How can I ask a question in Japanese “Which one is better, Tokyo or Osaka” and how can I answer it?
See also : Basic comparative in Japanese
Ask a comparative question
When we want to ask a comparative question like “Which one?”,
Noun 1 + と + Noun 2 + と + どちらが + Xですか。
Noun 1 + to + Noun 2 + to + dochira ga + X desu ka。
Which one is X, noun 1 or noun 2?
*X: adjective, noun
Is used.
The particle of the 2nd noun is often omitted in colloquial Japanese.
In that case, the Japanese comma “、” is used instead of と.
So, for example, we can say:
With an adjective:
東京と大阪とどちらがいいですか。
Tokyo to Oosaka to dochira ga ii desu ka.
Which one is better, Tokyo or Osaka?
東京と大阪、どちらがいいですか。
Tokyo to Oosaka, dochira ga ii desu ka.
Which one is better, Tokyo or Osaka?
With a noun:
こちらとそちらとどちらが私のカバンですか。
Kochira to sochira to dochira ga watashi no kaban desu ka.
This one and that one, which one is my bag?
Answer a comparative question
When we answer a comparative question, we have to be careful.
That is because we need a particular expression:
Noun + のほうが + Xです。
Nous + no hou ga + X desu。
*
1- Noun: the chosen answer
2- X: What is mainly asked by the question
So, for example, if asked by
東京と大阪とどちらがいいですか。
Tokyo to Oosaka to dochira ga ii desu ka.
Which one is better, Tokyo or Osaka?
You can answer
大阪のほうがいいです。
Oosaka no hoo ga ii desu.
Osaka is better.
Intensify the comparative
If the phrase contains an adjective, we can intensify the comparative answer by adding
ずっと
Zutto
Much more
For example,
大阪のほうがいいです。
Oosaka no hoo ga ii desu.
Osaka is better.
大阪のほうがずっといいです。
Oosaka no hoo ga zutto ii desu.
Osaka is much better.
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