The lesson

12.5 Whether or Not

AI-generated

Overview

This lesson covers ~かどうか, which turns a yes/no question into a noun phrase meaning "whether or not." It is commonly used with verbs like 知る, 分かる, 決める, and 確認する to express uncertainty or decisions.

~かどうか — whether or not

~かどうか is used to express “whether or not” when talking about uncertainty, decisions, or unknown information. It turns a yes/no question into a noun phrase.

Structure:

  • Verb + か + どう + か
  • い-adjective + か + どう + か
  • な-adjective + か + どう + か
  • Noun + か + どう + か

This entire phrase then functions as a noun and is often followed by verbs like: , , , , .

I don’t know whether I’ll go or not.
I’ll check whether it’s true or not.

With adjectives and nouns:

Please check whether it’s expensive or not.
I’m thinking about whether it’s convenient.
I don’t know whether he’s a student or not.

Comparison with ~か

Sometimes ~か alone is enough, but ~かどうか emphasizes the binary nature (“yes or no”).

I don’t know whether I’ll go or not.

Dialogue

I haven't decided yet whether to go to the party. Please check whether it will rain tomorrow. Do you know whether he's coming? I'll check for myself whether it's true. I don't know whether this method is correct. I asked her, but she said she didn't know whether she could come. I'm worried about whether I can pass the exam. Everyone is wondering whether that story is true. I'll decide after checking whether the price is expensive. I'll let you know by tomorrow whether I'll participate. I don't know whether he's a student. I'll think again about whether today is convenient.

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