BondLingo Learn Japanese

Ladies and gentlemen, the top of the morning to you all! Today we are going to be learning all about dou shimashita ka どうしましたか which is a ridiculously useful phrase in Japanese to means “What’s the matter with you?

How to say “What’s the matter with you?” in Japanese

This question can be used in a plethora of situations and we will unlock them all in today’s class! In this online Japanese lesson, not only will you learn to master dou shimashita ka どうしましたか , but you will also learn how not to forget it too. 

We will b breaking today’s lesson down into 5 sections to help you easily digest the information and learn more effectively:

1. What is dou shimashita ka どうしましたか and how can i use it? Get to grips with the basics.
2. How to use dou shimashita ka どうしましたか in a conversation. Looking deeper at the grammar.
3. Example situations and sentences using dou shimashita ka どうしましたか. Various situation in which dou shimashita ka どうしましたか can be used.
4. A study technique to master dou shimashita ka どうしましたか. Master the phrase efficiently
5. A summary of today’s lesson on dou shimashita ka どうしましたか. Make sure you haven’t missed anything.

If you feel the need to skip ahead to a specific part of the lesson please do so. However if you want to learn most effectively we would recommend reading the whole thing. 

Let’s dive right into today’s lesson and learn all about “dou shimashita ka どうしましたか”.

What is dou shimashita ka どうしましたか and how can i use it?

Get to grips with the basics. 

So dou shimashita ka どうしましたか is made up of the following words 

dou
どう
How

shimashita 
しました
Did

Ka
か 
Question marker 

Now if you put those together literally it doesn’t make much sense. The meaning of dou shimashita ka どうしましたか is “What’s the matter with you?”

“dou shimashita ka” sounds more like “what’s wrong?” or “what’s the matter?” to ask someone before offering help.

The more formal version of dou shimashita ka どうしましたか is dou shita どうした which is used in causal conversation.

Another meaning of dou shimashita ka どうしましたか is “What happened to”. Eg: what happened to my pen, my sandwich etc. 

We will now look at how you would use “dou shimashita ka” in conversation. 

How to use dou shimashita ka どうしましたか in a conversation.

Looking deeper at the grammar.

Take a look at this super basic sentence with dou shimashita ka どうしましたか. 

彼はどうしましたか
Kare wa dou shimashita ka 
What is the matter with him?

To ask what’s wrong with somebody you would simply add their name plus the particle は wa after their name. 

It really is that simple to start using straight away. However you are going to want to understand how to use it in more detail in more situations. Come with us now to the next section where we will learn just that. 

Example situations and sentences using dou shimashita ka どうしましたか.

Various situation in which dou shimashita ka どうしましたか can be used.

Take a look at these example sentences: 

This first example is a great way to add more emphasis to the phrase. We are using the casual version here too.

一体、どうしたの。
Ittai dou shita no 
What on earth is the matter

Here the speaker has issued a reason before asking what is wrong to make it more specific. You can do this too with any reason.

顔色が悪い。どうしたのか。
Kao iro ga warui. What’s the matter with you? 
You look pale. What's the matter with you?

Another meaning of dou shimashita ka どうしましたか is “what happened to”. It’s the same grammatical structure however the meaning changes slightly, take a look: 

僕のペンはどうしたの。
Boku no pen wa dou shita no 
What have you done with my pen?

We will now move on to a study technique that should help you master dou shimashita ka どうしましたか in your own time. 

A study technique to master dou shimashita ka どうしましたか.

Master the phrase efficiently 

Oh? You’re looking to now master dou shimashita ka どうしましたか? Well that’s great news as we are about to show you how. 

First you are going to want to write down both meanings of the phrase that we have learnt today. Try and teach someone else both of these meanings too. 

Now that you are familiar with those it’s time to start writing out some sentences. Split your study into 2 sections. One section for both meanings. 

Start writing out 9 -10 sentences a day in each section for the next 3 days to ensure absolute mastery of the phrase. It is such a useful phrase to know and fundamental if you wish to become a Japanese language master.

A summary of today’s lesson on dou shimashita ka どうしましたか.

Make sure you haven’t missed anything. 

Here is a summary of today’s lesson to ensure you haven’t missed anything: 

The meaning of dou shimashita ka どうしましたか is “What’s the matter with you?”

“dou shimashita ka” sounds more like “what’s wrong?” or “what’s the matter?” to ask someone before offering help.

The more formal version of dou shimashita ka どうしましたか is dou shita どうした which is used in causal conversation.

Another meaning of dou shimashita ka どうしましたか is “What happened to”. Eg: what happened to my pen, my sandwich etc. 

Make sure you have completed the study technique from today’s lesson as that is ultra important for your progress. Don’t let this lesson be for nothing! 

Well guys, there we have it, another wonderful Japanese lesson checked off the list. We hope that you have enjoyed today’s online article on dou shimashita ka どうしましたか from Bondlingo and we hope to see you again soon.

You guys are doing really well with taking the initiative to learn in your own time so we just want to give you a well deserved pat on the back. If you have any questions or suggestions on future content you would like us to talk about, please do get in touch.