Public transportation is important in Japan. You will probably need to catch a bus at some point. So you’ll want to ask questions like “is this bus going to Tokyo?” You should also probably tell people things like, “I need to get off the train at Nagano Station.” Phrases and questions like these are the key to getting around in Japan.
This Japanese for beginners article is here to help you! You will learn to ask and answer questions about where you want to go. Ask Kono basu wa Tokyo-iki desu? (“Is this bus headed for Tokyo?”) and similar questions in Japanese. This Japanese item is the key to getting where you’re going!
Vocabulary: In this article, you will learn the following words and phrases:
waza waza – “taking so much trouble”
agaru – “enter, climb” (class 1 verb)
kaeru – “return” (class 1 verb)
yuuhan – “Dinner”
ekimae – “in front of the station”
umma – “delicious, tasty” (-i final adjective)
uisukii – “whiskey”
koori – “ice”
hantai – “opposite”
kansha – “thank you, gratitude”
shoojiki – “honestly, honestly”
betsu – “different, other”
Grammar: In this article, you will learn the following words and phrases:
Vocabulary and useful phrases
yuuhan “dinner, dinner”
There are several words that mean “superior” in Japanese:
your gohan
ban gohan
Yuu Shoku
yuuhan
yumeshi (very informal and sounds masculine)
banmeshi (very informal and sounds masculine)
Also check “breakfast” and “lunch:”
Breakfast:
asa-go-han
chushoku
asa-meshi (very informal and sounds masculine)
Lunch:
o-hiru-go-han
hiru-go-han
o-hiru
hiru
chuu shoku
hirumeshi (very informal and sounds masculine)
hantai “opposition”
When we add -suru Prayed Oh, of course , becomes a verb meaning “to oppose”. The opposite word is sansei, which means “approval”. the particle neither follows the object one opposes or agrees with.
Example
Musume no kekkon nor hantai suru.
“I oppose my daughter’s marriage.”
Today’s target phrase
Tokyo nor kaetta.
“He went back to Tokyo.“
Conjugations of verbs that form –its form of a verb, or the simple past form of a verb, are today’s grammar point. The formation of the simple past form is quite simple: change the final sound of the –your form from-your a-its.
-ta form of verbs
- Conjugate a verb to –your form. SEE Beginner Series Season 4 Articles 19, 20, 21 and 22 for more details.
- release the tea and add –its
“English” / dictionary form / The formula /
your form
“to buy” / kaw / catte / kata
“to write” / kaku / kaite / Kaita
“speak” / hanasoo / hanashita / hanashita
“expect” / matsu / mate / Matta
“To die” / Shinu / shine / Shinda
“to drink” / Name / node / nonda
“to make” / tsukuru / tsukutte / tsukutta
“to swim” / oyogu / oyoid / oyoida
“invite” / I bu / beyond / yonda
“to carry out” / iku / it’s / itta
“to eat” / taberu / tablet / tablet
“to return” / kaeru / kaette / kaetta
“to do” / Of course / shit / shit
“to come” / kuru / kitesurfing / Kita
Formal Speech and Informal Speech
Courtesy level / Formal speech / Informal speechNo Past Affirmative / Watashi wa Tokyo ni kaerimasu. / Watashi wa Tokyo ni kaeru.
no negative past / Watashi wa Tokyo ni kaerimasen. / Watashi wa Tokyo ni kaeranai.
No Affirmative/ Miu wa Tokyo ni kaerimashita. / Miu wa Tokio ni kaetta.
past negative / Miu wa Tokyo ni kaerimasen deshita. / Miu wa Tokio ni kaeranakatta.
Grades:
*Dictionary form of a verb without the past tense: See Nihongo Doojoo, “Style You and Beyond, Articles 19, 20, 21, and 22,” for more details.
*Non-Polite Past Form of a Verb: See Beginner Season 4 Article 23 for more details.
*Note that the simple negative non-past form of a verb is conjugated as adjectives ending in -i to get the past form. change the ending -Yo a kata.
For example:
- kaeranai becomes keranakatta
- minai becomes minekatta
This grammatical point has yet to be explained in the Nihongo Doojoo series.
Practice 1:
Fill in the blanks to complete the chart.
Class 1 verbs
“English” / dictionary form / simple negative form / -The shape / -Your form
“listen” / kiku / kikanai / kite / kiita
“to end” / —- / Kasanai / kashita / —-
“expect” / matsu / —- / —- / —-
“read” / —- / yomanai / —- / —-
“understand” / —- / —- / wake up / —-
“to carry out” / iku / —- / it’s / —-
“tell” / iku / iwanai / it’s / —-
“meet up” / a / —- / —- / —-
Class 2 verbs
“English” / dictionary form / simple negative form / -The shape / -Your form
“sleep” / neru / babe / Do not do / —-
“look at” / look / —- / —- / —-
Class 3 verbs
“English” / dictionary form / simple negative form / -The shape / -Your form
“to do” / —- / —- / shit / —-
“to come” / kuru / —- / kitesurfing / —-
Practice 2:
Change formal speech to casual speech.
- Terebi or mimashita.
- Yhan or tabemashita.
- Nihon-go or Benky Shimashita.
- Kin nihon ni kimashita.
- Wakarimashita.
- Mizu or nomimashita.
- Takush from ikimashita.