Odd structure - 何か 見つけました？

Question

Recently I have been enjoying the show Chii Sanpou. I expect a few of you have seen or heard of it. The former actor walking around parts of Japan. The Japanese is a mix of casual and polite.

Anyway in one episode he spots something and the narrator says

何か、　見つけました？

which to me is an odd pattern. I think it is "what did you see?". It appears to be polite Japanese but the structure is not what I have been taught. I would have expected

何を見つけましたか？

I would like to know more about this other form. Is it appropriate for polite / formal Japanese or is it a bit slangy? Can I use it in business?

Answer 1

なにか means "something/anything".

何を見つけましたか？ -- "What did you find?"
何か見つけましたか？ -- "Did you find something/anything?"

The narration 「何か、見つけました？」 with a rising tone, with the question particle か dropped, can mean "Did he find anything?"
(「何か見つけました。」 with a falling tone would mean "He found something.")

It is the polite form / 丁寧形 and I don't think it's slangy. I think you can use it in business (though it might be more appropriate to use the honorific form / 尊敬語 depending on who performs the action).

Similar examples:

誰かいましたか？ (or いました？) -- Was anyone there?
誰がいましたか？ (or いました？) -- Who was there?

何か食べましたか？ (or 食べました？) -- Did you eat anything?
何を食べましたか？ (or 食べました？) -- What did you eat?