The interrogative word 何 has two readings: なに and なん.
Let’s find out the difference.
① なに + particle
Let’s start with the reading なに.
A simple rule is that なに is usually followed by a particle. For example:
今夜は何を食べますか？
/konya wa nani o tabemasu ka?/
What will you eat tonight?
旅行中、何が一番楽しかったですか？
/ryokoo chuu, nani ga ichiban tanoshikatta desu ka?/
What did you enjoy the most during your trip?
会社までいつも何で行っていますか？
/kaisha made itsumo nani de itte imasu ka?/
How do you usually get to work?
飲み物は何にしますか？
/nomimono wa nani ni shimasu ka?/
What would you like to drink?
何かいい案はありますか？ ※In casual speech, なにか is often pronounced なんか: 何かいい案ある？
/nani ka ii an wa arimasu ka?/
Do you have any suggestions?
② なに + noun
Another common pattern is that なに is used when it comes before a noun.
何語
それは何語ですか？
/sore wa nani go desu ka?/
What language is it?
何色
何色が好きですか？
/nani iro ga suki desu ka?/
What colour do you like?
③ なん + ですか
Now let’s look at the reading なん.
なん is commonly used before ですか in polite questions.
好きな食べ物は何ですか？
/suki na tabemono wa nan desu ka?/
What is your favourite food?
それは何ですか？
/sore wa nan desu ka?/
What is that?
③ なん + counter
Another rule is that なん is used before counters to ask about quantity or number.
何人
何人家族ですか？
/nan nin kazoku desu ka?/
How many people are in your family?
何階
カメラは何階にありますか？
/kamera wa nan kai ni arimasu ka?/
Which floor are the cameras on?
How to answer questions with 何
Questions with 何 can often be answered using です instead of repeating the whole verb phrase.
For example:
Q: いつも朝ごはんに何を食べますか？
/itsumo asagohan ni nani o tabemasu ka?/
What do you usually eat for breakfast?
A: 朝はいつもコーヒーだけです。（朝はいつもコーヒーだけを飲みます。）
/asa wa itsumo koohii dake desu./
I usually just have coffee.
Q: 今夜は何をしますか？
/kon’ya wa nani o shimasu ka?/
What are you doing tonight?
A: 料理と洗濯です。（料理と洗濯をします。）
/ryoori to sentaku desu./
I’m going to cook and do the laundry.
Q: クラスに何人いますか？
/kurasu ni nan nin imasu ka?/
How many people are there in your class?
A: 20人です。（20人います。）
/nijuu nin desu./
There are 20 people.
Q: この服は何色ありますか？
/kono fuku wa nan shoku arimasu ka?/
How many colours is this item of clothing available in?
A: 4色です。（4色あります。）
/yon shoku desu./
It comes in four colours.
Common words with 何
Here are some common words that use なに and なん. Although they use the same kanji, the reading—and the meaning—can be different.
| なに | なん |
| 何人（なにじん） What nationality | 何人（なんにん） How many people |
| 何色（なにいろ） What colour | 何色（なんしょく） How many colours |
| 何科（なにか） What course | 何個（なんこ） How many things |
| 何大学（なにだいがく） What university | 何歳（なんさい） How old (age) |
| 何県（なにけん） What prefecture | 何ヶ月（なんかげつ） How many months |
| 何語（なにご） What language | 何年（なんねん） How many years |
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