ISORI

疑問詞(ぎもんし)+か

JLPT N5:

something / someone / somewhere

A question word + か makes an indefinite word: 何(なに)か (something), 誰(だれ)か (someone), どこか (somewhere), いつか (some day).

How to form it

  • Add か to the question word: 何(なに) becomes 何(なに)か.
  • が and を are usually dropped after it: 何(なに)か食(た)べませんか (won't you have something to eat?).
  • Other particles stay after か: どこかへ行(い)きたい (I want to go somewhere), 誰(だれ)かに聞(き)く (ask someone).
  • In a question it means "any-": 誰(だれ)かいますか (is anyone there?).

Examples

何(なに)か食(た)べませんか。

Won't you have something to eat?

教室(きょうしつ)に誰(だれ)かいますか。

Is anyone in the classroom?

週末(しゅうまつ)はどこかへ行(い)きたいです。

I want to go somewhere this weekend.

Common mistakes

  • Confusing 誰(だれ)か (someone) with 誰(だれ)も + negative (no one).

Similar meaning