Tips for More Effective Studying
Nihongo Online School > Tips for More Effective Studying > Interrogative – Lesson 6 なんで? Why
Interrogative – Lesson 6 なんで? Why
2023/09/17
Director: Kotaro Muramoto
Principal of Nihongo Online School
In September 2019, he founded "Nihongo Online School". Since then, has been teaching Japanese online lessons, with a total of over 1,000 students.
He has designed an individualized curriculum based on student’s needs and study goal. And is conscious of making the classes speech-centered in order to improve students’ speaking skills.
The school asks students to submit homework assignments worth 2 hours per lesson to improve faster. By supporting students with these features, students are able to efficiently improve Japanese language skills.
In this article, you learn how to explain なんで（=どうして or なぜ）= why~? in Japanese. we often use in daily life and business scene for asking “reason”.
３Patterns of “Why”
★ Japanese say “why” in 3 patterns, all are same meaning, but people use it depends on the situation. なんで(nande), どうして(doushite), なぜ(naze). please add ですかdesuka end of them when you ask others why.
・なんで is most frankly saying, you can use it to friends, don’t use it to your boss at company.
※If you want to ask why to your boss, please say どうして(doushite)ですかdesuka？, なぜ(naze)ですかdesuka？
・Why is N? なんでNですか？
・Why do you V? なんでVますか？
Here is some examples
★Let’s exercise
Q:なんで(=どうして or なぜ)にほんご を
べんきょう していますか？
Nande(doushite or naze) nihongo wo benkyou Shiteimasuka?
Why do you study Japanese?
A:にほんではたらくためです。
Nihon de hataraku tamedesu.
To work in Japan.
Q：なんで(=どうして or なぜ)きのう、学校(がっこう)をやすみましたか？
Nande(doushite or naze)kinou, gakkouwo yasumimashitaka?
Why were you absent from school yesterday?
A:おなかがいたかったからです
Onakaga itakatta karadesu.
It was because I got stomachache.
Q: なんで(=どうして or なぜ)会社(かいしゃ)
をやめたのですか？
Nande(doushite or naze) kaisha wo
yametanodesuka?
Why did you quit the company?
A: お金(かね)があまりもらえなかったからです。
Okane ga amari moraenakatta karadesu.
Because I couldn’t get enough money.