Question-phrase + か
Meanings
- Embedding a question inside a sentence
- Indirect questions using a question word
- Asking oneself or others about something within a larger statement
About this pattern
Explanation
Question-phrase + か is used to embed a question inside a larger sentence or to indicate an indirect question. It often appears when discussing or considering possibilities, causes, destinations, or timings without presenting the question as a direct, standalone inquiry. The tone can be neutral or cautious, especially when reporting what someone asked or wondered. When the main clause is a statement, the embedded question carries the same word order as a direct question, but it remains part of a larger sentence.
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Example sentences
I don’t know where he is going.
Let's decide what to do next.
I’m curious about whom she will choose.
I don’t know yet whether this shop's prices are cheap.
I decided what to write in the report.
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Or something; Any... (with question words); No matter (who)
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View detailsWe/They/You all (plural forms); These/Those (plural demonstratives); Plural suffix for certain pronouns and demonstratives
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