EditLesson 7
This lesson will require the knowledge of Hiragana. The Starter Level is not needed, but the vocabulary may prove useful with practice sessions.
Edit Conversation Piece
Edit Introduction
A:
ruby|皆|みな| さん、こちらは マイク・ミラーさんです
B: おはよう ごさいます。 マイク・ミラーです。
ABCの
ruby|社員|しゃいん| です。どうぞ よろしく おねがいします。
A: Everyone, this is Mr.
Mike Miller.
B: Good morning. I'm
Mike Miller.
ABC employee. Nice to meet you.
Edit Grammar
Edit The topic marker
The topic marker is written with the hiragana は, but when used as a particle it is usually pronounced わ. It is placed after the topic of the sentence to indicate that the preceding word is the subject.
The English phrase "as for" is often used to convey the connotation of は, though in many cases it sounds unnatural if used in English. It does, however, convey some senses of the particle, one of which is marking changing topics. If you were just talking about someone else, and you switched to yourself, you should say わたしは, "as for me...". After that, it wouldn't be necessary to mention again that you were talking about yourself.
| Examples |
| kana | english |
|---|
私わたし は 明あきら です。 | I am Akira. |
Edit The question marker
The kana か is used at the end of the sentence, after a verb, to indicate that the sentence is a question. The use of the "?" is optional, and most times a 。is used. Some people tend to substitute the か with the, "?" symbol, but even in these cases the sound is still spoken.
| Examples |
| kana | english |
|---|
お名前 なまえ は 何 なん です か？ | What's your name? |
あの 方 かた は どなた です か？ | Who's that person? |
Edit NOUN の NOUN
The particle の allows one noun to modify another to either describe it or show possession. This particle has other uses, which will be described in other lessons.
Examples| kana | english |
|---|
私 わたし の ペン | My pen |
Edit Pronouns
Watakushi わたくし -very polite term for "I"
Watashi 私-generic term for I
Boku 僕 -male term for I used by some females
Ore 俺 -ONLY males are allowed to use this form. it signifies power and authority.
Anata 貴方 -formal term for "you"
Anta あんた -casual sometimes impolite term for "you"
Omae お前 -this form of "you" is used to smaller kids and when someone is on a lower level than you i.e.: smaller siblings, wife, etc
Kimi 君 -informal term for "you". places someone on the same level as you.
Temee テメエ -avoid using this term. it is an absolutely rude term for "you". only use this in a fight.
Kisama キサマ -this term marks someone as your enemy. avoid at all costs.
Edit Demonstratives and Interrogatives
Demonstratives have three prefixes, which denote the distance from the speaker: こ~ for near the speaker, そ~ for near the addressee, あ~ for neither near the speaker nor the addressee. For the interrogatives, ど~ is used.
| | こ- | そ- | あ- | ど- |
|---|
| -れ | これ
this one | それ
that one | あれ
that one over there | どれ
which one? |
|---|
| -の | この
(of) this | その
(of) that | あの
(of) that over there | どの
(of) what? |
|---|
| -んな | こんな
like this | そんな
like that | あんな
like that over there | どんな
how? what sort of? |
|---|
| -こ | ここ
here | そこ
there | あそこ *
over there | どこ
where? |
|---|
| -ちら | こちら
this way | そちら
that way | あちら
that way over there | どちら
which way? |
|---|
| -う | こう
in this manner | そう
in that manner | ああ *
in that (other) manner | どう
in what manner? |
|---|
| * irregular formation |
Edit Volitional verb form
Volitional or presumptive verbs are generally used to express intention. Volitional conjugation for the godan verbs are done by changing the last kana to the お kana of that line and adding the kana う.
| Conjugation Table for godan verbs | dictionary form | volitional | example |
|---|
| ～う | ～おう | 会うあう → 会う |
| ～く | ～こう | 行くいく → 行こう |
| ～す | ～そう | 出す だす → 出そう |
| ～つ | ～とう | 打つ うつ → 打とう |
| ～む | ～もう | 休む やすむ → 休もう |
| ～る | ～ろう | 座る すわる → 座ろう |
Edit ～と
Edit Vocabulary
Particles| Kana | Rōmaji | function |
|---|
| は | wa | topic marker/subject marker |
| の | no | noun modifier (NOUNのNOUN) |
| か | ka | indicates a question |
Edit Honorifics
-san : Mr. Ms. Mrs. -used after anyone's name
-chan: Ms. -used after females' names; sometimes boys if they are very close to you
-kun: Mr. -used after males' names; sometimes girls if they are very close to you
-sama: polite version of "-san"
-dono: very polite version of "-san". higher than "-sama"
-sensei: used after teachers' last names or any scientist's last name.
Edit Practice
For learning
Japanese | Category
Uncategorized | Level
Unspecified |
Second language
English | Created
Apr 22, 2008 17:40 | Views
2746 |
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