Breakdown of nan
what
何
By asking what, a person investigates the possible.
Usages of nan
何 です か。nan desu ka.
What is it?
何人nannin
how many people
何回nankai
how many times
何歳nansai
how many years old
何時nanzi
what time
お名前 は 何 です か。onamae ha nan desu ka.
What is (your) name?
あなた の お父さん の お姉さん と お兄さん の 名前 は 何 です か。anata no otousan no oneesan to oniisan no namae ha nan desu ka.
What are the names of your father's older sister and older brother?
何千nanzen
thousands
何日nanniti
what day (of the month); how many days
何とnanto
how; what; (what with)
何曜日nanyoubi
what day (of the week)
何年nannen
what year
何時間nanzikan
how many hours
「朝ご飯 は 何 を 食べた か？」 「パン や ヨーグルト など 食べた。」「asagohan ha nani wo tabeta ka?」 「pan ya yooguruto nado tabeta.」
"What did you eat for breakfast?" "I had some bread and yoghurt and such."
「プラン は 何 です か。」 「考えて います。」「puran ha nan desu ka.」 「kangaete imasu.」
"What's the plan?" "I'm thinking about it."
あなた の 電話番号 は 何 です か。anata no denwabangou ha nan desu ka.
What is your phone number?
X は 何 の 意味 です か。X ha nan no imi desu ka.
What does X mean?
会社 の 名前 は 何 です か。kaisya no namae ha nan desu ka.
What is the name of the company?
そちら は 何 です か。sotira ha nan desu ka.
What is that?
何階nankai
what floor
何 に します か。nan ni simasu ka.
What have you decided on? / What will you have?
作文 の テーマ は 何 です か。sakubun no teema ha nan desu ka.
What is the topic of the essay?
この 字 の 意味 は 何 です か。kono zi no imi ha nan desu ka.
What is the meaning of this character?
この 匂い の 原因 は 何 です か。kono nioi no genin ha nan desu ka.
What is the cause of this odor?
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