Basic Grammar 3

6. Question Words 

 いつ (itsu) - when
いつ　きました　か？
    itsu kimashita ka?
    When did you come? [literally "when came?" Notice the "you" is understood.]

どこ (doko) - where
どこ　から　きました　か？
    doko kara kimashita ka?
    Where did you come from? [literally "where from came?"]

どうして (doushite) - why
どうして　きました　か？
    doushite kimashita ka?
    Why did you come? [literally "why came?"]

なぜ (naze) - why
なぜ
   naze?
   Why? [used in the same way as doushite]

だれ (dare) - who
だれが　きました　か。
  dare ga kimashita ka?
  Who came?

何 (nani) - what
なに を 買いました か。
    nani o kaimashita ka.
    What did you buy?

 Main points 

• Even with the question word a か ka is used. (Except in casual spoken Japanese.)

• The question word is at the beginning, but after the は wa if there is one.

あなた　は　だれ　です　か？
    anata wa dare desu ka?
    Who are you? (the question word dare is after the wa)

7. Possessive "s" - の 

This is another nice thing about Japanese.
To show relationship or possession between two things just put a の (no) between them.
The trick is knowing (erm... のing) which goes to the left of the no and which goes to the right...
Think of の as a 's (apostrophe S)

わたし の ねこ
    watashi no neko
    My cat [I's cat]

日本 の 車
    nihon no kuruma
    Japanese car [Japan's car]

ねこ の おもちゃ
    neko no omocha
    Cat's toy