か～か – Expressing Choices like “A or B” in Japanese [JLPT N5]

Quick Summary

• Meaning: The pattern か～か shows a simple choice: “A or B.”
• How to Use: Put か after each option you are choosing between.

Example:

• 今日は犬か猫か、どちらと散歩しますか。
• Kyō wa inu ka neko ka, dochira to sanpo shimasu ka.
• Today, will you walk the dog or the cat?

Overview

The grammar pattern か～か is a very simple but powerful way to say “A or B” in Japanese. You use it when you have two or more clear options and you want to show a choice between them.

In English, you might say “coffee or tea,” “go or stay,” or “happy or sad.” In Japanese, you connect these options with か. When you repeat it as か～か, you are clearly listing separate choices: option A か option B か, and so on.

This pattern is used when:

• You are asking someone to choose between options.
• You are saying your own choice between options.
• You are saying you don’t know which option is true yet.

Sometimes the sentence is a direct question, and sometimes it is just explaining the situation. The feeling is usually neutral and simple: you are just putting options on the table. For example, you can decide if you will drink コーヒー (kōhī, coffee) or お茶 (ocha, tea), or if your robot is friend or enemy.

Compared with the single question particle か at the end of a sentence (which makes a yes/no question), the repeated か～か is for choices between two (or more) things, not just “yes or no.”

Structure / Formation

The basic idea of か～か is very regular: put か after each choice. The options can be:

• N (nouns)
• V (verbs in plain form)
• i-adj and na-adj (adjectives)
• Clause (short sentences)

Core Patterns

• NかNか
• VかVか
• i-adjかi-adjか
• na-adjかna-adjか
• ClauseかClauseか

In all these patterns, the meaning is the same: “A or B.” The last か can be followed by the rest of the sentence, like a verb or a question word such as どちら (dochira, which/which one).

Using か～か with Nouns (NかNか)

This is the most common and easiest form for beginners. You simply put か after each noun you are choosing between.

• N1かN2か + (decide / choose / etc.)

Here, N1 and N2 are your options. You can also add どちら (dochira, which one) after them when asking a question.

Example (question about a funny choice):

• 昼ごはんはバナナかカレーか、どちらにしますか。
• Hirugohan wa banana ka karē ka, dochira ni shimasu ka.
• For lunch, will you have a banana or curry?

Example (stating your choice):

• 今夜はホラー映画かラブコメか、友だちと決めます。
• Konya wa horā eiga ka rabukome ka, tomodachi to kimemasu.
• Tonight we’ll decide with my friend: a horror movie or a romantic comedy.

Using か～か with Verbs (VかVか)

You can also use か～か with V (verbs) in plain/dictionary form to show a choice of actions: “do A or do B.”

• VかVか + (decide / think / etc.)

The verbs usually stay in the same basic form (for example, both in the non-past plain form V-る). Mixing very different tenses inside the pair is possible in more complex sentences, but for N5 it is safest to keep them the same.

Example:

• 週末は寝るか踊るか、まだ分かりません。
• Shūmatsu wa neru ka odoru ka, mada wakarimasen.
• On the weekend I don’t know yet if I’ll sleep or dance.

Using か～か with Adjectives (i-adjかi-adjか / na-adjかna-adjか)

You can also choose between two states or feelings using adjectives. For i-adjectives and na-adjectives, the pattern is the same: put か after each adjective.

• i-adjかi-adjか
• na-adjかna-adjか

Example with i-adjectives:

• このテストはやさしいかむずかしいか、先生も知りません。
• Kono tesuto wa yasashii ka muzukashii ka, sensei mo shirimasen.
• Even the teacher doesn’t know if this test is easy or difficult.

Example with na-adjectives:

• 新しいロボットがべんりかじゃまか、使ってみて考えます。
• Atarashii robotto ga benri ka jama ka, tsukatte mite kangaemasu.
• I’ll use the new robot and then think about whether it’s useful or just in the way.

Using か～か with Clauses (ClauseかClauseか)

You can also put whole short sentences (clauses) before each か. This lets you say things like “whether A happens or B happens.” At N5 level, keep each clause short and simple.

• ClauseかClauseか + 分かりません / 決めます / etc.

Example:

• 明日雨が降るか雪が降るか、だれも知りません。
• Ashita ame ga furu ka yuki ga furu ka, dare mo shirimasen.
• No one knows whether it will rain or snow tomorrow.

Question Style vs. Statement Style

With か～か, your sentence can be either a question or a statement, depending on how you end it.

• Question: Options + か + どちら / どれ / だれ + か (question tone)
• Statement: Options + か + 分かりません (wakarimasen, don’t know) / 決めます (kimemasu, will decide) / etc.

Example (question):

• 明日図書館かカフェか、どこで勉強しますか。
• Ashita toshokan ka kafe ka, doko de benkyō shimasu ka.
• Tomorrow, will you study at the library or at a café?

Example (statement):

• 兄は宇宙飛行士になるか漫画家になるか、本気で考えています。
• Ani wa uchū hikōshi ni naru ka mangaka ni naru ka, honki de kangaete imasu.
• My older brother is seriously thinking about whether to become an astronaut or a manga artist.

Formation Summary Table

Type	Pattern	Meaning
Nouns	N1かN2か	N1 or N2
Verbs	VかVか	Do V or do V
i-adjectives	i-adjかi-adjか	~ is i-adj or i-adj
na-adjectives	na-adjかna-adjか	~ is na-adj or na-adj
Clauses	ClauseかClauseか	whether Clause or Clause

Usage Tips

Here are some simple tips so you can use か～か confidently from the start:

• Make your options the same kind of thing: noun with noun, verb with verb, etc.
• For clear, simple choices, two options are best at N5 level.
• The last か is usually followed by a verb like 決めます (kimemasu, decide), 考えます (kangaemasu, think), 分かりません (wakarimasen, don’t know), or by a question word like どちら.

Example Sentences

• 朝ごはんはカレーかアイスクリームか、おばあちゃんが選びます。
• Asagohan wa karē ka aisukurīmu ka, obāchan ga erabimasu.
• For breakfast, my grandma chooses curry or ice cream.

• 今日は宇宙人と話すかゴリラとダンスするか
• Kyō wa uchūjin to hanasu ka gorira to dansu suru ka, mada kimete imasen.
• Today I haven’t decided yet whether to talk with an alien or dance with a gorilla.

• このケーキはあまいかしょっぱいか、食べるまで分かりません。
• Kono kēki wa amai ka shoppai ka, taberu made wakarimasen.
• We don’t know if this cake is sweet or salty until we eat it.

• 新しいロボットはしずかかうるさいか、一日テストしてみます。
• Atarashii robotto wa shizuka ka urusai ka, ichinichi tesuto shite mimasu.
• We’ll test all day to see whether the new robot is quiet or noisy.

• 明日先生が空を飛ぶか透明になるか、クラスのみんなは楽しみにしています。
• Ashita sensei ga sora o tobu ka tōmei ni naru ka, kurasu no minna wa tanoshimi ni shite imasu.
• Tomorrow everyone in class is excited to see whether the teacher will fly in the sky or turn invisible.

Quick Practice

(Answers and explanations are right under this section.)

Multiple-Choice

1. Choose the best sentence: “Tonight I will drink coffee or milk.”

• A. 今夜はコーヒーや牛乳か飲みます。(Konya wa kōhī ya gyūnyū ka nomimasu.)
• B. 今夜はコーヒーでも牛乳でも飲みます。(Konya wa kōhī demo gyūnyū demo nomimasu.)
• C. 今夜はコーヒーか牛乳か飲みます。(Konya wa kōhī ka gyūnyū ka nomimasu.)
• D. 今夜はコーヒーと牛乳と飲みます。(Konya wa kōhī to gyūnyū to nomimasu.)

2. Choose the correct question using か～か: “Will you read a manga or play a game?”

• A. まんがかゲームかしますか。(Manga ka gēmu ka shimasu ka.)
• B. まんがかゲームか読みますか。(Manga ka gēmu ka yomimasu ka.)
• C. まんがかゲームか、どちらをしますか。(Manga ka gēmu ka, dochira o shimasu ka.)
• D. まんがやゲームや、どちらをしますか。(Manga ya gēmu ya, dochira o shimasu ka.)

3. Choose the natural sentence using か～か with adjectives: “Is this ramen spicy or sweet?”

• A. このラーメンはからいかあまいかですか。(Kono rāmen wa karai ka amai ka desu ka.)
• B. このラーメンはからいかあまいか、どうですか。(Kono rāmen wa karai ka amai ka, dō desu ka.)
• C. このラーメンはからいかあまいか、どちらですか。(Kono rāmen wa karai ka amai ka, dochira desu ka.)
• D. このラーメンはからいとあまいとですか。(Kono rāmen wa karai to amai to desu ka.)

4. Choose the best sentence: “Grandpa hasn’t decided whether to be an idol or a YouTuber.”

• A. 祖父はアイドルかユーチューバーか、まだ決めません。(Sofu wa aidoru ka yūchūbā ka, mada kimemasen.)
• B. 祖父はアイドルやユーチューバーや、まだ決めません。(Sofu wa aidoru ya yūchūbā ya, mada kimemasen.)
• C. 祖父はアイドルかユーチューバーでも、まだ決めません。(Sofu wa aidoru ka yūchūbā demo, mada kimemasen.)
• D. 祖父はアイドルとユーチューバーか、まだ決めません。(Sofu wa aidoru to yūchūbā ka, mada kimemasen.)

5. Choose the correct use of か～か with verbs: “Tomorrow I will see whether the cat sleeps or dances.”

• A. 明日、猫が寝るか踊るか見ます。(Ashita, neko ga neru ka odoru ka mimasu.)
• B. 明日、猫が寝ると踊ると見ます。(Ashita, neko ga neru to odoru to mimasu.)
• C. 明日、猫が寝るや踊るや見ます。(Ashita, neko ga neru ya odoru ya mimasu.)
• D. 明日、猫が寝るでも踊るでも見ます。(Ashita, neko ga neru demo odoru demo mimasu.)

Spot-the-Error

6. One of these sentences has an error in the か～か pattern. Which one is wrong?

• A. 私は朝、コーヒーかお茶か飲みます。(Watashi wa asa, kōhī ka ocha ka nomimasu.)
• B. ロボットがしずかかうるさいか、テストします。(Robotto ga shizuka ka urusai ka, tesuto shimasu.)
• C. 先生はまじめかまじめじゃない、分かりません。(Sensei wa majime ka majime janai, wakarimasen.)

7. One of these sentences has an error with か～か and question words. Which one is wrong?

• A. 今日は映画かゲームか、どちらにしますか。(Kyō wa eiga ka gēmu ka, dochira ni shimasu ka.)
• B. 来週、どこかどこか行きます。(Raishū, doko ka doko ka ikimasu.)
• C. 明日、学校か家か、どこで宿題をしますか。(Ashita, gakkō ka ie ka, doko de shukudai o shimasu ka.)

Translation

8. Translate into Japanese using か～か: “Will you ride a dragon or a bicycle?”

9. Translate into Japanese using か～か: “I don’t know if the dog is sleepy or hungry.”

10. Translate into Japanese using か～か: “Every morning Dad chooses whether to sing in the shower or dance in the kitchen.”

---

Answers and Explanations

1. 今夜はコーヒーか牛乳か飲みます。(Konya wa kōhī ka gyūnyū ka nomimasu.) – Uses か after each noun to show a simple choice: coffee or milk.
2. まんがかゲームか、どちらをしますか。(Manga ka gēmu ka, dochira o shimasu ka.) – Lists the two options with か～か, then asks “which” using どちら.
3. このラーメンはからいかあまいか、どちらですか。(Kono rāmen wa karai ka amai ka, dochira desu ka.) – Correctly connects two i-adjectives with か～か and then asks which it is.
4. 祖父はアイドルかユーチューバーか、まだ決めません。(Sofu wa aidoru ka yūchūbā ka, mada kimemasen.) – Shows a choice between two noun professions using か～か plus 決めません.
5. 明日、猫が寝るか踊るか見ます。(Ashita, neko ga neru ka odoru ka mimasu.) – Uses か～か with plain-form verbs to show “whether the cat sleeps or dances.”
6. 先生はまじめかまじめじゃない、分かりません。(Sensei wa majime ka majime janai, wakarimasen.) – Wrong because it misses か before the second option; it should be まじめかまじめじゃないか.
7. 来週、どこかどこか行きます。(Raishū, doko ka doko ka ikimasu.) – Wrong because どこか is an indefinite “somewhere,” not a choice; か～か needs two clear options like 場所Aか場所Bか.
8. ドラゴンか自転車か乗りますか。(Doragon ka jitensha ka norimasu ka.) – Uses か～か with nouns to ask “Will you ride a dragon or a bicycle?”
9. 犬がねむいかおなかがすいているか、分かりません。(Inu ga nemui ka onaka ga suite iru ka, wakarimasen.) – Connects two possible states with か～か and ends with 分かりません to show not knowing which.
10. 毎朝お父さんはシャワーで歌うかキッチンでダンスするか、選びます。(Maiasa otōsan wa shawā de utau ka kitchin de dansu suru ka, erabimasu.) – Uses か～か with verb phrases to show the daily choice between two actions.