N4 Embedded Questions

~かどうか: meaning, usage and examples

~かどうか means: whether it's... or not.

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 明日雨あしたあめが降ふるかどうか分わかりません。

   I don't know whether it will rain tomorrow or not.

2. 彼かれが来くるかどうか確認かくにんしてください。

   Please confirm whether he's coming or not.

3. 明日あしたのパーティーに行いけるかどうか、まだ分わかりません。

   I still don't know whether I can go to tomorrow's party.

4. この店みせがおいしいかどうか、友ともだちに聞ききました。

   I asked a friend whether the food at this restaurant is good.

When to use it

Puts a yes-or-no question inside a sentence: 'whether or not'. Use it with verbs such as 分わかる, 知しる, 聞きく, 調しらべる, 考かんがえる and 確たしかめる: 間まに合あうかどうか分わかりません 'I don't know whether we'll make it'. The inner question has no question word, and the answer would be yes or no.

Nuance

Neutral; it works in casual and polite speech. The inner part is plain form, and だ drops after nouns and な-adjectives. In casual speech どうか is sometimes left out: 来くるか分わからない. The main verb often expresses doubt or checking.

Compare

Compare question word + か: どこに行いくか 'where he goes' needs a question word, 行いくかどうか 'whether he goes' does not. Never combine them: どこに行いくかどうか is wrong. 行いくか行いかないか means the same as 行いくかどうか.

Tip: Test: can the inner question be answered with 'yes' or 'no'? Then use かどうか. If it needs a place, a time or a person, use a question word + か.