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Baffling Lingo

Water on the Brain 

Hello, everyone. Today, I would like to have a short talk about the phrases from "Minna no Nihongo" Chapter 1. When you say, "I’m from Japan, 日本から来ました," it sounds natural. However, if you are Thai and living in Thailand, saying "タイからきました" sounds very strange. The phrase "～からきました" implies that you are not currently in that place.

Perhaps in English, it would be fine for a Canadian in Canada to say 'I’m from Canada' in a setting with people from various countries. This highlights a subtle difference between Japanese and English.

Thank you for listening today. Currently, my "Minna no Nihongo" course and the group lesson course are available at half price for the first session, so if you're interested, please feel free to message me.

Good luck with your studies!


ようへい先生　　N4,N5チャンネル

みんなの日本語Chapter One　～からきました

Wat-san appears in "Minna no Nihongo," but can everyone pronounce the name correctly?

It's Wat, not "Waat." This pronunciation is very important. Many students pronounce it without properly stopping the sound. Even if you don't pronounce "Wat-san" correctly, most people will understand. However, many similar words will come up later, such as "kite," "kitte," "kaite," and "katte."

If you don't properly skip the small "っ," even Japanese people can get confused often.

Please try pronouncing it once: "Wat-san." You shouldn’t hold your breath tightly in your stomach. You also shouldn’t hold the air in your mouth. If you do, you’ll definitely end up saying "Waat-san" again. Use a little of your throat and stomach. It’s "Wat-san."

OK, that’s it for today.

Oh, regarding my course, the "Minna no Nihongo Course" and "Minna no Nihongo Group Lesson" are currently half price for the first time. If you're interested, please give it a try. Good luck with your studies! Bye!


みんなの日本語Chapter One　”ワットさん”

Hello. Today, I will talk a little about the way to say "20 years old" that comes up in the first Chapter of Minna no Nihongo.
At 20 years old, it’s fine to say “にじゅっさい” (nijussai), but there’s also another way to say it: “はたち” (hatachi).　Japanese counters can be challenging to remember, as they are not “いちさい” (ichisai) but rather “いっさい” (issai), and not “しちさい” (shichisai) but “ななさい” (nanasai). Occasionally, there are completely different expressions, like for 20 years old. It can be difficult, but let’s do your best to memorize them.

As for “はたち,” in Lesson 5, the date “20th”  is also expressed as “はつか.” Perhaps ancient Japanese people used the character “は” to mean 20. Connecting these two ideas might make it a bit easier to remember. Keep up the good work!

Now, a little update regarding my course: I have launched a new Minna no Nihongo course. The content is exactly the same, but it can be taken with two people. It’s also possible with three or more, but in that case, the lesson fee will change a little bit.
Of course, just like the regular Minna no Nihongo course, there will be plenty of homework. If anyone would like to take it with a friend, please give it a try!

Alright, everyone, keep studying hard!


みんなの日本語Chapter One　20years old

Today's content is brief, but there is a phrase in "Minna no Nihongo" that means "Nice to meet you," which is "どうぞよろしく" . However, I think it's not used very often. In the last 20 years, I've only heard this phrase from Japanese learners. A more natural way to say it is "よろしくおねがいします" , and a more polite version would be "どうぞ、よろしく おねがいします" .

As for my "Minna no Nihongo" lesson course, I recently created a lot of audio homework. I recommend it for those who want to start studying Japanese. Please give it a try.

Alright, everyone, keep up the good work with your Japanese. See you again!


みんなの日本語Chapter One "どうぞ よろしく”

In the vocabulary of 'Minna no Nihongo' Chapter 1, there are the words ”きょうし”  and ”せんせい” . Do you understand the difference? Both translate to 'teacher,' but ”きょうし” generally refers to school teachers, with a few exceptions. For example, it does not refer to those who teach at cram schools . On the other hand, ”せんせい” has a broader meaning. At this point in Lesson 1, you might not need to worry too much about it, but I will explain.

Of course, school teachers are included, but also instructors at cram schools, doctors, politicians, and sports instructors can all be called '先生.' In Lesson 17 on page 145, there is a conversation between a doctor and Matsumoto-san, and if Matsumoto-san were to refer to this doctor, they would normally call them “せんせい” not ”いしゃ” , which means ”doctor.”

This might change the subject a bit, but regarding my 'Minna no Nihongo course,' I have created a substantial amount of homework with audio. Just taking lessons alone won't significantly improve your skills. I believe this homework will be quite effective. Of course, it is not mandatory; whether to do it or not depends on the students. 
For those who want to start Japanese lessons but aren’t sure where to begin, please give it a try.

Alright. So everyone, please do your best with Japanese. See you again!
