A1 Expression Formel

いつですか

itsu desu ka

When is it?

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use 'いつですか' to ask for the date or time of an event or appointment.

  • Means: 'When is it?'
  • Used in: Planning meetings, asking about birthdays, or confirming event schedules.
  • Don't confuse: '何時ですか' (What time is it?) which asks for the current clock time.
Calendar icon + Question mark = Clear schedule

Explanation at your level:

This is a simple question to ask 'When?'. You use it to find out the date or time of an event.
This phrase is essential for scheduling. It combines the interrogative 'itsu' with the polite copula 'desu' to form a standard inquiry used in daily life.
As a cornerstone of Japanese social interaction, this expression facilitates coordination. It is structurally rigid, requiring the topic marker 'wa' to define the event being queried, reflecting the language's focus on context-dependency.
The phrase functions as a pragmatic marker for time-based negotiation. By utilizing the 'wa' particle, the speaker establishes the event as the focal point, allowing for efficient information exchange in professional and social environments.
Syntactically, 'いつですか' represents the intersection of interrogative pronouns and copular predicates. Its usage demonstrates a mastery of Japanese politeness levels, as the speaker must distinguish between 'itsu' (general time/date) and 'nanji' (specific clock time) to maintain conversational coherence.
From a cognitive linguistic perspective, 'いつですか' functions as a deictic anchor. It requires the listener to map a temporal coordinate onto a shared mental timeline. The distinction between this and 'nanji' highlights the Japanese language's granular approach to temporal categorization, where general duration and specific clock-time are lexically bifurcated.

Signification

Asking about the time or date of an event.

🌍

Contexte culturel

Asking about time is a sign of respect for the other person's schedule. Always confirm dates clearly to avoid ambiguity.

💡

Context is key

Always include the event name before the phrase.

Signification

Asking about the time or date of an event.

💡

Context is key

Always include the event name before the phrase.

Teste-toi

Fill in the blank.

パーティーは____ですか。

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : いつ

We are asking for the time of the party.

🎉 Score : /1

Questions fréquentes

1 questions

Yes, for any event or date.

Expressions liées

🔗

何時ですか

similar

What time is it?

🔗

いつから

builds on

From when?

Où l'utiliser

💼

Work Meeting

A: 会議はいつですか。

B: 来週の月曜日です。

formal
🎂

Friend's Birthday

A: 誕生日はいつですか。

B: 5月10日です。

neutral

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'It's-u' (It's you) asking 'When is it?'

Visual Association

A person pointing at a calendar on the wall, looking confused.

Rhyme

When is it? Itsu desu ka?

Story

Ken is looking at his calendar. He doesn't know when the party is. He asks his friend, 'パーティーはいつですか?'

Word Web

いつ時間日付予定何時いつから

Défi

Ask 3 people about their next event today.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

¿Cuándo es?

Japanese requires the topic marker 'wa'.

French moderate

C'est quand ?

Japanese is strictly SOV/Topic-Comment.

German high

Wann ist es?

German verb placement is different.

Japanese self

いつですか

N/A

Arabic moderate

متى هو؟

Arabic has gendered pronouns.

Easily Confused

いつですか vs 何時ですか

Learners use it for dates.

Use 'Itsu' for dates, 'Nanji' for clocks.

FAQ (1)

Yes, for any event or date.

C'tait utile ?

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