This lesson expands on the use of こと to say you have done something, how to use たり to link verbs together, and how to use the verb なる, to become.
Morphology
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The volitional verb form
So far, with the -te, -nai, plain and -ta forms, we have learned that verbs come in two main inflection types: ru verbs, where the verb stem remains unchanged when different endings are attached, and -u verbs where the last letter of the verb stem can change depending on the ending that is attached. Now…
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The past verb form
So far, with the -te, -nai and plain forms, we have learned that verbs come in two main inflection types: ru verbs, where the verb stem remains unchanged when different endings are attached, and -u verbs where the last letter of the verb stem can change depending on the ending that is attached. Now let’s…
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The -te verb form
So far, we have learned that verbs end with ます. Before we look at how to make -te forms, we could go a bit further by saying that in Romaji, the ますform of all verbs ends in either emasu or imasu. Verbs ending in –emasu たべます、はじめます、あけます Verbs ending in –imasu みます、おわります、かきます、あそびます With this in mind,…
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The negative verb form
So far, with the te form, we have learned that here are two main patterns for inflecting verbs: a simple one, where you remove the ます and replace it with て, and a complicated one, where you also have to change the letter that comes before ます. Now let’s look at the –nai form (1)…
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The -masu verb form
The –masu form of Japanese verbs, in which all verbs end with ます, is the first form that you need to learn. We could go into more detail by saying that in Romaji, the -masu form of all verbs ends in either -emasu or –imasu. Verbs ending in –emasu たべます、はじめます、あけます Verbs ending in –imasu みます、おわります、かきます、あそびます…
Structures
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どちらですか。
Whereas どこ means “where”, どちら means “which direction”. It also more polite to use どちら。 お手洗いはどちらですか。Which way is the toilet? 学校はどちらですか。Which school do you go to?
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[Question word]の[Noun]
The structure N1[location] の N2 can be used to show that N2 was made in or by N1. これはどこの電話ですか。Where is this phone from?韓国のです。It’s from Korea.
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こ・そ・あ・ど
これ This それ That (yours) あれ That (theirs) どれ Which? このN This N そのN That N (your N) あのN That N (their N) どのN Which N? ここ Here そこ There あそこ Over there どこ Where こちら This direction そちら That direction (to you) あちら That way over there どちら Which direction?
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今一時十五分です。
To express the time, use a number constructed with 時, the counter for hours, followed by a number constructed with 分, the counter for minutes. 十時十分です。It’s ten past ten. The question word for time is made by adding the counter 時 to the question prefix 何. You can make it clearer that you’re asking for…
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わかりますか。
These may be the most useful three phrases for somebody who is just beginning to learn Japanese. わかりますか。Do you understand? いいえ、わかりません。I don’t understand はい、わかりました。Yes, I understand Note that in わかりました, the past tense is used. This usage is unlike English, and means, “Yes, I have understood.”
Usage
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[Predicate]ようです
The special noun よう, which means “appearance” can be used to show the speaker’s judgement based on what they have seen, read, heard or been told
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バリ島はとてもきれいだそうです。
そう is used to show that the speaker is saying something that they have heard from another source.
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事故のようですね。
よう is used to show that the speaker is saying what something looks like or seems.
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ニュースを聞いて、びっくりしました
Ｗhen two clauses are linked by a -te form verb, they can show that the first verb is the reason for the second clause. The second clause can show how you feel ニュースを聞いて、びっくりしました。I was surprised to hear the news. It can show potential or state: しゃべりがはやくて、よくわかりません。He talks so fast I don’t understand. Things that happened…
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そうですか。
そうですか literally means “is it?” but it is often used to show that the listener has taken in what has been said. それはわたしの車じゃありません。That’s not my car.あ、そうですか。Oh, I see.
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わたしの車です。
The structure N1 の N2 can also be used to show that N2 belongs to N1. これは田中さんの車ですか。Ⅰs this your car Mr. Tanaka? Note that is N2 is obvious, it can be omitted. はい、わたしのです。Yes, it’s mine.
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コンピューターの本
We have already learned that the structure N1 の N2can be used to show that the first noun modifies the second. The same syntax can be used to show that N2 relates to N1. これはコンピューターの本です。This is a book about computers
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そうです／そうじゃりません。
The pronoun そう literally means “like that” or “in that (your) way”. It is often used after はい or いいえ. それ辞書ですか。Is that a dictionary?はい、そうです。Yes it is. それはラーメンですか。Is that ramen?いいえ、そうじゃありません。No it isn’t.
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内田さんも社員です。
The particle も is used in a similar way as は, to show the topic of the sentence. However, whereas は means “we are talking about this, and nothing else,” and can be used for contrast with what has been said before, も means “we are talking about this in addition to what we were…
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日立の社員
The particle の in the structure N1 の N2 is used to show that N2 is modified by N2. 田中さんは日立の社員です。Mr. Tanaka is a Hitachi employee.
Kanji
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Kanji 35
漢字 音 訓 English 学年 村 ソン むら Village 1 活 カツ Activity 2 向 コウ む-く、む-ける、む-かう、む-こう Face towards 3 拾 シュウ ジュウ、ひろ-う Pick up 3 島 トウ しま Island 3 葉 ヨウ は leaf 3 緑 リョク、（ロク） みどり Green 3 変 ヘン か-わる、か-える Change 4 捨 シャ す-てる Throw out 6 珍 チン めずら-しい…
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kanji 30
漢字 音 訓 学年 Edexcel 引 イン ひ-く、ひ-ける 2 A level 定 テイ、ジョウ さだ-める、さだ-まる、さだ-か 3 A level 箱 はこ 3 予 ヨ 3 A level 置 チ、お-く お-く 4 A level 約 ヤク 4 A level 冷 レイ つめ-たい、ひ-える、ひ-や、ひ-やす、ひ-やかす、さ-める、さ-ます 4 復 フク 5 A level 机 キ、 つくえ…
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Kanji 31
漢字 音 訓 学年 Edexcel 空 クウ そら、あ-く、あ-ける、から 1 Higher 文 ブン、モン ふみ 1 Higher 園 エン その 2 Higher 業 ギョウ、ゴウ わざ 3 A level 港 コウ みなと 3 式 シキ 3 Higher 受 ジュ う-ける、う-かる 3 A level 機 キ はた 4 A level 残 ザン のこ-る、のこ-す 4 A level 卒 ソツ 4…