Welcome to the Japanese Language section of Nihon Adventures! This is where you all can ask me anything about the Japanese language. From grammar to the writing system- ask away!
Personally, I have studied Japanese since high school and I am still a novice. I hope that during my study abroad experience, I will be able to become an intermediate to expert learner. My goal is to be more proficient in Japanese not only for daily conversations, but also for network marketing opportunities. Right now, I am working on a couple of things: mastering most of the well-known, commonly used Kanji (which are a lot), and mastering the advanced grammar techniques (building my own sentences and creating longer conversations). It will take some time, but with the right mindset and the right tools, I will master Japanese! And so can you! Now it is your turn to ask me anything about the Japanese language.
For those who are beginners and would like an in-depth study of the Japanese language, I will be teaching it via virtually soon! Be on the lookout for the link. But, for those who have questions about the Japanese language in general, feel free to post in the comments box. Be sure to make your questions clean, clear, and concise. Also, be patient with me as I am still a student learning the language. If I do not know something, I will make sure to look it up and post the link for you as soon as possible!
So, now that all of that has been taken care of, let's get started, shall we? Or as I like to say: 始めましょうか。
JANUARY 26, 2016
Japanese Language lesson 1
Introducing yourself, Part 1
Sentence 1: My name is Lin. It is nice to meet you.
(Watashi no namae wa Lin desu. Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu)
Break it down: Let's start with "My name is Lin".
The noun "I" (Watashi/わたし) has turned into a possessive noun. Possessive nouns in Japanese are joined with the particle "no" (の). The word for name is simply "namae" (なまえ）in Japanese (to help you remember, think of the word "name" and add an "a" between the "m" and the "e"). "Wa" (は) is a particle joining the possessive (My name) and the direct object (Lin). The word "desu" (です） is a common word you often hear in anime. "Desu" in english would be known as "is, are, was, were...etc." (A.K.A. "Be" verbs). Here is how the sentence structure goes in Japanese vs. English:
Subject Object Verb (Japanese)
Subject Verb Object (English)
The Object and the Verb are switched in Japanese. The subject remains the subject, for this example. Think of it this way: it's like you are speaking in Yoda's language (My name Lin is). Strange, but it will make sense once you practice this aloud. Lastly, the phrase "Douzo yoroshiku onegashimasu" is a formal way of saying "It's a pleasure/it's is nice to meet you." "Douzo" (どうぞ), in this instance, can be used in the beginning, although it is not necessarily required for a formal introduction. "Yoroshiku" (よろしく) and "Onegaishimasu" (おねがします) closes out the introduction. Now, putting it all together, you get this:
My name is Lin. It is nice to meet you.
Watashi no namae wa Lin desu. Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
(わたしのなまえはLinです。どうぞよろしくおねがいします。)
There you have it! Now you can introduce yourself in Japanese. Practice this sentence by inserting your name.
More lessons to come.
Next, we will expand our introduction and learn a bit of hiragana and katakana (for those who don't know hiragana and katakana; or for those who'd like a refresher).
Have questions? Comments? Advice? Suggestions? Post in the comments below.
Until next time (Jaa, mata ne!)
JANUARY 30, 2016
Japanese Language Lesson 1
Introducing Yourself, Part 2
Sentence 2: My name is Lin. I am from/live in America. It is nice to meet you.
(Watashi no namae wa Lin desu. Watashi wa America ni sunde imasu. Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.)
In the last lesson, you learned how to introduce your name. In this lesson, we'll be adding where you are from. Since I am mostly talking to an American audience, I will be using 'America' as the country of origin for this sentence example (later, we will discuss how to say other countries in Japanese). For now, let's stick with simplicity.
Break it down: Work with "I am from/live in America".
Again, we will use the noun "I" (Watashi/わたし) and the particle "wa" (は) to start this sentence off.* So far, so good. Now, let's add in the direct object, which is "America". Here's the kicker: "from" is phrased "sunde imasu (すんでいます). The particle "ni" (に) is in reference to the place mentioned in the Direct Object. There are other ways to use this particle, but we'll just keep it simple for now. The verb "sumu" (すむ) means "to live somewhere". The word "imasu" (います) is used once the verb turns from "Sumu" to "sunde" in the "te" verb form (confusing much? we'll talk about that another day). Just know that "sunde imasu" (すんでいます) is the correct way of saying "I (currently) live in such-and-such place". Now, putting it all together, you get this:
My name is Lin. I am from/live in America. It is nice to meet you.
Watashi no namae wa Lin desu. Watashi wa America ni sunde imasu. Douzo Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
(わたしのなまえはLinです。わたしはAmericaにすんでいます。どうぞよろしくおねがいします。)
*You can say you live in such-and-such place without the "Watashi wa" in the front.
Hiragana and Katakana for the day:
English Hiragana Katakana
a あ ア
i い イ
u う ウ
e え エ
o お オ
More lessons to come.
Next time, we will do a special lesson on the uses of "onegaishimasu" and "kudasai". Plus, we'll learn more Hiragana and Katakana. Have questions? Comments? Advice? Suggestions? Post in the comments below.
Until next time (Jaa mata, ne!)
FEBRUARY 3, 2016
Japanese Language Lesson Special 1
"Kudasai" and "Onegaishimasu" (Polite Markers)
Recently, someone on FaceBook commented on when they should use "Kudasai" or "Onegashimasu" (both meaning "Please"). Either is fine! However, to help you better understand both polite markers in detail, we will take two different scenarios and break it down from there.
Scenario A: Mack purchased an item from the store and he would like a receipt from the store clerk. Mack would say, "I would like a receipt, please."
In this case, Mack would be using the word "kudasai" (ください) because he is asking for item X. "Kudasai" is a less formal, common-place way of saying "please". You can use "kudasai" in everyday conversation to ask for something. Later, we will cover how to use "kudasai" in a sentence. Just to keep things simple, use "kudasai" when asking for general things.
Scenario B: Mack arrived at a restaurant and he is ordering his favorite meal. Mack would say, "I would like to order the Filet Mignon, please." Before you place the word "kudasai" in this sentence. Pay close attention to what he is asking. When you are in a restaurant, you request an item be brought to you, such as Filet Mignon. Instead of using "kudasai" as a polite marker, you would use a more formal polite marker, "onegaishimasu" (おねがいします). "Onegashimasu" is another way of saying "please". However, it is not always used in everyday conversation, such as Scenario A. You can use "onegaishimasu" to request a product or service, depending on the situation. Usually, you would use "onegaishimasu" when ordering food at a restaurant, when asking for something to be done for you, or when you are saying "douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu" (there are other ways, but we will cover the many uses of "onegaishimasu" in another lesson).
"Please" can be used in different scenarios in Japanese. Just know the basic differences between "kudasai" and "onegaishimasu". There are finer details we better not cover until we start building sentences in later lessons.
Hiragana and Katakana for the day:
English Hiragana Katakana
ha は ハ
hi ひ ヒ
fu ふ フ
he へ ヘ
ho ほ ホ
sa さ サ
shi し シ
su す ス
se せ セ
so そ ソ
More lessons to come.
Next time, we will learn basic Japanese conversation and asking questions. Plus, we'll learn more Hiragana and Katakana. Have questions? Comments? Advice? Suggestions? Post in the comments below.
Until next time (Jaa mata, ne!).
FEBRUARY 6, 2016
Japanese Language Lesson 2
Basic Conversation and Asking Questions (Part 1)
Conversation 1:
Yamanako: Hello, Machiko. How are you?
Machiko: I am good. And you?
Yamanako: Konnichiwa, Machiko-san. (O) genki desu ka.
Machiko: Watashi wa genki desu. Yamanako-san wa?
Break it down: We are going to learn the basic greeting conversation. There are a couple of things I would like to point out that are new. Let's start with the word "genki" (げんき).
"Genki" means "good" in the context of a condition. "I am good"/"watashi wa genki desu" are both talking about how you are doing, or what present condition you are in. "Genki" is an adjective, since it is describing your current state of being. This word can also be used to describe the weather, but that's for a later lesson. For now, just know that for this conversation, "genki" telling your friend how you are doing ("I am doing good").
Next, the question marker. When Yamanako asks the question, "How are you doing/Are you doing good" ([o] genki desu ka), Yamanako uses the particle marker "ka" (か) at the end of the sentence. "Ka" is a question marker that turns a declarative statement into a question. So, "(o) genki desu" (You are doing good) would turn into "(o) genki desu ka" (Are you doing good/How are you?). Now, when you have a declarative sentence, just drop the "ka" marker at the end of the statement to turn it into a question sentence. Simple!
Lastly, the honorific marker "o" in "(o) genki desu ka" and addressing Yamanako at the end of the conversation (Yamanako-san wa). Quotation marks are around the "o" in "(o) genki desu ka" simply because the "O" turns "genki" into an honorific word. You can use it when asking the question "How are you" with someone older than you or with strangers. But, in regular conversations, you have the option of dropping the "o" and just saying "genki desu ka". It all depends on the setting, whether formal or informal. Speaking of formal and informal settings, Machiko asked Yamanako "And you" by saying "Yamanako-san wa" instead of saying the word "you" in Japanese (which is for another lesson). This is actually a much more polite way of saying "you" in Japanese. Machiko took Yamanako's name and put the word "san" (equivalent of saying Mr./Mrs.; for this example, Yamanako would be Mrs. Yamanako). Yamanako did the same with Machiko's name and put the word "san" at the end (Machiko is also Mrs. in this example). "Yamanako-san wa", according to Machiko's dialogue, acknowledges the fact that she is being specific to the subject she is talking to instead of saying "you", which can be either vague or out of context, formally-speaking. Also, "And you"/"Yamanako san wa" is much more conversationally casual to say than "And how are you doing?/Yamanako-san wa (o) genki desu ka". Now, putting it all together, you get this:
Yamanako: Hello, Machiko. How are you?
Machiko: I am good. And you?
Yamanako: Konnichiwa, Machiko-san. (o) genki desu ka.
Machiko: Watashi wa genki desu. Yamanako-san wa?
やまなこ: こんにちは, まちこさん。おげんきですか。
まちこ: わたしはげんきです。やまなこさんは？
Hiragana and Katakana for the day:
English Hiragana Katakana
ta た タ
chi ち チ
tsu つ ツ
te て テ
to と ト
na な ナ
ni に ニ
nu ぬ ヌ
ne ね ネ
no の ノ
More lessons to come.
In the next lesson, we will learn questions words such as what, who, when, where, why, and how. Plus, we'll learn more hiragana and katakana. Have questions? Comments? Advice? Suggestions? Post in the comments below.
Until next time (Jaa mata, ne!).
FEBRUARY 11, 2016
Japanese Language Lesson 2
Basic Conversation and Asking Questions (Part 2)
Today, let's cover the most common question words: Who, what, when, where, why, how/how much (monetary), and which (one).
Who= dare (だえ)
What= nani (なに)
When= itsu (いつ)
Where= doko (どこ)
*Why= Naze/doushite (なぜ・どうして)
**How/How much (monetary)= (どう・いくら)
Which= dore (どれ)
To make things simple, let's look at how this sentence is structured:
Who is Lin?
Lin-san wa dare desu ka. (Lin-さんはだれですか。)
"Dare" is placed in between the particle "wa" and the verb "desu" because it is asking who the subject is (Lin). Whenever asking a question, remember to put the question word in between the particle "wa" and the verb "desu". Don't forget to add "ka" at the end to turn the statement into a question.
*"Why" can either be "naze" (なぜ) or "doushite" (どうして) depending on the relationship between two people or the context of the situation. "Naze" is more formal and "doushite" is casual/informal.
**You can either use "dou" for questions like "How was your day", or "ikura" for "How much is item x".
This is a short lesson because it will transition us to the next lesson, where we will be asking questions (and answering them).
Hiragana and Katakana for the day:
English: Hiragana: Katakana:
ka か カ
ki き キ
ku く ク
ke け ケ
ko こ コ
ra ら ラ
ri り リ
ru る ル
re れ レ
ro ろ ロ
There will be a full list of the hiragana and katakana with the tenten diacritical mark on this lesson.
Next: the Maru diacritical mark.
The Maru diacritical mark (which looks like an unfilled circle) is a special mark. Only one row of Hiragana/Katakana use this mark to change its character sound. Let's use this example:"enpitsu" (pencil in Japanese). "Enpitsu" is spelled out like this:えんぴつ. Note that "pi" (not the math symbol pi), uses the diacritical mark.
1. Foundational Hiragana character: "hi" (ひ)
2. Add Maru diacritical mark.
3. Result: hi (ひ) ------- pi (ぴ)
Since there is only one row of hiragana/katakana that uses the diacritical mark, that makes things easier to follow.
Hiragana/Katana that uses the maru diacritical mark (based on the row):
List: with diacritical mark:
(H/K)
Row "ha" (は/ハ) --------- "pa" (ぱ/パ)
As promised, here is the full list of hiragana/katakana characters that use the Tenten diacritical mark:
List: Hiragana: Katana:
ha/ba は/ば ハ/バ
hi/bi ひ/び ヒ/ビ
fu/bu ふ/ぶ フ/ブ
he/be へ/べ ヘ/ベ
ho/bo ほ/ぼ ホ/ボ
ka/ga か/が カ/ガ
ki/gi き/ぎ キ/ギ
ku/gu く/ぐ ク/グ
ke/ge け/げ ケ/ゲ
ko/go こ/ご コ/ゴ
ta/da た/だ タ/ダ
chi/*ji This is not commonly used.
tsu/*zu This is not commonly used.
te/de て/で テ/デ
to/do と/ど ト/ド
sa/za さ/ざ サ/ザ
shi/ji し/じ シ/ジ
su/zu す/ず ス/ズ
se/ze せ/ぜ セ/ゼ
so/zo そ/ぞ ソ/ゾ
Lastly, the list of hiragana/katakana that use the Maru diacritical mark:
List: Hiragana: Katakana:
ha/pa は/ぱ ハ/パ
hi/pi ひ/ぴ ヒ/ピ
fu/pu ふ/ぷ フ/プ
he/pe へ/ぺ ヘ/ペ
ho/po ほ/ぼ ホ/ポ
Color iro いろ
Red akai あかい
Blue aoi あおい
Green midori みどり
Orange orenji オレンジ
Yellow kiiro きいろ
Purple murasaki むらさき
White shiroi しろい
Gray haiiro はいいろ
Black kuroi くろい
Brown chaiiro/kasshoku チャイいろ・かっしょく
Note here that brown is an either/or color. Honestly, I remember when I first started speaking Japanese, I heard "chaiiro" as brown. Apparently, "kasshoku" is what is normally used. For now, use "kasshoku".
Okay, you have learned how to say each basic color in Japanese. Now what?
Let's use them to describe things! Here is a list of things we can describe:
1. Tea----- ocha (おちゃ)
2. Hat----- boushi (ぼうし)
3. Umbrella------ kasa (かさ)
4. Socks-------- kutsushita (くつした)
5. Apple*------- ringo (りんご)
First is tea. Now, let's pick a color. How about green (みどり)? So, if you want to say "green tea" in Japanese, use the particle "no" (の) in between the adjective (which is green) and the noun (which is tea):
midori no ocha (みどりのおちゃ) ------ Green Tea
Simple, right? Now, you can apply that same principle to items 2-4.
What about item 5, apple? Apple is special (and I am not talking about the computer company, although they are special). Whenever you want to describe the color of an apple, such as "red apple", you do not need the "no" particle. Thus, it's simply:
akai ringo (あかいりんご)----- Red Apple
Lastly, let's talk about the word "color", which is "iro" (いろ). Have you heard of the term "iroiro"? If so, don't get confused. It does not mean "color color" (that'd be redundant). "iroiro" is referring to the word "various" or "a lot". So, when you hear the word "iroiro", just think "various" (like colors). And, plain "iro" is just the word "color".
Adjectives:
Pretty------------ きれい
Good------------- いい
Beautiful--------- うつくし
Hot---------------- あつい
Cold--------------- さむい
Interesting--------おもしろい
Delicious ---------- おいしい
These are some basic adjectives that is most commonly heard in anime. Let's be honest here: you all learned these adjectives when watching your favorite anime in english subtitles (and so did I). Remember when we described certain objects by using colors? Now, let's take it one step further and describe what these object are like. Here is a sentence we can start off with:
The green tea is delicious.
Break it down: The subject is "tea". What kind of tea? "Green" tea, which describes what kind it is. Now, how does it taste? "Delicious". Lastly, what is the verb to help complete the sentence? "Is". You see what happened? We just broke down the sentence in this order: Adjective no Subject wa Description "be" verb. Translated:
みどりのおちゃはおいしいです。
What about the word "the"? Don't need it! In this case, and many other cases, "The" is just an extra word. So, in english, you really are saying "green tea is delicious" rather than "THE green tea is delicious". How about another example?
The weather is good.
Remember how we formulated the last sentence? Just apply the same principle here. Here is the result:
てんきはいいです。
Now, try it on your own and post in the comments what you came up with. Here are some sentences that you can translate:
1. The yellow hat is pretty.
2. The red umbrella is beautiful.
3. The blue socks are interesting.
4. The tea is hot.
5. The weather is cold.
All the subjects can be found in this lesson and the last lesson.
As you can see, "that", "which" and "this" have two versions. Here is how to distinguish one from the other: The second version (the one using the particle の describe). Just like with any other subject, use these either at the beginning to ask what something is, describe which kind, or use it toward the end, next to "です". Here are some examples:
How much is this pen?
このペンはいくらですか。
That is a pen.
それはペンです。
That (over there) is Machiko's pen.
まちこのペンはあそこです。
Which pen is it?
ペンはどれですか。
Notice: The difference between "that" and "that (over there)" is "that" is referring to the subject in close proximity to you. Whereas "that (over there)" is referring to the subject a greater distance from you. "That (over there)" has three different versions. "あの" is descriptive. "あれ" is a subject. "あそこ" is more of a direct object. We used the direct object version in the example above.
On a final note, these directional words are not highly descriptive (like giving clear directions, go left or right). But, these are good practice tools to use.
Now, for your first 5 Kanji of the day:
私 ------- わたし (I/me)
人 -------- ひと (person/human)
車 -------- くるま (car)
本 -------- ほん (book/basis)
月 -------- つき・げつ (moon/month)
Master these first before moving on to the next set.
ko こ コ
ra ら ラ
ri り リ
ru る ル
re れ レ
ro ろ ロ
More lessons to come.
In the next lesson, we will be asking a ton of questions. Plus, we'll learn more hiragana and katakana (the last of the basic sets). Have questions? Comments? Advice? Suggestions? Post in the comments below.
Until next time (Jaa mata, ne!).
FEBRUARY 17, 2016
Japanese Language Lesson 2
Basic Conversation and Asking Questions (Part 3)
Conversation 1:
Machiko: How much is the pen?
Yamanako: The pen is 600 yen.
(まちこ：ペンはいくらですか。
やまなこ：ペンはろっぴゃくえんです。)
Conversation 2:
Yamanako: How was the sushi?
Machiko: The sushi was delicious.
(やまなこ：すしはどうですか。
まちこ：すしはおいしいです。)
Break it down (Conversation 1):
In this lesson, we are working with the "how" questions. The first "how" question deals with the monetary amount. In order to ask how much an item is, we use "ikura" (いくら) towards the end of the sentence. The item in this conversation is the pen. Machiko wants to know how much the pen costs. So, she asks it in this manner:
(The) pen is how much? ---- pen wa ikura desu ka.
To answer her question, Yamanako uses the subject "pen" in her sentence to describe the cost value of the item.
(The) pen is six hundred yen. ------ pen wa roppyaku en desu.
"Six hundred yen" is highlighted because it answers "how much" item x is. It is a minor introduction to counters, but we will add in numbers here and there to make it simple to remember. On a brief note, "Roppyaku" is the combination of the numbers "roku" (6) and "hyaku" (100). Instead of saying "rokuhyaku" (which is a mouthful), "roppyaku" is the correct way (makes it easier to say). And "en" is just short for "yen".
Break it down (Conversation 2):
Here is the second "how" question. "How," in this sentence, asks the condition of something. So, the word "dou" is used. Yamanako wants to know if the sushi was good (the condition of something).
(The) sushi was how (conditionally)? ----- sushi wa dou desu ka.
Lastly, Machiko answers with an adjective describing the condition of the sushi. "Oishii" (おいしい) is an adjective describing a food item that is tasty. In this case, the food item is sushi. The condition of the sushi was delicious. Therefore, the sushi was delicious:
(The) sushi was delicious. ----- sushi wa oishii desu.
The next time you want to ask for the cost of something, use "ikura" (how much is item x). Or, if you want to ask how something is (the condition of x), then use "dou." s
Hiragana and Katakana for the day:
English: Hiragana: Katakana:
ma ま マ
mi み ミ
mu む ム
me め メ
mo も モ
ya や ヤ
yu ゆ ユ
yo よ ヨ
wa わ ワ
*(w)o を ヲ
n ん ン
*"Wo" is pronounced "o" and is a particle in the hiragana. It's not really used much in its katakana form, although it is good to know what it is. "Wo" will be covered in a later lesson.
More lessons to come.
The next lesson is a special lesson. We will be covering the variations of hiragana and katakana with the "tenten" and "maru" diacritical marks. Have questions? Comments? Advice? Suggestions? Post in the comments below.
Until next time (Jaa mata, ne!).
FEBRUARY 18, 2016
Japanese Language Lesson Special Lesson 2
Tenten and Maru Diacritical Marks
Congratulations! You have mastered the basics of Hiragana and Katakana. Now that you understand what each character is, let's take it one step further and talk about the diacritical marks, tenten and maru.
First off, what is a diacritical mark?
To keep it simple (and to avoid long dictionary definitions), diacritical marks are accented marks that slightly changes the alphabetical character. For example, we have learned in previous lessons that "be" verbs in Japanese is "desu".
"Desu" uses a hiragana character with a diacritical mark. The bolded part of the word indicates that "de" was a regular hiragana character before the change. Let's see how this works:
1. Foundational Hiragana character---- te (て)
2. Add tenten (") diacritical mark
3. Result: te (て) -------- de (で)
The tenten diacritical mark, which looks like ("), is added to change "te" to "de". Most hiragana (and katakana) use this diacritical mark.
Hiragana/Katakana that uses the tenten diacritical mark (based on the row):
List: with diacritical mark:
(H/K)
Row "ka" (か/カ) ------------ "ga" (が/ガ)
Row "ha" (は/ハ) ------------ "ba" (ば/バ)
Row "ta" (た/タ) ------------ "da" (だ/ダ)
Row "sa" (さ/サ) ------------- "za" (ざ/ザ)
Next: the Maru diacritical mark.
The Maru diacritical mark (which looks like an unfilled circle) is a special mark. Only one row of Hiragana/Katakana use this mark to change its character sound. Let's use this example:"enpitsu" (pencil in Japanese). "Enpitsu" is spelled out like this:えんぴつ. Note that "pi" (not the math symbol pi), uses the diacritical mark.
1. Foundational Hiragana character: "hi" (ひ)
2. Add Maru diacritical mark.
3. Result: hi (ひ) ------- pi (ぴ)
Since there is only one row of hiragana/katakana that uses the diacritical mark, that makes things easier to follow.
Hiragana/Katana that uses the maru diacritical mark (based on the row):
List: with diacritical mark:
(H/K)
Row "ha" (は/ハ) --------- "pa" (ぱ/パ)
As promised, here is the full list of hiragana/katakana characters that use the Tenten diacritical mark:
List: Hiragana: Katana:
ha/ba は/ば ハ/バ
hi/bi ひ/び ヒ/ビ
fu/bu ふ/ぶ フ/ブ
he/be へ/べ ヘ/ベ
ho/bo ほ/ぼ ホ/ボ
ka/ga か/が カ/ガ
ki/gi き/ぎ キ/ギ
ku/gu く/ぐ ク/グ
ke/ge け/げ ケ/ゲ
ko/go こ/ご コ/ゴ
ta/da た/だ タ/ダ
chi/*ji This is not commonly used.
tsu/*zu This is not commonly used.
te/de て/で テ/デ
to/do と/ど ト/ド
sa/za さ/ざ サ/ザ
shi/ji し/じ シ/ジ
su/zu す/ず ス/ズ
se/ze せ/ぜ セ/ゼ
so/zo そ/ぞ ソ/ゾ
Lastly, the list of hiragana/katakana that use the Maru diacritical mark:
List: Hiragana: Katakana:
ha/pa は/ぱ ハ/パ
hi/pi ひ/ぴ ヒ/ピ
fu/pu ふ/ぷ フ/プ
he/pe へ/ぺ ヘ/ペ
ho/po ほ/ぼ ホ/ポ
More lessons to come.
In the next lesson, we will discuss colors! For all of you artists out there, this one's for you! Have questions? Comments? Advice? Suggestions? Post in the comments below.
Until next time (Jaa mata, ne!).
FEBRUARY 26, 2016
Japanese Language Lesson 3
Colors!
Calling all artists! Would you like to know how to say red, blue, green, yellow, orange, and other colors in Japanese? In today's lesson, you can! Here is a basic list:
English: Romaji: Hiragana/Katakana:
Color iro いろ
Red akai あかい
Blue aoi あおい
Green midori みどり
Orange orenji オレンジ
Yellow kiiro きいろ
Purple murasaki むらさき
White shiroi しろい
Gray haiiro はいいろ
Black kuroi くろい
Brown chaiiro/kasshoku チャイいろ・かっしょく
Note here that brown is an either/or color. Honestly, I remember when I first started speaking Japanese, I heard "chaiiro" as brown. Apparently, "kasshoku" is what is normally used. For now, use "kasshoku".
Okay, you have learned how to say each basic color in Japanese. Now what?
Let's use them to describe things! Here is a list of things we can describe:
1. Tea----- ocha (おちゃ)
2. Hat----- boushi (ぼうし)
3. Umbrella------ kasa (かさ)
4. Socks-------- kutsushita (くつした)
5. Apple*------- ringo (りんご)
First is tea. Now, let's pick a color. How about green (みどり)? So, if you want to say "green tea" in Japanese, use the particle "no" (の) in between the adjective (which is green) and the noun (which is tea):
midori no ocha (みどりのおちゃ) ------ Green Tea
Simple, right? Now, you can apply that same principle to items 2-4.
What about item 5, apple? Apple is special (and I am not talking about the computer company, although they are special). Whenever you want to describe the color of an apple, such as "red apple", you do not need the "no" particle. Thus, it's simply:
akai ringo (あかいりんご)----- Red Apple
Lastly, let's talk about the word "color", which is "iro" (いろ). Have you heard of the term "iroiro"? If so, don't get confused. It does not mean "color color" (that'd be redundant). "iroiro" is referring to the word "various" or "a lot". So, when you hear the word "iroiro", just think "various" (like colors). And, plain "iro" is just the word "color".
More lessons to come.
In the next lesson, we will discuss description words since colors is a great start into learning adjectives. And, from that lesson on, I won't be using Romaji (just to challenge your Hiragana and Katakana skills). Soon, I will be introducing Kanji (for all those, including myself, who struggle with remembering Kanji). Have questions? Comments? Advice? Suggestions? Post in the comments below.
Until next time (Jaa mata, ne!).
March 3, 2016
Japanese Language Lesson 4 (part 1)
Descriptive words
Adjectives:
Pretty------------ きれい
Good------------- いい
Beautiful--------- うつくし
Hot---------------- あつい
Cold--------------- さむい
Interesting--------おもしろい
Delicious ---------- おいしい
These are some basic adjectives that is most commonly heard in anime. Let's be honest here: you all learned these adjectives when watching your favorite anime in english subtitles (and so did I). Remember when we described certain objects by using colors? Now, let's take it one step further and describe what these object are like. Here is a sentence we can start off with:
The green tea is delicious.
Break it down: The subject is "tea". What kind of tea? "Green" tea, which describes what kind it is. Now, how does it taste? "Delicious". Lastly, what is the verb to help complete the sentence? "Is". You see what happened? We just broke down the sentence in this order: Adjective no Subject wa Description "be" verb. Translated:
みどりのおちゃはおいしいです。
What about the word "the"? Don't need it! In this case, and many other cases, "The" is just an extra word. So, in english, you really are saying "green tea is delicious" rather than "THE green tea is delicious". How about another example?
The weather is good.
Remember how we formulated the last sentence? Just apply the same principle here. Here is the result:
てんきはいいです。
Now, try it on your own and post in the comments what you came up with. Here are some sentences that you can translate:
1. The yellow hat is pretty.
2. The red umbrella is beautiful.
3. The blue socks are interesting.
4. The tea is hot.
5. The weather is cold.
All the subjects can be found in this lesson and the last lesson.
More lessons to come.
In the next lesson, we will introduce like here, there, that, this, over there, etc. And, I will be introducing Kanji (for all those, including myself, who struggle with remembering Kanji) in the next lesson. Have questions? Comments? Advice? Suggestions? Post in the comments below.
Until next time (Jaa mata, ne!).
March 17, 2016
Japanese Language Lesson 4 (part 2)
More Descriptive Words
すみません！わたしはすごくいそがしかったですよ！
(Sorry! I have been super busy!)
Things have been crazy busy on my end lately. Thank you all for bearing with me. Okay, so today's lesson deals with directional words (at least the basics). Here is a list of them to help you out and we can make some example sentences out of them.
English Hiragana
Here ここ
There そこ
That (over there) あそこ・あの・あれ
This これ・この
That それ・その
Where どこ
Which どれ・どの
How much is this pen?
このペンはいくらですか。
That is a pen.
それはペンです。
That (over there) is Machiko's pen.
まちこのペンはあそこです。
Which pen is it?
ペンはどれですか。
Notice: The difference between "that" and "that (over there)" is "that" is referring to the subject in close proximity to you. Whereas "that (over there)" is referring to the subject a greater distance from you. "That (over there)" has three different versions. "あの" is descriptive. "あれ" is a subject. "あそこ" is more of a direct object. We used the direct object version in the example above.
On a final note, these directional words are not highly descriptive (like giving clear directions, go left or right). But, these are good practice tools to use.
Now, for your first 5 Kanji of the day:
私 ------- わたし (I/me)
人 -------- ひと (person/human)
車 -------- くるま (car)
本 -------- ほん (book/basis)
月 -------- つき・げつ (moon/month)
Master these first before moving on to the next set.
More lessons to come.
In the next lesson, we will introduce more descriptive words that will help describe where something is in detail. And, I will be introducing more Kanji (for all those, including myself, who struggle with remembering Kanji) in the next lesson. Have questions? Comments? Advice? Suggestions? Post in the comments below.
Until next time (Jaa mata, ne!).
January 23, 2017
New Japanese Language Lesson!
(久しぶりですね、みんなさん！）
久しぶりですね、みんなさん。I know it has been a while since I posted anything for the language part of the blog. Sorry about that! I had a blast in Japan though (more updates to the pictures, videos, and discussion board coming soon). Since it is a new year, I decided I'm going to do these lessons differently. Instead of fully explaining the meaning of the sentences outright, I will just give you phrases and point out which Kanji (in the phrases) you should learn. I will mostly be utilizing the Genki textbooks and will let you know which lesson it is (Genki is a highly recommended textbook for introductory Japanese in college). Also, there are other books I will use so I will let you know which phrases or sentence structures come from where.
This is the first new lesson so let's test this out.
New phrase to expand your Japanese
Level 1
週末、たいてい何をしますか。（週末〜しゅうまつ、何〜なに）
On the weekends, what do you usually do? (lesson 3, Genki 1)
日本で日本語を勉強します。（日本〜にほん、日本語〜にほんご、勉強します〜べんきょうします。）
In Japan, I will study Japanese. (lesson 3, Genki 1)
図書館で日本語を勉強しませんか。（図書館〜としょかん）
Would you like to study Japanese in the library with me? (Polite, Lesson 3, Genki 1)
If you need review of hiragana and katakana, scroll up to see the charts.
Let me know down in the comments below if this method is helpful. We'll do more phrases and Kanji in the next lesson!
January 25, 2017
Japanese Language Lesson 2
New Phrases to expand your Japanese
Level 2
私はレストランの前でカーロスさんを待ちました。（私〜わたし、前〜まえ、待ちました〜まちました）
I was waiting for Carlos in front of the restaurant. (Lesson 4, Genki 1)
昨日の夜語時間半寝ました。（昨日〜きのう、夜〜よる、語時間半〜ごじかんはん、寝ました〜ねました）
Last night I slept for 5 and a half hours. (Lesson 4, Genki 1)
私は友だちとモールに行きました。モールでたくさん買いました。（友だち〜ともだち、行きました〜いきました、買いました〜かいました）
I went to the mall with my friends. At the mall, (we) shopped a lot. (Lesson 4, Genki 1)
BONUS PHRASE!
野菜は好きですか。野菜は好きでも嫌いでもないです。（野菜〜やさい、好き〜すき、嫌い〜きらい）
Do you like vegetables? I neither like nor dislike vegetables. (Lesson 5, Genki 1)
Make sure to learn to write these kanji/type them out. Also, combine what you have learned from these phrases and past lessons for better practice. Until next time!
January 30, 2017
Japanese Language Lesson 3
New Phrases to expand your Japanese
Level 3
彼は元気な人です。（彼〜かれ、元気〜げんき、人〜ひと）
He is an energetic person. (Lesson 5, Genki 1)
この朝に、私は寒かったです。（朝〜あさ、寒かった〜さむかった）
This morning, I was cold. (Lesson 5, Genki 1)
一緒に図書館で歴史を勉強しましょうか。（一緒〜いっしょ、歴史〜れきし）
Shall we study history in the library? (Lesson 5, Genki 1)
窓口で、切手を５枚買いました。（窓口〜まどぐち、切手〜きって）
At the counter, I bought 5 stamps. (Lesson 5, Genki 1)
Make sure to learn to write these kanji/type them out. And practice formulating your own sentences. The next set of phrases are going to be very practical and helpful! Until next time!
February 1, 2017
Japanese Language Lesson 4
New Phrases to expand your Japanese.
Level 4
荷物を持ってください。（荷物〜にもつ、持って〜もって）
Please carry the (luggage) bag. (Lesson 6, Genki 1)
ここでタバコを吸ってはいけません。（吸って〜すって）
Please do not smoke here. (Lesson 6, Genki 1)
モールの食堂に行って、昼ご飯を食べましょう。（食堂〜しょくど、昼ご飯〜ひるごはん、食べましょう〜たべましょう）
Let's go to the mall cafeteria and eat lunch. (Lesson 6, Genki 1)
新しいマンガを見てもいいですか。もちろん。（新しい〜あたらしい、見て〜みて）
May I see the new manga? Of course. (Lesson 6, Genki 1)
今、日本語を勉強します。明日試験がありますから。（明日〜あした、試験〜しけん）
Now, I will study Japanese. (Because) There will be a test tomorrow. (Lesson 6, Genki 1)
This is a comprehensive chapter. But, it will help further your Japanese language learning skills. Pretty soon, the coming chapter will turn into everyday conversations. Until next time!
February 3, 2017
Japanese Language Lesson 5
New Phrases to expand your Japanese.
Level 5
彼女はTシャツを着ています。大きいです。（彼女〜かのじょ、着て〜きて）
She is wearing a T-Shirt. It's big. (Lesson 7, Genki 1)
あの女の人の 鼻は小さいですね。（女の人〜おんなのひと、鼻〜はな、小さい〜ちいさい）
That woman's nose is small, isn't it? (Lesson 7, Genki 1)
この家はきれいで、大きです 。（家〜いえ）
This house is clean and big. (Lesson 7, Genki 1)
宮古さんは日本に英語を教えに帰ります。（宮古〜みやこ、英語〜えいご、教え〜おしえ、帰ります〜かえります。）
Ms. Miyako returned to Japan to teach english. (Lesson 7, Genki 1)
This chapter has a lot of flexibility which will help you in the next lesson. The goal here is, by the time we reach Chapter 12 of Genki 1, to form conversations and translate those conversations (along with the kanji). Who knows? The future conversations may be in Manga format. (Spoiler alert)
Until next time!
February 6, 2017
Japanese Language Lesson 6
New Phrases to expand your Japanese.
Level 6
じろじろ見ないでください。（見ないで〜みないで）
Please don't stare. (Lesson 8, Genki 1)
日本の料理を作るのが好きです。もすぐ、上手になります。日本の料理をいつも作りますから。（料理〜りょうり、作る〜つくる）
I like making (cooking) Japanese food. Soon, I will become skilled (at it). (Because) I make Japanese food all the time. (Lesson 8, Genki 1)
猫が何も食べません。寝ましたから。（猫〜ねこ、寝ました〜ねました）
The cat has not eaten anything. (Because) the cat has been sleeping. (Lesson 8, Genki 1)
This chapter covers a lot of informal conversations. However, I want you to get used to saying the more formal versions first since you will be using that often. I will share those thoughts under my "Do's and Don'ts" page. Until next time!
February 8, 2017
Japanese Language Lesson 7
New Phrases to expand your Japanese.
Level 7
昼ご飯を食べた？ううん、たべなかった。（昼ご飯〜ひるごはん）
Did you eat lunch? No, I have not. (informal speech) (Lesson 9, Genki 1)
目がね をかけている人は澄子です。（目〜め、澄子〜すみこ）
The person wearing glasses is Sumiko. (Lesson 9, Genki 1)
私はもう宿題をしました。本当に？僕はまだ宿題をしていません。（宿題〜しゅくだい、本当〜ほんとう、僕〜ぼく）
I have already done my homework. Really? I have not yet done my homework. (Lesson 9, Genki 1)
映画の切符がありますから、一緒に行きましょう。（映画〜えいが、切符〜きっぷ ）
I have movie tickets (therefore) we should go. (Lesson 9, Genki 1)
Three more chapters and we will be completing the first set of Introductory Japanese phrases. You are doing great! Until next time!
February 10, 2017
Japanese Language Lesson 8
New Phrases to expand your Japanese.
Level 8
飛行機と電車と船の中で、どっちが一番高いですか。（飛行機〜ひこうき、電車〜でんしゃ、船〜ふね、中〜なか、一番〜いちばん、高い〜たかい）
Between an airplane, a train, and a boat, which one is the most expensive? (Lesson 10, Genki 1)
季節の中でいつが一番好きですか。（季節〜きせつ）
What season do you like the best? (Lesson 10, Genki 1)
澄子さんのほう がリーアンさんより背が低いです。（背が低い〜せがひくい）
Sumiko is shorter than Leanne. (Lesson 10, Genki 1)
すしとラメンとどっちのほうが美味しいですか。（美味しい〜おいしい）
Which is tastier, sushi or ramen? (Lesson 10, Genki 1)
安い辞書を買いに行きました。でも いいのがありませんでした。（安い〜やすい、辞書〜じしょ）
I went to buy an inexpensive dictionary, but there were no good ones. (Lesson 10, Genki 1)
日本のデザートのほうがアメリカのより美味しいです。
Japanese desserts are tastier than American ones. (Lesson 10, Genki 1)
もすぐ、日本に行くつもりです。日本で旅館に泊まります。（旅館〜りょかん）
Soon, I intend to go to Japan. In Japan, I will stay in a ryokan. (Lesson 10, Genki 1)
今度、医者になりたいです。私の夢です。（今度〜こんど、医者〜いしゃ、夢〜ゆめ）
One day, I want to become a doctor. It's my dream. (Lesson 10, Genki 1)
はしで何か食べましたか。まだ。
Did you eat anything with chopsticks? Not yet. (Lesson 10, Genki 1)
This is a comprehensive chapter that will serve a greater function in the future. I know it's a lot of sentences to try and master. But I know you can do it! I believe in you! ガンッバテ！！Just two more chapters and we can move on to the more advanced set! Until Next time!
February 13, 2017
Japanese Language Lesson 9
New Phrases to expand your Japanese.
Level 9
コヒーを飲みたいです。（飲み〜のみ）
I want to drink coffee. (Lesson 11, Genki 1)
澄子さんはすしを食べたがっていますね。
It seems Sumiko wants to eat sushi. (Lesson 11, Genki 1)
大阪で買い物をしたり、たこ焼きを食べたり、自転車を乗りたりします。（大阪〜おおさか、買い物〜かいもの、焼き〜やき、自転車〜じてんしゃ、乗りたり〜のりたり）
In Osaka, I will do such things as go shopping, eat takoyaki, and ride a bike. (Lesson 11, Genki 1)
猫カフェに行ったことがあります 。（猫〜ねこ）
I have had the experience of going to a cat cafe. (Lesson 11, Genki)
日本でどこでも旅行することがありました。たとえば、東京や奈良や長崎に行きました。（旅行する〜りょこする、東京〜とうきょう、奈良〜なら、長崎〜ながさき）
In Japan, I traveled everywhere. For example, I went to Tokyo, Nara, and Nagasaki. (Lesson 11, Genki 1)
You are almost to the last chapter of this book. The next lesson concludes Genki 1! But before you scroll down to move forward, make sure to review the sentence and writing that we have covered thus far. It's no good if you get lost halfway through the first part of the advanced lessons. Until Next time!
February 15, 2017
Japanese Language Lesson 10
New Phrases to expand your Japanese.
Level 10 (The last of the beginner lessons!)
試験が終わったんです。（終わったん〜おわったん）
The test is over (In response to the question "Why are you happy?") (Lesson 12, Genki 1)
彼が飲みすぎました。
He drank too much. (Lesson 12, Genki 1)
この新聞を読んだほうがいいですよ。（新聞〜しんぶん）
You had better read this newspaper. (Lesson 12, Genki 1)
その野菜はまずいにおいので、きらいです。
Because that vegetable smells bad, I don't like it. (A more formal way of saying "because". Lesson 12, Genki 1)
今日、テニスクラブがあるから、何か食べなければ・食べなきゃいけません。
Because I have Tennis Club today, I have to eat something. (you can use either)
(Lesson 12, Genki 1)
彼女は魚が好きでしょう・だろう。（魚〜さかな）
She probably likes fish. (you can use either one)
(Lesson 12, Genki 1)
よかった！！終わった！おめでとう！
You did it! This is the end! Congratulations! Now you are ready to advance to the next lessons we will prepare for you soon! Until then, if you need to review over these lessons before moving on, please do so. The next few lesson, we will give you little hints to what the sentences are saying. Keep checking back for more updates!
じゃあ、またね！
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