Day #2.5.1

Lesson 10 (Part II)

• Asking “what is there ~”
• Asking “who is there ~”
• More on ‘あります | arimasu’ and ‘います | imasu’
• Location of things/ people

1. ASKING “WHAT IS THERE ~”:

Just add the “what” question ‘なに | nani’ into the sentence.

テーブル の うえ に なに が あります か。| What is there on the table?

– – – – – – ほん が あります。| There is a book.

– – – – – – ほん と はさみ が あります。| There is a book and scissors.

– – – – – – ほん や はさみ が あります。| There is a book and scissors.

– – – – – – なに も ありません。| There is nothing.

**The particle ‘ya | や’ is used to list two or more nouns.

2. ASKING “WHO IS THERE ~”:

To ask who, add ‘だれ | dare’ into the question.

うけつけに だれが いますか。 | Who is there at the reception?

– – – – – – マットさん が います。| Matt is there.

3. MORE ON ‘あります | arimasu’ and ‘います | imasu’:

これ は マットさん の へや。 | This is Matt’s room.

マットさん の へや に ねこたち が ります。| There are cats in Matt’s room.

ベッド の うえ に ねこ が ります。 | There is a cat on the bed.

もうふ の した に ねこ が ります。 | There is a cat under the blanket.

てにもつ の なか に ねこ が ります。 | There is a cat in the luggage.

てにもつ の となり に ねこ が います。 | There is a cat beside the luggage.

つくえ の うえ に ねこ が います。 | There is a cat on the desk.

まど の まえ に ねこ が います。 | There is a cat in front of the window.

コーヒーテーブル の した に ねこ が います。 | There is a cat under the coffee table.

4. LOCATION OF THINGS/ PEOPLE: 

Basically, the difference between talking about the existence of a thing and the location of a thing is the sentence structure and the particle used. In English it’s something like “There is a watch on the table” and “The watch is on the table”.

とけい は どこに あります か。 | Where is the clock?

– – – – – – とけい は たな の うえ に あります。| The clock is on the shelf.

カメラ は どこに あります か。 | Where is the camera?

– – – – – – カメラ は たな の うえ に あります。 | The camera is on the shelf.

We can also use previous knowledge of asking where something is:

ほん は どこ です か。

– – – – – – たな の うえ です。

じてんしゃ は どこ に あります か。| Where is the bicycle?
– – – – – – くるま の うえ に あります。| On top of the car.

シャシン は どこ に あります か。| Where is the photo?
– – – – – – ほん の うしろ に あります。| Under the book.

 

いぬ は どこ に います か。| Where is the dog?
– – – – – – 男の人 と 女の人 の あいだ に ります。| Between the man and woman.

 

スーパー は どこ に あります か。| Where is the supermarket?
– – – – – – ほんや の となり に あります。| Next to the bookstore.

いぬ は どこ に いますか。| Where is the dog?
スーパー の まえ に います。| In front of the supermarket.

ぎんこう は どこ に あります か。| Where is the bank?
ポスト と デパート の あいだ に あります。| Between the department store and post box.

 

 

Day #2.4.2

Lesson 10 (Part I)

• Describing the existence of things and people
• Describing the location using prepositions

1. EXISTENCE: There’re two main things to note before proceeding: a) In forming a sentence about the existence of things and people, the particle ‘が | ga’ is used. b) The verb ‘あります | arimasu’ means to exist, and this is used when referring to things (non animate objects). The verb ‘います | imasu’ also means to exist, but is used when referring to people, animals, etc (animate).

いす が あります。| Isu ga arimasu. | There is a chair.

先生 と 学生 が います。| Sensei to gakusei ga imasu. | There are students and a teacher.

いぬ が います。| Inu ga imasu. | There is a dog.

To add a location to the above, the particle ‘に | ni’ is used:

あそこ に くるま が あります。 | Asoko ni kuruma ga arimasu. | There is a car over there.

へや に ねこ が ります。| Heya ni neko ga rimasu. | There is a cat in the room.

公園 に おとこ の 人 と おんな の 人 が ります。| Kouen ni otoko no hito to onna no hito ga rimasu. | There is a man and a woman at the park.

2. PREPOSITION: The prepositional words are added to the description of the place, and this is situated in the beginning of the sentence.

テーブル の 上 に はな が あります。| Teburu no ue ni hana ga arimasu. | There are flowers on top the table.

テーブル の 下 に かばん が あります。 | Teburu no shita ni kaban ga arimasu. | There is a bag under the table.

たかい びる の ちかく に としょかん が あります。 Takai biru no chikaku ni toshokan ga arimasu. | There is a library beside the tall building.

Isu no shita ni neko ga rimasu. | Isu no shita ni neko ga rimasu. | There’s a cat under the chair.

れいぞうく の なか に いろいろ たべもの が あります。| Reizouku no naka ni iroiro tabemono ga arimasu. | There’s various of food in the refrigerator.

Day #2.3.1

Lesson 9:

• Expressing ‘likes’ and ‘dislikes’
• Asking someone ‘what kind of ~ do you like’
• Describing being ‘good at’ and ‘bad at’
• Expressing ‘have something’ and ‘understand something’  [next class]
• Stating reasons [next class]

In this lesson, the particle ‘ ‘ga | が’ is introduced. It is used after a noun/ subject/ object before the above mentioned ideas.

1. To express one’s ‘likes’ and ‘dislikes’, the particle ‘ga | が’ is used. It is situated after the object/ noun that is liked/ disliked. The word ‘suki | すき’ means like. The word ‘きらい | kirai’ means dislike.

“LIKE”:

わたしは にほんりょうり が すきです。 | Watashi wa nihon ryouri ga suki desu. | I like Japanese cuisine.

“DISLIKE”:

わたしは おさけ が きらいです。 | Watashi wa osake ga kirai desu. | I dislike like sake.

Q: にほんりょうりがすきですか。| Nihon ryouri ga suki desu ka? | Do you like Japanese food/ cuisine?

– – – – – – – はい、すきです。| Hai, suki desu. | Yes, I like it.

– – – – – – – いいえ、すきじゃありません。| Ie, suki ja arimasen. | No, I don’t like it.

2. “WHAT KIND OF ~ DO YOU LIKE”:

Q: どんな スポーツが すきですか。 | Donna suposu ga suki desu ka? | What kind of sports do you like?

– – – – – – – テニス が すき です。| Tenisu ga suki desu. | I like tennis.

** The question word ‘どんな | donna’ is also used in the middle of a sentence, as seen in last week’s lesson about describing a place/ town.

Q: どんな にほんりょうり が すき です か。| Donna nihon ryouri ga suki desu ka? | What kind of Japanese food do you like?

– – – – – – – さしみ が すき です。 | Sashimi ga suki desu. | I like sashimi.

Q: どんな のみもの が すき です か。| Donna nomimono ga suki desu ka? | What kind of drinks do you like?

– – – – – – – カルピス ソーダ が すき です。 | Karupisu soda ga suki desu.| I like Calpis soda.

3. When expressing how good/ bad at something one is, the verb/ noun comes before the particle ‘ga | が’ and the idea of how good/ bad is placed at the end of the sentence. The word ‘じょうず | jouzu’ means good at.

“GOOD AT ~”:

さとうさんは スキー が じょうずです。| Satou-san wa suki ga jouzu desu. | Sato is good at skiing.

**’じょうず | jouzu’ is used specially when referring to other people, and not yourself. Instead, use ‘とくい | tokui’.

わたしは スキーが とくいです。 | Watshi wa suki ga tokui desu. | I am good at skiing. ✓

“BAD AT ~”:

マットさん は スキー が へた です。 | Matto-san wa suki ga heta desu. | Matt is bad at skiing.

Day #2.2.2

1. Sentence with ‘い | i’ Adjective + Noun

ふじさん は たかいです。| Fujisan wa takai desu. | Mount Fuji is tall.
ふじさん は たかいやまです。| Fujisan wa takai yama desu. | Mount Fuji is a tall mountain.

2. Sentence with ‘な | na’ Adjective + Noun

さくらは きれいです。| Sakura wa kirei desu. | Sakura is pretty.
さくらは きれいな はなです。| Sakura wa kireina hana desu. | Sakura is a pretty flower.

‘な | na’ follows the adjective when it is used together with a noun.

3. Expressing “What kind of” / Describing a place using adjectives

ボストン は どんな まち です か。| Bosuton wa donna machi desu ka? | What kind of city is Boston?

– – – – – – – とても おおきいまちです。そして、にぎやかです。| Totemo ooki machi desu. Soshite, nigiyaka desu. | It’s a really big city. It’s also lively.

4. Expressing “Which one?” / Asking amongst a number of nouns

ミラーさんのかさは どれですか。| Mira-san no kasa wa dore desu ka? | Which one is Miller’s umbrella?

– – – – – – – あの あかい かさです。| Ano akai kasa desu. | That red umbrella.

Day #1.10.2

Today we dove into the second section of Lesson #7, using the direction related particle ‘ni | に’ to phrase sentences that involve a relationship between two people. A literal translation would be “from” and “to”. More on this will be covered in the next lesson! Today’s lesson also covered how to compliment others and ask where they got their stuff.

GIVING & RECEIVING | Agemasu & Moraimasu | あげます & もらいます

Conveying that Joseph gives Anne a box of chocolates:

Joseph gives Anne chocolates. | Joseph-san wa Anne-san ni chocoreto o agemasu. | ジョセフさん は アッンさん に チョコレート を あげます。

Sentence structure: giver +*particle wa + receiver + *particle ni + object + *particle o + verb

Conveying that Anne receives the chocolates from Joseph:

Anne receives chocolates from Joseph. | Anne-san wa Joseph-san ni chocoreto o moraimasu. | アッンさん は ジョセフさん に チョコレート を もらいます。

Sentence structure: receiver + *particle wa + giver + *particle ni + object + *particle o + verb

Dialogue:

J: Did you receive a present for your birthday last year? | A-san, kyonen no tanjoubi ni purezento o moraimashita ka? | さん、きょねん の たんじょうび に プレゼント を もらいました か。

A: Yes I did. | Hai, moraimashita. | はい、もらいました。

J: What did you receive? | Nani o moraimashita ka? | なに を もらいました か。

A: I received a car. | Kuruma o moraimashita. | くるま を もらいました。

J: From whom? | Dare ni moraimashita ka? | だれ に もらいました か。

A: My father. | Chichi ni moraimashita. | ちち に もらいました。

COMPLIMENTING OTHERS

A: I love your watch! | Sono tokei, suteki desu ne! | そのとけい、すてきですね。

B: Thank you very much. | Arigatou gozaimasu. | ありがとうございます。

A: Did you receive it or buy it? | Moraimashita ka? Kaimashita ka? | もらいました か。 かいました か。

B: I received it from my father on my birthday. | Tanjoubi ni chichi ni moraimashita. | たんじょうびに ちちに もらいました。

A: Your shoes are cute! | Sono kutsu, kawaii desu ne! | その くつ、かわいい です ね！

B: Thank you very much. | Arigatou gozaimasu. | ありがとうございます。

A:  Did you receive it or buy it? | Moraimashita ka? Kaimashita ka? | もらいました か。 かいました か。

B: I bought it at Takashimaya last week. | Senshuu takashimaya de kaimashita. | せんしゅう たかしまやで かいました。

Day #1.9.1

Previous Lesson Recap: 

Time/ Period opens the sentence. E.g “I went to Tokyo last year” / “I went to Tokyo last year in June” / “I went to Tokyo in 2012” >>>>>> Open the sentence in Japanese with ‘last year | kyonen | きょうねん’

S:

I went to Tokyo last year. | Kyonen Tokyo e ikimashita. | きょうねん とうきょうえ いきました。

I went to Tokyo in June last year. | Kyonen no roku gatsu ni Tokyo e ikimashita. | きょねん の ろくがつ に とうきょ え いきました。

I went to Tokyo in 2012. | 2012 nen ni Tokyo e ikimashita. | 2012 ねん に とうきょ え いきました。

We use the particle ‘ni | に’ as a time and date marker. ***not to be used for certain time markers (see Day #8.2)

LESSON #6

Lesson 6 is about describing daily activities like eating, watching TV, playing sports, as well as inviting someone to do activities together. 🙂 We also start on Kanji.

Check out the Vocabulary section for different activities in Japanese.

PLACE + VERB [Action word and place] 

To phrase where an action is taking place, the particle ‘de | で’ is used. It’s also used as a direction marker, “by”. Note that the verb is placed at the end of the sentence, unlike in the English Language.

I study at school. | Watashi wa gakko de benkyoshimasu. | わたし は がっこう で べ んきょします。

OBJECT + VERB 

In the case of doing ~, ~ being the object, the same phrasing as above is applied. The verb is placed at the end of the sentence. To link the object and verb, the particle ‘wo | を’ is used. It is an object marker, used after the grammatical object.

In the case of “eat ~”: the object “~” comes first, followed by the verb “eat”. Simply put: Object + *particle wo + Verb 

S:

[present tense]

I eat toast. | Tosuto wo tabeshimasu. | トースト を たべします。

I eat rice. | Gohan wo tabeshimasu. | ごはん を たべします。

[past tense]

I drank orange juice. | Orenji jusu wo nomishimashita. | オレンジ ジュース を のみしました。

[including time period – always in the beginning of the sentence]

I ate a sandwich this morning. | Kesa sandoichi wo tabeshimashita. | けさ サンドイッチ を たべしました。

I eat toast and egg every morning. | Mainichi tosuto to tamago wo tabeshimasu. | まいにち トースト と たまご を たべします。

[negative]

I didn’t eat anything. | Nani mo tabeshimasu. | なに も たべします。

Q:

What did you eat this morning? | Kesa nani wo tabeshimashita ka? | けさ なに を たべしました か。

What do you drink every morning? | Mainichi nani wo nomishimasu ka? | まいにち なに を のみします か。

PLACE + OBJECT + VERB 

Sequence: Place + *particle de + Object + *particle wo + Verb

S:

I ate a hamburger at home. | Uchi de hanbaga wo tabeshimashita. | うち で ハンバーガー を たべしました。

FREQUENCY 

1. Always |

2. Often |

3. Sometimes | Tokidoki

–  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –

KANJI 

We start off with 10 Kanji words – the basics. A single Kanji word can have multiple readings and meanings.