Japanese - Which One?

Lesson 152 of 168

A friendly shop scene in Japan showing a shopper asking about two bags — Japanese phrases for 'which' are highlighted.

Goal: Polite ways to ask 'which' in Japanese — short and useful

Free Japanese lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Hi — welcome! This short lesson focuses on two polite question phrases you can use right away. Listen, repeat, and try them out in tiny conversations.

Level A1: In this lesson you'll learn two polite question frames — どれですか。(Dore desu ka.) and どちらですか。(Dochira desu ka.). We'll practice when to use each one (choosing visible items vs. asking between options or directions), hear them in a short dialogue, and do quick quizzes to lock them in. It's CEFR-aligned and quick — perfect for practice on the go.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Level A1: Recognize and use どれですか。(Dore desu ka.) — “Which one is it?”
  • Practice どちらですか。(Dochira desu ka.) for choices or polite direction questions
  • Hear the phrases in a mini-conversation and say them out loud with correct politeness
A close-up of two items on a counter in a Japanese store with a polite customer asking which one is available.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

どれですか

Dore desu ka.

Which one is it?

Meaning: Which one is it?

When to use: Use when choosing among visible items, for example in a store or when pointing at several options on a table.

この三つの中で、どれですか。

Kono mittsu no naka de, dore desu ka.

Which one is it among these three?
あの青いバッグはどれですか。

Ano aoi baggu wa dore desu ka.

Which one is that blue bag?

どちらですか

Dochira desu ka.

Which one / Which way is it?

Meaning: Which one / Which way is it?

When to use: Polite form of どっち; ask when choosing between options or asking for directions (which way). Use this in polite conversations.

Tip: Beginners sometimes confuse どちら with どれ. Remember: どれ is for picking one item among several; どちら often compares two choices or asks for a direction.

駅はどちらですか。

Eki wa dochira desu ka.

Which way is the station?
この二つの料理はどちらですか。

Kono futatsu no ryōri wa dochira desu ka.

Which of these two dishes is it?

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Choosing items in a small shop

Anna and David near a small shop in Japan, deciding between items and asking polite 'which' questions.

What are Anna and David deciding between?

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

すみません、この二つのかばん、どれですか。

Sumimasen, kono futatsu no kaban, dore desu ka.

Excuse me, among these two bags, which one is it?

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

どちらがほしいですか。

Dochira ga hoshii desu ka.

Which one do you want?

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

あの青いほうは私のです。

Ano aoi hō wa watashi no desu.

That blue one is mine.

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

じゃ、もう一つはどれですか。

Ja, mō hitotsu wa dore desu ka.

Then, which is the other one?

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which phrase is best when politely asking 'Which way is the station?'

You point to three shirts on a rack and ask 'Which one is it?' — which phrase fits?

Translate: あの本はどれですか。

At the station you want to ask 'Which platform is for Tokyo?' Which polite phrase would you start with?

Which one is the most popular among these three?

この三つの中で、___一番人気ですか？

I asked the station staff, 'Which way is the restroom?'

駅のスタッフに、『トイレは ___』と聞きました。

Looking at the menu, Mr. Yamada asked, 'Which one is this soup?'

メニューを見て、山田さんが『このスープは ___？』と聞きました。

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

どれですか

Dore desu ka.

Which one is it?

Say this phrase out loud:

どちらですか

Dochira desu ka.

Which one / Which way is it?