何かいいことがあったんですか。

Maxful · (#1 (**permalink**))

Hi, I have a question regarding "何かいいことがあったんですか."

If I am not wrong, it means "Did something good happen (to you)?".

So I was wondering when referring to "Did something bad happen (to you)?", is it correct for me to say "何が悪いことがあったんですか."?

masaegu · (#2 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maxful

Hi, I have a question regarding "何かいいことがあったんですか."

If I am not wrong, it means "Did something good happen (to you)?".

So I was wondering when referring to "Did something bad happen (to you)?", is it correct for me to say "何が悪いことがあったんですか."?

The answer is negative. This is more a cultural question than a linguistc one.

We would just say 「何かあったんですか。」 when it's fairly obvious that something bad has happened.

「悪い事」 sounds too direct to us that we would avoid saying it at all cost.

Maxful · (#3 (**permalink**))

Thanks masaegu san. But is there a difference between "何かあったんですか" and "何があったんですか"? I understand that the latter means "What happened?". Do correct me if I am wrong.

masaegu · (#4 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maxful

Thanks masaegu san. But is there a difference between "何かあったんですか" and "何があったんですか"? I understand that the latter means "What happened?". Do correct me if I am wrong.

There is a difference.

何かあったんですか is a yes-no question. = "Did something happen?"
「が」is omitted right after the 「何か」.　

何があったんですか is an information question. = "What happened?"
Nothing is omitted.

Maxful · (#5 (**permalink**))

I get it now. Thanks alot, masaegu san.

chryuop · (#6 (**permalink**))

何が....it means "what" and it's marked as subject
何か....it means "something" (subject marker can be omitted...even though when I leave it out, Japanese people correct me LOL sorry just a personal vent LOL).