about japanese
TRANSCRIPT
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
2
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
3
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.
4
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.
5
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
6
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
7
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
8
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
9
• 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
10
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
11
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
12
(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
13
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
14
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
15
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.
16
(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.
17
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
18
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
19
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
20
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.)
21
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.
22
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."
23
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.
24
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
が
* Topic marker
* Contrast
* Subject marker
* With question words
* Emphasize
* Instead of "o"
* In subordinate clauses
25
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
26
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)
27
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.
28
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.
29
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
30
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.
31
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.
32
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.
33
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?
34
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.
35
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.
36
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.
37
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.
38
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.
39
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.
40
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?
41
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!
42
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.
43
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)
僕
atashi (female)
あたし
kimi (male)
君 informal
ore (male) omae (male) very
44
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.
45
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)."
46
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
本
Long, cylindrical objects: trees, pens,
etc.
mai
枚
Flat, thin objects: paper, stamps, dishes,
etc.
ko
個
Broad category of small and compact
objects
47
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.
48
Duration
jikan
時間 Hour, as in "ni-jikan (two hours)"
fun
分 Minute, as in "go-fun (five minutes)"
byou
秒
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
匹
Insects, fish, small animals: cats, dogs,
etc.
tou
頭 Large animals: horses, bears, etc.
49
wa
羽 Birds
Frequency
kai
回 Times, as in "ni-kai (twice)"
do
度 Times, as in "ichi-do (once)"
Order
ban
番
Ordinal numbers, as in "ichi-ban (first
place, number one)"
tou
等 Class, grade, as in "san-too (third place)"
People
nin
人
"Hitori (one person)" and "futari (two
people)"
are exceptions.
50
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.
51
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.
52
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".
53
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.
54
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!
55
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.
56
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!
57
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
え
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!
58
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.
59
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
60
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.
61
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
62
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".
63
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.
64
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.
65
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.
66
"~ 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
67
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.
68
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
69
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。
70
(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)
71
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.
72
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
73
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。)
74
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?
75
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
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.
77
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.
78
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.
79
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
80
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.
81
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
82
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
83
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
84
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.
85
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)
86
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.
87
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
え
(with a rising
intonation)
What?
Haa
はあ
(with a rising
intonation)
What? (informal)
88
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.
89
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。
90
"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
91
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
92
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.
93
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?
94
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?
95
"~ 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?
96
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.
97
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?
98
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.
99
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?