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When you see a bag and don’t know its owner, use “誰の” to ask who it belongs to.

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Lesson notes · ≈ JLPT N5 · Beginner 1

誰の〜dare no ~

ask who owns it

Use 「誰の〜」 to ask who owns something, and answer with the owner’s name or pronoun.

How it works

  1. When you see a bag and don’t know its owner, use “誰の” to ask who it belongs to.

    When you see a bag and don’t know its owner, use “誰の” to ask who it belongs to.

  2. “誰の + noun” means “whose …”. “誰のカバン” means “whose bag”.

    “誰の + noun” means “whose …”. “誰のカバン” means “whose bag”.

  3. To answer, replace “誰” with the owner: “彼のカバンです。” means “It’s his bag.”

    To answer, replace “誰” with the owner: “彼のカバンです。” means “It’s his bag.”

  4. When the item is already clear, you can omit the noun after “誰の”: “この眼鏡は誰のですか。”

    When the item is already clear, you can omit the noun after “誰の”: “この眼鏡は誰のですか。”

  5. You can omit the item’s name in the answer too: “田中さんのです。” means “It’s Tanaka’s.”

    You can omit the item’s name in the answer too: “田中さんのです。” means “It’s Tanaka’s.”

  6. If the item isn’t yours, you can answer “わたしのではありません。”: “It isn’t mine.”

    If the item isn’t yours, you can answer “わたしのではありません。”: “It isn’t mine.”

Example sentences

  • これkoreはわwa誰だれdareのnoカバンかばんkabanですdesuかka

    Whose bag is this?

  • 彼かれkareのnoカバンかばんkabanですdesu

    It's his bag.

In a conversation

  • A
    すみません。すみませんこれはわ誰だれの財布さいふですか。か

    A: Excuse me. Whose wallet is this?

  • B
    それはわ田中さんたなかさんのです。です

    B: It's Mr. Tanaka's.

  • A
    この眼鏡めがねはわ誰だれのですか。か

    A: Whose glasses are these?

  • B
    わたしのではわありません。ありません

    B: They're not mine.

Check yourself

  1. Level 1 · Recognise

    Which sentence is correct?

  2. Level 1 · Recognise

    Listen and choose the meaning

  3. Level 2 · Build

    Put the words in order

    Whose wallet is this?

  4. Level 3 · Use

    What goes in the blank?

    あれは ノートですか。

    Whose notebook is that?

More grammar in this theme

  • 〜はどこですかasking where something is
  • ここ・そこ・あそこ・どこplace words by distance
  • 〜は何階ですかasking which floor
  • 〜はいくらですかasking the price
  • この〜・その〜・あの〜which item by distance
  • 〜をくださいpolite request for an item
  • 何の〜asking kind or contents
  • どこの〜ask where from
  • 〜を〜くださいpolite request when ordering
  • 誰の〜ask who owns it
Previous〜を〜ください

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