Japanese · Question Words
誰
dare
Who
Beginnerpronoun
Definition
The question word used to ask about a person's identity. The polite form is どなた (donata). Used in sentences like 誰ですか (dare desu ka, who is it?).
Example
あの人は誰ですか？
Who is that person?
Etymology
'誰' (dare) derives from historical interrogative expressions, indicating the human aspect of inquiry and curiosity.
How & Where It’s Used
'誰' is widely used in both formal and informal contexts, primarily in spoken language to ask about individuals, universally understood.