What is this [something] about?

[danfernold7261]

Konnichiha. Dan desu.

shitsunon ga arimasu. "What is this [something] about" wa nihongo de nan desu ka?

Sore wa "kore ni tsuite wa nan desu ka", mata wa "kore ni tsuite wa dou desu ka"? Watshi wa "kore wa nan ni tsuite desu ka" to omou desu ga, sore de "google translate" o mimashite, "kore ni tsuite wa dou desu ka?" o iimashita

kore wa tadashii desu ka? Oshiete kudasai.

Yoroshiku

Dan Fernold

(P.S. I hope there are no errors in my japanense, if there is "oshiete kudasai")

[community.japanese]

Dan-san,

It's difficult to give you a simple answer to your question: "What is this [something] about" wa nihongo de nan desu ka?

The reason is because both "nan desu ka" and "dou desu ka" can be correct depending on the context of conversation.
It can be same in English in some different situations but different in Japanese. Translation doesn't always work.
If you want to know, there are also other possibilities such as "dou iu mono desu ka", "don na kan ji desu ka"
and "don na mono desu ka". Depending on what "something" is, the expression you should use can differ.

> Sore wa "kore ni tsuite wa nan desu ka", mata wa "kore ni tsuite wa dou desu ka"? Watshi wa "kore wa nan ni tsuite desu ka" to omou desu ga, sore de "google translate" o mimashite, "kore ni tsuite wa dou desu ka?" o iimashita
=> Sore wa "kore ni tsuite wa nan desu ka" desu ka? Mata wa, "kore ni tsuite wa dou desu ka?" desu ka? Watashi wa "kore wa nan ni tsuite desu ka" da to omoimashita ga, Google Translate ga "kore ni tsuite wa dou desu ka?" to iu bun o dashimashita.

Natsuko(奈津子),
Team JapanesePod101.com

[danfernold7261]

Natsuko-sensei

I´ll take this in english.

so.. kore wa nan ni tsuite desu ka? can be used if I got it right?

Yoroshiku

Dan Fernold

[community.japanese]

Dan-san,

so.. kore wa nan ni tsuite desu ka? can be used if I got it right?

If you mean "what's this about?", yes.

Natsuko(奈津子),
Team JapanesePod101.com

[danfernold7261]

and "what´s this [noun] about?" is it kono hon wa nan ni tsuite desu ka?" (in the case of a book)

yoroshiku

Dan Fernold

[community.japanese]

Dan-san,
yes, that's correct.

Natsuko(奈津子),
Team JapanesePod101.com

[danfernold7261]

Ok.

Diumo arigatou gozaimasu

Dan Fernold