grammar - chapter 1
A. Basic Sentence Pattern
1. Statements
A wa B desu (A は B です) = A is B OR As for “A”, it is “B”
This pattern is called a “topic-comment” pattern.
2. Questions
A wa B desu ka (A は B ですか) = Is A B? OR As for “A”, is it “B”?
ka is the question marker/particle. The word order is the SAME as a statement, but you add “ka” to make the statement a question.
3. Using "no" の
The 3 Functions of “no” (の) introduced in this chapter are:
*Note: There can be several “no”s in a single sentence… Guess the meaning of these sent…
Try these using “no”
1. I am a computer student from Uleth.
2. My Japanese teacher is a foreign exchange student from England.
3. My friend is a 4th year music student from China.
4. Smith is a Korean graduate student of international management.
Using no Part 1 Review hot potatoes practice
Using no Part 2 Review hot potatoes practice
1. Statements
A wa B desu (A は B です) = A is B OR As for “A”, it is “B”
This pattern is called a “topic-comment” pattern.
- Sumisu san wa kanada jin desu.
- As for Smith, he’s Canadian.
- sumisuさんはkanadaじんです。
- Tanaka san wa daigakusei desu.
- As for Tanaka, she’s a univ. student.
- たなかさんはだいがくせいです。
2. Questions
A wa B desu ka (A は B ですか) = Is A B? OR As for “A”, is it “B”?
ka is the question marker/particle. The word order is the SAME as a statement, but you add “ka” to make the statement a question.
- Sumisu san wa kanada jin desu ka.
- As for Smith, is he a Canadian?
- sumisuさんはkanadaじんですか。
- Tanaka san wa daigakusei desu ka.
- As for Tanaka, is she a univ. student?
- たなかさんはだいがくせいですか。
3. Using "no" の
The 3 Functions of “no” (の) introduced in this chapter are:
- Possessive
- Example: My, Tanaka’s, Sensei’s etc.
- E.g. (Watashi no) senkou wa nihongo desu.
- わたしのせんこうはにほんごです。
- My major is Japanese.
- “of” or “from”
- E.g. Resuburijji daigaku no Sumisu desu.
- resuburijjiだいがくのsumisuです。
- I am Smith from U.Leth.
- E.g. Resuburijji daigaku no Sumisu desu.
- When first noun modifies the next
- Example: (like an adjective) Adj+N
- E.g. Resuburijji daigaku no nihongo no sensei desu.
- resuburijjiだいがくのにほんごのせんせいです。
- I am a Japanese teacher of/from Uleth)
*Note: There can be several “no”s in a single sentence… Guess the meaning of these sent…
- (Watashi wa) hawaii daigaku no nihongo no ichinensei no sensei desu.
- (Watashi wa) tokyo daigaku no fainansu no san nen sei desu.
Try these using “no”
1. I am a computer student from Uleth.
2. My Japanese teacher is a foreign exchange student from England.
3. My friend is a 4th year music student from China.
4. Smith is a Korean graduate student of international management.
Using no Part 1 Review hot potatoes practice
Using no Part 2 Review hot potatoes practice
B. Particles
1. も mo: "also"
* Note: You cannot add two sentences together with で unless the first sentence ends in です。Connecting sentences makes you sound more fluent….
1. も mo: "also"
- Watashi mo san nensei desu.
- I’m also a junior.
- わたしもさんねんせいです。
- Watashi no senkou mo konpyuuta desu yo.
- My major is also computer.
- わたしのせんこうもkonpyuutaですよ。
- Watashi no tomodachi no senkou mo konpyuuta desu.
- My friend’s major is also computer.
- わたしのともだちのせんこうもkonpyuutaです。
* Note: You cannot add two sentences together with で unless the first sentence ends in です。Connecting sentences makes you sound more fluent….
- E.g. Tokyoo daigaku no sannensei *desu. + senmon wa konpyuuta desu. = Tokyoo daigaku no sannensei de, senmon wa konpyuuta desu.
C. Exchanging Names
1. Giving one’s name
Names Review hot potatoes practice
1. Giving one’s name
- Risa Sumisu desu.
- (リサ(りさ)・スミス(すみす)です)
- Neutral - I am Lisa Smith.
- Risa Sumisu to moushimasu
- (リサ(りさ)・スミス(すみす)ともうします)
- Polite - I am called Lisa Smith.
- Risa to yonde kudasai.
- (リサ(りさ)とよんでください)
- Neutral - Please call me Lisa)
- O namae wa – (nan desu ka)
- (おなまえは何ですか)
- What is (*your) name?
- *Note: The use of “you” or “your” in Japanese is very restricted. It can sound very rude to use the word “you” to people – especially a teacher!
- Japanese names are usually given family name (myouji) first and given name (namae) last.
- Non-Japanese people are not under any obligation to say family name first and people are often at a loss as what to call you. Thus, it is important to say one’s full name slowly in ‘katakana’ Japanese so that it is easy to understand AND then let the person know what they can call you.
Names Review hot potatoes practice
D. University and Class Standing
** Note: Words in parentheses are often left out completely! It is not common to use pronouns in Japanese unless it is not understood who the sentence is about.
1. Talking about one’s class standing
** Note: Words in parentheses are often left out completely! It is not common to use pronouns in Japanese unless it is not understood who the sentence is about.
1. Talking about one’s class standing
- (watashi wa) ichi nensei desu.
- わたしは一年生(いちねんせい)です
- (I) am a freshman.
- Daigakusei desu.
- 大学生(だいがくせいです
- (I) am a university student.
- Tanaka san no daigaku wa doko (*dochira) desu ka.
- たなかさんの大学(だいがく)はどこですか
- Where is your university?
- Note: “where” NOT “what”
- *dochira (どちら) is more polite than doko. Use this mainly with people of higher status like teachers or a boss.
- Tanaka san wa doko de benkyou shite imasu ka.
- たなかさんはどこで勉強(べんきょう)していますか
- Where do you study?
- Tanaka san wa nan nensei desu ka.
- 田中(たなか)さんは何年生(なんねんせい)ですか。
- What year are you?
- Tanaka san wa daigakuinsei desu ka.
- 田中(たなか)さんは大学院生(だいがくいんせい)ですか。
- Are you a grad. student?
- Tanaka san wa ryuugakusei desu ka.
- 田中(たなか)さんは留学生(りゅうがくせい)ですか。
- Are you a foreign exchange student?
E. Talking About Nationalities
* These are all required vocab!
To make a nationality, just add “jin” to the country name.
* These are all required vocab!
To make a nationality, just add “jin” to the country name.
- (Watashi wa) nihonjin desu.
- わたしはにほんじんです
- (I am) Japanese.
- Sumisu san wa kanadajin desu.
- sumisuさんはkanadaじんです
- Smith is Canadian.
F. Talking About Languages
*These are all required vocab
To say the language of a country just add “go” (language) to the country name.
*Note: An exception is ENGLISH: eigo (えいご)
*These are all required vocab
To say the language of a country just add “go” (language) to the country name.
*Note: An exception is ENGLISH: eigo (えいご)
- Nihongo 日本語 にほんご Japanese language
- chuugokugo 中国語 ちゅうごくご Chinese language
G. Talking About Where You/Others Come From
*Underlined sentences are required knowledge.
* Words in parentheses are often left out completely! It is not common to use pronouns in Japanese unless it is not understood who the sentence is about.
1. Talking about where YOU are from
*Underlined sentences are required knowledge.
* Words in parentheses are often left out completely! It is not common to use pronouns in Japanese unless it is not understood who the sentence is about.
1. Talking about where YOU are from
- (watashi wa) kanada jin desu
- (I am) Canadian.
- (わたしはkanadaじんです
- (watashi no) kuni/shusshin wa kanada desu.
- (My) home country (or origin) is Canada.
- わたしの(くに/しゅっしん)はkanadaです。
- Canada can be replaced with the province/state/city depending on how specific you want to be AND how much the other person knows about the place you are talking about.
- (watashi wa) kanada kara kimashita.
- (I) came from Canada.
- わたしはkanadaからきました。
- (watashi wa) kanada ni sunde imasu.
- (I) live in Canada (but may not be from Canada).
- わたしはkanadaにすんでいます。
H. Talking About/Asking About Majors
* Note: There are two words for “major”: senkou and senmon. There is a slight difference between these words. “Senkou” tends to be used more for undergraduates and “senmon” has the connotation of “specialty” and is used for more professional or higher level specializations. For example, a teacher’s area of specialty is called a “senmon”, and some specialty shops are called “senmon-ten”.
1. Talking about one’s major or what one studies
2. Asking about someone’s major or studies
* Note: There are two words for “major”: senkou and senmon. There is a slight difference between these words. “Senkou” tends to be used more for undergraduates and “senmon” has the connotation of “specialty” and is used for more professional or higher level specializations. For example, a teacher’s area of specialty is called a “senmon”, and some specialty shops are called “senmon-ten”.
1. Talking about one’s major or what one studies
- (watashi no) senkou/senmon wa nihongo desu.
- (My major) is Jpn.
- わたしのせんこうはにほんごです。
- Nihongo o senkou shite imasu.
- (I) am majoring in Japanese.
- にほんごをせんこうしています。
- Nihongo o benkyou shite imasu.
- (I) am studying Japanese.
- にほんごをべんきょうしています。
2. Asking about someone’s major or studies
- Tanaka san no senkou/senmon wa nan desu ka.
- What is your major T san?
- たなかさんのせんこうはなんですか。
- Tanaka san wa nani o senkou shite imasu ka.
- What are you majoring in Tanaka san?
- たなかさんはなにをせんこうしていますか。
- Tanaka san wa nani o benkyou shite imasu ka.
- What are you studying (do you study) Tanaka san?
- たなかさんはなにをべんきょうしていますか。
I. Talking About Hobbies/Likes
1. Talking about one’s hobby or likes
2. Asking about someone’s hobby/likes
3. Using the verb:
If you want to use the verb and specify (e.g. I like watching sports versus I like doing sports) then use the following pattern: (this is advanced, so only choose this option if you plan on memorizing it)
1. X + o + verb + koto ga suki desu = (I like doing X)
2. X + o + verb + no ga suki desu
a. Tenisu o suru *no ga suki desu.
(I) like playing(doing) tennis.
tenisuをするのがすきです。
b. Supootsu o miru *no ga suki desu.
(I) like watching tennis.
supootsuをみるのがすきです。
* Note: The “no” in the above sentences is the “ing” so don’t forget it!
Hobbies Review hot potatoes practice
1. Talking about one’s hobby or likes
- (watashi no) shumi wa tenisu desu.
- (My) hobby is tennis.
- わたしのしゅみはテニスです。
- Tenisu ga suki desu.
- (I) like tennis.
- tenisuがすきです。
- Suki na koto wa tenisu to anime desu.
- Things (I) like are… tenisu and anime.
- すきなことはtenisuとanimeです。
2. Asking about someone’s hobby/likes
- (~san no)(go) shumi wa nan desu ka.
- What is your hobby (~san)?
- ~さんのしゅみはなんですか。
3. Using the verb:
If you want to use the verb and specify (e.g. I like watching sports versus I like doing sports) then use the following pattern: (this is advanced, so only choose this option if you plan on memorizing it)
1. X + o + verb + koto ga suki desu = (I like doing X)
2. X + o + verb + no ga suki desu
a. Tenisu o suru *no ga suki desu.
(I) like playing(doing) tennis.
tenisuをするのがすきです。
b. Supootsu o miru *no ga suki desu.
(I) like watching tennis.
supootsuをみるのがすきです。
* Note: The “no” in the above sentences is the “ing” so don’t forget it!
Hobbies Review hot potatoes practice
Chapter 1 Related Review Exercises
Sentence Making Review hot potatoes practice
Asking questions Review
General Vocabulary Review hot potatoes practice
Formulaic Expressions Review hot potatoes practice
Sentence Making Review hot potatoes practice
Asking questions Review
General Vocabulary Review hot potatoes practice
Formulaic Expressions Review hot potatoes practice