Japanese Grammar
Japanese Grammar
Japanese Grammar
Meaning : Hashi (Chopstick / Bridge), Hasami (Scissors), Eigo (English), Umi (Sea),
Oyogimasu (Swim), Asobimasu (Play)
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You may notice the “ga” that located in between 2 sentences. It represents “but”.
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Conversation 1
Q : Is the window closed? - Mado o shimemashita ka?
A : Yes, the window and curtain are closed - Hai, Mado mo ka-ten mo shimemashita (the
curtain is an aditional info to the question, that’s why “mo” is used) OR
A : Yes, it’s closed - Hai, shimemashita
Conversation 2
Q : Have you rented a house? - Uchi o karimashita ka?
A : No, I did not rent a house but rented an Apartment - Iie, uchi wa karimasen deshita,
apa-to o karimashita
Q : I see. Where is the Apartment located? - Sou desu ka. Sono apa-to wa doko ni
arimasu ka?
A : It’s near the train station. - Eki no soba ni arimasu.
Conversation 3
Waiter : Welcome - Irasshaimase
Tony : What do you want to drink - Nani o nomimasu ka?
Jenny : Coffee for me. How about you? - Watashi wa ko-hi- desu. Anata wa?
Tony : Me too and order me a cake please - Watashi mo. Sorekara ke-ki mo onegai
shimasu
You may have notice that some verbs use “mashita” instead of “masu”. “mashita” is use
for Past Tense where “masu” is Present Tense. For example :
See, It’s easy. Japanese Present/Past Tense is much easier than English.
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As you can see in the above example, the verbs in standard form (impolite) and “masu”
form (polite) are different. Here I will show you how to do the conversion.
Whenever there is “4th tone” (ie: ke, se, re, me, etc) in the second last of the japanese
character, you should change the last character to masu. Example : Taberu, notice that the
“be” is positioned in second last, then you should use “Tabemasu (replace “ru” with
“masu”). Another example, “Akeru” >> Akemasu.
With “3rd tone” (ie: ku, su, mu, ru, etc) positioned as last character, always replace with
“2nd tone” (ie: ki, shi, mu, ri, etc) follow by “masu. Example : Kaku >> Kakimasu,
Yasumu >> Yasumimasu. However some verbs ending with “ru” cannot be replace with
“ri” but to replace with “masu”. Those special verbs are, Miru (See), Kiru (Wear), Kariru
(Rent/Borrow), Okiru (Wake) where you have to change them to “Mimasu”, “Kimasu”,
“Karimasu” & “Okimasu” respectively. For your info, there are some verbs with the
same pronunciation but different Kanji. Example: Kiru which mean “Wear(着る)” &
“Cut(切る) but only Wear use Kimasu where the rest will be “rimasu” (ie: kirimasu).
Confusing huh!!!
There are also some special verbs such as “Kuru (Come)” & “Suru (Do)” where it will be
changed to “Kimasu” & “Shimasu” respectively.
If you want to change the “masu (positive)” to negative, just use “masen”. Example :
Tabemasen
It is a bit confusing initially but as long as you practice more, you will one day master the
verbs conversion.
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Today, I would like to review back what we have learned previously by Question &
Answer. I will post the questions in English at the bottom and all you need to do is post
your answers in Romaji (Japanese) in the comment. I will then let your know whether it
is wrong or right.
Why I am doing this is because practical is an important factor to keep what we have
learned in mind.
Here we go :
Example : My Question - What is this? Your Answer in comment - Kore wa nan desu
ka?
Q1 - This is my pencil
Q2 - This is my car
Q4 - Yes, it is mine
OK, that’s all for this section. Try it out now !!!
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Once you have master the pronunciation of Numbers that I have covered earlier, this
section will be easy for you.
12.00 - Juuni ji
12.30 - Juuni ji han
12.45 - Juuni ji yonjuu go fun
Meaning : Ji (o’clock), Fun (Minute), Byou (Second)
1 minute - ippun
2 minute - nifun
3 minute - sanbun
4 minute - yonfun
5 minute - gofun
6 minute - roppun
7 minute - nanafun
8 minute - happun
9 minute - kyuufun
10 minute - juppun
On date, we use Nichi (Date aka Day), Getsu / Gatsu (Month), Nen (Year) & Youbi
(Day). For Western, they use Month-Day-Year or Day-Month-Year but for Japanese,
they use Year-Month-Day.
Example
19th December 2005 - 2005 nen juuni gatsu juukyuu nichi desu
For Day (Youbi), Japanese uses Moon (mon), Fire (tue), Water (wed), Wood (thur), Gold
(fri), Earth (sat) and Sun (sun).
Monday - Getsu youbi
Tuesday - Ka youbi
Wednesday - Sui youbi
Thursday - Moku youbi
Friday - Kin youbi
Saturday - Do youbi
Sunday - Nichi youbi
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The Post Office is located between the pharmacy and clinic - Yuubinkyoku wa kusuriya
to shinryoujo no aida ni arimasu
「ゆうびんきょく は くすりや と しんりょうじょ の あいだ に あります」
The bookstore is near the train station - Honya wa eki no soba ni arimasu
「ほんや は えき の そば に あります」
The Clinic is in front of the department store - Shinryoujo wa depa-to no mae ni arimasu
「しんりょうじょ は デパート の まえ に あります」
The department store is on the left side - Depa-to wa hidari gawa ni arimasu
「デパート は ひだりがわ に あります」
Other Direction
Right - Migi
Right Side - Migi gawa
Beside - Yoko
Opposite - Hantai
Opposite Direction - Hantai gawa
Behind - Ushiro
Q : Is the Hotel located beside the station? - Hoteru wa eki no yoko ni arimasu ka?
「ホテル は えき の よこ に あります か」
A : Yes, it is beside the station. - Hai, yoko ni arimasu.
「はい、よこ に あります」
A : Iie, it is not beside the station. - Iie, yoko ni wa arimasen
「いいえ、よこ に は ありません」
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The other day, I have posted a lesson on “Arimaus” where it is use for non living things.
“Imasu” is use for living things such as human and animals. Remember, when you want
to say “Is Tony around”, do not use “arimasu” (ie. Tony-san ga arimasu ka). If you use
arimasu, that means Tony-san is not a living things
Meaning : Inu (Dog), Buchou (Department Head), Jimusho (Office), Uchi (Home)
Other places
School - Gakkou 「がっこう(学校)」
Clinic - Shinryoujo 「しんりょうじょ(診療所)」
Classroom - Kyoushitsu 「きょうしつ(教室)」
Room - Heya 「へや(部屋)」
Meeting Room - Kaigishitsu 「かいぎしつ(会議室)」
Pharmacy - Kusuri Ya 「くすりや(薬屋)」
Cofee Shop - Kissaten 「きっさてん(喫茶店)」
Hotel - Hoteru 「ホテル」
Kitchen - Daidokoro 「だいどころ(台所)」
Park - Kooen 「こうえん(公園)」
Garden / Yard - Niwa 「にわ(庭)」
Roof - Yane 「やね(屋根)」
Bank - Ginkou 「ぎんこう(銀行)」
Police Stand - Kouban 「こうばん(交番)」
Greengrocer - Yao Ya 「やおや(八百屋)」
Fish Shop - Sakana Ya 「さかなや(魚屋)」
Book Store - Hon Ya 「ほんや(本屋)」
Department Store - Depa-to 「デパート」
Hospital - Byouin 「びょういん(病院)」
Company - Kaisha 「かいしゃ(会社)」
Train Station - Eki 「えき(駅)」
Theatre / Cinema - Eigakan 「えいがかん(映画館)」
Post Office - Yuubinkyoku 「ゆうびんきょく(郵便局)」
Motel (Japanese Style) - Ryokan 「りょかん(旅館)」
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Meaning : Tsukue (Table), Ue (up), Ue ni (on / on top), Isu (Chair), Shita (Down), Shita
ni (under / at the bottom), Hikidashi (Drawer), Naka / Naka ni (Inside / In)
The particle “ni” is translated as “in, at, on”. It is also normally use for questions such as
Where (direction), What (time), etc. For example :
Q : Where is my pen - Watashi no pen ga doko ni arimasu ka? 「わたし の ペン が
どこ に あります か」
A : Your pen is in the drawer - Anata no pen ga hikidashi no naka ni arimasu?
「あなた の ペン が ひきだし の なか に あります」
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“Sorekara” can be translated as “And”, “Then”, “And Also”. Look at the examples
below:
Another usage is :
Q : Do you have Sony’s Camera? - Soni kamera ga arimasu ka? 「ソニ カメラ が
あります か」
A : Yes, we have Sony as well as Panasonic cameras - Hai, Soni kamera ga arimasu.
Sorekara, Panasonikku kamera mo arimasu. 「はい、ソニ カメラ が
あります。それから、パナソニック カメラ も あります」