LESSON 8
Let’s Keep in Touch!
また連絡してね！
Mata Renraku Shite Ne!
In this lesson, you will learn basic vocabulary for modern methods of communication and sentence structures that are useful for discussing a variety of situations and conditions including permissions and obligations.
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[cue 08-1] |
Basic Sentences
1. |
「どこかに公衆電話はありませんか。」 “Dokoka ni kōshū denwa wa arimasen ka.” “Is there a pay phone somewhere?” |
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「この辺ではどこにもないと思います。」 “Kono hen de wa doko ni mo nai to omoimasu.” “I don’t think there’s any around here.” |
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2. |
「ちょっと電話を借りてもいいですか。」 “Chotto denwa o karite mo ii desu ka.” “Is it okay to use your phone?” |
「はい，いいですよ。どうぞ。」 “Hai, ii desu yo. Dōzo.” “Sure, it’s fine. Go ahead.” |
3. |
どこにかけても話し中です。どうすればいいでしょうか。 Doko ni kakete mo hanashi-chū desu. Dō sureba ii deshō ka. No matter where I dial, I get a busy signal. What should I do? |
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4. |
よく勉強しなくてはいけません。 Yoku benkyō shinakute wa ikemasen. I have to study hard. |
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5. |
電車の中では携帯で話してはいけません。 Densha no naka de wa keitai de hanashite wa ikemasen. You are not allowed to talk on the cell phone in the train. |
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6. |
まだ1時ですから急がなくてもいいですよ。 Mada ichi-ji desu kara isoganakute mo ii desu yo. It’s still one o’clock, so no need to hurry. |
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7. |
「メールアドレスを教えてください。」 “Mēru adoresu o oshiete kudasai.” “Could you let me know your email address?” |
「mori23@ibt.ac.jpです。」 “mori nijū san atto māku ai bī tī dotto ei shī dotto jei pī desu.” “It’s mori23@ibt.ac.jp.” |
8. |
推薦状は早くお願いした方がいいですよ。 Suisenjō wa hayaku onegai shita hō ga ii desu yo. It’s better to request a recommendation letter early. |
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9. |
12月になったら年賀状を書かなくてはいけません。 Jūni-gatsu ni nattara nengajō o kakanakute wa ikemasen. In December, we have to write New Year’s cards. |
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10. |
メールはいつでも送れるし，いつでも読めるし，便利です。 Mēru wa itsu de mo okureru shi, itsu de mo yomeru shi, benri desu. Emails are convenient because we can send and read them at any time. |
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11. |
そんなひどいことは私には言えません。 Sonna hidoi koto wa watashi ni wa iemasen. I cannot say such a terrible thing. |
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12. |
今は幼稚園の子どもでさえ簡単にパソコンを使っています。 Ima wa yōchien no kodomo de sae kantan ni pasokon o tsukatte imasu. Nowadays, even kindergarteners use computers with ease. |
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13. |
あれこれ考えているうちに嫌になりました。 Are kore kangaete iru uchi ni iya ni narimashita. While I was thinking about it, I started to hate it. |
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14. |
早ければ早いほどいいです。 Hayakereba hayai hodo ii desu. The sooner, the better. |
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[cue 08-2] |
Basic Vocabulary
TELEPHONE
電話 denwa |
telephone |
電話番号 denwa-bangō |
telephone number |
携帯(電話) keitai (denwa) |
cell phone |
スマートフォン sumātofon |
smart phone |
公衆電話 kōshū denwa |
public phone, pay phone |
かける・かけます (電話を) kakeru/kakemasu (denwa o) |
makes a phone call |
切る・切ります (電話を) kiru/kirimasu (denwa o) |
(cuts the phone call =) hangs up, ends the call |
EMAIL/TEXT
メール mēru |
email, text |
メールする・メールします mēru suru/mēru shimasu |
sends an email, texts |
ログインする・ログインします roguin suru/roguin shimasu |
logs in |
ログアウトする・ログアウトします roguauto suru/roguauto shimasu |
logs out |
アドレス adoresu |
(email) address |
添付 tenpu |
attachment |
郵便 yūbin |
mail, mailing |
郵送する・郵送します yūsō suru/yūsō shimasu |
sends something by mail |
郵便番号 yūbin-bangō |
zip code |
封筒 fūtō |
envelope |
切手 kitte |
stamp |
年賀状 nengajō |
New Year greeting cards |
CULTURE NOTE Nengajō ‘New Year’s Greeting Cards’
Every year, the Japanese send nengajō, a greeting postcard celebrating the new year, to their relatives, friends, bosses, and colleagues. Unlike Christmas cards in the West, which can be mailed and delivered in December, nengajō are mailed in December, stocked at the post office, and delivered on January first all at once. It is important to write 年賀 (New Year celebration) in red right below the space for the stamp on the front of the postcard to prevent it from being delivered before January first. Post offices hire numerous part-time workers, mostly students, to sort nengajō in December. Each family receives a bunch of the cards, often more than a hundred. The greeting phrase most commonly written on nengajō is Akemashite omedetō gozaimasu ‘Happy New Year.’ The Japanese often print, draw, or stamp the new year’s zodiacal animal on the card. Nengajō plays an important role in allowing the Japanese to keep in touch with their relatives and friends over the years. As you might suspect, nengajō in electronic format are gaining in popularity.
OTHER COMMUNICATION TOOLS
チャット chatto |
chat, chatting |
ファックス fakkusu |
fax |
ネット netto |
Internet |
ウエブサイト uebusaito |
Web site |
ブログ burogu |
blog |
ソーシャルネットワーク sōsharunettowāku |
social network |
フェイスブック Feisubukku |
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ツイッター tsuittā |
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ツイートする・ツイートします tsuīto suru/tsuīto shimasu |
tweets |
ポストする・ポストします posuto suru/posuto shimasu |
posts |
フォローする・フォローします forō suru/forō shimasu |
follows |
アプリをダウンロードする apuri o daunrōdo suru |
downloads an app |
BONDING
飲み会 nomikai |
drinking party |
カラオケ karaoke |
karaoke |
居酒屋 izakaya |
Japanese-style (inexpensive) bar |
CULTURE NOTE Izakaya
An izakaya is an inexpensive, casual Japanese-style bar that serves home-style dishes like grilled meat, seafood, and vegetables, edamame, and tofu along with drinks. They often have Japanese-style rooms with a big, long, low tables so a group of friends can sit close together in the same room on tatami mats. Office workers frequently go to izakaya after work. The same people who may seem very serious while working at the office during the daytime suddenly become very open, talkative, and cheerful once they enter an izakaya. When they drink, they tend to be more frank and honest as well. Accordingly, the izakaya is an important place for colleagues to communicate and bond with each other.
ADJECTIVES AND ADJECTIVAL NOUNS
新しい atarashii |
is new |
古い furui |
is old |
若い wakai |
is young |
難しい muzukashii |
is difficult |
簡単（だ） kantan (da) |
(is) easy |
若い wakai
Furui ‘is old’ is the opposite of atarashii ‘is new’ and does not refer to age. The opposite of wakai ‘is young’ is toshi ga itte imasu ‘is aged.’ To say a person is ‘older,’ you can say either toshi ga ue desu or toshiue desu. To say a person is ‘younger,’ you can say either toshi ga shita desu or toshishita desu.
Structure Notes
8.1. Interrogatives + も mo or か ka
An interrogative is a word that asks a question, like dare ‘who,’ dore ‘which,’ nani ‘what,’ dō ‘how,’ ikura ‘how much,’ ikutsu ‘how many,’ itsu ‘when, what time,’ dono ‘which one,’ or donna ‘what sort of.’ These interrogatives can also be followed by the particles mo and ka with special meanings.
When followed by mo, the meaning of the phrase is GENERALIZED, meaning something like ‘every, all’ if the predicate is affirmative. However, it means ‘no, none, not at all, not any’ if the predicate is negative. Phrases consisting of INTERROGATIVE + mo occur more often with the negative than with the affirmative. In the affirmative, phrases of the type INTERROGATIVE + de (COPULA GERUND) + mo are often used instead. (These are discussed in 8.3.) See the following pairs of examples:
Interrogative + mo with an affirmative predicate ‘every, all’ |
Interrogative + mo with a negative predicate ‘no, none, not at all, not any’ |
いつも来ます。 Itsu mo kimasu. He comes over all the time. |
いつも来ません。 Itsu mo kimasen. He never comes over. |
どのコースも取りました。 Dono kōsu mo torimashita. He took every course. |
どのコースも取りませんでした。 Dono kōsu mo torimasen deshita. He did not take any course. |
そんなことはだれもが知っています。 Sonna koto wa dare mo ga shitte imasu. Anyone knows this sort of thing. |
そんなことはだれも知りません。 Sonna koto wa dare mo shirimasen. No one knows such a thing. |
何でも食べました。 Nan de mo tabemashita. I ate anything. |
何も食べませんでした。 Nani mo tabemasen deshita. I did not eat anything. |
どれも好きです。 Dore mo suki desu. I like all of them. |
どれも好きじゃありません。 Dore mo suki ja arimasen. I like none of them. |
どこにもあります。 Doko ni mo arimasu. You can find it everywhere. |
どこにもありません。 Doko ni mo arimasen. You cannot find it anywhere. |
All of the interrogatives except demonstrative adjectives such as dono ‘which’ and donna ‘what sort of’ occur followed by ka, and the resulting phrases have an INDEFINITE meaning, something like ‘some’ and ‘any.’ For example, Itsu ka asobi ni kite kudasai ‘Please come to visit us sometime.’
Expressions with ka and mo are often used with additional particles as well, but the particles wa, ga, and o usually do not occur. The meaning of the wa, ga, or o is carried by the juxtaposition of the phrase with the rest of the sentence and the general context. For the expressions ending in ka, any additional particles usually come AFTER the particle ka. For the expressions with mo, the additional particles usually come BEFORE the particle mo. Thus we find Doko ka e ikimashita ‘He went someplace,’ but Doko e mo ikimasen deshita ‘He didn’t go any place.’ An exception is the way you say ‘in some way,’ dō ni ka, for this follows the pattern of dō ni mo ‘in (not) any way, in no way; in every way.’ The simple expressions dō ka and dō mo are not used with these meanings, perhaps because of the existence of the special expressions dō ka ‘please’ (an old-fashioned form of dōzo) and dō mo ‘ever so much, very much’ as in Dō mo arigatō gozaimasu ‘Thank you very much.’
「だれかに言いましたか。」
“Dare ka ni iimashita ka.”
“Did you say it to anyone?”
「いいえ, だれにも言いませんでした。」
“Īe, dare ni mo iimasen deshita.”
“No, I did not say it to anyone.”
「だれか来ましたか。」
“Dare ka kimashita ka.”
“Did anyone come?”
「いいえ, だれも来ませんでした。」
“Īe, dare mo kimasen deshita.”
“No, no one came.”
「ツイッターで誰かをフォローしていますか。」
“Tsuittā de dare ka o forō shite imasu ka.”
“Are you following anyone on Twitter?”
「いいえ，誰もフォローしていません。」
“Īe, daremo forō shite imasen.”
“No, I’m not following anyone.”
「昨日は何かしましたか。」
“Kinō wa nani ka shimashita ka.”
“Did you do anything yesterday?”
「いいえ，何もしませんでした。」
“Īe, nani mo shimasen deshita.”
“No, I did not do anything.”
「その中に何かありますか。」
“Sono naka ni nani ka arimasu ka.”
“Is there anything in it?”
「いいえ，何もありません。」
“Īe, nani mo arimasen.”
“No, there’s nothing.”
「夏休みはどこかに行きましたか。」
“Natsu-yasumi wa doko ka ni ikimashita ka.”
“Did you go anywhere during summer vacation?”
「いいえ，どこにも行きませんでした。」
“Īe, doko ni mo ikimasen deshita.”
“No, I did not go anywhere.”
「どれか好きなのはありますか。」
“Dore ka suki na no wa arimasu ka.”
Is there any one (of them) you like?”
「いいえ，どれも好きじゃありません。」
“Īe, dore mo suki ja arimasen.”
“No, I don’t like any one of them.”
「どちらか使いますか。」
“Dochira ka tsukaimasu ka.”
“Will you use either one of them?”
「いいえ，どちらも使いません。」
“Īe, dochira mo tsukaimasen.”
“No, I will use neither one.”
Notice that the English translations ‘any, anyone, anybody, any time, etc.’ correspond to the phrases with ka if the English contains an affirmative verb, but to the phrases with mo if the English contains a negative verb.
There is a special use of the INDEFINITE EXPRESSIONS in apposition to a noun phrase. An expression like dare ka ‘somebody, anybody’ can be followed immediately by a phrase telling who the somebody is (in general terms):
昨日だれか先生のような人が来ましたよ。
Kinō dare ka sensei no yō na hito ga kimashita yo.
Someone who seemed like a teacher came here yesterday.
だれか外国為替の仕事の経験がある人を知りませんか。
Dare ka gaikoku-kawase no shigoto no keiken ga aru hito o shirimasen ka.
Do you know anyone who has experience in foreign-exchange work?
An expression like doko ka ‘someplace, any place’ can be followed immediately by a phrase specifying the sort of place:
どこか泳ぐことのできるところは近くにありますか。
Doko ka oyogu koto no dekiru tokoro wa chikaku ni arimasu ka.
Is there any place where we can swim?
どこかいいレストランは知りませんか。
Doko ka ii resutoran wa shirimasen ka.
Do you know any good restaurants?
An expression like itsu ka ‘some time’ can be followed immediately by a phrase delimiting the time:
いつか東京に来る機会があれば電話してください。
Itsu ka Tōkyō ni kuru kikai ga areba denwa shite kudasai.
If you have a chance to come to Tokyo sometime, please call me.
And an expression like nani ka ‘something’ can be immediately followed by a phrase limiting the thing:
何か部屋の中にあるものですか。
Nani ka heya no naka ni aru mono desu ka.
Is it something in the room?
すみません。何か書くものを貸してください。
Sumimasen. Nani ka kaku mono o kashite kudasai.
Sorry, but could you lend me something that I can write with?
The expressions ikura ka and nan + COUNTER ka are also used this way:
いくらかお金がいります。/お金がいくらかいります。
Ikura ka o-kane ga irimasu./O-kane ga ikura ka irimasu.
I need some (amount of) money.
いくつかスーツケースがありました。/スーツケースがいくつかありました。
Ikutsu ka sūtsukēsu ga arimashita./Sūtsukēsu ga ikutsu ka arimashita.
There were a number of suitcases.
何冊か本を買いました。/本を何冊か買いました。
Nan-satsu ka hon o kaimashita./Hon o nan-satsu ka kaimashita.
I bought some books.
8.2. Gerund + も mo
The literal meaning of a GERUND (the te-form) + mo is something like ‘even doing, even being so.’ It can often be freely translated ‘even if (or though) somebody does something, even if something is so.’
たくさん食べても太りません。
Takusan tabete mo futorimasen.
Even if I eat a lot, I won’t gain weight.
オペラを見に行きたくてもお金がありません。
Opera o mini ikitakute mo o-kane ga arimasen.
Even if I want to see opera, I don’t have any money.
母は疲れていても料理をします。
Haha wa tsukarete ite mo ryōri o shimasu.
My mother cooks even if she is tired.
これは犬でも食べませんよ。
Kore wa inu de mo tabemasen yo.
Even a dog would not eat this.
こんな簡単な漢字は子供でも書けますよ。
Konna kantan na kanji wa kodomo de mo kakemasu yo.
Even a child can write such an easy kanji character.
The last two examples show a use of the copula gerund de. Note that de mo often starts a sentence ‘But…, Yet…,’ as do shikashi, keredomo (keredo, kedo), and tokoro ga.
Sometimes you have two phrases of the pattern GERUND + mo with the meaning ‘whether someone does one thing or does something else, whether one thing is so or the other is so.’ The two gerunds can be either two different verbs, or the same verb in affirmative and negative forms, or the same verb with different objects or modifiers.
お天気がよくても悪くても毎日散歩に行きます。
Otenki ga yokute mo warukute mo mainichi sanpo ni ikimasu.
I go for a walk every day, whether the weather is good or not.
仕事があってもなくても会社に行きます。
Shigoto ga atte mo nakute mo kaisha ni ikimasu.
I go to my office (company) regardless of whether I have work to do or not.
日本に住んでもアメリカに住んでも同じですよ。
Nihon ni sunde mo Amerika ni sunde mo onaji desu yo.
It’s the same regardless of whether you live in Japan or in America.
好きなものは高くても安くても買います。
Suki na mono wa takakute mo yasukute mo kaimasu.
If I like something, I buy it regardless of whether it’s expensive or cheap.
肉でも魚でも食べます。
Niku de mo sakana de mo tabemasu.
I even eat meat, and also fish.
Often, the concluding clause consists of the word kamaimasen ‘it doesn’t matter; it makes no difference.’ This is a special meaning of the negative form of the consonant verb kama(w)-u ‘is concerned about, pays attention to, goes to trouble for, takes care of, entertains.’ Here are examples:
映画を見に行っても散歩に行っても構いません。
Eiga o mi ni itte mo sanpo ni itte mo kamaimasen.
I don’t care whether you go to a movie or go for a walk.
現金で払ってもクレジットカードで払っても構いません。
Genkin de haratte mo kurejitto kādo de haratte mo kamaimasen.
I don’t care whether you pay by cash or pay by credit card.
部屋は広くても狭くても構いません。
Heya wa hirokute mo semakute mo kamaimasen.
It makes no difference whether the room is large or small.
便利でも不便でも構いません。
Benri de mo fuben de mo kamaimasen.
I don’t care whether it’s convenient or inconvenient.
メールでも電話でも構いません。
Mēru de mo denwa de mo kamaimasen.
It doesn’t matter whether you email me or call me.
8.3. Interrogative + gerund + も mo
In an affirmative sentence an INTERROGATIVE + mo has a GENERALIZED or INCLUSIVE meaning ‘everybody, everywhere, everyone.’ Usually, however, this expression is expanded to INTERROGATIVE + GERUND + mo. If there isn’t a modifying verb, then the gerund is that of the copula de ‘being.’ Here are some examples:
彼はどんな仕事をしてもよくできます。
Kare wa donna shigoto o shite mo yoku dekimasu.
No matter what kind of job he undertakes, he does it the best he can.
何を食べても美味しいです。
Nani o tabete mo oishii desu.
No matter what I eat, I feel it’s delicious.
私は何でもいいです。
Watashi wa nan de mo ii desu.
Anything is fine with me.
どちらでもいいですよ。
Dochira de mo ii desu yo.
Either one/way is fine with me.
兄はスポーツなら何でもできます。
Ani wa supōtsu nara nan de mo dekimasu.
If it is sports, my brother can do anything.
お金はいくらでもありますから心配しないでください。
O-kane wa ikura de mo arimasu kara shinpai shinai de kudasai.
Please do not worry, because I have plenty of money.
いくら勉強しても成績が上がらないんです。
Ikura benkyō shite mo seiseki ga agaranai n desu.
No matter how much I study, my grades do not improve.
アメリカ人ならだれでもその言葉を知っています。
Amerika-jin nara dare de mo sono kotoba o shitte imasu.
Any American knows that word.
どの店で買っても値段は同じです。
Dono mise de katte mo nedan wa onaji desu.
It is sold at the same price at any store.
どの店でもクレジットカードは使えます。
Dono mise de mo kurejitto kādo wa tsukaemasu.
You can use your credit card at any store.
いつ地震や台風が来ても準備はしてあります。
Itsu jishin ya taifū ga kite mo junbi wa shite arimasu.
I’m ready regardless of when earthquakes, typhoons, etc., hit us.
いつでも遊びに来てね。
Itsu de mo asobi ni kite ne.
Please come to visit me any time.
どうしても一度ヨーロッパに遊びに行きたいです。
Dō shite mo ichido Yōroppa ni asobi ni ikitai desu.
I’d like to go to Europe for a visit very much (in every possible way).
どれを使っても構いませんよ。
Dore o tsukatte mo kamaimasen yo.
You may use any one of them.
どの新聞を見てもあのニュースが書いてありました。
Dono shinbun o mite mo ano nyūsu ga kaite arimashita.
No matter which newspaper I read, I could see that news.
8.4. The provisional mood ( -れば -reba)
The provisional mood has meanings something like ‘if something happens (now or in the future); provided something happens.’ It is made by adding the following endings to the stems of verbs and adjectives:
Vowel verbs: -reba
Consonant verbs: -eba
Adjectives: -kereba
The provisional of the copula da is irregular: nara ‘if it is, provided it equals.’ The provisionals of kuru and suru are kureba and sureba.
Meaning |
Imperfect |
Provisional |
|
Vowel verb |
eats |
tabe-ru |
tabe-reba |
looks at |
mi-ru |
mi-reba |
|
Consonant verb |
returns |
kaer-u |
kaer-eba |
wins |
kats-u |
kat-eba |
|
buys |
ka-u |
ka-eba |
|
lends |
kas-u |
kas-eba |
|
writes |
kak-u |
kak-eba |
|
swims |
oyog-u |
oyog-eba |
|
reads |
yom-u |
yom-eba |
|
calls |
yob-u |
yob-eba |
|
dies |
shin-u |
shin-eba |
|
Irregular verbs |
comes |
kuru |
kureba |
does |
suru |
sureba |
|
Adjectives |
is expensive |
taka-i |
taka-kereba |
is good |
i-i, yo-i |
yo-kereba |
|
wants to eat |
tabeta-i |
tabeta-kereba |
|
wants to go |
ikita-i |
ikita-kereba |
|
does not eat |
tabena-i |
tabena-kereba |
|
does not read |
yomana-i |
yomana-kereba |
|
Copula |
equals |
da (na, no) |
nara |
The word nara sometimes appears after other inflected forms: suru nara (= suru no nara) ‘if it is a matter of doing,’ shita nara (=shita no nara) ‘if it is a case of having done.’ The provisional of negative adjectives, shinakereba ‘if I don’t do,’ is usually equivalent to English ‘unless’ + the affirmative:
田中さんがいっしょに来なければ面白くないでしょう。
Tanaka-san ga issho ni konakereba omoshiroku nai deshō.
It won’t be any fun unless Mr. Tanaka comes along.
その映画は見なければいいか悪いか分からないでしょう。
Sono eiga wa minakereba ii ka warui ka wakaranai deshō.
We won’t know whether the movie’s good or bad unless we see it.
Here are some examples of the provisional used in affirmative sentences.
雨が降れば釣りに行きません。
Ame ga fureba tsuri ni ikimasen.
If it rains, I’m not going to go fishing.
日本語で話せばすぐ分かります。
Nihongo de hanaseba sugu wakarimasu.
If you speak in Japanese, they’ll understand right away.
フェイスブックにポストすれば人が沢山来るでしょう。
Feisubukku ni posuto sureba hito ga takusan kuru deshō.
Once you post it on Facebook, many people will come.
この薬を飲めばよくなるでしょう。
Kono kusuri o nomeba yoku naru deshō.
I think you’ll get better if you take this medicine.
私ならそんなものは買いません。
Watashi nara sonna mono wa kaimasen.
If I were you, I wouldn’t buy such a thing.
田舎なら静かなところが多いでしょう。
Inaka nara shizuka na tokoro ga ōi deshō.
If it’s the countryside (you’re talking about or going to), there are probably lots of quiet places.
そんなに不便ならそこに住みたくありませんよ。
Sonna ni fuben nara soko ni sumitaku arimasen yo.
If it’s so inconvenient, I certainly don’t want to live there.
8.5. Obligation
For the expression ‘someone MUST or HAS TO do something,’ Japanese has several equivalents. One of the most common is the use of the provisional form of the negative adjectives derived from the verbs (yomanakereba ‘if I do not read’) + the negative of the verb naru (narimasen ‘it does not become = it won’t do’). So, to say ‘I must read this book,’ you say Kono hon o yomanakereba narimasen ‘If I do not read this book, it won’t do.’ Instead of narimasen, you can use dame desu ‘it’s no good’ or ikemasen ‘it can’t go, it’s no good, it won’t do.’ Yomanakereba narimasen, yomanakereba dame desu, and yomanakereba ikemasen all mean about the same thing: ‘I have to read.’ Instead of the provisional of the negative adjective -(a)nakereba, you can use the gerund of the negative adjective -(a)nakute + the particle wa, with a meaning something like ‘(as for) not doing… (as the topic).’ In these expressions of obligation, yomanakereba ‘if I do not read’ and yomanakute wa ‘as for not reading’ are equivalent. So you can say ‘I have to read (it)’ in any of the following ways:
1. 読まなければなりません。 Yomanakereba narimasen.
2. 読まなければ駄目です。 Yomanakereba dame desu.
3. 読まなければいけません。 Yomanakereba ikemasen.
4. 読まなくてはなりません。 Yomanakute wa narimasen.
5. 読まなくては駄目です。 Yomanakute wa dame desu.
6. 読まなくてはいけません。 Yomanakute wa ikemasen.
The first and last patterns (1 and 6) are more commonly heard than the others. Forms ending -(a)nakute wa are often pronounced -(a)nakucha in colloquial speech. They can end a sentence with the same meaning as if followed by ikemasen.
もう帰らなくちゃならないんですよ。
Mō kaeranakucha naranai n desu yo.
I have to go home now.
もう帰らなくちゃ。
Mō kaeranakucha.
I have to go home now.
8.6. Permission
To express permission or to say ‘someone MAY do something,’ the Japanese use the gerund -te + the particle mo ‘even’ + some form of the adjective ii ‘it is good, it is okay.’ The expression -te mo ii desu means something like ‘even doing something is okay.’ To say ‘You may go home,’ you say Kaette mo ii desu. Such sentences are often followed by the insistive particle yo. Instead of ii desu, kamaimasen can be used to mean ‘okay.’
「今日ちょっと早く帰ってもいいですか。」
“Kyō chotto hayaku kaette mo ii desu ka.”
“Is it okay to go home a bit early?”
「いいですよ。」
“Ii desu yo.”
“Yes, it’s fine.”
「この部屋を使ってもいいですか。」
“Kono heya o tsukatte mo ii desu ka.”
“Is it okay to use this room?”
「ええ, 構いませんよ。」
“Ē, kamaimasen yo.”
“Yes, it’s fine.”
「携帯に電話してもいいですか。」
“Keitai ni denwa shite mo ii desu ka.”
“Is it okay to call your cell phone?”
「もちろん。」
“Mochiron.”
“Surely.”
8.7. Denial of permission = prohibition
To say ‘someone MAY NOT do something,’ the Japanese usually use a statement of PROHIBITION, ‘someone MUST NOT do something.’ This consists of the plain gerund of the affirmative verb -te + the particle wa + ikemasen/narimasen/dame desu. The expression -te wa ikemasen means something like ‘as for doing something, it’s no good,’ that is ‘don’t do it.’ You have already had one way to say ‘Don’t read this book’: Kono hon o yomanai de kudasai. The use of the PLAIN NEGATIVE + COPULA GERUND + kudasai is a rather direct way of ORDERING someone not to do something. Except when talking to subordinates, Japanese usually prefer a more subtle prohibition. Even the type discussed here is rather strong when talking to an equal or superior; it is better to SUGGEST someone not do something rather than PROHIBIT them from doing it.
Each of the following sentences means ‘Don’t read this book,’ but they would ordinarily be said only to children or one’s subordinate, or in making some sort of generalized impersonal statement (like “Keep off the grass!”).
1. この本を読んではいけません。 Kono hon o yonde wa ikemasen.
2. この本を読んではなりません。 Kono hon o yonde wa narimasen.
3. この本を読んでは駄目です。 Kono hon o yonde wa dame desu.
Among the above three sentences, -te wa ikemasen is most commonly used and -te wa narimasen is least commonly used. -te wa dame desu is more colloquial than others.
Here are some examples:
「早く帰ってもいいですか。」
「いいえ，いけません。」
“Hayaku kaette mo ii desu ka.”
“Īe, ikemasen.”
“Is it okay to go home early?”
“No, it’s not okay.”
「あまり食べすぎてはいけませんよ。」
「はい。気をつけます。」
“Amari tabesugite wa ikemasen yo.”
“Hai, ki o tsukemasu.”
“You should not overeat, okay?”
“Right. I’ll be careful.”
カンニングをしてはいけませんよ。
Kanningu o shite wa ikemasen yo.
Don’t cheat!
「ここでタバコを吸ってもいいですか。」
“Koko de tabako o sutte mo ii desu ka.”
“Is it okay to smoke here?”
「いいえ，ここでは吸わないでください。」
“Īe, koko de wa suwanai de kudasai.”
“No, please don’t smoke here.”
And note that -te wa is often shortened to -cha, -de wa to -ja.
それ使っちゃ駄目だよ。
Sore tsukatcha dame da yo.
You are not allowed to use that.
あまりお酒を飲んじゃいけませんよ。
Amari o-sake o nonja ikemasen yo.
You should not drink too much.
マンガばかり読んでちゃ駄目ですよ。
Manga bakari yondecha dame desu yo.
You should not just read comic books.
8.8. Denial of obligation
To deny obligation or to say ‘someone NEED NOT or DOES NOT HAVE TO do something,’ you use the gerund of the NEGATIVE ADJECTIVE -(a)nakute + mo + ii. The meaning of this expression is something like ‘even not doing it (even if someone doesn’t do it), it’s okay.’ So, to say ‘You don’t have to read it,’ you say Yomanakute mo ii desu. If you want to ask ‘Do I have to take the medicine?,’ you can say either Kusuri o nomanakereba narimasen ka if you’re just wondering, or, if you’re hoping for permission not to take it, you can ask Kusuri o nomanakute mo ii desu ka ‘Is it all right even if I don’t take the medicine? May I go without the medicine?’
「今日買わなくてはなりませんか。」
“Kyō kawanakute wa narimasen ka.”
“Do I have to buy it today?”
「いいえ，今日買わなくてもいいですよ。」
“Īe, kyō kawanakute mo ii desu yo.”
“No, you don’t have to buy it today.”
「今日買わなくてもいいですか。」
“Kyō kawanakute mo ii desu ka.”
“Is it okay not to buy it today?”
「はい，今日買わなくてもいいですよ。」
“Hai, kyō kawanakute mo ii desu yo.”
“Yes, it is fine even if you don’t buy it today.”
8.9. Obligation, prohibition, permission: summary
Here is a summary of the forms discussed in the preceding sections.
Obligation ‘must, has to’ |
Denial of Obligation ‘need not, doesn’t have to’ |
-(a)nakereba narimasen -(a)nakereba ikemasen -(a)nakereba dame desu (‘if does not do, is no good’) -(a)nakute wa ikemasen -(a)nakute wa narimasen -(a)nakute wa dame desu (‘not doing is no good’) |
-(a)nakute mo ii desu (‘even not doing is okay’) |
Permission ‘may, can’ |
Denial of Permission = Prohibition ‘may not, must not’ |
-te mo ii desu (‘even doing is good’) |
-te wa narimasen -te wa dame desu -te wa ikemasen (‘doing is no good’) |
A confusing point about these expressions is that what looks like the negative equivalent of permission, the form -(a)nakute mo ii, is not the denial of permission but the denial of obligation. On the other hand, what looks the affirmative equivalent of the obligation expression, the form -te wa ikemasen, is the denial of permission = prohibition. This is just a case of misleading formal similarities. Some students find it easier to remember these expressions as single units: -(a)nakereba-narimasen ‘must,’ -(a)nakute-wa-ikemasen ‘must,’ -(a)nakute-mo-ii-desu ‘need not,’ -te-mo-ii-desu ‘may,’ -te-wa-ikemasen ‘must not.’ However you learn them, remember the following points:
(1) Japanese often pause within the expression, before the last word: -(a)nakereba, narimasen; -(a)nakute wa, ikemasen; -(a)nakute mo, ii desu; -te mo, ii desu.
(2) You will also want to learn the less common variants -(a)nakereba ikemasen, -(a)nakute wa dame desu; -(a)nakute wa narimasen, -(a)nakute wa dame desu, -(a)nai to dame desu.
(3) The final word may be inflected in various ways to fit the whole expression into the sentence properly, as in some of the following examples.
今晩勉強しなければならないので，映画は明日にしましょう。
Konban benkyō shinakereba naranai node, eiga wa ashita ni shimashō.
As I need to study tonight, let’s watch the movie tomorrow.
あんなに働かなければならないのは嫌ですよ。
Anna ni hatarakanakereba naranai no wa iya desu yo.
I sure hate to have to work that much.
これは明日出さなければならない手紙ですから，今晩中に書きます。
Kore wa ashita dasanakereba naranai tegami desu kara, konbanchū ni kakimasu.
This is the letter that I have to mail tomorrow, so I’ll write it tonight.
医者はもう薬を飲まなくてもいいと言いました。
Isha wa mō kusuri o nomanakute mo ii to iimashita.
The doctor said I didn’t have to take the medicine anymore.
明日働かなくてもよければ，どこかに遊びにいきませんか。
Ashita hatarakanakute mo yokereba, dokoka ni asobi ni ikimasen ka.
If you don’t have to work tomorrow, why don’t we go somewhere for fun?
小さい子どもに見せてもいいアニメですか。
Chīsai kodomo ni misete mo ii anime desu ka.
Is it an anime that we can show to young children?
こんなことはできなくては駄目ですよ。
Konna koto wa dekinakute wa dame desu yo.
You have to be able to do such a thing.
8.10. Conditionals (forms) -たら／-だら -tara/-dara
The conditional mood has several meanings: ‘if something had happened; supposing something happens; when something happened, when something has happened’ and the like. The forms are made by adding ra at the end of the verbs, adjectives, and the copula in the perfect form.
8.11. Conditionals (uses)
In the meaning ‘supposing something happens (now or in the future), supposing something is so,’ the conditional is very similar to the provisional with its meaning ‘provided something happens, provided something is so.’ For the meaning ‘if,’ there are three possibilities: conditional ‘supposing that,’ provisional ‘provided that,’ and PLAIN IMPERFECT + PARTICLE to ‘if = whenever.’
The difference between the conditional and the provisional is often one of explicit doubt. If you use the conditional -tara form, you show some doubt as to whether something will happen or not: ‘if it should happen (but I doubt it will).’ But if you use the provisional form, you are making a hypothesis without saying anything about the likelihood of its being true: ‘if it happens.’
Here are some sentences showing the differences between the conditional and the provisional with the meaning ‘if’ under a present or future hypothesis. There are also sentences illustrating the particle to with the meaning of a repeated or habitual ‘if = whenever.’
そのことを日本語で言ったら，すぐ分かるでしょう。
Sono koto o Nihongo de ittara, sugu wakaru deshō.
If you were to say that in Japanese, they’d understand right off.
そのことを日本語で言えば，すぐ分かるでしょう。
Sono koto o Nihongo de ieba, sugu wakaru deshō.
If you say that in Japanese, they’ll understand right off.
そのことを日本語で言うと，すぐ分かるでしょう。
Sono koto o Nihongo de iu to, sugu wakaru deshō.
If (whenever) you say that in Japanese, they understand you right off.
天気がよかったら，散歩に行きます。
Tenki ga yokattara, sanpo ni ikimasu.
If the weather is nice, I’ll go for a walk.
天気がよければ，散歩に行きます。
Tenki ga yokereba, sanpo ni ikimasu.
If the weather is nice, I’ll go for a walk.
天気がいいと，散歩に行きます。
Tenki ga ii to, sanpo ni ikimasu.
If (whenever) the weather is nice, I go for a walk.
日本の映画だったら，見ます。
Nihon no eiga dattara, mimasu.
If it should be a Japanese movie, I will watch it.
日本の映画なら，見ます。
Nihon no eiga nara, mimasu.
If it is a Japanese movie, I’ll watch it.
日本の映画だと，見ます。
Nihon no eiga da to, mimasu.
If (whenever) it is a Japanese movie, I watch it.
In all of the sentences where the conditional forms mean ‘if,’ it is possible to add the word moshi ‘supposing, if, say’ at the beginning of the sentence. Although the word moshi is thus in the same position as the English word ‘if,’ the meaning of the latter is carried by the conditional form at the end of the clause, and the function of the moshi is just to reinforce that meaning and to act as a signal telling the listener to expect a conditional form. So you’re more apt to put moshi at the beginning if the clause is very long. It is uncommon to use moshi with the provisional. Here is an example with moshi:
もしインターネットと電話の契約を同じ会社として電話のサービスが嫌いだったら，どうしますか。
Moshi intānetto to denwa no keiyaku o onaji kaisha to shite denwa no sābisu ga kirai dattara, dō shimasu ka.
If you signed a contract with a company for both Internet and telephone and you disliked their phone service, what would you do?
Here are some sentences illustrating the difference between A) the conditional meaning ‘when,’ with emphasis on what happened at the time; B) plain imperfect or perfect + toki (ni) meaning ‘when, at the time that,’ with emphasis on the time that something happened; and C) plain imperfect + to ‘whenever,’ a general condition, with a repeated or habitual conclusion.
母親が去ったら，子どもは泣きます。
Hahaoya ga sattara, kodomo wa nakimasu.
When (or if) the child’s mother leaves, he will cry.
母親が去る時に，子どもは泣きます。
Hahaoya ga saru toki ni, kodomo wa nakimasu.
When the child’s mother leaves, he will cry.
母親が去った時に，子どもは泣きます。
Hahaoya ga satta toki ni, kodomo wa nakimasu.
When the child’s mother has left, he will cry.
母親が去ると，子どもは泣きます。
Hahaoya ga saru to, kodomo wa nakimasu.
When(ever) the child’s mother leaves, he cries.
母親が去ったら，子どもは泣きました。
Hahaoya ga sattara, kodomo wa nakimashita.
When the child’s mother left, he cried.
母親が去った時に，子どもは泣きました。
Hahaoya ga satta toki ni, kodomo wa nakimashita.
When the child’s mother left, he cried.
母親が去る時に，子どもは泣きました。
Hahaoya ga saru toki ni, kodomo wa nakimashita.
When the child’s mother was about to leave, he cried.
母親が去ると，子どもは泣きました。
Hahaoya ga saru to, kodomo wa nakimashita.
When the child’s mother left, he cried.
As shown in the above examples, the use of the perfect before toki ni is sometimes possible even when the tense of the whole sentence is future.
Here are some more examples of conditional forms with the meaning ‘when’:
映画館へ行ってみたら，もう見たことのある映画でした。
Eigakan e itte mitara, mō mita koto no aru eiga deshita.
When I went to the theater and looked, it was a film I had already seen.
２時間勉強したら，食事をしましょう。
Ni-jikan benkyō shitara, shokuji o shimashō.
When we’ve studied for two hours, let’s eat.
8.12. Asking for advice
To ask for advice, use an expression like one of the following:
何をしたらいいでしょうか。
Nani o shitara ii deshō ka.
What should I do? (lit., If I were to do what, would it be good?)
何をすればいいでしょうか。
Nani o sureba ii deshō ka.
What should I do? (lit., If I do what, will it be good?)
どうしたらいいでしょうか。
Dō shitara ii deshō ka.
What should I do? (lit., If I were to do how, would it be good?)
どうすればいいでしょうか。
Dō sureba ii deshō ka.
What should I do? (lit., If I do how, will it be good?)
こうしたらいいでしょうか。
Kō shitara ii deshō ka.
Should I do this? (lit., If I were to do like this, would it be good?)
こうすればいいでしょうか。
Kō sureba ii deshō ka.
Should I do this? (lit., If I do like this, will it be good?)
こうしたらどうでしょうか。
Kō shitara dō deshō ka.
How about doing this? (lit., If I were to do like this, how would it be?)
こうすればどうでしょうか。
Kō sureba dō deshō ka.
How about doing this? (lit., If I do like this, how will it be?)
Each expression consists of two parts: a proposed hypothesis (if-clause) with either the conditional or the provisional, since the proposal refers to the future; and a conclusion (then-clause), which asks either how the hypothesis is or whether the hypothesis is all right. The interrogative word may be either in the hypothesis (dō shitara…) or in the conclusion (…dō deshō ka), but you do not find interrogatives in both the if-clause and the then-clause.
This is the usual polite way of asking and giving directions in Japanese. Notice the difference between the Japanese and English equivalents in this exchange:
ここから高橋病院はどう行ったらいいでしょうか。
Koko kara Takahashi byōin wa dō ittara ii deshō ka.
How can I get to Takahashi Hospital from here?
あのバスに乗ったらいいでしょう。
Ano basu ni nottara ii deshō.
Take that bus.
Here are some more examples of sentences containing advice. The English equivalents contain words like ‘should, ought.’
どのバスに乗ったらいいでしょうか。
Dono basu ni nottara ii deshō ka.
Which bus should I take?
これをもう少し勉強すればいいと思います。
Kore o mō sukoshi benkyō sureba ii to omoimasu.
I think you ought to study this a little more.
値段を比べたらどうでしょうか。
Nedan o kurabetara dō deshō ka.
Should we compare prices?
ローマ字で書けばいいでしょう。
Rōmaji de kakeba ii deshō.
You ought to write it in Roman letters.
だれもいなかったらどうすればいいでしょうか。
Dare mo inakattara dō sureba ii deshō ka.
If no one is there, what should I do?
Sometimes an English equivalent might include the expression ‘better’ or ‘had better,’ but this is often closer to the Japanese expression discussed in the next section.
8.13. ‘Had better’
One way of giving advice in English is to say things like ‘You’d better do like this,’ ‘I better be there before the teacher arrives.’ In such sentences, there is usually the slight implication that a comparison is being made—it would be better to do something than not to do it. The nearest Japanese equivalent is the plain perfect + hō ‘alternative’ + some form of the adjective ii ‘is good’:
ネットで買った方がいいでしょう。
Netto de katta hō ga ii deshō.
I think you’d better buy it online.
できるだけ早く病院に行った方がいいと思いますよ。
Dekirudake hayaku byōin ni itta hō ga ii to omoimasu yo.
I think you’d better go to the hospital as soon as possible.
Notice that, for this meaning of ‘had better,’ the form in front of hō is always perfect, regardless of the mood of the final expression. If you use the imperfect mood, the meaning is ‘it is better to,’ which has a slightly different flavor:
もらうよりやる方がいいです。
Morau yori yaru hō ga ii desu.
It is better to give than to receive.
私が行く方がいいでしょう。
Watashi ga iku hō ga ii deshō.
It would be better for me to go (than for you to, or than for me to stay).
先生になる方がいいです。
Sensei ni naru hō ga ii desu.
It is better (for someone) to become a teacher.
8.14. …さえ …sae
The particle sae ‘even, only, just’ is more strongly emphatic than mo ‘even; also.’ It singles out a word or phrase for a particularly acute focus of attention. Like mo, sae follows nouns, nouns + the copula gerund (de), and infinitives. Other particles may occur after the noun before sae or de sae, but ga, o, and of course the focus-shifting wa do not ordinarily occur. Here are examples of mo and sae after nouns, nouns + de, and infinitives. After nouns, the translation is often ‘just’; after infinitives, ‘only.’
子どももできます。
Kodomo mo dekimasu.
Children can do it, too.
子ども(で)さえできます。
Kodomo (de) sae dekimasu.
Even children can do it.
この漢字は日本人(で)さえ分かりません。
Kono kanji wa Nihon-jin (de) sae wakarimasen.
Even Japanese people do not know this kanji.
休みさえすれば，よくなります。
Yasumi sae sureba, yoku narimasu.
If you’ll just (if you’ll only) rest, you’ll get better.
安くさえあればどのレストランでもいいです。
Yasuku sae areba dono resutoran de mo ii desu.
If it is cheap, any restaurant is okay.
Notice the patterns VERB-INFINITIVE + sae sureba and ADJECTIVE-INFINITIVE + sae areba. These are the usual ways to put a clause with the meaning ‘if something will ONLY do something or be something,’ the actual verb or adjective meaning is carried by the infinitive, and sureba and areba function as a sort of dummy or auxiliary to carry the provisional ending -(r)eba and the meaning ‘if.’ The concluding, main clause of the sentence gives the result to be expected, granted ‘ONLY’ that the provision be so.
8.15. The explicit use of に ni
Some expressions that require a verb + a direct object in English are equivalent to Japanese expressions with a subject + a verb:
フランス語が分かります。 Furansugo ga wakarimasu.
French is clear. = I understand French.
泳ぐことができます。 Oyogu koto ga dekimasu.
Fact of swimming is possible. = I can swim.
お金が要ります。 O-kane ga irimasu.
Money is necessary. = I need money.
The person who understands, is able to do, or needs is usually marked by the particle wa as in Watashi wa Furansugo ga wakarimasu, Watashi wa oyogu koto ga dekimasu, and Watashi wa o-kane ga irimasu. However, you can have the particle ni, as you can see in the following sentences.
私にはフランス語がわかります。
Watashi ni wa Furansugo ga wakarimasu.
I understand French.
私には泳ぐことができます。
Watashi ni wa oyogu koto ga dekimasu.
I can swim.
私にはお金が要ります。
Watashi ni wa o-kane ga irimasu.
I need money.
Following are additional examples where you can see the particle ni in a similar context:
そんなひどいことは私には言えません。
Sonna hidoi koto wa watashi ni wa iemasen.
I cannot say such a terrible thing.
あの人には友達がいません。
Ano hito ni wa tomodachi ga imasen.
That person does not have a friend.
眼鏡をかけても父にはこの字は読めません。
Megane o kakete mo chichi ni wa kono ji wa yomemasen.
Even with eyeglasses, my father cannot read this character.
8.16. …ば…ほど … …ba…hodo ‘the more… the more…’
Sentences like ‘the sooner, the better,’ ‘the more, the merrier,’ ‘the more I eat fish, the less I like it,’ and ‘the less I see of him, the better’ are the equivalent of a Japanese construction involving one verb or adjective given first in the provisional, then repeated in the plain imperfect + hodo ‘extent, to the extent that,’ followed by the other verb or adjective in a concluding form:
勉強すればするほど分からないことがでてきました。
Benkyō sureba suru hodo wakaranai koto ga detekimashita.
The more I studied, the more questions I came up with.
早ければ早いほどいいです。
Hayakereba hayai hodo ii desu.
The sooner the better.
キッチンは広ければ広いほど便利です。
Kitchin wa hirokereba hiroi hodo benri desu.
The bigger a kitchen is, the more convenient.
8.17. …し …shi
The particle shi (perhaps derived from the infinitive of suru, which is shi ‘doing’) connects clauses with the meaning ‘and also.’ The verb, adjective, or copula at the end of the clause preceding shi is either plain imperfect or perfect. You have already had one way to connect clauses with the meaning ‘and,’ by using the gerund that means ‘does and’ or ‘is and.’ The difference between the use of the gerund and the use of the plain imperfect or perfect + the particle shi lies in the tightness of the connection between the two clauses. If there is some sort of sequence in time or logic between the clauses in the order in which they are given, then you use the gerund. However, if you are emphasizing the actions or properties by randomly listing them for making some point, then you use shi. When shi is used, the concluding phrase is often omitted. It is also common to have only one instance of shi in a sentence. Here are some more examples of shi.
このアパートは家賃が安いし，静かだし，最高です。
Kono apāto wa yachin ga yasui shi, shizuka da shi, saikō desu.
As for this apartment, the rent is cheap, the place is quiet, so it’s just the best.
あの人はかっこいいし，頭がいいし，スポーツもできるし。
Ano hito wa kakkoii shi, atama ga ii shi, supōtsu mo dekiru shi.
That person is cool-looking, smart, can do (all sorts of) sports (…).
もう暗いし，あしたにしましょう。
Mō kurai shi, ashita ni shimashō.
It’s already dark, so let’s do it tomorrow.
お金はぜんぜんないし。
O-kane wa zenzen nai shi.
I don’t have any money… (So what can I do?)
8.18. Correlative compounds
There are a few nouns made up from interrogatives and other correlative words to give a meaning of a non-specific nature:
だれだれ daredare so-and-so, somebody or other
どこどこ dokodoko somewhere or other
どこそこ dokosoko someplace or other
これこれ korekore such-and-such a one
あれこれ arekore this or that, one thing or another
かれこれ karekore about, approximately
あちらこちら (あちこち) achira kochira (achikochi) here and there
The word sorezore, however, has a distributive rather than a non-specific meaning: ‘severally, respectively.’ Here are a few examples of the use of these words.
どこどこのだれだれがそう言ったとか言っていました。
Dokodoko no daredare ga sō itta toka itte imashita.
He was saying so-and-so in somewhere or other said that or something like that.
あれこれ考えているうちに嫌になりました。
Arekore kangaete iru uchi ni iya ni narimashita.
While I was thinking about this or that, I started to hate (the idea).
このタイプの車は日本でもあちらこちらで見かけられるようになりました。
Kono taipu no kuruma wa Nihon de mo achirakochira de mikakerareru yō ni narimashita.
We started to see this type of car here and there, even in Japan.
この会社ではかれこれ３０年になります。
Kono kaisha de wa karekore sanjū-nen ni narimasu.
In this company I have been working about thirty years.
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[cue 08-3] |
Conversation
Tomomi (T) is on the way to her job interview, but she missed the bus. She calls Yumiko (Y), who lives near the train station.
T. もしもし，由美ちゃん？私。
Moshimoshi, Yumi-chan? Watashi.
Hello, Yumi? It’s me.
Y. ああ。友美ちゃん？
Ā, Tomomi-chan?
Oh, Tomomi?
T. うん。
Un.
Yes.
Y. どうしたの。
Dō shita no?
What happened?
T. ３時から面接があるんだけど, 電車に乗りおくれちゃって。
San-ji kara mensetsu ga aru n dake do, densha ni nori-okure chatte.
I have a (job) interview at three p.m., but I just missed the train.
Y. 今どこ？
Ima doko?
Where are you now?
T. 駅前。
Ekimae.
In front of the train station.
Y. じゃあ，車で連れて行ってあげるよ。
Jā, kuruma de tsurete itte ageru yo.
Okay, then I’ll take you there by car.
T. ああ，助かる！
Ā, tasukaru!
Oh, that helps!
Y. じゃあ，ロータリーのところで待ってて。
Jā, rōtarī no tokoro de matte te.
Okay, then, wait for me at the rotary.
T. うん。わかった。ありがとう。
Un. Wakatta. Arigatō.
Okay. Got it. Thanks!
Exercises
I. Fill in the blanks using a question word. If needed, add a particle after it.
1. |
「誰か来ましたか。」 “Dare ka kimashita ka.” |
「いいえ, ———— 来ませんでしたよ。」 “Īe, ———— kimasen deshita yo.” |
2. |
「夏休みは ——— に行きますか。」 “Natsu-yasumi wa ————— ni ikimasu ka.” |
「いいえ，どこにも行きません。」 “Īe, doko ni mo ikimasen.” |
3. |
「日曜日は ———— に行きましたか。」 “Nichiyōbi wa ———— ni ikimashita ka.” |
「渋谷に行きました。」 “Shibuya ni ikimashita.” |
4. |
「何か要りますか。」 “Nani ka irimasu ka.” |
「いいえ， ———— 要りません。」 “Īe, ———— irimasen.” |
5. |
「田中さんは ———— と話して いましたよ。」 “Tanaka-san wa ———— to hanashite imashita yo.” |
「だれでしょうね。」 “Dare deshō ne.” |
6. |
姉は ———— を食べても太りません。 Ane wa ———— o tabete mo futorimasen. |
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II. Fill in the blanks appropriately, if necessary. Some sentences may be complete already.
1. 天気が ——————— ら, 公園に行きます。
Tenki ga ———————ra, kōen ni ikimasu.
2. 天気が ——————— ば, 公園に行きます。
Tenki ga ———————ba, kōen ni ikimasu.
3. 日本語で ——————— ら, すぐ分かります。
Nihongo de ———————ra, sugu wakarimasu.
4. 日本語で ——————— ば，すぐ分かります。
Nihongo de ———————ba, sugu wakarimasu.
5. 日本の映画 ——————— と必ず見ます。
Nihon no eiga ———————to kanarazu mimasu.
6. 日本の映画 ——————— なら必ず見ます。
Nihon no eiga ———————nara kanarazu mimasu.
III. By using all the items in each set, make a sensible sentence. Conjugate verbs and adjectives or add some items if needed.
1. {簡単な kantan na, 子ども kodomo, 漢字 kanji, …さえ sae, こんな konna}
2. {…に ni, お金 o-kane, 要ります irimasu}
3. {早い hayai, …ほど hodo, いいです ii desu, …ば ba}
4. {田中さん Tanaka-san, かっこいい kakko ii, やさしい yasashii, …し shi}
5. {ネット netto, 買う kau, いい ii, …方 hō}
IV. Complete the following sentences.
1. カンニングを ———— は ———— よ。
Kanningu o ——— wa ———— yo.
Don’t cheat!
2. 早く ————— ですか。
Hayaku ————— desu ka.
May I leave early?
3. 私の鉛筆を ————— いいですよ。
Watashi no enpitsu o ————— ii desu yo.
You may use my pencil.
4. まだ３時ですから ———— いいですよ。
Mada san-ji desu kara ———— ii desu yo.
It’s still three o’clock, so no need to hurry.
5. 漢字を勉強 ————— いけません。
Kanji o benkyō ————— ikemasen.
I have to study kanji.