you have any siblings?
Kyōdai-wa iruno?
兄きょう弟だいはいるの？
Are you the oldest?
Anata ichiban ue? ♀
あなた一いち番ばん上うえ？
Kimi ichiban ue? ♂
君きみ一いち番ばん上うえ？
Another way to ask this is:
Are you the oldest son/second son/youngest?
Chōnan/jinan/suekko?
長ちょう男なん／次じ男なん／末すえっ子こ？
Are you the oldest daughter/second daughter/youngest?
Chōjo/jijo/suekko?
長ちょう女じょ／次じ女じょ／末すえっ子こ？
Are you a student?
Gakusei?
学がく生せい？
The answer might be kōkōsei 高こう校こう生せい (highschoolstudent) daigakusei 大だい学がく生せい (university student), sen-mon-gakkōsei 専せん門もん学がっ校こう生せい (student of a specialist school–e.g. dental assistant, nurse...), tandaisei 短たん大だい生せい (junior/two-year college student, almost all of whom are women).
What type of school?
Don’na gakkō?
どんな学がっ校こう？
I went to a regular/special (trade) school.
Atashi-wa-futsū-no/senmon gakkō-ni itta. ♀
あたしは普ふ通つうの／専せん門もん学がっ校こうに行いった。
Boku-wa futsū-no/senmon gakkō-ni itta. ♂
僕ぼくは普ふ通つうの／専せん門もん学がっ校こうに行いった。
Where are you studying? (i.e. at what institution)
Doko-de benkyō shiteru-no?
どこで勉べん強きょうしてるの？
What do (did) you study at the university?
Daigaku-de nani-o senkō shiteru (shita)-no?
大だい学がくで何なにを専せん攻こうしてる（した）の？
Senkō means “major study area.”
Another way to ask this is:
What did you study in school?
Daigaku-de nani benkyō shiteta-no?
大だい学がくで何なに勉べん強きょうしてたの？
I did economics/law/politics/English/Spanish.
Keizai/Hōritsu/Seiji/Eigo/ Supeingo-o benkyō shita.
経けい済ざい／法ほう律りつ／政せい治じ／英えい語ご／スペイン語ごを勉べん強きょうした。
English Literature
Eibungaku
英えい文ぶん学がく
International Relations
Kokusai Kankeigaku
国こく際さい関かん係けい学がく
Business
Bijinesu
ビジネス
Information Technology(IT)
Aitī
アイティー
Marketing
Māketingu
マーケティング
History
Rekishi
歴れき史し
(The word for someone who studied a science-related subject is rikei (理り系けい). The word for someone who studied an arts or humanities-related subject is bunkei (文ぶん系けい))
What club/sports team did you belong to/play on (in secondary school)?
Nani-bu datta-no?
何なに部ぶだったの？
What club/sports team did you belong to/play on in college?
Sākuru wa nani shiteta-no?
サークルは何なにしてたの？
Sākuru サークル: Kind of like a club in college. Your social life is largely determined by which “circle” you decide to join. If it’s a hobby, chances are, a “circle” exists for it, especially at bigger universities. These “circles” can be centered around anything from Anime to football to gardening. In April when school starts, upperclassmen aggressively recruit freshmen to join their circle. Like fraternities/sororities, there is some light hazing and usually some amount of drinking involved. You can use it to pursue a passion, make friends, or meet girls/guys.
What’s your job?
Shigoto nani shiten-no?
仕し事ごと何なにしてんの？
How do you spend your time?
Itsumo nani shiten-no?
いつも何なにしてんの？
Will you be my Japanese teacher?
Atashi-ni nihongo oshiete-kureru? ♀
あたしに日に本ほん語ご教おしえてくれる？
