Japanese grammar
What does ～かどうか mean? Japanese grammar N4
～かどうか means whether or not ~.
| Level (estimated, JLPT framework) | N4 |
|---|---|
| Structure | Plain form + かどうか + 分かる／聞く／確認する N／Aな + かどうか |
| Romaji | ~ ka dō ka |
| Meaning | whether or not ~ |
How to use it
Turning a yes/no question into an indirect clause serving as the content of knowing, asking, checking, or deciding.
- かどうか packages the two possibilities "whether or not" into one clause. It's usually followed by 分かる, 知る, 聞く, 調べる, 確認する, or 決める.
- Do not use かどうか after specific question words such as いつ／どこ／だれ; in that case, just keep the question word + か: いつ来るか分かりません.
Examples
明日雨が降るかどうか、天気予報を見ます。
I will check the forecast to see whether it will rain tomorrow.
この答えが正しいかどうか確認してください。
Please check whether this answer is correct.
Common mistakes
-
Wrong田中さんがどこにいるかどうか知りません。
Correct田中さんがどこにいるか知りません。
Since the question word どこ is already present, only use ～か, don't add どうか.
Exam tips
- Yes/no questions → かどうか; questions with いつ・どこ・だれ・何 → just か.