Question Words: 何・誰・どこ・いつ・どれ・どの・どう [JLPT N5]
Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026
何・誰・どこ・いつ・どう… — the right word for each question (plus どれ vs どの vs どんな).
Ask about the right thing: Japanese “5W1H”
Try to ask “where did he go?” but reach for 「誰」 (who), and your whole sentence misses. Japanese question words are a toolkit for asking about the right thing: things → 「何 (なに／なん)」, people → 「誰」, places → 「どこ」, time → 「いつ」, price → 「いくら」, reason → 「どうして／なぜ」, manner → 「どう」. This guide lays out the N5 essentials and sorts out the most-confused trio 「どれ／どの／どんな」.
The main question words: match the target
- 何 (なに／なん) = what (things): 何を食べる？
- 誰 (だれ) = who (people): 誰が来た？
- どこ = where (place): どこへ行く？
- いつ = when (time): いつ来る？
- いくら = how much (price): これはいくら？
- どうして／なぜ = why (reason)
- どう／どうやって = how (manner)
The main question words
| Word | Asks about | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 何 (なに／なん) | things | 何を食べますか |
| 誰 (だれ) | people | 誰が来ましたか |
| どこ | place | どこへ行きますか |
| いつ | time | いつ来ますか |
| いくら | price | いくらですか |
| どうして／なぜ | reason | どうして？ |
See it in context
- 彼はどこへ行きましたか？(Where did he go?) — place
- 何が好きですか？(What do you like?) — things
- いつ日本へ行きますか？(When are you going to Japan?) — time
- これはいくらですか？(How much is this?) — price
- どの本が一番いいですか？(Which book is best?) — どの ＋ noun
⚠️ Common mistakes to avoid
① どれ vs どの vs どんな. どれ stands alone (どれが好き？= which do you like?); どの is followed by a noun (どの本 = which book); どんな asks about quality (どんな本 = what kind of book).
② 「何」 has two readings. なに (alone or before を: 何を), なん (before だ／の／counters: 何ですか, 何人).
③ A question word as subject takes が, not は. 誰が来た？ (✗ 誰は), 何がある？ — asking “who/what” is new information, so always が.
🔄 Compare: どれ / どの / どんな / どう
| Word | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| どれ | which one (alone) | どれが好き？ （Which one do you like?） |
| どの | which ＋ noun | どの本 |
| どんな | what kind of (quality) | どんな人 |
| どう | how (state/manner) | どうですか |
💡 An exam judgment tip
The question words themselves are easy; the sticky part is the 「ど」 group: どれ (alone), どの (＋ noun), どんな (quality), どう (state). One mnemonic: 「どの」 always has a noun after it, 「どれ」 doesn't, 「どんな」 asks what-it's-like, 「どう」 asks how. And a very handy rule: when “who/what” is the subject, always use が (誰が？何が？) — common on tests and in daily life.
❓ FAQ
Q: Is 「何」 read なに or なん?
By what follows: alone or before を／が, usually なに (何を食べる, 何がいい); before です／だ／の／counters, usually なん (何ですか, 何人, 何時). It becomes natural with practice.
Q: どれ vs どの?
By whether a noun follows: どの ＋ noun (どの色が好き？= which color do you like); どれ alone (どれが好き？= which do you like). One takes a noun, the other doesn't.
🖊️ Practice Questions (5)
Q1. 「彼は___行きましたか？」 (asking about place)
(A) 何 (B) 誰 (C) どこ (D) いつ
Q2. 「___本が好きですか？」 (which book — followed by a noun)
(A) どれ (B) どの (C) どんな (D) 何
Q3. 「___音楽が好きですか？」 (what kind of music)
(A) どれ (B) どの (C) どんな (D) いつ
Q4. 「このりんごは___ですか？」 (asking the price)
(A) いくつ (B) いくら (C) 何 (D) どれ
Q5. 「___食べなかった。」 (didn't eat anything)
Answer Explanations
1. (C) どこ ── use どこ (where) for place, paired with the particle 「に」. 誰 (person), 何 (thing), and いつ (time) don't fit for asking place.
2. (B) どの ── it's followed by the noun 「本」, so use どの (which modifies a noun). どれ is used standalone without a noun; どんな asks about a quality/type (what kind of), not the "which one" choice.
3. (C) どんな ── asking "what kind of music" = asking about a quality, so use どんな. どの asks "which specific one", while どんな asks "what sort of".
4. (B) いくら ── use いくら to ask an amount of money. いくつ asks quantity/age (how many / how old), not price.
5. (C) 何も ── "question word + も + negative" = total negation (didn't ~ anything). 「何も食べなかった」 = didn't eat anything. 何が is a subject question; 何か means "something (uncertain)".