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Jun 2022
11 m

Episode 104 - How to say “whether or not...

Masa Sensei
About this episode

- Check my video for more details! -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odqk1pATJmg&t=372s

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There are cases in which we cannot answer in either way, and for this, the form of …かどうか… is used. 

かどうか functions in a very similar way to the English phrase 'whether or not', with the key difference that in English, clause A / B would be reversed.  

Clause A is usually a description of a situation - 'rain tomorrow', or 'the bathroom is in use'. Clause B can be a statement of knowledge or intent ('I don't know' or 'I would like') etc.


Verb-plain+ かどうか

Noun + かどうか

いadj + かどうか

なadj + かどうか


彼女(かのじょ)はパーティに来(く)るかどうかわかりません。

I don't know if she will come to the party.


行(い)くかどうかあとで電話(でんわ)で知(し)らせます。

I'll let you know later by phone if I'm going or not.


名前(なまえ)を書(か)いたかどうか、もう一度(いちど)チェックしてください

Please check again if you wrote the name.


彼(かれ)は英語(えいご)ができるかどうかわかりません。

I don't know if he can speak English.


山田(やまだ)さんが大学(だいがく)を卒業(そつぎょう)できたかどうか知(し)っていますか。

Do you know if Yamada san graduated from university?


それが正(ただ)しいかどうかわからない。

I'm not sure if that is correct or not.


あの部屋(へや)は静(しず)かかどうか知(し)っていますか?

Do you know if that room is quiet or not?


A: 今年(ことし)の夏休(なつやす)みに旅行(りょこう)に行(い)きますか?

Are you going to travel anywhere this summer?


B: 旅行(りょこう)に行(い)くかどうかまだ決(き)めていません。

I haven’t decided yet whether or not I will travel.


When you want to say "whether or not" Both affirmative and negative forms may be used like 「いくかいかないか」in place of 「いくかどうか」   

彼(かれ)は英語(えいご)ができるかできないかわかりません。

彼女(かのじょ)はパーティに来来(く)るか来(こ)ないかわかりません。

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