Welcome to Day 42 of our 100-day JLPT N5 challenge, designed for adult English speakers eager to learn Japanese!
Today, we’re diving into どんな (donna), a versatile word meaning “what kind of” or “what sort of.”
Main Lesson: Understanding どんな Step-by-Step
Let’s explore どんな (donna), pronounced “dohn-nah” in romaji (where “dohn” is like “done” with a soft “n,” and “nah” is like “na” in “nap”).
This word is a question phrase used to ask about the type or nature of something, making it a must-know for JLPT N5.
Here’s a clear breakdown with grammar rules, vocabulary, and examples.
Grammar Rules
Function: どんな + noun + … asks about the kind or quality of something, translating to “what kind of ~?” or “what sort of ~?”
Usage:
Place どんな before a noun (e.g., どんな たべもの, what kind of food).
It doesn’t pair directly with verbs or adjectives.
Structure:
Typically followed by ですか (desu ka) for polite questions or が すき ですか (ga suki desu ka) to ask preferences.
Tone:
Always use with polite forms (です or ます) to match N5 politeness standards.
Vocabulary List
Here’s a beginner-friendly list to practice with, perfect for JLPT N5 prep:
| Words | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| りょうり | ryouri | cooking; cuisine; food; dish |
| さかな | sakana | fish |
| わかい | wakai | young; youthful |
| じてんしゃ | jitensha | bicycle |
| かびん | kabin | a vase |
| かるい | karui | light |
| くに | kuni | country; state; region |
Examples
Let’s see どんな in action with practical sentences:
Q: どんな たべもの が すき ですか？
(Donna tabemono ga suki desu ka.)
– What kind of food do you like?
A: わたし は さかな りょうり が すき です。
(Watashi wa sakana ryouri ga suki desu.)
– I like fish dishes.
Q: たなかさん は どんな ひと ですか？
(Tanak-san wa donna hito desu ka.)
– What kind of person is he/she?
A: たなかさん は わかい です。
(Tanak-san wa wakai desu.)
– Tanaka-san is young.
Q: どんな えいが を みます か？
(Donna eiga o mimasu ka.)
– What kind of movie do you watch?
A: アクション えいが を よく みます。
(akusyon eiga wo yoku mimasu.)
– I often watch action movies.
Q: にほん は どんな くに ですか？
(Nihon wa donna kuni desuka.)
– What is Japan like?
A: きれい で あんぜんな くに です。
(Kirei de anzenna kuni desu.)
– It’s a beautiful and safe country.
Q: それは どんな じてんしゃ ですか？
(Sore wa donna jitensya desuka?)
– What kind of bicycle is it?
A: あかくて おおきな じてんしゃ です。
(Akakute ookina jitensha desu.)
– It’s a big red bicycle.
Q: これは どんな かびん ですか？
(Kore wa donna kabin desuka?)
– What kind of vase is this?
A: これは かるい です。
(Kore wa karui desu.)
– It’s a light vase.
Conclusion: Key Takeaways and Next Steps
Today, we mastered どんな, the question word that asks “what kind of,” like どんな たべもの が すき ですか (What kind of food do you like?).
Enjoying this challenge?
Subscribe to our newsletter for daily JLPT N5 tips, or share with your study buddies. Comment below: What will you ask with どんな today?
Let’s conquer Japanese together!
