want to eat something?

3. どこかで会いましょう。
   Let’s meet somewhere.

4. 誰かに助けを頼んでください。
   Please ask someone for help.

5. 彼は何かを言いたそうだった。
   He seemed like he wanted to say something.

6. Similar Grammar

• 誰も (daremo): Used in negative sentences to mean "nobody."
• 何も (nanimo): Used in negative sentences to mean "nothing."
• どこも (dokomo): Used in negative sentences to mean "nowhere."

7. Summary

The combination of 疑問詞 + か transforms question words into indefinite pronouns that allow for general reference to unspecified people, objects, or locations. This structure is a versatile way to express uncertainty or lack of specificity in both formal and informal contexts.