どう・どうやって
Ask how something is or how it’s done
You’ll be able to ask how something is and, separately, by what method it’s done.
どうやって駅に行きますか。
dou yatte eki ni ikimasu ka.
What do you think this sentence means?
How do you get to the station?
Ask about condition or method
どう asks broadly “how is it?” or “what is it like?” どうやって asks specifically how an action is done or by what method.
この料理はどうですか。
kono ryouri wa dou desu ka.
How is this dish?
これはどうやって食べますか。
kore wa dou yatte tabemasu ka.
How do you eat this?
Use どう for condition, impression, or choice
Use どう when asking what something is like, how a situation is, or what someone thinks.
旅行はどうでしたか。
ryokou wa dou deshita ka.
How was the trip?
新しい学校はどうですか。
atarashii gakkou wa dou desu ka.
How is the new school?
これはどうですか。
kore wa dou desu ka.
How about this?
Use どうやって for method
Put どうやって before the action when you want to ask “how do you do it?”
どうやって学校に行きますか。
dou yatte gakkou ni ikimasu ka.
How do you get to school?
これはどうやって使いますか。
kore wa dou yatte tsukaimasu ka.
How do you use this?
どうやって漢字を覚えますか。
dou yatte kanji o oboemasu ka.
How do you memorize kanji?
どんな vs どう
どんな always attaches directly to a noun to ask what kind of thing it is. どう asks how something is or what someone thinks of it without attaching to a noun.
どう, how is it
学校はどうですか。
gakkou wa dou desu ka.
How is school?
The answer gives an impression or opinion, such as “It’s fun.”
どんな, what kind
どんな学校ですか。
donna gakkou desu ka.
What kind of school is it?
The answer describes features of the school itself, such as “It’s a big school.”
この本はどうですか。
kono hon wa dou desu ka.
How is this book?
新しい学校はどうですか。
atarashii gakkou wa dou desu ka.
How is your new school?
昨日のテストはどうでしたか。
kinou no tesuto wa dou deshita ka.
How was yesterday's test?
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