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I’ve read that what’s your name is “貴方のお名前は何ですか“ but can you also put 何 to the
beginning or is that incorrect? So can it be: 何が貴方のおなまえはですか。
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2019-11-17T20:18:08.643
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2019-11-19T10:05:45.263
2019-11-19T05:45:07.070
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question
grammar syntax particle-が copula word-order
Can you say“ 何が貴方のお名前はですか”？Or does 何 have to come before です？
First, as a basic rule, the polite copula です must be preceded by a (pro)noun
or an adjective (eg 犬です, 元気です). お名前はですか is plain ungrammatical because です is
directly preceded by the topic marker は.

How about 何があなたのお名前ですか? This is actually grammatical, but almost always
nonsensical, because this uses [exhaustive-listing-
_ga_](https://www.imabi.net/theparticlegai.htm) and thus sounds like "What is
the one that is your name?" This question may be used in a very special
context, for example, when you are irritated after talking with a confused
person who is referring to himself with various different names. Otherwise,
you must say 名前は何ですか.
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2019-11-19T10:05:45.263
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2019-11-19T10:05:45.263
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answer