Learn Hardcore Japanese: kono ryouri no nedan ha takai desu ka?

の is the genitive (possessive) particle. It links two nouns so that the first (“dish”) belongs to or describes the second (“price”), producing “dish’s price” or “price of the dish.”

Why is は used after 値段 instead of が?

は is the topic marker. By marking 値段 as the topic, you’re saying “as for the price…” and then asking something about it.

が would mark the grammatical subject and often introduce new information, whereas は signals something you want to talk about or contrast.

What is the function of です in this sentence?

です is the polite copula. It doesn’t carry meaning by itself but makes the sentence polite. Here it “attaches” to the adjective 高い to form a polite predicate.

What does the か at the end of the sentence do?

か is the question particle. It turns a statement into a yes/no question when placed at the end of a sentence.

How would you ask the same question more informally?

You can drop です and か, or replace them with casual forms:

この料理の値段、高い？
この料理、高いの？
Both convey “Is this dish expensive?” in a friendlier, everyday tone.

Is there another natural way to ask “Is this dish expensive?” in Japanese?

Yes. A common alternative is using おいくら (how much):

この料理、おいくらですか？
Literally “This dish, how much is it?” It’s polite and very natural in shops or restaurants.

How do you pronounce this sentence and where does the pitch rise?

Pronunciation in romaji:
ko-no-ryō-ri-no-ne-dan-wa-ta-ka-i-de-su-ka
(Each hyphen marks one mora.)
Intonation: Japanese questions are usually fairly flat until a slight rise at the final か to signal you’re asking something.