疑問詞 + plain form + か、〜 (gimonshi + plain form + ka, ~) — Putting a question inside a bigger sentence
How to take a question like "what time is he coming?" and put it inside another sentence.
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
Meaning
When a question that has a question word (何, だれ, どこ, いつ, どう…) goes inside a bigger sentence, two things change.
How to attach
- First, the inner verb goes into the plain form (普通形), not the ます form (来ますか → 来るか).
- Second, the ですか at the end drops and just か stays in its place.
- The だ after a な-adjective or a noun also drops (どこだ → どこか, not 元気だか but 元気か).
- The main verb is usually 知って いますか, 分かりません, 教えて ください or 覚えて いません.
Watch out
Do not put を or が after か — the main verb comes straight after.
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
田中さんが 何時に 来るか 知って いますか。
たなかさんが なんじに くるか しって いますか。
Do you know what time Tanaka is coming?
昼ごはんは 何を 食べるか まだ 決めて いません。
ひるごはんは なにを たべるか まだ きめて いません。
I have not yet decided what to eat for lunch.
トイレは どこか 教えて ください。
トイレは どこか おしえて ください。
Please tell me where the restroom is.
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
What does 「何時に 来ますか」become inside a sentence?
💡 Hint: The inner verb goes plain and ですか drops to just か.
来ますか → 来るか. The ます form does not stay inside.
Which correctly says "Please tell me where the toilet is"?
💡 Hint: The だ after a noun drops, and no を goes after か.
The だ of どこだ drops → どこか, and the main verb comes straight after か.
In this pattern, what does か take the place of?
💡 Hint: Think about the ending of the inner question.
The ですか of 来ますか becomes just か — the inner sentence stops being polite.
Your score: /3