I2 - Lesson 9
In this lesson, we'll be looking at how to construct indirect interrogative sentences.
While interrogative sentences are basically sentence in a form of a question, you can think of indirect interrogative sentences as questions that doesn't end with a question mark.
Direct vs indirect interrogative sentences.
Structure
Adjective / Verb Dictionary form + ka + verb
Examples:
Direct interrogative:
1. When will he come? Please tell me.
1. 彼はいつ来ましたか。教えてください。
Indirect interrogative:
1. Please tell me when he will come.
1. 彼はいつ来るか教えてください。
How to answer:
1. Well, I don't know.
1. さ、わかりません。(Acceptable)
1. さ、いつ来るかわかりません。(Polite)
Direct interrogative:
2. How much is this shoe? I don't know.
2. この靴はいくらですか、わかりません。
Indirect interrogative:
2. I don't know how much these shoes are.
2. この靴はいくらかわかりません。
Direct interrogative:
3. Where was he from? I forgot.
3. 彼はどこから来ましたか、忘れました。
Indirect interrogative:
3. I forgot where he was from.
3. 彼はどこから来たか忘れました。
How to answer:
1. Well, I don't know too.
1. さ、もわかりません。(Acceptable)
1. さ、もどこへ来たかわかりません。(Polite)
- It is more polite to answer the indirect interrogative sentence by repeating some of the words as well.
Yes / no questions
Structure
Adjective / Verb Dictionary form + かどうか + verb
Examples:
Direct question:
1. Is he coming or not? Please let me know.
1. 彼は来るか。教えてください。
Indirect interrogative:
1. Please let me know if he's coming or not.
1. 彼は来るかどうか教えてください。
How to answer:
Questions like this can typically be answered by a simple yes or no. However, when that is not possible...
1. さ、来るかどうかわかりません。
Direct question:
2. This number is right or not? Do you know?
2. この電話番号は正しいか。知っていますか。
Indirect interrogative:
2. Please let me know if this number is right or not.
2. この電話番号は正しいかどうかしていますか。
How to answer:
2. さ、聴くかどうか知っていません。
Indirect interrogative:
3. Please make sure that you don't leave things behind when you get off the train,
3. 電車を降りるとき忘れ物がないかどうか、必ず(かならず)確かめます(たしかめます)。
- While verb か + どうか is used at the above examples, you can also use the opposite verb to construct the same sentence.
For example:
この電話番号は正しいかどうか知っていますか。
この電話番号は正しいか正しくないか知っていますか。 - Depending on the context, the usage of positive/negative か could be important. See example 3 above, ないか is more appropriate than あるか.