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Question to Teacher: Can you explain questions that start with DOKO?
Course 1 Lesson 7: Where is it? (Question and Answer)

leileis

Post Date: 2008-05-11 19:37:32

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2008 Apr 07

Questions: 14
Comments: 4

We've been taught that it's not normal to start of with a question word, but in the case of saying "Doko ga ii desu ka" would it be okay since 'where 'is the topic?

Also, we've been taught to use these types of sentences for emphasis- or when the the subject has already been established. So would the following be okay?

A: Watashi no inu wa asoko desu.
Q: Doko ga anata no inu desu ka.

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JFZ_George

Post Date: 2008-05-19 10:54:02

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1997 Aug 25

Questions: 22
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Yes that would be okay. However, it isn't the best way to have a conversation because normally you wouldn't repeat the entire concept again. You would normally in this case just reply with DOKO GA? and nothing else. Japanese like to say only as much as necessary when speaking.

A WORD OF ADVICE
When learning Japanese you will realize the more you learn the more ways there are to do the same thing. In Level 1 we are limited to a very small amount of grammar and words so sometimes conversations seem unnatural. It's the same when you are learning English and see sentences like "See sally run."

So remember that you will learn better ways to do things and will eventually sound much more natural.

George