How to Ask "Who?" in Japanese: Identifying People (Dare desu ka)
Hello! You've done a great job mastering the questions "what" and "where"!
In this lesson, we will focus on the main characters of any conversation—people. Let's learn to use the word "誰 (dare)" to ask "Who is that person?" or "Who will do this?". Once you master this, you'll be able to understand the human relationships around you more deeply.
🎯 Lesson Goal
Learn to ask questions to identify people using the word
「誰」 (dare)!
Step 1 Discover
Let's look at how this is used in a real conversation. Emi and Kenta are talking about a party.
あの人は誰ですか？パーティーに誰が来ますか？
(Ano hito wa dare desu ka? Pa-ti- ni dare ga kimasu ka?)
佐藤さんです。マリアさんが来ます。
(Sato-san desu. Maria-san ga kimasu.)
Did you notice?
Emi uses "誰 (dare)" in two different ways depending on what she wants to know. She uses the particle "は (wa)" to ask about identity, and "が (ga)" to ask who performs an action.
Step 2 The Pattern
Here are the two main ways to use the question word "誰 (dare)".
Basic Chunk
誰が ますか？
(Dare ga masu ka?)
🔑 Key Point: The Word "誰 (dare)"
"誰 (dare)" corresponds to the English "Who". Use it when you want to know who someone is, for example, "this person," "that person," or "the company president."
🌟 Pro Tip: Don't forget the "が (ga)"
When you are asking about the subject—"who" performs the action—you MUST use the particle "が (ga)" right after "誰 (dare)".
Step 3 Pattern Practice
Practice using the chunks with different situations. Read these out loud!
-
Identity Who is this person?
この人は 誰 ですか？
(Kono hito wa dare desu ka?)
-
Action Who will attend this meeting?
この会議に 誰が 出ますか？
(Kono kaigi ni dare ga demasu ka?)
-
Action Who will make this dish?
この料理は、誰が 作りますか？
(Kono ryouri wa, dare ga tsukurimasu ka?)
Step 4 Make It Yours!
This is the most important step! Create questions about the people around you or those you are going to meet.
👉 誰が ACTION ますか？
Vocabulary Cheat Sheet
Words for a Person (人)
- この人 kono hito (this person)
- あの人 ano hito (that person over there)
- 社長 shachou (president)
- 先生 sensei (teacher)
The Doer (行動する人)
- 誰が行きますか dare ga ikimasu ka (who will go?)
- 誰が来ますか dare ga kimasu ka (who will come?)
- 誰が作りますか dare ga tsukurimasu ka (who makes it?)
- 誰が知っていますか dare ga shitteimasu ka (who knows?)
Bonus Go Beyond the Basics
In real life, you'll also need to say "Nobody" and speak casually with friends. Here’s a quick guide to leveling up your conversation!
🙅♀️ 1. Nobody (Negative)
誰も 来ません。
(Dare mo kimasen - Nobody is coming.)
誰も 来ない。
(Dare mo konai - Nobody is coming.)
🤝 2. Friendly & Casual
誰？
(Dare? - Who is it?)
誰が 来る？
(Dare ga kuru? - Who is coming?)
Summary Lesson Review
Asking "Who": Use 誰 (dare) to ask about a person's identity or who will perform an action.
The Particle "が": When asking *who* performs an action, you must use the particle 「が」(ga) right after 誰.
Nobody: To say "nobody," use 誰も (dare mo) followed by a negative verb like 来ません (kimasen).
Practice Drill
Explanation