At a glance
なん～ is the reading of 何 "what" when it joins a counter or です/の. You use it to ask "what time", "how many" and "what number".
なん + counter (じ, にん, さい, ようび …)
なん + です / の
今何時ですか。 What time is it now?
How to form it
Put なん in front of a counter or before です and の:
| Combines with | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 時 (hour) | 何時 | what time |
| 人 (people) | 何人 | how many people |
| 歳 (age) | 何歳 | how old |
| 曜日 (day of week) | 何曜日 | what day of the week |
| 月 (month) | 何月 | what month |
| 日 (day) | 何日 | what date / how many days |
| 回 (times) | 何回 | how many times |
| 本 (long things) | 何本 | how many (bottles, pens) |
| です | 何ですか | what is it? |
| の + noun | 何の本 | what kind of book |
Some counters change sound after なん: 本 becomes ぼん (何本) and 分 becomes ぷん (何分).