Japanese Lesson #8

Atama ga itai! My head hurts!

Adjectives ending in -i

or adjectives end in -na when they come before nouns

ii (good,fine)

warui (bad, wrong)

hayai (fast, early)

osoi (slow, late)

takai (high, expensive)

yasui (cheap)

oishii (delicious, tasty)

atarashii (new, fresh)

atsui (hot)

samui (cold (weather))

muzukashii (difficult)

ōkii (big

itai (painfull)

chiisai (small)

(come before word they are describing or stand alone)

eg.

Kore wa oishii sakana desu ne. (This is delicious fish, isn't it?)

Kono sakana wa oishii desu ne. (This fish is delicious, isn't it?)

drop -i and add -ku arimasen/-ku nai desu/-ku nai n' desu for negative form

takai > takaku arimasen (isn't expensive)

ōkii > ōkiku arimasen (isn't large)

chiisai > chiisaku arimasen (isn't small)

muzukashii > muzukashiku arimasen (isn't difficult)

itai > itaku arimasen (isn't painful)

warui > waruku arimasen (isn't bad)

atsui > atsuku arimasen (isn't hot)

ii/you > yoku arimasen (isn't good)

eg.

Kyō wa amari atsuku arimasen ne. (It's not very hot today, is it?)

Watashi no shigoto wa muzukashiku arimasen. (My work isn't difficult.)

Atama wa mō itaku arimasen. (My head doesn't hurt anymore.)

More on telling the time

mae - before/in front of

eg.

Kaigi wa ku-ji jū-go-fun mae ni hajimarimasu. ( The meeting starts at a quarter to nine.)

Hachi-ji jup-pun mae ni denwa shimasu. ( I'll call you at ten to eight.)

Ni-ji chotto mae ni kite kudasai. (Please come a little before two o'clock.)

sugi - after/past

eg.

Jū-ji jup-pun sugi desu. (It's ten past ten.)

Mō ichi-ji sugi desu. (It's already gone one o'clock.)

iru/imasu after the -te form

(describe an event that's happening at the moment)

eg.

Tomoko wa ima nani o shite imasu ka. (What's Tomoko doing at the moment?)

Hiro wa made nete imasu. (Hiro is still sleeping)

Kenji wa konban uchi ni Eigo no benkyō o shite imasu. (Kenji is studying English at home this evening.)

(describe actions that continue over a long period of time)

eg.

Maiku san wa Nihon no kōkō de Eigo o oshiete imasu. (Mike teaches English at a Japanese high school)

Haha vs o-kāsan

in-group;out-group

kazoku > go-kazoku (family)

haha > o-kāsan (mother)

chichi > 0-tōsan (father)

kanai/tsuma > okusan (wife)

shujin/otto > go-shujin (husband)

ane > o-nēsan (older sister)

ani > o-niisan (older brother)

imōto > imōtosan (younger sister)

otōto > otōtosan (younger brother)

eg.

Ani wa ginkō de hataraite imasu ga, otōto wa mada daigakusei desu. (My older brother works in a bank, but my younger brother is still a university student.)

O-nēsan wa Igirisu de benkyō shite imasu ne. (My older sister is studying in Britain, isn't she?)

Informal speech levels

eg.

Atama ga itai./Atama ga itai desu. (My head hurts.)

Ima nan-ji?/Ima nan-ji desu ka. (What time is it?)

A, ii ne./A, ii desu ne. (Great)

First names and family names

Girls' names

eg.

Keiko

Tomoko

often end in -ko

Boy's names

eg.

Jiro

Ichiro

Taro

Vocabulary

ane : (my) older sister

ani : (my) older brother

atama : head

atama ga itai : I have a headache, my head hurts

atsui : hot

chichi : (my) father

chiisai : small

chotto : a little, a bit

go-kazoku : (your) family

go-shujin : (your) husband

gogo : afternoon

haha : (my) mother

hataraite imasu : is working

hayai : fast, early

hiru-gohan : lunch

imōto : (my) younger sister

imōtosan : (your) younger sister

issho ni : together

itai : painful

kaerimasu : return,go/come home

kanai/tsuma : (my) wife

Kawasaki : industrial city near Tokyo

kazoku : family

ki o tsukete (kudasai) : take care, be careful

mae : before, in front of

matte imasu : is waiting

minna de : altogether, everyone together

mite imasu : is watching

muzukashii nai : isn't difficult

neru : to sleep, go to bed

ni-kai : second floor, upstairs

nonde iru : is drinking

o-kāsan : (your) mother

o-nēsan : (your) older sister

o-niisan : (your) older brother

otōsan : (your) father

oboete imasen ka : don't you remember

okusan : (your wife)

oshiete imasu : is teaching

osoi : late/slow

otōto : (my) younger brother

otōtosan : (your) younger brother

otto/shujin : (my) husband

renshū : practice

samui : cold

shukudai : homework

sugi : past, after

sunde imasu : is residing, living

takai : high, expensive

tanjōbi : birthday

tonari : next to, by the side

tsuma/kanai : (my) wife

warui : bad, wrong

yakyū : baseball

yasui : cheap

yonde : call

Quoted from Berlitz Essential Japanese

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Japanese Lesson #7

Mondai ga arimasu yo! (I have a problem!)

onegai shimasu = kudasai; use when asking for something

eg.

Kōhii o onegai shimasu./Kōhii o kudasai. (Coffee, please)

= please do that in response to someone offering to do something for you

eg.

Ashita denwa shimashō ka. (Shall I phone you tomorrow?)

Hai, onegai shimasu. (Yes, please)

Eigo de hanashimashō ka. (Shall I speak in English?)

Onegai shimasu. (Please)

yo = emphasis, act like exclamation mark

eg.

Watashi no sūtsukēsu desu. (It's my suitcase)

Watashi no sūtsukēsu desu yo. (Hey, it's my suitcase!)

mō = already/not anymore

eg.

Mō jū-ji desu. (It's already 10:00)

Mō Kyōto desu ka. (Are we in Kyoto already?)

= used with a negative verb

Mō resutoran e wa ikimasen. (I'm not going to that restaurant anymore.)

Mondai wa mō arimasen. (I don't have any problems any more.)

-te form

= drop -ru to -masu

taberu > tabemasu > tabete (eat)

oshieru > oshiemasu > oshiete (teach,tell)

iru > imasu > ite (be, exist)

miru > mimasu > mite (see, watch)

tomeru > tomemasu > tomete (stop, halt)

= drop -u to -imasu

yomu > yomimasu > yonde (read)

nomu > nomimasu > nonde (drink)

aru > arimasu > atte (be, exist)

hajimaru > hajimarimasu > hajimatte (begin)

wakaru > wakarimasu >wakatte (understand)

au > aimasu > atte (meet)

chigau > chigaimasu > chigatte (differ)

matsu > machimasu > matte (wait)

hanasu > hanashimasu > hanashite (speak, talk)

kiku > kikimasu > kiite (hear, ask)

kaku > kakimasu > kaite (write)

-ku

iku > ikimasu > itte (go)

kuru > kimasu > kite (come)

suru > shimasu > shite (do)

if -te form is followed by kudasai, it's a away of asking someone to do something

Yukkuri hanashite kudasai (Please speak slowly)

Yukkuri itte kudasai (Please go slowly)

Namae to jūshi o kaite kudasai (Please write your name and address)

Go-ji han ni kite kudasai. (Please come at 5:30)

Hon o mite kudasai (Please look at your books)

de = to show location; at/in

ni is only used with the verbs imasu/arimasu

eg.

Ano atarashii resutoran de tabemashō. (Let's eat at that new restaurant)

Doko de aimashō ka. (Where shall we meet?)

Ashita uchi de benkyō shimasu (I'm going to study at home tomorrow)

Koko de machimasu. (I 'll wait here)

directions

Koko made onegai shimasu (To this place, please)

Massugu itte kudasai (Please go straight ahead)

Mō sukoshi massugu itte kudasai (Please go a little further ahead)

Koko de migi ni magatte kudasai (Please turn right here)

Shingō de hidari ni magatte kudasai (Please turn left at the traffic lights)

Tsugi no shingō de migi ni magatte kudasai (Please turn right at the next traffic lights)

Tsugi no kado de tomete kudasai (Please stop at the next corner)

Koko de ii desu (This/here is fine)

Hidari-gawa ni arimasu (It's on the left-hand side.)

Gakkō wa migi-gawa ni arimasu. (The school is on the right-hand side.)

Hundred = hyaku

100 hyaku

200 ni-hyaku

300 san-hyaku

400 yon-hyaku

500 go-hyaku

600 rop-pyaku

700 nana-hyaku

800 hap-pyaku

900 kyū-hyaku

235 ni-hyaku san-jū-go

Thousands = sen

1000 sen

2000 ni-sen

3000 san-zen

4000 yon-sen

5000 go-sen

6000 roku-sen

7000 nana-sen

8000 has-sen

9000 kyū-sen

2350 ni-sen san-byaku go-jū

eg.

sumimasen, kore wa ikura desu ka. (Excuse me, how much is it?)

Sore wa ni-sen go-hyaku go-jū en desu. (It's 2550 yen)

Visiting someone's home

genkan - an area where you leave your shoes

Gomen kudasai (Hello? Is there anyone home?)

Shitsurei shimasu (Excuse me)

O-jama shimasu (Pardon me for disturbing you)

Dōzo, o-kake kudasai./Dōzo, suwatte kudasai (Please have a seat)

Shitsurei shimasu (Thank you)

O-cha wa ikaga desu ka. (Would you like some green tea?)

Onegai shimasu/itadakimasu (Yes, thank you)

Vocabulary

agatte kudasai : please come in

daigakusei : university student

de : at, in

dō shimashō ka : what shall I do?

doru : dollars

en : yen

-gawa : the-side

genkan : entrance area

gomen kudasai : excuse me, is anyone there?

hidari : left

hidari-gawa : the left-hand side

hon : book

hyaku : hundred

ikaga desu ka : how about some...?

ikura : how much(money)?

itadakimasu : yes, please when offered food or drink

itte kudasai : please go

jūsho : address

kado : corner

kaite kudasai : please write

kōhii : coffee

machimasu : wait

made : as fae as

magatte kudasai : please turn

massugu : straight ahead

migi ni : to the right

migi-gawa : right-hand side

mō : already, not anymore

mondai : problem

ni-hyaku : two hundred

0-jama shimasu : excuse me for disturbing you

o-kake kudasai : please take a seat

onegai shimasu : please

o-tsuri : the change (money)

sen : thousand

shingō : traffic lights

suki ja nai : don't like

sukoshi : a little, a small amount

surippa : slippers

suwatte kudasai : please sit down

tatemono : building

tokorode : by the way

tomete kudasai : please stop, halt

tsugi no : the next

wakarimashita : I see, I've got it

yo : to show emphasis

yukkuri : slowly

Quoted from Berlitz Essential Japanese

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Japanese Lesson #6

Go-ji han ni aimashō. (Let's meet at 5:30)

Moshi moshi = Hello? (on telephone)

eg.

Tanaka san desu ka. (Is this Mr. Tanaka?)

Tanaka san wa irrashaimasu ka. (Is Mr. Tanaka there?) (very polite form of "imasu")

Tanaka san onegai shimasu. (Mr. Tanaka, please)

Harisu desu. (This is Haris.)

Sumisu Enjiniaringu no Harisu desu. (This is Harris, from Smith Engineering)

Goodbye

eg.

Yoroshiku onegai shimasu. (Please treat me well)

Shitsurei shimasu. (Excuse me.)

Gomen kudasai. (Pardon me for any convenience)

chan = informal, affectionate, is used to small children, younger members of the family, and young women.

sama = very formal and polite, to customers by sales assistants.

imasu = used only to refer to the existence or location of animate objects, such as people, animals and fish.

arimasu = used only to refer to inanimate objects, such as tables, chairs and buildings.

eg.

Kyō no shinbun wa doko ni arimasu ka. (Where's today's newspaper?)

Watanabe san wa doko ni imasu ka. (Where's Mr. Watanabe?)

Uchi ni terebi ga arimasen. (At home, there isn't a television)

Uchi ni inu ga imasen. (At home, there isn't a dog)

mada = still(followed by positive verb)

eg.

Gohan wa mada takusan arimasu. (There's still a lot of rice.)

Maiku san wa mada gakkō ni imasu ka. (Is Mike still at the school?)

Kōhii wa mada arimasu. ( I still have some coffee)

mada = not yet(followed by negative verb)

Nihongo ga mada wakarimasen. (I don't understand Japanese yet.)

Takushii wa mada kimasen ne. (The taxi hasn't come yet, has it?)

Kaigi wa mada hajimarimasen. (The meeting hasn't started yet.)

mada desu = not yet

-mashō = Let's...

eg.

Ashita Yokohama e ikimashō. (Let's go to Yokohama tomorrow.)

Kā rajio o kikimashō. (Let's listen to the car radio.)

Nihongo o benkyō shimashō. (Let's study Japanese.)

= if turns it into a question, it will becomes "shall we-?; shall i-?"

eg.

Kyō wa nani o shimashō ka. (What shall we do today?)

Nani o tabemashō ka. Sakana ni shimashō ka. (What shall we eat? Shall we have fish?)

Telling the time

1 ichi

2 ni

3 san

4 yo/yon/shi

5 go

6 roku

7 shichi/nana

8 hachi

9 kyū/ku

10 jū

11 jū-ichi

12 jū-ni

hour = adding -ji to the numbers

eg.

Ichi-ji desu. (It's one o'clock.)

Yo-ji desu. (It's four o'clock.)

Ima nan-ji desu ka. Shichi-ji desu ka. (What time is it now? Is it seven o'clock?)

10 jū

20 ni-jū

30 san-jū

21 ni-jū ichi

22 ni-jū ni

57 go-jū nana

1 minute ip-pun

2 minutes ni-fun

3 minutes san-pun

4 minutes yon-pun

5 minutes go-fun

6 minutes rop-pun

7 minutes nana-fun

8 minutes hap-pun

9 minutes kyū-fun

10 minutes jup-pun

ni = at

go-ji jup-pun ni (at 5:10)

san-ji ni-jup-pun ni (at 3:20)

han = half, used instead of san-jup-pun

jū-ji han ni (at 10:30)

jū-ni-ji han ni (at 12:30)

eg.

ni-ji han ni aimashō. (let's meet at 2.30)

Ichi-ji no nyūsu o mimashō. (Let's watch the one o'clock news.)

Kaigi wa nan-ji kara nan-ji made desu ka. (From what time to what time...is the meeting?)

Jū-ji kara jū-ichi-ji han made desu. (It's from 10:00 to 11:30)

takushii de = by taxi

eg.

San-ji no densha de ikimashō. (Let's go by the 3:00 train)

Nihongo de hanashimashō. (Let's speak in Japanese)

Sushi o hashi de tabemasu ka. (Do you eat sushi with chopsticks?)

Benkyō (o) shimasu (to study)

denwa (o) shimasu (to telephone, call)

shigoto (o) shimasu (to work)

tenisu (o) shimasu (to play tennis)

hanashi (o) shimasu (to have a conversation)

eg.

Ashita, tomodachi to tenisu o shimasu. (I'm going to play tennis with a friend tomorrow.)

Itō san wa tokodoki shichi-ji made shigoto shimasu. (Mr. Itō sometimes works until 7:00.)

kimasu = come; to leave where you are now and go anywhere except where the person you are speaking to is.

ikimasu = go; to leave where you are now, regardless of where you are going

eg.

Ashita, watashi no uchi ni kimasu ka. (Are you coming over to my house tomorrow?)

Hai, ikimasu. Nan-ji ni ikimashō ka. (Yes, I am. What time shall I come?)

Vocabulary

aimashō : let's meet

benkyō (o) shimasu : to study

benkyō : study

chan : used for girls and small children

de : by

demo : however, but

densha : train

dō shite : why?

dōzo dozō : please do so, please go ahead

-fun/pun : minute

gaijin : foreigner

go : five 5

gomen kudasai : pardon me for causing any inconvenience

hachi : eight

hajimarimasu : to begin

-han : half past-

hanashi : a talk, conversation, chat

hanashi o shimasu : have a talk, chat

hanashimashō : let's talk

hashi : chopsticks

ichi : one

ikimashō ka : shall we go?

ima : now, at the moment

imasu : am, is, are (animate objects)

inu : dog

irasshaimasu : is, are (polite form of imasu)

-ji : o'clock

jikan : time, hour

jū : ten

jū-ichi : eleven

jū-ni : twelve

jup-pun : ten minutes

kā rajio : car radio

kyū/ku : nine

made : still/ not yet

made : until

mata : again, once more, another time

mata ashita : until tomorrow, see you tomorrow

mimashō : let's see

moshi moshi : hello (on telephone)

nan-ji : what time>

nana/shichi : seven

ni : at

ni : two

nyūsu : the news

-onegai shimasu : could I speak to -?

roku-ji : six o'clock

roku : six

sama : Mr., Mrs., Ms., Miss

san : three

SF (ess sfu) : science-fiction

shi/yo/yon : four

shichi/nana : seven

shigoto shimasu : to work

shigoto : work, employment

shitsurei shimasu : goodbye (on telephone)

sore kara : and also

sugu : soon

takusan : a lot of, many, much

takushii de : by taxi

tenisu : tennis

terebi : television, TV

tesuto : a test

yon/yo/shi : four

yoroshiku onegai shimasu : goodbye (on telephone)

Quoted from Berlitz Essential Japanese

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Japanese Lesson #5

Nani o tabemasu ka. (what will you have to eat?)

simple present tense verbs

present positive: -masu form

nomimasu [nomimass] (drink); nominasen (don't drink)

ikimasu (go); ikimasen (don't go)

kimasu (come); kimasen (don't come)

wakarimasu (understand); wakarimasen (don't understand)

arimasu (there is, have); arimasen (there isn't, don't have)

kikimasu (listen, hear, ask); kikimasen (don't listen, hear, ask)

yomimasu (read); yomimasen (don't read)

oshiemasu (tell, teach); oshiemasen (don't tell, teach)

mimasu (see, watch); mimasen (don't see, watch)

shimasu (do); shimasen (don't do)

hanashimasu (talk, speak); hanashimasen (don't talk, speak)

tabemasu (eat); tabemasen (don't eat)

particle "o"

eg.

Nihongo o hanashimasu (I speak Japanese)

Tokidoki eiga o mimasu (I sometimes watch movies)

Watanabe san wa Eigo o hanashimasen (Mr. Watanabe doesn't speak English)

Mainichi rajio o kikimasu ka. (Do you listen to radio everyday?)

the future use -masu form

eg.

Watanabe san wa ashita Tōkyō e ikimasu. (Mr. Watanabe will go to Tokyo tomorow)

Tomotachi wa asatte Igirisu kara kimasu. (The day after tomorrow, a friend is coming from Britain)

Nani o nominasu ka. (What would you like to drink?)

Konban nani o tabemasu ka. (What are you going to eat tonight?)

Kyō nani o shimasu ka. (What are you going to do today?)

adjectives

kono - this

sono - that

ano - that

dono - which

eg.

Kono wain wa doko no desu ka. (Where is this wine from?)

Sono shinbun o yomimasu ka. (Are you going to read that newspaper?)

Ano hito wa dare desu ka. (Who's that person?)

Dono teishoku ni shimasu ka. (Which set meal are you going to have?)

ne = isn't it?/didn't he?/aren't they?/don't you?/am i right?

eg.

Maiku san wa Amerikajin desu ne. (Mike is an American, isn't he?)

Neruson san wa Eigo o oshiemasu ne. (Mr. Nelson will teach English, won't he?)

ga = marks the subject of the sentence, especially when it's being introduced for the first time

wa = use if information is already known

eg.

Asoko ni atarashii resutoran ga arimasu ne. Sono resutoran wa oishii desu.

(There's a new restaurant over there, right? That restaurant is really good.)

nani,doko,dare followed by ga, not wa

eg.

Dare ga ashita Yokohama e ikimasu ka. (Who's going to Yokohama tomorrow?)

Wain wa, nani ga arimasu ka. (What wine do you have?)

wakarimasu

eg.

Watanabe san wa Eigo ga wakarimasu ka. (Does Mr. Watanabe understand English?)

Maiku san no tomodachi no namae ga wakarimasen. (I don't know Mike's friend's name.)

arimasu

eg.

Kono daigaku ni atarashii konpyūta ga arimasu. (This university has some new computers.)

Maiku san wa kyō kaigi ga arimasu ne. (You have a meeting today, don't you, Mike?)

suki desu = I like

dai suki desu = I like it very much

amari suki ja arimasen = I don't like very much

kirai desu = I dislike

dai kirai desu = I loathe

eg.

sashimi ga dai-suki desu. (I love raw fish)

Hana wa, nani ga suki desu ka. (What kind of flowers do you like?)

Maiku san wa eiga ga suki desu ne. (Mike likes going to movies, doesn't he?)

o kudasai = please give me

eg.

Nani o nomimasu ka. (What would you like to drink?)

Wain o kudasai. (Wine, please)

Mainichi Shinbun o kudasai. (I'd like the Mainichi Newspaper please.)

itadakimasu = said just before eating or drinking something = bon appetit

go-chisō sama deshita = said after meal

Vocabulary

amari : not very

ano : that -over there

asatte : the day after tomorrow

ashita : tomorrow

dai-kirai desu : hate

dai-suki desu : like very mich, love

dō : how?

- wa dō desu ka : how about -?

dono : which?

eiga : film, movie

ga : particle indicating subject of verb

go-chisō sama deshita : thank you for the meal

gohan : cooked rice

hana : flower

hanashimasu : speak, talk

ii : good, fine

ikimasu : go

itadakimasu : bon appetit

kaigi : a meeting

kikimasu : hear, listen, ask

kiku : chrysanthemum

kimasu : come

kirai desu : dislike

konban : this evening

kono : this

mainichi : every day

mimasu : see, watch

miso shiru : miso soup

mizu : water

nan/nani : what?

ne : isn't it, aren't they, don't you

-ni shimasu: I'll have/decide on-

nomimasu : drink

-o kudasai : could i have -, please?

o : particle to indicate object of verb

o-cha : green tea

oishii : tasty, delicious

oshiemasu : tell, teach

rajio : radio

resutoran : restaurant

sakana: fish

sashimi : raw fish

shimasu : do

sono : that

suki desu : like

suki ja arimasen : don't like

sumimasen ga... : I'm sorry but ...

tabemasu : eat

teishoku : set meal

tokidoki : sometimes

tomodachi : friend

tsukemono : pickles

wain : wine

wakarimasu: understand

yaki-zakana : grilled fish

yomimasu : read

Quoted from Berlitz Essential Japanese

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Japanese Lesson #4

Ohayō gozaimasu (good morning)

Konnichiwa (good day/hello)

Konbanwa (good evening)

Shitsurei shimasu (goodbye)

Oyasumi nasai (good night)

wa = as for..., regarding...

eg.

Maiku san wa Amerikajin desu. (Mike is an American)

Yokohama Gakuin Kōkō wa ōkii desu. (Yokohama High School is big)

kore = this/these things near me

sore = that/those things near you

are = that/those things over there, away from both of us

dore = which one

eg.

Kore wa atarashii purintā desu ka. (Is this a new printer?)

Neruson san no sūtsukēsu wa kore desu ka. (Your suitcase, Mr. Nelson - is it this one?)

koko = here near me

soko = there near you

asoko = over there, away from both of us

doko = where

(use verb "arimasu"(to be/exist) and "ni"(at/in) follows the word or phrase showing the place where something exists)

eg.

Kyō no shinbun wa koko ni arimasu. (Today's newspapers are over here)

Denwa wa soko ni arimasu. Dōzo. (The telephone's there. Please)

arimasu vs desu = be/be located/exist

(desu is used when one thing is, or equals, another)

eg.

Koko wa Yokohama eki desu. (This is Yokohama station)

Neruson san wa atarashii sensei desu. (Mr. Nelson is a new teacher)

(arimasu is used to describe the location of something)

eg.

Daigaku wa Ōsaka ni arimasu. (My university is (located) in Osaka)

Ogawa san no kaisha wa Tōkyō ni arimasu. (Mr. Ogawa's company is (located) in Tokyo.

eg.

Ginkō wa doko desu ka. = Ginkō wa doko ni arimasu ka. (Where's the bank?)

(arimasu as "have")

eg.

Denwa wa arimasu ka.

Iie, arimasen./Hai, arimasu.

ja arimasen = isn't/aren't; negative of desu

eg.

Amerikajin ja arimasen. Ingirisujin desu. (I'm not American. I'm British)

Sensei ja arimasen. Jimu no hito desu. (I'm not a teacher. I am an office worker)

Ōkii kōkō ja arimasen. (It's not a big high school)

Saitō san no desu = It's Ms. Saito's

eg.

Kaisha no kuruma desu. (It's company's car)

Dare no desu ka. (Whose is it?)

Atarashii no wa arimasu ka. (Do you have a new one?)

you/yours = anata

eg.

Neruson san no tsukue wa soko ni arimasu. (Your desk is there)

Kore wa Neruson san no shinbun desu ka. (Is this your newspaper?)

Vocabulary

anata : you

are : that over there

arimasen : there isn't/aren't, don't have

arimasu : be/exist/there is/are/have

asoko : over there

atarashii : new

daigaku : university

dare : who?

denwa : telephone

doko : where?

dore : which one?

dōzo yoroshiku : happy to meet you

eki : train station

ginkō : bank

hito : person, people

Igirisu : England

Igirisujin : an English

ja arimasen : isn't/aren't

jimu : office work

jimu no hito : office worker, clerk

kara : from

kochira : this person

koko : here

konbanwa : good evening

konnichiwa : good day, hello

konpyūtā : computer

kore : this

kyō : today

mina san : everyone

ni : in, at

ohayō gozaimasu : good morning

ōkii : big

oyasumi nasai : good night

pāto : part-time worker

purintā : printer

sensei : teacher, professor, doctor

shinbun : newspapers

shitsurei shimasu : excuse me, goodbye

soko : there

sore : that

tsukue : desk

uchi : house, home

wa

wakarimasu : I don't know, I don't understand

yoroshiku onegai shimasu : pleased to meet you

Quoted from Berlitz Essential Japanese

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Japanese Lesson #3

Nihon e yōkoso! (Welcome to Japan!)

san = Mr./Ms./Mrs./Miss.

(never use it with your own name)

eg.

Watanabe Neruson san desu ka. (Are you Mr. Nelson?)

Nelson Hai, sō desu. Neruson desu. (Yes, that's right. I'm Nelson.)

desu = to be; I am/you are/he is/she is/it is/we are/they are

(verb always comes at the end of a Japanese sentence)

eg.

Gakusei desu (I am a student)

Enjinia desu (He is an engineer)

ka = forming questions (?)

(add it at the end of a sentence, not necessary to use "?" after it)

eg.

Gakusei desu ka. (Are you/Is he a student?)

Yokohama desu ka. (Is this Yokohama?)

(use "?" when ka is not spoken)

eg.

Kanadajin? = Kanadajin desu ka.

no = particle "-'s" to know belonging or possession

eg.

Suzuki san no meishi (Mr. Suzuki's business card)

gakkō no namae (the school's name)

Amerika no kaisha (an American company)

Nihon no kurumu (Japanese cars)

Watashi no gakkō no sensei (my school's teachers)

Does not usually differentiate between singular and plural

eg.

Saitō san? Enjinia desu. (Mr. Saitō? He's an engineer)

Saitō san to Katō san? Enjinia desu. (Mr. Saitō and Mr. Katō? They are engineers)

No a/an/the

eg.

Gakusei desu ka. (Are you (a) student?)

e = to or towards

(comes after the name of the place towards which you're going)

eg.

Tōkyō e yokoso. (Welcome to Tokyo)

Kochira e, dōzo. (This way, please)

Vocabulary

Amerika : America

Amerikajin : an American

arigatō : thank you (more informal than dōmo arigatō)

chigaimasu : that's incorrect, wrong

dai ik-ka : lesson one

desu : I am, you are, he is, she is, it is, we are, they are

dōmo arigatō : thank you

dōmo sumimasen : I'm sorry, I apologize

dōzo : please

e : to, towards

enjinia : engineer

ga : but

gakkō : school

gakuin : institute, school, place of learning

gakusei : student

hai : yes

hajimemashite : how do you do?

iie : no

ja : well, in that case

-jin : person (of country)

ka : indicate a question

kaisha : company, office

Kanada : Canada

Kanadajin : a Canadian

kochira : this way

kōkō : high school (kōtō gakkō)

kuruma : car

meishi : business card

namae : name

Nihon : Japan

Nihongo : Japanese

no : -'s

san : Mr., Mrs., Ms., Miss

sensei : teacher, professor

shitsurei desu ga : excuse me, but ...

sō desu : that's right, that's so

sō desu ka : I see, is that so?

suminasen : excuse me, I'm sorry

sūtsukēsu : suitcase

to : and

watashi : I, me

watashi no : my

yōkoso : welcome

Quoted from Berlitz Essential Japanese

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Japanese Lesson #2

Pronunciation:

The vowels

"a" as in Kawasaki

"e" as in Zen

"i" as in kimono

"o" as in Hiroshima

"u" as in sumo

Say the words evenly, without any particular stress.

eg. (kimono) say kimono, not kiMOno

Two vowels come together, take them one by one.

eg. (geisha) say ge-i-sha, not gay-sha

A vowel with a line over the top is equivalent to two vowels together, so hold it longer than a single vowel.

eg. (kyōto) say kyooto

The vowel sound almost disappears.

eg. (-masu) say -mass, not -masu; (-desu) say -dess, not -desu

The consonants

Most of the consonants sounds are the same as in English.

Except:

"g" as in "gain", not soft as in "gem".

"f" as in between "f" and "h", try saying (Fuji) without letting your top teeth touch your bottom lip.

"r" as in between "l" and "r", try saying (Narita) by flicking the top of your tongue on the roof of your mouth on all three consonants, that is, on "r" as well as on "n" and "t".

Words with double consonants in the middle should be held for twice the length of a single sound.

eg. (atta) say at-ta

The writting system

3 types: kanji, hiragana and karakana

Quoted from Berlitz Essential Japanese

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Japanese Lesson #1

"Decide for yourself how much time you can devote to the study of Japanese each day.

Set a realistic daily study goal that you can easily achieve, one that includes studying new material as well as reviewing the old.

The more frequent your exposure to the language, the better your results will be. "

Quoted from Berlitz Essential Japanese

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