Basic Concepts:  Dou & Nani

"nani" is simple because it mean "what".  "Dou", however, can mean "what", "how", "why".  Hence, seemingly simple questions can be easily be misunderstood.

Dou desu ka

Simple

Dou omou....

Simple

Nani wo suru

Simple

Dou suru

Complex

past

dou deshita ka

How was it?

How was she?

dou omoimashita ka

What did you think of it?

kesa, nani wo shimashitaka.

What did you do this morning?

dou shimasta ka?

doushistano

What happened? (with a "why" feel)

How/why did this happen? (reason)

What is the matter with you?  (reason)

douka shimashitaka?

Did something happen? note: douka sort of means "some processes or reason" hence "some happen thing"

ima

dou desuka

how are you?

X wa dou desuka

What do you think about X.

Nani wo shite imasu ka

nani shite iru no

nani stenno

What are you doing now?

future

Nani wo shimasuka?

What will you do?

Do suru no

What will you do?

doushite or douyatte

 (why or how)

dou shita ra ii (desuka)

what's a good way to do it?

what method is good?

dou shita hou ga ii (desuka)

What is the best way to do it.

Notes:

• Formal for "dou desuka" is "ikaga desuka"

• nande also means (why or how)