〜って何ですか~tte nan desu ka
Tte nan desu ka (〜って何ですか) means “ask what something is”.
What is Shunsets (Spring Festival)?
Use 「〜って何ですか」 in conversation to ask what an unfamiliar name or thing means.
In the course
How it works
When you hear an unfamiliar name and want to know what it refers to, use this pattern to ask.
Put the noun you want to ask about before 「って」, then add 「なんですか」.
Look at the answer in the picture: explaining what kind of thing a mooncake is helps the other person understand the name.
「って」 is conversational. Ending with 「ですか」 makes this a suitable way to ask in everyday conversation.
The examples ask what kind of festivals Chinese New Year and Obon are. They call for an explanation of the festivals, rather than their dates.
Example sentences
- 春節shunsetsuってtteなんnanですdesuか。ka。
What is Shunsets (Spring Festival)?
- お盆obonってtteなんnanですdesuかka
In a conversation
- Aねえ、「月餅」ってなんですか。
A: Hey, what is "Geppei" (a mooncake)?
- B中国の古いお菓子ですよ。満月の
Check yourself
Level 1 · Recognise
Which sentence is correct?
Level 1 · Recognise
Listen and choose the meaning
Level 2 · Build
Put the words in order
What is the Spring Festival?
Level 3 · Use
What goes in the blank?
春節____。
What is the Spring Festival?
More grammar in this theme
- 〜って何ですかask what something is