JLPT Grammar: ～どうして – Why; How Come

By ProDev Teach | Updated May 2025

📘 Meaning & Usage

～どうして asks “why” or “for what reason.” Use to inquire about cause or motive.

💡 Examples

• どうして遅れたの？
  Dōshite okureta no?
  Why were you late?
• どうして泣いているの？
  Dōshite naite iru no?
  Why are you crying?
• どうして行かないの？
  Dōshite ikanai no?
  Why won’t you go?

📝 Practice

1. Fill:

1. ＿＿＿＿高いの？
2. ＿＿＿＿勉強しないの？

✔

• どうして
• どうして

2. Translate:

1. Why do you study Japanese?
2. Why is the store closed?

✔

• どうして日本語を勉強するの？
• どうして店が閉まっているの？

📚 Vocabulary

• 遅れる (おくれる): to be late
• 泣く (なく): to cry
• 行く (いく): to go
• 勉強する (べんきょうする): to study
• 店 (みせ): store
• 閉まる (しまる): to close

📖 Kanji

• 遅: late
• 泣: cry
• 行: go
• 勉: exert
• 強: strong
• 店: shop
• 閉: close

Related Grammar & Vocabulary

• JLPT N5 Grammar List – 60 Essential Grammar Points
• ちゃいけない・じゃいけない – must not do (spoken Japanese)
• だ / です – to be (am, is, are, were, used to)
• だけ – only; just; as much as
• だろう – I think; it seems; probably; right?
• で – in; at; on; by; with; via
• でも – but; however; though
• でしょう – I think; it seems; probably; right?
• どんな – what kind of; what sort of
• どうやって – how; in what way; by what means

thuandao

I’m a software engineer based in Japan, with experience in developing web and mobile applications. I’m passionate about technology, especially in DevOps, AI, and app development using platforms like AWS, Flutter, and Node.js. My goal is to build a website that shares knowledge about the Japanese language and IT, helping everyone learn and grow more easily in the digital era.