Ask who someone is

だれ is the question word for asking "who."

JLPTN5

だれ＝ who?~ wa dare desu ka

Who is [person/thing]?

Example Sentence

かれ彼he はだれ誰？who

Who is he?

Word Details →

Use だれ to ask about a person's identity, in the same slot where the name or person would go in the answer. It works with the usual particles, and the more polite form どなた is used in formal settings. Like other question words, it does not change the word order of the sentence.

Tips and Common Traps

Hana· Key point

だれ is one of the first question words you'll need — for introducing people, asking about photos, or figuring out who just called.

Maru· Common trap

When だれ is the subject, use が, not は: だれが来ましたかだれがきましたか (who came?), not だれは来ましたかだれはきましたか.

Build the Sentence

JLPT N5

1 / 5

what is this?

Arrange the words in the correct Japanese order:

は

what it's about · said "wa"

これ

this

ですか

is it? (question)

なん

what

... はなにですか Topic は ...