Preface:
This chapter will cover:
1) The verb form, "hanashi": "To speak/talk"
2) The particle question:"ka"
3) The Japanese word "doko" for "where".
4) The Japanese words "koko" and "soko" for "here" and "there".
5) The Japanese meanings for "near" and "far".
Again, these are basic grammatical information necessary for learning Japanese. Memorizing every point isn’t necessary; however reading and understanding every point is vital. There will be examples needed to explain basic Japanese structure. Eventually, you will find that you have a good grasp of the basic features of Japanese grammar without any deliberate memorization of rules. *Note – Each bold type (non-italic) wording/phrase can be found in Audio Lesson 10.
Vocabulary List:
“Around Town”
Around town – machi no suuhen
town – machi
city – toshi, shi
village – mura
car –kuruma, jidoosha
bus – basu
train – densha
taxi – takushii
Subway / metro – chikatetsu
traffic – kootsuu
building (high-rise) – tatemono, biru
Apartment building – apaato
library – toshokan
restaurant – resutoran
store – mise
street – michi, toori
park – kooen
Train station – eki
airport – kuukoo
airplane – hikooki
intersection – koosaten
Lamp post – gaitoobashira
Street light – gaitoo
bank – ginkoo
church – kyookai
temple – (o)tera
Mosque – mosuku
sidewalk – hodoo
bakery – panya, beekarii
Butcher shop – nikuya
Café / coffee shop – kissaten
drugstore – yakkyoku, kusuriya
Supermarket - suupaa
market – ichi, maaketto
Shoe store – kutsuya
Clothing store - yoohinten, iryoohinten
Electronics store - denkiya
Bookstore - honya, shoten
Department store - depaato
Mayor - shichoo, choochooo
City hall / municipal building - shiyakusho
To buy - kau
To go shopping - kaimono ni iku
near / far - chikai / tooi
Urban - tokai no
suburban - koogai no
Rural - inaka no / den’en no / nooson no
A. Common Verb Forms
In Japanese, main verbs come at the ends of sentences (similarly to "desu"). Since Japanese's sentences often omit the subject, the verb is probably the most important part in understanding the sentence. However, verbs forms are considered to be difficult to learn. The good news is the system itself is rather simple, as far as memorizing certain rules. It is also seen that Japanese verbs make no distinction of person or number; the same forms are used for first, second, and third person in both the singular and plural. And, as you have probably noticed, in Japanese is it the verb ending that determine tenses. (More will be learned in Chp. 12.)
1) "Hanashi" (to talk - speaking, chatting, conversations, gossip, story-telling; anything that has to do with speaking and talking)
I speak/talk I spoke/ talked I'm speaking/talking
Hanashi masu. speak/talk will speak/talk
Hanashi mashita spoke/talked have spoken/have talked
Hanashi mashoo. Let's speak/talk will (might) talk/speak
Hanashi te imasu. talking/speaking
Hanashi te imashia. was talking/speaking
Hanashi te kudasai. Please speak/talk.
Please note the following:
a) The endings denoting the tenses for the above word are:
Present or future --masu
Past --mashita
Tentative --mashoo
Present progressive --te imasu
Past progressive --te imashita
Polite request --te kudasai
NOTE - The "--te"(て) form (usually written using the "hiragana" stroke) is a useful form of Japanese verbs. It does not indicate tense by itself, however it combines with other verb forms to create other tenses. The use of "--te" is also considered to be a "linking verb" (am, was, were).
Also, notice how the other words correspond with verb the same forms of English:
1. The use of "masu" is simular to "desu", and that the "u" is silent or devoiced. It is the first (and/or future) verb form of speaking.
(ex. I talk / I will talk.)
2. The use of "--shita" is the past verb and can be coupled with "have" and "had".
(ex. I have -or- I've, I had -or- I'd).
3. The use of "--shoo" is the tentative form, or what we consider to be "may", "might", "could", "maybe".
(ex. I might / could / may speak)
b) The same forms are used for singular and plural and for the first, second and third persons. The subject of a sentence does not have to be mentioned when the context clarifies who is speaking or what is being spoken about.
Hanashi masu. I speak / talk.
Hanashi masu. You (sg.) speak/talk.
Hanashi masu. He/she speaks/talks.
Hanashi masu. We speak/talk.
Hanashi masu. You (pl.) speak/talk
Hanashi masu. They speak/talk.
2) Now, we will discuss the negative forms of "hanashimasu" - to speak and talk.
I don't speak I didn't speak I wasn't speaking
Hanashi masen. I don't speak I will not speak
Hanashi masen desita. I didn't speak.
Hanashi imasen. I am not speaking.
Hanashi imasen deshia. I wasn't speaking.
Hanasa naide kudasai. Please don't speak.
Please note the following:
a) The endings denoting the tenses for the above word are (note that there are no tentative forms for the negative verb form):
Negative present or future --masen
Negative past --masen deshita
Negative present progressive --te imasen
Negative past progressive --te imasen deshita
Negative polite request --naide kudasai
b) Note again, that the subject of each of these sentences could be "I", "you", "he/she", "we", or "they". "I" is arbitrarily used as the subject in the English translations. As the lessons proceed, we'll learn more verbs in these forms and after a while, we'll become familiar with them. Now let's study some more examples:
Japanese Expression English Translation
Tabe masu. I eat. I will eat.
Tabe te imasu. I am eating.
Tabe mashita. I ate.
Tabe te imashita. I was eating.
Tabe te kudasai. Please eat.
Tabe mashoo. Let's eat.
Tabe masen. I do not (don't) eat. I will not (won't) eat.
Tabe te imasen. I am not eating.
Tabe masen deshita. I didn't eat.
Tabe te imasen deshita. I was not eating.
Tabe naida kudasai. Please don't eat.
Donna mono o tabe mashita ka? What kinds of things did you eat?
Sukiyaki ya tenpura o tabe mashita. We akt, sukiyaki, tempura, and things like that.
Kooii Coffee
Koohii o nomi masu. I drink coffee.
ocha tea
Ocha o nomi mashoo. Let's drink (Japanese) tea.
Ocha o nomi mashita. They drank (Japanese) tea.
B. Asking a Question - I
As we have seen, one way to ask a question is to add the particle "ka" (か) to the end of the sentence (usually written using the "hiragana" stroke) and use either a rising or falling intonation. To ask a question in a negative, use the particle "ka" in the same way. Here are a few examples:
Japanese Expression English Translation
Nara imasu. You learn.
Nara imasu ka? Do you learn?
Nara imashita. You learned. You have learned.
Nara imashita ka? Did you learn? Have you learned?
Naratte imasu. You are learning.
Naratte imasu ka? Are you learning?
Naratte imashita. You were learning.
Naratee imashita ka? Were you learning?
Nara imasen ka? Don't you learn?
Nara imasen deshia ka? Didn't you learn?
Naratte imasen ka? Aren't you learning?
Naratte imasen deshita ka? Weren't you learning?
Naratte imasen deshita Nihongo ka? Weren't you learning Japanese?
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