about japanese

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1 All About Adjectives I-Adjectives and Na-Adjectives There are two types of adjectives in Japanese: i- adjectives and na-adjectives. I-adjectives all end in "~ i," though they never end in "~ ei" (e.g. "kirei" is not an i-adjective.) Japanese adjectives differ from their English counterparts. Although Japanese adjectives have functions to modify nouns like English adjectives, they also function as verbs when used as predicates. For example, "takai(高い)" in the sentence "takai kuruma (高い車) " means, "expensive". "Takai (高い) " of "kono kuruma wa takai (この車は高い)" means not just "expensive" but "is expensive". When i-adjectives are used as predicates, they may be followed by "~ desu(~です)" to indicate a formal style. "Takai desu (高いです)" also means, "is expensive" but it is more formal than "takai (高い)". Here are lists of common i-adjectives and na- adjectives. Common I-Adjectives atarashii 新しい new furui 古い old atatakai 暖かい warm suzushii 涼しい cool atsui hot samui cold

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All About Adjectives

I-Adjectives and Na-Adjectives

There are two types of adjectives in Japanese: i-

adjectives and na-adjectives. I-adjectives all end in

"~ i," though they never end in "~ ei" (e.g. "kirei" is not an i-adjective.)

Japanese adjectives differ from their English counterparts. Although Japanese adjectives have functions to modify nouns like English adjectives, they also function as verbs when used as predicates. For example, "takai(高い)" in the sentence "takai kuruma (高い車)" means, "expensive". "Takai(高い)" of

"kono kuruma wa takai (この車は高い)" means not

just "expensive" but "is expensive". When i-adjectives

are used as predicates, they may be followed by "~

desu(~です)" to indicate a formal style. "Takai desu (高いです)" also means, "is expensive" but it is more

formal than "takai (高い)".

Here are lists of common i-adjectives and na-adjectives.

Common I-Adjectives

atarashii

新しい new furui

古い old

atatakai

暖かい warm suzushii

涼しい cool

atsui hot samui cold

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暑い 寒い

oishii

おいしい delicious mazui

まずい bad tasting

ookii

大きい big chiisai

小さい small

osoi

遅い late, slow hayai

早い early, quick

omoshiroi

面白い interesting,

funny tsumaranai

つまらない boring

kurai

暗い dark akarui

明るい bright

chikai

近い near tooi

遠い far

nagai

長い long mijikai

短い short

muzukashii

難しい difficult yasashii

優しい easy

ii

いい good warui

悪い bad

takai

高い tall,

expensive hikui

低い low

yasui

安い cheap wakai

若い young

isogashii

忙しい busy urusai

うるさい noisy

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Common Na-Adjectives

ijiwaruna

意地悪な mean shinsetsuna

親切な kind

kiraina

嫌いな distasteful sukina

好きな favorite

shizukana

静かな quiet nigiyakana

にぎやかな lively

kikenna

危険な dangerous anzenna

安全な safe

benrina

便利な convenient fubenna

不便な inconvenient

kireina

きれいな pretty genkina

元気な healthy,

well

jouzuna

上手な skillful yuumeina

有名な famous

teineina

丁寧な polite shoujikina

正直な honest

gankona

頑固な stubborn hadena

派手な showy

The Use of Adjectives

Modifying Nouns

When used as modifiers of nouns, both i-adjectives

and na-adjectives take the basic form, and precede nouns just like in English.

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I-Adjectives

chiisai inu

小さい犬 small dog

takai tokei

高い時計 expensive watch

Na-

Adjectives

yuumeina gaka

有名な画家 famous painter

sukina eiga

好きな映画 favorite movie

I-Adjectives as Predicates

As mentioned on the previous page, adjectives can

function like verbs. Therefore, they conjugate just like verbs (but probably much more simply).

Informal

Present

Negative Replace the final ~ i with ~

ku nai

Past Replace the final ~ i with ~

katta

Past Negative Replace the final ~ i with ~ ku nakatta

Formal

Add ~desu to all of the informal forms.

There is also a variation in the formal

negative forms.

* Negative: Replace ~i with ~ku arimasen

* Past Negative: Add ~ deshita to ~ku

arimasen

These negative forms are considered

slightly more polite than others.

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Here is how the adjective "takai (expensive)" is

conjugated.

Informal Formal

Present takai

高い takai desu

高いです

Present

Negative takaku nai

高くない

takaku nai desu

高くな いです takaku arimasen

高くありませ ん

Past takakatta

高かった takakatta desu

高かったです

Past

Negative takaku nakatta

高くなかった

takaku nakatta

desu

高 くなかったです takaku arimasen

deshita

高くありませんでした

There is only one exception to the rule of i-adjectives,

which is "ii (good)". "Ii" derives from "yoi," and its conjugation is mostly based on "yoi".

Informal Formal

Present ii

いい ii desu

いいです

Present

Negative yoku nai

良くない

yoku nai desu

良くな いです yoku arimasen

良くありませ ん

Past yokatta yokatta desu

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良かった 良かったです

Past

negative yoku nakatta

良くなかった

yoku nakatta

desu

良 くなかったです yoku arimasen

deshita

良くありませんでした

Na-Adjectives as Predicates

They are called na-adjectives because "~ na" marks

this group of adjectives when directly modifying noun

(e.g. yuumeina gaka). Unlike i-adjectives, na-

adjectives cannot be used as predicates themselves.

When a na-adjective is used as a predicate, the final

"na" is deleted and followed by either "~ da" or "~

desu (in formal speech)". As with nouns, "~ da" or "~

desu" changes its form to express the past tense, the

negative, and the affirmative.

Informal Formal

Present yuumei da

有名だ yuumei desu

有名です

Present

Negative yuumei dewa nai

有名で はない

yuumei dewa

arimasen

有名ではありません

Past yuumei datta

有名だった yuumei deshita

有名でし た

Past

negative

yuumei dewa

nakatta

有 名ではなかった

yuumei dewa

arimasen deshita

有名ではありません

でした

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All About Verbs

Japanese Verb Groups

One of the characteristics of the Japanese language is that the verb generally comes at the end of the sentence. Since Japanese's sentences often omit the subject, the verb is probably the most important part in understanding the sentence. However, Verbs forms are considered to be difficult to learn. The good news is the system itself is rather simple, as far as memorizing certain rules. Unlike the more complex verb conjugation of other languages, Japanese verbs do not have a different form to indicate the person (first-, second, and third-person), the number (singular and plural), or gender.

Japanese verbs are roughly divided into three groups according to their dictionary form (basic form).

Group 1: ~ U ending verbs

The basic form of Group 1 verbs end with "~ u". This group is also called Consonant-stem verbs or Godan-doushi (Godan verbs).

• hanasu (話す) - to speak

• kaku (書く) - to write

• kiku (聞く) - to listen

• matsu (待つ) - to wait

• nomu (飲む) - to drink

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Group 2: ~ Iru and ~ Eru ending verbs

The basic form of Group 2 verbs end with either "~iru" or "~ eru". This group is also called Vowel-stem-verbs or Ichidan-doushi (Ichidan verbs).

~ Iru ending verbs

• kiru (着る) - to wear

• miru (見る) - to see

• okiru (起きる) - to get up

• oriru (降りる) - to get off

• shinjiru (信じる) - to believe

~ Eru ending verbs

• akeru (開ける) - to open

• ageru (あげる) - to give

• deru (出る) - to go out

• neru (寝る) - to sleep

• taberu (食べる) - to eat

There are some exceptions. The following verbs belong to Group 1, though they end with "~ iru" or "~ eru".

• hairu (入る) - to enter

• hashiru (走る) - to run

• iru (いる) - to need

• kaeru (帰る) - to return

• kagiru (限る) - to limit

• kiru (切る) - to cut

• shaberu (しゃべる) - to chatter

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• shiru (知る) - to know

Group 3: Irregular verbs

There are only two irregular verbs, kuru (to come) and suru (to do).

The verb "suru" is probably the most often used verb in Japanese. It is used as "to do," "to make," or "to cost". It is also combined with many nouns (of Chinese or Western origin) to make them into verbs. Here are some examples.

• benkyousuru (勉強する) - to study

• ryokousuru (旅行する) - to travel

• yushutsusuru (輸出する) - to export

• dansusuru (ダンスする) - to dance

• shanpuusuru (シャンプーする) - to shampoo

Verb Conjugations

In this lesson, you will learn how Japanese verbs

conjugate. If you are not familiar with verbs yet, read

"Japanese Verb Groups" first. Then, learn "The ~te

form," which is a very useful form of the Japanese verb.

Dictionary Form

The dictionary form (basic form) of all Japanese verbs

end with "u". This is the form listed in the dictionary,

and is the informal, present affirmative form of the

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verb. This form is used among close friends and family in informal situations.

The ~ masu Form (Formal Form)

The suffix "~ masu" is added to the dictionary form of

the verbs to make sentence polite. Aside from

changing the tone, it has no meaning. This form is

used in situations required politeness or a degree of

formality, and is more appropriate for general use.

Check out the ~ masu form of the basic verbs.

The ~ masu Form

Group 1 Take off the final ~u, and add ~ imasu

kaku --- kakimasu,

nomu --- nomimasu

Group 2 Take off the final ~ru, and add ~ masu

miru --- mimasu,

taberu --- tabemasu

Group 3 kuru --- kimasu, suru --- shimasu

The ~ masu Form minus "~ masu" is the stem of the

verb. The verb stems are useful since many verb

suffixes are attached to them.

~ Masu Form The stem of the verb

kakimasu kaki

nomimasu nomi

mimasu mi

tabemasu tabe

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Present Tense

Japanese verb forms have two main tenses, the

present and the past. There is no future tense. The

present tense is used for future and habitual action as

well. The informal form of the present tense is the

same as the dictionary form. The ~ masu form is used in formal situations.

Past Tense

The past tense is used to express actions completed

in the past (I saw, I bought etc.) and present perfect

tense (I have read, I have done etc.). Forming the

informal past tense is simpler for Group 2 verbs, but

more complicated for Group 1 verbs. The conjugation

of Group 1 verbs varies depending on the consonant

of the last syllable on the dictionary form. All Group 2

verbs have the same conjugation pattern.

Group 1

Formal Replace ~ u with ~

imashita

kaku --- kakimashita nomu ---

nomimashita

Informal

(1) Verb ending with ~

ku:

replace ~ ku with ~ ita

kaku --- kaita kiku --- kiita

(2) Verb ending with ~

gu:

replace ~ gu with ~ ida

isogu --- isoida oyogu --- oyoida

(3) Verb ending with ~

u, ~tsu and ~ ru:

replace them with ~ tta

utau --- utatta

matsu --- matta kaeru --- kaetta

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(4) Verb ending with ~

nu, ~bu

and ~ mu:

replace them with ~ nda

shinu --- shinda asobu --- asonda nomu --- nonda

(5) Verb ending with ~

su:

replace ~ su with ~

shita

hanasu -hanashita dasu --- dashita

Group 2

Formal Take off ~ru, and

add ~ mashita miru --- mimashita taberu --tabemashita

Informal Take off ~ru, and

add ~ ta miru --- mita

taberu --- tabeta

Group 3

Formal kuru --- kimashita, suru --- shimashita

Informal kuru --- kita, suru ---shita

Present Negative

To make sentence negative, verb endings are

changed into negative forms (The ~ nai Form).

Formal

All Verbs (Group 1, 2, 3)

Replace ~ masu

with ~ masen

nomimasu --- nomimasen tabemasu --- tabemasen kimasu --- kimasen shimasu --- shimasen

Informal

Group 1

Replace the final ~ u

with ~anai

(If verb ending is a

kiku --- kikanai

nomu ---

nomanai

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vowel + ~ u,

replace with ~ wanai) au --- awanai

Group 2

Replace ~ ru with ~

nai

miru --- minai

taberu ---

tabenai

Group 3

kuru --- konai, suru ---shinai

Past Negative

Formal

All Verbs (Group 1, 2, 3)

Add ~

deshita to

the formal

present

negative form

nomimasen ---

nomimasen deshita

tabemasen --- tabemasen

deshita

kimasen--- kimasen

deshita

shimasen--- shimasen

deshita

Informal

All Verbs (Group 1, 2, 3)

Replace ~ nai

with ~

nakatta

nomanai --- nomanakatta

tabenai --- tabenakatta

konai --- konakatta

shinai ---shinakatta

Japanese Verb The ~ te Form

The ~ te form is a useful form of the Japanese verb. It does not indicate tense by itself, however it combines

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with other verb forms to create other tenses. It has many other uses as well. To make the ~ te form, replace the final ~ ta of the informal past tense of the verb with ~ te, and ~ da with ~ de. Learn the ~ te form of the basic verbs.

Here are some examples.

• nonda (飲んだ) - nonde (飲んで)

• tabeta (食べた) - tabete (食べて)

• kita (来た) - kite (来て)

Here are some other functions of the ~ te form.

(1) Request: the ~ te form kudasai

• Mite kudasai. (見てください。) - Please look.

• Kiite kudasai. (聞いてください。) - Please listen.

(2) The present progressive: the ~ te form iru or imasu (formal)

• Hirugohan o tabete iru. (昼ご飯を食べている。)

- I am having lunch.

• Terebi o mite imasu. (テレビを見ています。) - I

am watching TV.

It is also used to describe a habitual action and a condition.

(3) Listing successive actions

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It is used to connect two or more verbs. The ~ te form is used after all but the last sentence in a sequence.

• Hachi-ji ni okite gakkou ni itta. (八時に起きて学校

に行った。) - I got up at eight and went to school.

• Depaato ni itte kutsu o katta. (デパートに行って

靴を買った。) - I went to department store and

bought shoes.

(4) Asking permission: the ~ te form mo ii desu ka.

• Terebi o mite mo ii desu ka. (テレビを見てもいい

ですか。) - May I watch TV?

• Tabako o sutte mo ii desu ka. (タバコを吸っても

いいですか。) - May I smoke?

The Extended Use of the Verb "Suru"

The verb "suru (to do)" has many extended uses that occur quite often.

To make

(a) Adverb form of I-adjective + suru

To change I-adjective to adverb form, replace the final ~i with ~ku. (e.g. ookii ---> ookiku)

Terebi no oto o ookiku

shita.

テレビの音を大きくした。

I turned up the volume of

the TV.

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(b) Adverb form of Na-adjective + suru

To change Na-adjective to adverb form, replace the

final ~na with ~ni. (e.g. kireina ---> kireini)

Heya o kireini suru.

部屋をきれいにする。 I'm cleaning the room.

To decide

It should be used when you are choosing from several

available alternatives. Click here to learn more expressions when ordering at a restaurant.

Koohii ni shimasu.

コーヒーにします。 I'll have coffee.

Kono tokei ni shimasu.

この時計にします。 I'll take this watch.

To price

When accompanied by phrases indicating prices, it

means "cost."

Kono kaban wa gosen

en shimashita.

このかばんは五千円しま した。

This bag cost 5,000 yen.

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To feel, to smell, or to hear

Ii nioi ga suru.

いい匂いがする。 It smells good.

Nami no oto ga suru.

波の音がする。

I hear the sound of the

waves.

Loan word + suru

The loan words are often combined with "suru" to

change the word into a verb.

doraibu

suru

ドライブする

to drive taipu suru

タイプする to type

kisu suru

キスする to kiss

nokku

suru

ノックする

to knock

Noun (of Chinese origin) + suru

It is combined with nouns of Chinese origin to make a noun into a verb.

benkyou

suru to study sentaku

suru to do the

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勉強する 洗濯する washing

ryokou

suru

旅行する

to travel

shitsumon

suru

質問する

to ask

questions

denwa

suru

電話する

to

telephone

yakusoku

suru

約束する

to promise

sanpo

suru

散歩する

to take a

walk

yoyaku

suru

予約する

to reserve

shokuji

suru

食事する

to have a

meal

souji suru

掃除する to clean

kekkon

suru

結婚する

to get

married

kaimono

suru

買い物する

to shop

setsumei

suru

説明する

to explain junbi suru

準備する to prepare

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The particle "o" can be used as an object particle after

a noun. (e.g. "benkyou o suru," "denwa o suru")

There is no difference in meaning with or without "o."

Adverb or Onomatopoetic expression + suru

Adverb or onomatopoeic expression can be combined

with "suru" to change them into verbs.

yukkuri

suru

ゆっくりする

to stay

long

bonyari

suru

ぼ んやりする

to be

absent

minded

niko niko

suru

ニ コニコする

to smile

waku waku

suru

ワクワクする

to be

excited

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All About Particles

Frequently Asked Questions Particles are probably one of the most difficult and

confusing aspects of Japanese sentences. Among

particles, the question I am often asked is about the

use of "wa(は) " and "ga(が) ." They seems to

make many people confused, but don't be intimidated

by them! Let's have a look at the functions of these

particles.

Particle: Wa VS Ga

Topic Marker and Subject Marker

Roughly speaking, "wa" is a topic marker, and "ga" is

a subject marker. The topic is often the same as the

subject, but not necessary. The topic can be anything

that a speaker wants to talk about (It can be an

object, location or any other grammatical element). In

this sense, it is similar to the English expressions, "As for ~" or "Speaking of ~."

Watashi wa gakusei

desu.

私は学生です。

I am a student.

(As for me, I am a

student.)

Nihongo wa omoshiroi

desu.

日本語は面白いです。

Japanese is interesting.

(Speaking of Japanese,

it is interesting.)

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Basic Differences Between Ga and Wa

"Wa" is used to mark something that has already

been introduced into the conversation, or is familiar

with both a speaker and a listener. (proper nouns,

genetic names etc.) "Ga" is used when a situation or

happening is just noticed or newly introduced. See the following example.

Mukashi mukashi, ojii-san

ga sunde imashita. Ojii-

san wa totemo shinsetsu

deshita.

昔々、おじいさんが住んでいま

した。 おじいさんはとても親切でし

た。

Once upon a time,

there lived an old man.

He was very kind.

In the first sentence, "ojii-san" is introduced for the

first time. It is the subject, not the topic. The second

sentence describes about "ojii-san" that is previously

mentioned. "Ojii-san" is now the topic, and is marked with "wa" instead of "ga."

Wa as Contrast

Beside being a topic marker, "wa" is used to show contrast or to emphasize the subject.

Biiru wa nomimasu ga,

wain wa nomimasen.

ビールは飲みますが、 ワインは飲みません。

I drink beer,

but I don't drink wine.

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The thing being contrasted may or may not stated,

but with this usage, the contrast is implied.

Ano hon wa

yomimasen deshita.

あの本は読みませんでした。

I didn't read that book

(though I read this one).

Particles such as "ni(に)," "de(で)," "kara(か ら)"

and "made( ま で ) " can be combined with "wa"

(double particles) to show contrast.

Osaka ni wa ikimashita

ga,

Kyoto ni wa ikimasen

deshita.

大阪には行きましたが、 京都には行きませんでした。

I went to Osaka,

but I didn't go to Kyoto.

Koko de wa tabako o

suwanaide kudasai.

ここではタバコを 吸わないでください。

Please don't smoke here

(but you may smoke

there).

Whether "wa" indicates a topic or a contrast, it

depends on the context or the intonation.

Ga with Question Words

When a question word such as "who" and "what" is

the subject of a sentence, it is always followed by

"ga," never by "wa." To answer the question, it also has to be followed by "ga."

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Dare ga kimasu ka.

誰が来ますか。 Who is coming?

Yoko ga kimasu.

陽子が来ます。 Yoko is coming.

Ga as Emphasis

"Ga" is used for emphasis, to distinguish a person or

thing from all others. If a topic is marked with "wa,"

the comment is the most important part of the

sentence. On the other hand, if a subject is marked

with "ga," the subject is the most important part of

the sentence. In English, these differences are

sometimes expressed in tone of voice. Compare these

sentences.

Taro wa gakkou ni

ikimashita.

太郎は学校に行きました。 Taro went to school.

Taro ga gakkou ni

ikimashita.

太郎が学校に行きました。

Taro is the one

who went to school.

Ga in a Special Circumstance

The object of the sentence is usually marked by the

particle "o," but some verbs and adjectives

(expressing like/dislike, desire, potential, necessity, fear, envy etc.) take "ga" instead of "o."

Kuruma ga hoshii desu. I want a car.

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車が欲しいです。

Nihongo ga

wakarimasu.

日本語が分かります。 I understand Japanese.

Ga in Subordinate Clauses

The subject of a subordinate clause normally takes

"ga" to show that the subjects of the subordinate and main clauses are different.

Watashi wa Mika ga

kekkon shita koto o

shiranakatta.

私は美香が結婚した ことを知らなかった。

I didn't know that

Mika got married.

Review

Now let's review the rules about "wa" and "ga."

wa は

ga

* Topic marker

* Contrast

* Subject marker

* With question words

* Emphasize

* Instead of "o"

* In subordinate clauses

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The Particle "O"

Direct Object Marker

"O" is placed after a noun, and indicates that the noun

is the direct object.

Kinou eiga o

mimashita.

昨日映画を見ました。

I watched the movie

yesterday.

Kutsu o kaimashita.

靴を買いました。 I bought shoes.

Route of Motion

Verbs such as walk, run, pass, turn, drive, go through

etc., take the particle "o" to indicate the route which

the movement follows.

Basu wa toshokan no

mae o toorimasu.

バスは図書館の前を通ります。

The bus passes

in front of the library.

Tsugi no kado o

magatte kudasai.

次の角を曲がってください。

Please turn the next

corner.

Point of Departure

Verbs such as leave, come out, get off etc., take the

particle "o" to mark the place from which one gets of

or leaves.

Hachi-ji ni ie o demasu. I leave home at eight

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八時に家を出ます。 o'clock.

Kyonen koukou o

sotsugyou shimashita.

去年高校を卒業しました。

I graduated from high

school

last year.

The Particle "No"

Possessive Marker

"No" indicates ownership or attribution. It is similar to

the English "apostrophe s ('s). "

Kore wa watashi no hon

desu.

これは私の本です。 This is my book.

Watashi no ane wa Tokyo

ni

sunde imasu.

私の姉は東京に住んでいます。

My sister lives in

Tokyo.

The final noun can be omitted if it is clear to both

speaker and listener.

Are wa watashi no

(kuruma) desu.

あれは私の(車)です。 That is mine (my car).

Noun Modification

The noun before "no" modifies the noun after "no".

This usage is similar to the possessive, but it is seen

more with compound nouns or noun phrases. (e.g.

kono hon no chosha -> the author of this book)

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Nihongo no jugyou wa

tanoshii desu.

日本語の授業は楽しいです。

The Japanese class is

interesting.

Bijutsu no hon o

sagashite imasu.

美術の本を探しています。

I am looking for

a book on fine arts.

"No" can be used many times in one sentence. In this

usage the order of nouns in Japanese is the reverse of

the English structure. The normal Japanese order is

from large to small, or general to specific.

Osaka daigaku no

nihongo no sensei

大阪大学の日本語の先生

a teacher of Japanese

at Osaka university

yooroppa no kuni no

namae

ヨーロッパの国の名前

the names of the

countries

in Europe

Apposition

"No" links the noun to the appositive that follows.

Tomodachi no Keiko-

san desu.

友達の恵子さんです。 This is my friend, Keiko.

Bengoshi no Tanaka-

san wa

itsumo isogashisou da.

弁護士の田中さんはいつも忙

しそうだ。

The lawyer, Mr. Tanaka

seems

to be busy all the time.

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The Particle "Ni"

Indirect Object Marker

An indirect object usually precedes a direct object.

Yoku tomodachi ni

tegami o kakimasu.

よく友達に手紙を書きます。

I often write letters

to my friends.

Kare wa watashi ni hon

o kuremashita.

彼は私に本をくれました。 He gave me a book.

Some Japanese verbs such as "au (to meet)" and

"kiku (to ask)" take an indirect object, though their

English counterparts do not.

Eki de tomodachi ni

atta.

駅で友達に会った。

I met my friend at the

station.

Location of Existence

"Ni" is typically used with verbs such as "iru (to

exist)," "aru (to exist)" and "sumu (to live)." It

translates into "at" or "in."

Isu no ue ni neko ga

imasu.

いすの上に猫がいます。

There is a cat on the

chair.

Ryoushin wa Osaka ni

sunde imasu. My parents live in Osaka.

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両親は大阪に住んでいます。

Direct Contract

"Ni" is used when a motion or action is directed at or

onto an object or place.

Koko ni namae o

kaite kudasai.

ここに名前を書いてください。

Please write your

name here.

Kooto o hangaa ni kaketa.

コートをハンガーにかけた。 I hung a coat on the

hanger.

Direction

"Ni" can be translated as "to" when indicating a

destination.

Rainen nihon ni

ikimasu.

来年日本に行きます。

I'm going to Japan next

year.

Kinou ginkou ni

ikimashita.

昨日銀行に行きました。

I went to the bank

yesterday.

Purpose

Eiga o mi ni itta.

映画を見に行った。 I went to see a movie.

Hirugohan o tabe ni I went home to eat

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uchi ni kaetta.

昼ご飯を食べにうちに帰った。 lunch.

Specific Time

"Ni" is used with various time expressions (year,

month, day, and clock time) to indicate a specific

point in time, and translates into "at," "on," or "in."

However, the expressions of relative time such as

today, tomorrow don't take the particle "ni."

Hachiji ni ie o demasu.

八時に家を出ます。 I leave home at eight

o'clock.

Gogatsu mikka ni

umaremashita.

五月三日に生まれました。 I was born on May 3rd.

Source

"Ni" indicates an agent or a source in passive or

causative verbs. It translates into "by" or "from".

Haha ni shikarareta.

母にしかられた。 I was scolded by my

mother.

Tomu ni eigo o

oshietemoratta.

トムに英語を教えてもらった。

I was taught English by

Tom.

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Notion of Per

"Ni" is used with frequency expressions such as per

hour, per day, per person, etc.

Ichijikan ni juu-doru

haratte kuremasu.

一時間に十ドル払ってくれます。

They pay us

ten dollars per hour.

Isshukan ni sanjuu-jikan

hatarakimasu.

一週間に三十時間働きます。

I work 30 hours per

week.

The Particle "De"

Place of Action

It indicates the place where an action takes place. It

translates into "in", "at", "on", and so on.

Depaato de kutsu o

katta.

デパートで靴を買った。

I bought shoes

at the department store.

Umi de oyoida.

海で泳いだ。 I swam in the ocean.

Means

It indicates means, method, or instruments. It

translates into "by", "with", "in" "by means of", etc.

Basu de gakkou ni I go to school by bus.

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ikimasu.

バスで学校に行きます。

Nihongo de hanashite

kudasai.

日本語で話してください。 Please speak in Japanese.

Totalizing

It is placed after a quantity, time or amount of money,

and indicates an extent.

San-nin de kore o

tsukutta.

三人でこれを作った。 Three of us made this.

Zenbu de sen-en desu.

全部で千円です。 They cost 1,000 yen

altogether.

Scope

It translates into "in", "among", "within", etc.

Kore wa sekai de

ichiban ookii desu.

これは世界で一番大きいです。

This is the biggest in

the world.

Nihon de doko ni ikitai

desu ka.

日本でどこに行きたいですか。

Where do you want to

go

in Japan?

Time Limit

It indicates time consumed for a certain action or

occurrence. It translates into "in", "within", etc.

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Ichijikan de ikemasu.

一時間で行けます。 We can get there in an

hour.

Isshuukan de

dekimasu.

一週間でできます。 I can do it in a week.

Material

It indicates the composition of an object.

Toufu wa daizu de

tsukurimasu.

豆腐は大豆で作ります。

Tofu is made from

soybeans.

Kore wa nendo de

tsukutta

hachi desu.

これは粘土で作ったはちです。

This is a bowl made of

clay.

Required Cost

It translates into "for", "at", etc.

Kono hon o juu-doru de

katta.

この本を十ドルで買った。

I bought this book for ten

dollars.

Kore wa ikura de

okuremasu ka.

これはいくらで送れますか。

How much would it cost

to send this?

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Cause

It indicates a casual reason or motive for an action or

occurrence. It translates into "due to", "because of",

"owing to", etc.

Kaze de gakkou o

yasunda.

風邪で学校を休んだ。

I was absent from school

due to a cold.

Fuchuui de kaidan kara

ochita.

不注意で階段から落ちた。

I fell down the stairs

due to carelessness.

The Particle "To"

Complete Listing

It connects only nouns and pronouns, never phrases

and clauses. It translates into "and".

Kutsu to boushi o katta.

靴と帽子を買った。 I bought shoes and a hat.

Eigo to nihongo o

hanashimasu.

英語と日本語を話します。

I speak English and

Japanese.

Contrast

It indicates a comparison or contrast between the two

nouns.

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Neko to inu to dochira ga

suki desu ka.

猫と犬とどちらが好きですか。

Which do you like

better,

cats or dogs?

Accompaniment

It translates into "together, with".

Tomodachi to eiga ni itta.

友達と映画に行った。 I went to a movie with

my friend.

Yuki wa raigetsu Ichiro

to

kekkon shimasu.

由紀は来月一朗と結婚します。

Yuki is going to marry

Ichiro

next month.

Change/Result

It is commonly used in the phrase "~ to naru (~とな

る)", and indicates that something reaches a goal or

new state.

Tsuini orinpikku no

kaisai no hi to natta.

ついにオリンピック の開催の日

となった。

At last the opening day

of

the Olympics has come.

Bokin wa zenbu de

hyakuman-en to natta.

募金は全部で百万円と なった。

The total amount of

donations

reached one million yen.

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Quotation

It is used before such verbs as "~ iu(~言う)", "~

omou(~思う)", "~ kiku (~聞く)", etc to introduce

a clause or a phrase. It is normally preceded by a

plain form of a verb.

Kare wa asu kuru to itta.

彼は明日来るといった。 He said that he will

come tomorrow.

Rainen nihon ni ikou to

omotteiru.

来年日本に行こうと思っている。

I am thinking of going

to Japan

next year.

Conditional

It is placed after a verb or an adjective to form a

conditional. It translates into "as soon as," "when,"

"if," etc. A plain form is usually used before the

particle "to".

Shigoto ga owaru to

sugu uchi ni kaetta.

仕事が終わるとすぐうち に帰

った。

I went home

as soon as work was over.

Ano mise ni iku to

oishii sushi ga

taberareru.

あの店 に行くとおいしいすし

が食べられる。

If you go to that

restaurant,

you can have great sushi.

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Sound Symbolism

It is used after onomatopoeic adverbs.

Hoshi ga kira kira to

kagayaiteiru.

星がきらきらと輝いてい る。

The stars are

twinkling.

Kodomotachi wa bata bata

to hashirimawatta.

子供立ちはバタバタと走り回った。

The children ran

around

making lots of noise.

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Sentence Ending Particles

In Japanese, there are many particles that are added

to the end of a sentence. They express the speaker's

emotions, doubt, emphasis, caution, hesitation,

wonder, admiration, and so on. Some sentence

ending particles distinguish male or female speech. Many of them don't translate easily.

Ka

Makes a sentence into a question. When forming a

question, the word order of a sentence does not

change in Japanese.

Nihon-jin desu ka.

日 本人ですか。 Are you Japanese?

Supeingo o

hanashimasu ka.

スペイン語を話しますか。 Do you speak Spanish?

Kana/Kashira

Indicates that you are not sure about something. It

can be translated as "I wonder ~". "Kashira(かしら)"

is used only by women.

Tanaka-san wa ashita

kuru kana.

田中さんは明日来るかな。

I wonder if Mr. Tanaka will

come tomorrow.

Ano hito wa dare

kashira.

あの人は誰かしら。

I wonder who that person

is.

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Na

(1) Prohibition. A negative imperative marker used

only by men in very informal speech.

Sonna koto o suru na!

そんなことをするな! Don't do such a thing!

(2) Casual emphasis on a decision, suggestion or

opinion.

Kyou wa shigoto ni

ikitakunai na.

今日は仕事に行きたくないな。

I don't want to go to

work today.

Sore wa machigatteiru to

omou na.

それは間違っていると思うな。 I think that is wrong.

Naa

Expresses emotion, or a casual remark of wishful

thinking.

Sugoi naa.

すごいなあ。 How great it is!

Mou sukoshi nete itai

naa.

もう少し寝ていたいなあ。

I wish I could sleep in

a little more.

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Ne/Nee

Confirmation. Indicates that the speaker wants the

listener to agree or confirm. It is similar to English

expressions "don't you think so", "isn't it?" or "right?".

Ii tenki desu ne.

い い天気ですね。 It's a beautiful day, isn't

it?

Mou nakanaide ne.

もう泣 かないでね。 Please don't cry anymore,

okay?

No

(1) Indicates an explanation or emotive emphasis.

Used only by women or children in an informal

situation.

Kore jibunde tsukutta

no.

これ自分で作ったの。 I made this myself.

Onaka ga itai no.

おなかが痛いの。 I have stomachache.

(2) Makes a sentence into a question (with a rising

intonation). Informal version of "~ no desu ka (~の

ですか)".

Ashita konai no?

明日来ないの? Aren't you coming

tomorrow?

Doushita no?

どうしたの? What's the matter with

you?

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Sa

Emphasizes the sentence. Used mainly by men.

Sonna koto wa

wakatteiru sa.

そんなことは分かっているさ。

I certainly know of such

a thing.

Hajime kara umaku

dekinai no wa atarimae

sa.

始めからうまくできないのは当

たり前さ。

It's natural (indeed)

that

you can't do well

when you first starts.

Wa

Used only by women. It can have both an emphatic

function and a softening effect.

Watashi ga suru wa.

わたしがするわ。 I'll do it.

Sensei ni kiita hou ga ii

to omou wa.

先生に聞いたほうがいいと思

うわ。

I think it would be better

to ask the teacher.

Yo

(1) Emphasizes a command.

Benkyou shinasai yo!

勉強しなさいよ! Study!

Okoranaide yo! Don't get so angry at me!

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怒らないでよ!

(2) Indicates moderate emphasis, especially useful

when the speaker provides a new piece of

information.

Ano eiga wa sugoku

yokatta yo.

あの映画はすごく良かったよ。

That movie was very

good.

Kare wa tabako o

suwanai yo.

彼は煙草を吸わないよ。

He doesn't smoke, you

know.

Ze

Elicits an agreement. Used only by men in casual

conversation among colleagues, or with those whose

social status is below that of the speaker.

Nomi ni ikou ze.

飲みに行こうぜ。 Let's go for a drink!

Zo

Emphasizes one's opinion or judgment. Used mainly

by men.

Iku zo.

行くぞ。 I'm going!

Kore wa omoi zo.

これは重いぞ。 This is heavy, I tell you.

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Personal Pronouns

A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun.

The use of Japanese personal pronouns is quite

different from English. They are not used as often as

their English counterparts, though there are a variety

of pronouns in Japanese depending on the gender or the style of speech.

If the context is clear, the Japanese prefer not to use

the personal pronouns. It is important to learn how to

use them, but also important to understand how not

to use them. Unlike English, there is no strict rule to have a grammatical subject in a sentence.

Here are some of the Japanese pronouns.

I you

watakushi

わたくし

otaku

おたく very formal

watashi

わたし

anata

あなた formal

boku (male)

atashi (female)

あたし

kimi (male)

君 informal

ore (male) omae (male) very

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俺 お前

anta

あんた

informal

Among these pronouns, "watashi" and "anata" are the

most common. However, as I mentioned above, they

are often omitted in conversation. When addressing

your superior, "anata" is not appropriate and should

be avoided. Use the person's name instead.

"Anata" is also used by wives when they address their

husbands. "Omae" is sometimes used by husbands

when addressing their wives, though it sounds a little bit old-fashioned.

The pronouns for the third person are "kare (he)" or

"kanojo (she)." Rather than using these words, it is

preferred to use the person's name or describe them

as "ano hito (that person)." It is not necessary to include gender.

Kyou Jon ni aimashita.

今日ジョンに会いました。 I saw him (John) today.

Ano hito o shitte imasu

ka.

あの人を知っていますか。

Do you know her?

"Kare" or "kanojo" often means a boyfriend or a

girlfriend.

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Kare ga imasu ka.

彼 がいますか。 Do you have a boyfriend?

Watashi no kanojo wa

kangofu desu.

私の彼女は看護婦です。

My girlfriend is a nurse.

To make plurals, a suffix "~ tachi (~達)" is added like

"watashi-tachi (we)" or "anata-tachi (you)". The suffix

"~ tachi" can be added to not only pronouns but to

some other nouns referring to people. For example,

"kodomo-tachi (子供達)" means "children."

For the word "anata," the suffix "~ gata (~方)" is

used sometimes to make it plural instead of using "~

tachi." "Anata-gata (あなた方)" is more formal than

"anata-tachi." The suffix "~ ra (~ら)" is also used for

"kare," such as "karera (they)."

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Counters

Each language has different ways of counting objects.

Japanese uses counters. They are similar to English

expressions such as "a cup of ~," "a sheet of ~" and

so on. There are a variety of counters, often based on

the shape of the object. The counters are attached

directly to a number (e.g. ni-hai, san-mai). When

combining a number with a counter, the pronunciation

of the number or the counter might change. Click the

link for each counter to learn about the phonetic change.

Another thing I want to mention is when grouping

objects, Japanese divide them into groups of five and

ten unlike six and twelve in the West. For example,

sets of Japanese dishes or bowls are sold in units of

five. Traditionally, there was no word for dozen,

though it has been used because of Western

influence.

Objects

hon

Long, cylindrical objects: trees, pens,

etc.

mai

Flat, thin objects: paper, stamps, dishes,

etc.

ko

Broad category of small and compact

objects

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hai

杯 Liquid in cups, glasses, bowls, etc.

satsu

冊 Bound objects: books, magazines, etc.

dai

台 Vehicles, machines etc.

kai

階 The floor of a building

ken

件 Houses, buildings

soku

足 Pairs of footwear: sock, shoes, etc.

tsuu

通 Letters

Things which are not clearly categorized or shapeless

are counted by using native Japanese numbers.

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Duration

jikan

時間 Hour, as in "ni-jikan (two hours)"

fun

分 Minute, as in "go-fun (five minutes)"

byou

Second, as in "sanjuu-byoo (thirty

seconds)"

shuukan

週間

Week, as in "san-shuukan (three

weeks)"

kagetsu

か月

Month, as in "ni-kagetsu (two

months)"

nenkan

年間 Year, as in "juu-nenkan (ten years)"

Animals

hiki

Insects, fish, small animals: cats, dogs,

etc.

tou

頭 Large animals: horses, bears, etc.

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wa

羽 Birds

Frequency

kai

回 Times, as in "ni-kai (twice)"

do

度 Times, as in "ichi-do (once)"

Order

ban

Ordinal numbers, as in "ichi-ban (first

place, number one)"

tou

等 Class, grade, as in "san-too (third place)"

People

nin

"Hitori (one person)" and "futari (two

people)"

are exceptions.

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mei

名 More formal than "nin."

Others

sai

歳/才 Age, as in "go-sai (five years old)"

When using a counter, pay attention to the word

order. It is different from English order. A typical

order is "noun + particle + quantity --- verbs." Here

are examples.

Hon o ni-satsu

kaimashita.

本を二冊買いました。

I bought two books.

Koohii o ni-hai kudasai.

コーヒーを二杯ください。

Please give me two cups

of coffee.

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Expressing Apologies

The Japanese typically apologize far more frequently

than Westerners. This probably results from cultural

differences between them. Westerners seem reluctant

to admit their own failure. Since apologizing means

that admitting one's own failure or guilt, it may not be

best thing to do if the problem is to be resolved in a court of law.

Apologizing is considered a virtue in Japan. Apologies

show that a person takes responsibility and avoids

blaming others. When one apologizes and shows one's

remorse, the Japanese are more willing to forgive.

There are much less court cases in Japan compared to

the States. When apologizing the Japanese often bow.

The more you you feel sorry, the more deeply you bow.

Here are some expressions used to apologize.

Sumimasen. すみません。

It is probably the most common phrase used to

apologize. Some people say it as "Suimasen (すいま

せん)". Since "Sumimasen (すみません)" can be

used in several different situations (when requesting

something, when thanking someone etc.), listen

carefully to what the context is. If you are apologizing

that something has been done, "Sumimasen deshita (すみませんでした)" can be used.

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Moushiwake arimasen. 申し訳ありません。

Very formal expression. It should be used to superiors.

It shows a stronger feeling than "Sumimasen (すみま

せん)". If you are apologizing that something has

been done, "Moushiwake arimasen deshita (申し訳あ

りませんでした)" can be used. Like "Sumimasen (す

みません)", "Moushiwake arimasen (申 し訳ありません)

" is also used to express gratitude.

Shitsurei shimashita. 失礼しました。

Formal expression, but it doesn't show as strong a

feeling as "Moushiwake arimasen (申 し訳ありません)

".

Gomennasai. ごめんなさい。

Common phrase. Unlike "Sumimasen (すみません),"

the usage is limited to apologizing. Since it is less

formal and has a childish ring to it, it is not appropriate to use to superiors.

Shitsurei. 失礼。

Casual. It is mostly used by men. It also can be used as "Excuse me".

Doumo. どうも。

Casual. It also can be used as "Thanks".

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Gomen. ごめん。

Very casual. Adding a sentence ending particle,

"Gomen ne (ごめんね)" or "Gomen na (ごめんな,

male speech) is also used. It should be only used with close friends or family members.

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Expressing Emotions

Pleasure and Sadness

Expressing your emotions is an important part of

communication. Adjectives are used when expressing emotions.

Ureshii

うれしい glad, happy

Shiawasena

幸せな happy, fortunate

Zannenna

残念な unfortunate, disappointing

Kanashii

悲しい sad

Sabishii

さびしい lonely

Emotions are usually expressed straightforwardly,

therefore informal speeches are widely used. Here are some useful expressions.

Ureshii naa. (Male

speech) I am glad!

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うれしいなあ。

Ureshii wa. (Female

speech)

うれしいわ。

Shiawase da naa. (M)

幸せだなあ。

Shiawase da wa. (F)

幸せだわ。

I am happy!

Zannen da naa. (M)

残 念だなあ。

Zannen nee. (F)

残念ねえ。

I am sorry to hear that.

Kanashii naa. (M)

悲 しいなあ。

Kanashii wa. (F)

悲しいわ。

I am sad.

Sabishii naa. (M)

さ びしいなあ。

Sabishii wa. (F)

さびしいわ。

I am lonely.

When describing someone's emotions, "~sou desu

(looks, seems)" is added to the stem of the adjective.

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Yuki wa shiawase sou

desu.

ゆきは幸せそうです。

Yuki looks happy.

Chichi wa totemo sabishi

sou deshita.

父はとてもさびしそうでした。

My father seemed very

lonely.

Interjections and Exclamations

You will need quite a bit of experience in, and

understanding of, a culture to speak its language

naturally. If the proper expression does not come to

mind instantly, it will sound like you are reading it.

When you have a chance to hear the Japanese

speaking, listen carefully to the way they speak as

well as to their facial expressions. If you are

interested in these exclamatory expressions, Japanese

comic books (manga), which include many of them,

might be good a resource to explore.

Here are some of the widely used expressions.

Remember that exclamations are used almost always in informal style.

A, Aa

あ、ああ

Oh.

A, nagareboshi da!

あ、流れ星だ!

Oh, that's a shooting star!

Aree, Oya, Maa, kirei na nagame nee!

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Maa

あれえ、 お

や、まあ

Oh my! Gee!

まあ、きれいな眺めねえ。

Oh my, what a nice view!

("Maa" is used by women only.)

E

What?

E, Shigoto yameta no.

え、 仕事やめたの。

What, you quit your job?

Masaka!

まさか!

No kidding!

Masaka sonna koto ga aruhazu nai

yo!

まさかそんなことが あるはずないよ!

That can't be!

Hee!

へえ!

Really!

Hee, sore wa yokatta ne!

へえ、それは良かったね!

Wow, that's great!

Naruhodo

なるほど

I see.

Naruhodo, sou iu koto datta no ka.

なるほど、そういうことだっ たのか。

I see, that's the way it was.

Yare yare

やれやれ

Oh boy!

Yare yare, nante koto da!

やれやれ、なんてことだ!

Oh boy, what a disaster!

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Expressing One's Thoughts

When expressing one's thought, feelings, opinions,

ideas and guesses, "~ to omou (I think that ~)" is

frequently used. The particle "to" indicates that the preceding sentence or words are a quotation.

Since "~ to omou" always refers to the speaker's

thoughts, "watashi wa" is normally omitted.

Ashita ame ga furu to

omoimasu.

明日雨が降ると思います。

I think it will rain

tomorrow.

Kono kuruma wa takai

to omou.

この車は高いと思う。

I think this car is

expensive.

Kare wa furansu-jin da

to omou.

彼はフランス人だと思う。

I think he is French.

Kono kangae o

dou omoimasu ka.

この考えをどう思いますか。

What do you think about

this idea?

Totemo ii to omoimasu.

とてもいいと思います。 I think it is very good.

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If the content of the quoted clause expresses one's

intention or speculation about a future event or state,

a volitional form of a verb is used preceding "~ to

omou." To express a thought other than one's volition

or opinion toward the future, a plain form of a verb or

adjective is used preceding "~ to omou" as shown in

the examples above.

Oyogi ni ikou to omou.

泳ぎに行こうと思う。 I think I'm going to swim.

Ryokou ni tsuite kakou

to omou.

旅行について書こうと思う。

I think I will write about

my trip.

To express a thought or idea you have at the time of

your statement, "~ to omotte iru (I am thinking that

~)" is used rather than "~ to omou."

Haha ni denwa o shiyou to

omotte imasu.

母に電話しようと思っています。

I'm thinking of

calling my mom.

Rainen nihon ni ikou to

omotte imasu.

来年日本に行こうと思っています。

I'm thinking of

going to Japan

next year.

Atarashii kuruma o kaitai to

omotte imasu.

I'm thinking that

I want to buy a

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新しい車を買いたいと思っています。 new car.

When the subject is a third person, "~ to omotte iru"

is used exclusively.

Kare wa kono shiai ni

kateru to omotte iru.

彼は この試合に勝てると思っ

ている。

He thinks he can win this

game.

Unlike English, the negation "I don't think" is normally

placed within the quoted clause. It is possible to

negate "~ to omou" such as "~ to omowanai,"

however, it expresses stronger doubt, and is close to

the English "I doubt that ~."

Maki wa ashita

konai to omoimasu.

真紀は明日来ないと思いま

す。

I don't think

Maki is coming tomorrow.

Nihongo wa

muzukashikunai to

omou.

日本語は難しくな いと思う。

I don't think Japanese is

difficult.

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Expressing Uncertainty

There are several ways to express uncertainty. "~

darou" is a plain form of "~ deshou," and means "will

probably." The adverb "tabun (perhaps)" is sometimes added.

Kare wa ashita kuru

deshou.

彼は明日来るでしょう。

He will probably come

tomorrow.

Ashita wa hareru

darou.

明日は晴れるだろう。

It will be sunny tomorrow.

Kyou haha wa tabun

uchi ni iru deshou.

今日母はたぶんうちにいる で

しょう。

My mother will probably

be home today.

"~ darou" or "~deshou" is also used to form a tag

question. In this case you usually can tell the meaning from the context.

Tsukareta deshou.

疲れたでしょう。

You were tired, weren't

you?

Kyou wa kyuuryoubi

darou. Today is a payday, isn't

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今日は給料日だろう。 it?

"~ darou ka" or "~ deshou ka" is used when guessing

with doubt. "~ kashira" is used only by females. A

similar expression used by both genders is "~ kana,"

though it is informal. These expressions are close to "I wonder ~" in English.

Emi wa mou igirisu ni

itta no darou ka.

エミはもうイギリスに行った

の だろうか。

I wonder if Emi has

already gone to England.

Kore ikura kashira.

これいくらかしら。

I wonder how much this

is.

Nobu wa itsu kuru no

kana.

のぶはいつ来るのかな。

I wonder when Nobu will

come.

"~ kamoshirenai" is used to express a sense of

probability or doubt. It shows even more uncertainty

than "~ darou" or "~ deshou". It is used when you

don't know all the facts and are often just guessing. It

is similar to the English expression "might be." The

formal version of "~ kamoshirenai" is "kamoshiremasen".

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Ashita wa ame

kamoshirenai.

明日は雨かもしれない。

It might rain tomorrow.

Kinyoubi desu kara,

kondeiru

kamoshiremasen.

金曜日ですか ら、

混んでいるかもしれません。

Since it is Friday, it might

be busy.

* Compare these sentences.

Kare wa tabun kin-

medaru o

toru deshou.

彼はたぶん金メダルを取るで

しょう。

He will probably get the

gold medal.

Kare wa kin-medal o

totta no kana.

彼は金メダルを取ったのか

な。

I wonder if he got the

gold medal.

Kare wa kin-medaru o

toru kamoshirenai.

彼は金メダルを取るかもしれ

ない。

He might get the gold

medal.

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The last thing to mention is, "~ darou" or "~ deshou"

can't be used when referring to one's own actions,

though "~ kamoshirenai" can be used in these situations.

Ashita watashi wa

Kobe ni

iku kamoshirenai.

明日私は神戸に行くかもしれ

な い。

I might go to Kobe

tomorrow.

Ashita watashi wa

Kobe ni

iku darou.

Wrong

Ashita ane wa Kobe ni

iku darou.

明日姉は神戸に行くだろう。

My sister will go to Kobe

tomorrow.

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Expressions of Ability

How to Express Ability and Potential

Ability and potential can be expressed by two different

ways.

(1) Attaching the phrase "~ koto ga dekiru (~ことが

できる)" after the basic form of the verb. Literally

"koto (こと)" means "thing," and "dekiru (できる)"

means "can do." The formal form of "~ koto ga dekiru (~ことができる)" is "~ koto ga dekimasu (~ ことが

できます)," and past tense is "~ koto ga dekita (~

koto ga dekimashita)."

Nihongo o hanasu koto

ga dekiru.

日本語を話すことができる。

I can speak Japanese.

Piano o hiku koto ga

dekimasu.

ピアノを弾くことができま

す。

I can play piano.

Yuube yoku neru koto

ga dekita.

夕べよく寝ることができた。

I could sleep well last

night.

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"~ dekiru (~できる)" can be directly attached to a

noun, if a verb is closely associated with its direct object.

Nihongo ga dekiru.

日 本語ができる。 I can speak Japanese.

Piano ga dekimasu.

ピ アノができます。 I can play piano.

(2) By potential form of the verb. Potential verb forms

are formed as shown below.

Basic form Potential form

U-verbs:

replace the final

"~u"

with "~eru".

iku (to go)

行く

ikeru

行ける

kaku (to write)

書く

kakeru

書ける

RU-verbs:

replace the final

"~ ru"

with "~ rareru".

miru (to see)

見る

mirareru

見られる

taberu (to eat)

食べる

taberareru

食べられる

Irregular verbs kuru (to come) koreru

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来る 来れる

suru (to do)

する

dekiru

できる

In informal conversation, "~ra ( ~ ら ) " is often

dropped from potential form of RU-verbs. For example,

"mireru (見れる) " and "tabereru (食べれる) "

instead of "mirareru (見られる)" and "taberareru (食

べられる)."

The potential form of the verb can be replaced with

the form using "~ koto ga dekiru (~ことができる)."

It is more colloquial and less formal to use the

potential form of the verb.

Supeingo o hanasu

koto ga dekiru.

スペイン語を話すことができ

る。 I can speak Spanish.

Supeingo o hanaseru.

スペイン語を話せる。

Sashimi o taberu koto

ga dekiru.

刺身を食べることが できる。 I can eat raw fish.

Sashimi o taberareru.

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刺身を食べられる。

Here are some exercises. Translate into Japanese.

(1) I can write hiragana.

(2) I can't drive a car.

(3) Can you play guitar?

(4) Tom could read this book when he was five. (5) Can I buy the ticket here?

Answers for Exercises

Here are the answers to the exercises.

(1) I can write hiragana.

Hiragana o kaku koto

ga dekiru/dekimasu.

ひらがなを書くことができる/

できます。

Hiragana ga

kakeru/kakemasu.

ひ らがなが書ける/書けます。

(2) I can't drive a car.

Unten suru koto ga

dekinai/dekimasen.

運転することができない/でき

ません。

Unten ga

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dekinai/dekimasn.

運転が できない/できません。

(3) Can you play guitar?

Gitaa o hiku koto ga

dekimasu ka.

ギターを弾くことができます

か。

Gitaa ga hikemasu ka.

ギターが弾けます か。

Gitaa hikeru.

ギター弾ける?

(With rising intonation,

very informal)

(4) Tom could read this

book

when he was five.

Tomu wa gosai no toki

kono hon o yomu koto

ga dekita/dekimashita.

トムは五歳のときこの本を読

むことができた/できまし

た。

Tomu wa gosai de kono

hon o

yometa/yomemashita.

トムは五歳でこの本を読めた/

読めました。

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(5) Can I buy the ticket

here?

Kokode kippu o kau

koto ga dekimasu ka.

ここで切符を買うことができ

ますか。

Kokode kippu o

kaemasu ka.

ここ で切符を買えますか。

Kokode kippu kaeru.

ここで切符買える?

(With rising intonation,

very informal)

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Expressions of Desire

There are two ways to express desire or wish. When

what one desires takes a noun (I want a car, I want

money etc.) "hoshii (to want)" is used. When what

one's wants involve action (I want to go, I want to eat

etc.), the stem of the verb "~ tai (~たい)" is used.

Kuruma ga hoshii desu.

車が欲しいです。 I want a car.

Kuruma o kaitai desu.

車を買いたいです。 I want to buy a car.

Sono hon ga hoshii

desu.

その本が欲しいです。

I want that book.

Sono hon o yomitai

desu.

その本を読みたいです。

I want to read that book.

In informal situations, "~ desu(~です)" can be

omitted.

Okane ga hoshii.

お金が欲しい。 I want money.

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Nihon ni ikitai.

日本に行きたい。 I want to go to Japan.

These patters are used only for the first person, and

in question for the second person. When describing a

third person's desire, "hoshigatte imasu (欲しがってい

ます)" or the stem of the verb "~ tagatte imasu (~

たがっています)" are used.

Kamera ga hoshii desu.

カメラが欲しいです。 I want a camera.

Ani wa kamera o

hoshigatte imasu.

兄はカメラを欲しがっていま

す。

My brother wants a

camera.

Kono eiga o mitai desu.

この映画を見たいです。

I want to watch this

movie.

Ken wa kono eiga o

mitagatte imasu.

謙はこの映画を見たがってい

ます。

Ken wants to watch this

movie.

Please note that the object of "hoshii (ほしい)" is

marked with the particle "ga (が)," while the object

of "hoshigatte imasu(欲しがっています)" is marked

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with the particle "o (を)." The "~ tai(~たい)"

expression is not normally used when asking about the desire of one's superior.

Here are some exercises. How would you say it? The

answers are the bottom of the page.

(1) I want to drink beer.

(2) Do you want this hat?

(3) My sister wants a kitty.

(4) I want a new car.

(5) He wants to go for a trip.

Answers for Exercises

(1) Biiru o nomitai desu./Biiru ga nomitai desu.(ビー

ルを飲みたいです。/ビールが飲みたいです。)

(2) Kono boushi ga hoshii desu ka. (この帽子が欲しい

です。)

(3) Imouto wa koneko o hoshigatte imasu. (妹は子猫

を欲 しがっています。)

(4) Atarashii kuruma ga hoshii desu. (新しい車が欲し

いで す。)

(5) Kare wa ryokou ni ikitagatte imasu. (彼は旅行に行

き たがっています。)

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Expressions Used in Letters

The difference between written language and

conversational language in Japanese is much greater

than in English. Japanese letters often use classical

grammar patterns which are seldom used in

conversation. Although there are no particular rules

when writing to close friends, there are many set

expressions and honorific expressions (keigo) used in

formal letters. A conversational style is not usually

used when writing formal letters.

Opening and Closing Words

The opening and closing words in letters, which are

similar to English's "Dear" and "Sincerely" etc., come in pairs.

• Haikei ( 拝 啓 ) - Keigu ( 敬 具 )

The most common pair used in formal letters.

Women sometimes use "Kashiko(かしこ)" as

a closing word instead of "Keigu."

• Zenryaku ( 前 略 ) - Sousou ( 草 々 )

This pair is less formal. It is usually used when

you don't have time to write a long letter, so

that the preliminary greetings are omitted.

"Zenryaku" literally means, "omitting the

preliminary remarks."

Preliminary Greetings

Ogenki de irasshaimasu ka. (very formal)

お元気でいらっしゃいますか。

Have you been doing well?

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Ogenki desu ka.

お元気ですか。

Have you been doing well?

Ikaga osugoshi de irasshaimasu ka. (very formal)

いかがお過ごしでいらっしゃいますか。

How have you been?

Ikaga osugoshi desu ka.

いかがお過ごしですか。

How have you been?

Okagesama de genki ni shite orimasu. (very formal)

おかげさまで元気にしております。

Fortunately I'm doing well.

Kazoku ichidou genki ni shite orimasu.

家族一同元気にしております。

The whole family is doing well.

Otegami arigatou gozaimashita.

お手紙ありがとうございました。

Thank you for your letter.

Nagai aida gobusata shite orimashite moushiwake

gozaimasen. (very formal)

長い間ご無沙汰しておりまして申し訳ございません。

I apologize for neglecting to write for such a long time.

Gobusata shite orimasu.

ご無沙汰しております。

I'm sorry I haven't written for a long time.

These expressions or seasonal greetings can be

combined in a variety of ways to form the preliminary

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76

greeting. The Japanese have long admired the

seasonal changes, therefore it seems too abrupt to

start a letter without the proper seasonal greeting. Here are some examples.

Gobusata shite orimasu ga, ogenki de irasshaimasu

ka.

ご無沙汰しておりますが、お元気でいらっしゃいますか。

I'm sorry I haven't written for a long time, but have

you been doing well?

Sukkari aki rashiku natte mairimashita ga, ikaga

osugoshi de irasshaimasu ka.

すっかり秋らしくなってまいりましたが、いかがお過ごしで

いらっしゃいますか。

It has become very autumn like; how have you been?

Samui hi ga tsuzuite orimasu ga, ikaga osugoshi

desu ka.

寒い日が続いておりますが、いかがお過ごしですか。

Cold days continue; how have you been?

Final Greetings

Douka yoroshiku onegai itashimasu.

どうかよろしくお願いします。

Kindly look after this matter for me.

~ ni yoroshiku otsutae kudasai.

~によろしくお伝えください。

Please give my regards to ~.

Minasama ni douzo yoroshiku.

皆様にどうぞよろしく。

Please give my regards to everyone.

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Okarada o taisetsu ni.

お体を大切に。

Please take care of yourself.

Douzo ogenki de.

どうぞお元気で。

Take care of yourself.

Ohenji omachi shite orimasu.

お返事お待ちしております。

I look forward to hearing from you.

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Quantity Expressions

Quantity expressions are used as adverbial phrases.

The word order is generally noun particle quantity

verb. When they are used to modify adjectives, they

come just before the adjective. For example, "very

hot" is "totemo atsui (とても暑い)".

Here are some quantity expressions that are

frequently used.

takusan

たくさん many, much

totemo

とても very

kanari

かなり considerably, rather

sukoshi

少し a little, a few

chotto

ちょっと

a little

(Less formal than

"sukoshi".

Learn how they are used in the sentences.

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Hon o takusan yomimasu.

本をたくさん読みます。 I read many books.

Totemo oishii desu.

とてもおいしいです。 It is very delicious.

Jikan ga kanari kakaru

deshou.

時間がかなりかかるでしょう。

It will take quite a long

time.

Nihongo o sukoshi

hanashimasu.

日本語を少し話します。

I speak a little

Japanese.

Piano o chotto hiku koto

ga dekimasu.

ピアノをちょっと弾くことがで

きます。

I can play piano a little

bit.

Here are some quantity expressions used only in

negative sentences.

amari

あまり

(not) very, (not)

much

zenzen

全然 (not) at all

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Here are some sample sentences.

Amari chigai ga

arimasen.

あまり違いがありません。

There is not much

difference.

Zenzen yokunakatta

desu.

全然良くなかったです。

It was not good at all.

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Body Part Expressions: Head

The Japanese word for "head" is "atama". There are

many expressions including "atama (head)" in

Japanese. Let's take a look these words, phrases and proverbs.

Words

atamauchi

頭打ち reach the peak

atamakazu

頭数 numbers

atamakara

頭から from the beginning, at all

atamakin

頭金 down payment

atamagonashi

頭ごなし

tell somebody off without hearing

his/her side of story

atamadekkachi

頭でっかち top-heavy

atamawari per head

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頭割り

Phrases

atama ga

agaranai

頭が上がらない

to feel inferior, to lose one's nerve

atama ga itai

頭が痛い to be worried

atama ga ippai

頭がいっぱい to be occupied with a certain thing

atama ga katai

頭が固い to be stubborn

atama ga

kireru

頭が切れる

to be smart

atama ga

sagaru

頭が下がる

to respect, to take one's hat off

atama ga hikui to be modest

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頭が低い

atama ga furui

頭が古い old-fashioned

atama ni ireru

あたまがにいれる to put into one's head

atama ni kuru

頭に来る to get mad

atama ni

kobiritsuku

頭にこびりつく

not to be able to forget

atama ni chi ga

noboru

頭に血が上る

to get excited

atama o

kakaeru

頭をかかえる

to be worried

atama o

kirikaeru

頭を切り替える

to change one's way of thinking

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atama o hiyasu

頭を冷やす to cool one's head

atama o

motageru

頭をもたげる

to raise one's head

Proverbs

Atama kasushite

shiri kakusazu

頭隠して尻隠さず

Hiding just a part of it,

and thinking it hasn't been

noticed.

Atama dekkachi

shiri tsubomi

頭でっかち尻つぼみ

To go from the sublime to the

ridiculous.

The mountains have brought

forth a mouse.

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Conversation Openers and Fillers

In conversations, openers and fillers are used quite

often. They don't always have specific meanings.

Openers are used as signals that you are about to say

something, or to smooth communication. Fillers are

usually used for pauses or hesitation. English also has

similar expressions such as "so," "like," "you know,"

and so on. When you have opportunity to hear native

speakers' conversation, listen carefully and examine

how and when they are used. Here are some openers and fillers frequently used.

Marking a new topic

Sore de

それで So

De

で So (informal)

Saying something off the topic

Tokorode

ところで By the way

Hanashi wa

chigaimasu ga

話が違いますが To change the subject

Hanashi chigau kedo

話、違うけど To change the subject

(informal)

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Adding to the current topic

Tatoeba

たとえば For example

Iikaereba

言い換えれば In other words

Souieba

そういえば Speaking of

Gutaiteki ni iu to

具体的に言うと More concretely

Bringing up the main topic

Jitsu wa

実は The fact is ~, To tell

the truth

Shortening the preliminary topics

Sassoku desu ga

さっそくですが May I come straight

to the point?

Introducing someone or something you have

just noticed

A, Aa, Ara

あ、ああ、あら

"ara" is mainly used

by

female speakers.

Note: "Aa" can also be used to show that you

understand.

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Hesitation Sounds

Ano, Anou

あの、あのう Used to get

the listener's attention.

Eeto

ええと Let me see ...

Ee

ええ Uhh ...

Maa

まあ Well, say ...

Asking for repetition

E

(with a rising

intonation)

What?

Haa

はあ

(with a rising

intonation)

What? (informal)

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Visiting Someone's Place

Entering Home

Japanese seem to have many formal phrases for

certain actions. When visiting your superior or

somebody for the first time, these phrases will be

helpful to express your gratitude. Here are some

common expressions you are likely to use when

visiting Japanese homes.

At the Door

Guest

Konnichiwa.

こんにちは。

Gomen kudasai.

ごめんください。

Host

Irasshai.

いらっしゃい。

Irassaimase.

いらっしゃいませ。

Yoku irasshai mashita.

よくいらっしゃいました。

Youkoso.

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ようこそ。

"Gomen kudasai" literally means, "Please forgive me

for bothering you." It is often used when visiting

someone's home. "Irassharu" is the honorific form

(keigo) of the verb "kuru (to come)." All four

expressions for a host mean "Welcome." "Irasshai" is

less formal than other expressions. It should not be used when a guest is superior to a host.

When You Enter the Room

Host

Douzo oagari

kudasai.

どうぞお 上がりください。

Please come in.

Douzo ohairi

kudasai.

どうぞお 入りください。

Douzo kochira e.

どうぞこちらへ。 This way, please.

Guest

Ojama shimasu.

おじゃまします。

Excuse me.

Shitsurei shimasu.

失礼します。

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"Douzo" is very useful expression and means,

"please." The Japanese use it quite often. "Douzo

oagari kudasai" literally means, "Please come up."

This is because Japanese houses usually have an

elevated floor in the entrance (genkan) and step up to

go into the house. Then, a well known tradition ---

take off your shoes at the genkan. You might want to

make sure your socks don't have any holes before

visiting Japanese homes! A pair of slippers is often

offered to wear in the house. When you enter a

tatami (a straw mat) room, you should remove slippers.

"Ojama shimasu" literally means, "I'm going to get in

your way" or " I will disturb you." It is used as a polite

greeting when entering someone's home. "Shitsurei

shimasu" literally means, "I'm going to be rude." This

expression is used in various situations. When

entering someone's house or room, it means "Excuse

my interrupting." When leaving it is used as "Excuse my leaving" or "Good-bye."

Gift Giving and More Useful Expressions

When Giving a Gift

Tsumaranai mono desu

ga ...

つまらないものですが…

Here is something for

you.

Kore douzo.

これどうぞ。 This is for you.

The Japanese customary bring a gift when visiting

someone's home. The expression "Tsumaranai mono

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desu ga ..." is very Japanese. It literally means, "This

is an trifling thing, but please accept it." It might

sound strange to you. Why anyone brings such a

thing as a gift? This is a humble expression. The

humble form (kenjougo) is used when a speaker

wants to lower his/her position. Therefore, this

expression is often used to your superior, in spite of

the true value of the gift. When giving a gift to your

close friend or other informal occasions, "Kore douzo" will do it.

When Your Host Begins to Prepare Drinks or

Food for You

Douzo okamainaku.

どうぞお構いなく。 Please don't go to any

trouble.

When Drinking or Eating

Host

Douzo meshiagatte

kudasai.

どうぞ召し上がってくださ

い。

Please help

yourself.

Guest

Itadakimasu.

いただきます。 (Before Eating)

Gochisousama

deshita.

ごちそうさまでした。 (After Eating)

"Meshiagaru" is the honorific form of the verb "taberu

(to eat)." "Itadaku" is a humble form of the verb

"morau (to receive)." However, "Itadakimasu" is a

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fixed expression used before eating or drinking. After

eating "Gochisousama deshita" is used to express

appreciation for the food. "Gochisou" literally means,

"a feast." There is no religious significance of these phrases.

When Thinking about Leaving

Sorosoro shitsurei

shimasu.

そろそろ失礼します。

It is about time I should

be leaving.

"Sorosoro" is a useful phrase for leaving. In informal

situations, you could say "Sorosoro kaerimasu (It's

about time for me to go home)," "Sorosoro kaerou ka

(Shall we go home soon?)" or just "Ja sorosoro ... (Well, it's about time ...)" etc.

When Leaving Someone's Home

Ojama shimashita.

お邪魔しました。 Excuse me.

"Ojama shimashita" literally means, "I got in the

way." It is often used when leaving someone's home.

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Shopping at Department Store

Japanese department stores are much bigger than

their North American counterparts. Many of them

have five to seven, or even more floors, and you can

buy almost anything there. Department stores used to

be called "hyakkaten (百貨店)," but the term "depaato (デパート)" is more common today.

At the Sales Counter

Department store clerks use very polite expressions

to customers. Here are some expressions you are

likely to hear.

Irasshaimase.

いらっしゃ いませ。 Welcome.

Nanika osagashi desu

ka.

何かお探しですか。

May I help you?

(Literally means,

"Are you looking for

something?")

Ikaga desu ka.

いかがで すか。 How do you like it?

Kashikomarimashita.

か しこまりました。 Certainly.

Omatase itashimashita.

お待たせいたしました。 Sorry to have kept you

waiting.

Here are some useful expressions for shopping.

Kore wa ikura desu ka. How much is this?

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これはいくらですか。

Mite mo ii desu ka.

見 てもいいですか。 Can I look at it?

~ wa doko ni arimasu

ka.

~はどこにありますか。 Where is ~?

~ (ga) arimasu ka.

~ (が) ありますか。 Do you have ~?

~ o misete kudasai.

~ を見せてください。 Please show me ~.

Kore ni shimasu.

これ にします。 I'll take it.

Miteiru dake desu.

見 ているだけです。 I'm just looking.

How to Ask for Advice

[Noun] wa watashi ni wa [Adjective]

kana/kashira/deshou ka.

(I wonder if [Noun] is too [Adjective] for me.)

Kore wa watashi ni wa

ookii kana.

これは私には大きいかな。

I wonder if this is too big

for me.

Kono iro watashi ni wa

hade kashira.

この色私には派手かしら。

Is this color too loud for

me?

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"~ kashira (~かしら)" is used only by female

speakers.

Dochira ga ii to omoimasu

ka.

どちらがいいと思いますか。

Which do you think is

better?

Kono naka de dore ga

ichiban ii kana.

この中でどれが一番いいかな。

Which one is the best

among these?

Donna no ga ii deshou ka.

どんなのがいいでしょうか。 What do you think is

suitable?

How to Decline Politely

~ no hou ga ii n desu kedo.

~のほうがいいんですけど。 I prefer ~.

Sumimasen kedo,

mata ni shimasu.

すみませんけど、またにします。

I'm sorry, but some

other time.

How to Exchange or Return of a Purchase

Saizu ga awanai node,

torikaete moraemasu

ka.

サイズが合わない ので、 取り替えてもらえますか。

The size is not right.

Can I exchange it?

Henpin suru koto ga

dekimasu ka.

返品することができますか。 Can I return it?

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Japanese for Travelers: Getting Around

Do you plan to go for a trip to Japan? Learn some

useful expressions before you go. Speaking the

language of the country you are visiting makes the trip more fun!

Train

Tokyo eki wa doko

desu ka.

東京駅はどこですか。

Where is the Tokyo

Station?

Kono densha wa ~ ni

tomarimasu ka.

この電車は~に止まります

か。

Does this train stop at ~?

Tsugi wa nani eki desu

ka.

次は何駅ですか。 What is the next station?

Nanji ni demasu ka.

何時に出ますか。 What time does it leave?

Nanji ni tsukimasu ka.

何時に着きますか。 What time does it arrive?

Dono gurai kakarimasu

ka.

どのぐらいかかりますか。 How long does it take?

Oufuku no kippu o

kudasai.

往復の切符をください。

I would like to buy a

return ticket.

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Taxi

Osaka hoteru made

onegaishimasu.

大阪ホテルまでお願いしま

す。

Please take me to

the Hotel Osaka.

Osaka eki made ikura

desu ka.

大阪駅までいくらですか。

How much does it cost

to go to the Osaka

Station?

Massugu itte kudasai.

まっすぐ行ってください。 Please go straight.

Migi ni magatte

kudasai.

右に曲がってください。 Please turn right.

Hidari ni magatte

kudasai.

左に曲がってください。 Please turn left.

Bus

Basutei wa doko desu

ka.

バス停はどこですか。 Where is the bus stop?

Kono basu wa Kyoto ni

ikimasu ka.

このバスは京都に行きます

か。

Does this bus go to

Kyoto?

Tsugi no basu wa

nanji desu ka.

次のバスは何時ですか。

What time is the next

bus?

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Car

Doko de kuruma o

kariru koto ga

dekimasu ka.

どこで車を借りることができますか。

Where can I rent a

car?

Ichinichi ikura desu ka.

一日いくらですか。 How much is it

daily?

Mantan ni shite kudasai.

マンタンにしてください。 Please fill the tank.

Koko ni kuruma o

tomete mo ii desu ka.

ここに車をとめてもいいですか。 Can I park here?

Air

Osaka iki no bin wa

arimasu ka.

大阪行きの便はありますか。 Is there a flight to Osaka?

Nanji ni chekku-in

shitara

ii desu ka.

何時にチェックインしたらい

いですか。

What time should I check

in?

Shinkoku suru mono

wa arimasen.

申告するものはありません。 I have nothing to declare.

Shinkoku suru mono ga

arimasu.

申告するものがあります。

I have something to

declare.

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Shigoto de isshuukan

taizai shimasu.

仕事で一週間滞在します。

I am going to stay here

for a week on business.

Others

Toire wa doko desu ka.

トイレはどこですか。 Where is the

washroom?

~ ni wa dou ikeba ii desu

ka.

~にはどう行けばいいですか。 How do I get to ~?

Koko kara chikai desu ka.

ここから近いですか。 Is it near here?

Aruite ikemasu ka.

歩いて行けますか。 Can I walk there?