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Conversation time to cover what we have learned

Conversation 1
Kobayashi : Where are you going? – Doko e ikimasu ka?
Tony : I go to post office and send letter – Yuubinkyoku e (iku)itte, tegami o (dasu)dashite kimasu.
Meaning : Doko (Where)

Conversation 2
Kobayashi : Is everyone gathered? – Minna (atsumaru)atsumarimashita ka?
Tony : No, Michael is not here – Iie, Maikeru san wa imasen.
Kobayashi : Tony, please call Michael (and come back) – Toni san, Maikeru san (yobu)yonde (kuru)kite kudasai.
Meaning : Minna (Everyone / Everybody), Atsumaru (Gather), Yobu (Call)

Conversation 3
Tony : I go and make a call (and come back) for a while, is it alright? – Chotto denwa o (kakeru)kakete kimasu ga, ii desu ka?
Kobayashi : Ya, please – Ee, douzo.
Meaning : Chotto (A while / A moment), Denwa (Telephone), Denwa o kakeru (Make a call), Douzo (Please / Go ahead)

Conversation 4
Tony : Please wait for a while. I need to take my briefcase and coat at the classroom (and come back) – Chotto (matsu)matte kudasai. Kyoushitsu kara kaban to ko-to o (toru)totte kimasu.
Kobayashi : Then, I wait for you downstair – Jaa, kaidan no shita de (matsu)matte imasu ne.
Tony : Yes, will return soon – Hai, sugu (modoru)modorimasu.
Meaning : Matsu (Wait), Kyoushitsu (Classroom), Kaban (Briefcase), Ko-to (Coat), Toru (Take), Kaidan (Staircase), Shita (Down / Under), Sugu (Soon / Immediate), Modoru (Return)

Conversation 5
Kobayashi : Please bring me 3 cups of tea. Then, please deliver this to Tanaka at second floor – Ocha o mittsu (motsu)motte kite kudasai. Sorekara, 2 kai no Tanaka san ni kore o (todokeru)todokete kite kudasai.
Tony : Yes, understood – Hai, (wakaru)wakarimashita.
Meaning : Ocha (Tea), Mittsu (3), Motsu (Bring / Carry), 2 kai (2nd Floor), Todokeru (Forward / Deliver), Wakaru (Understand)

Enjoy your lesson !!!

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Conversation session time !!! I will cover conversation realted to time & date

Kobayashi : Where do you come from? – Doko kara kimashita ka?
Tony : I’m from America – Amerika kara kimashita
Kobayashi : When did you come? – Itsu goro kimashita ka?
Tony : Exacty 1 year ago – Choudo 1 nen mae ni kimashita
Kobayashi : How many hour it took by flight? – Hikouki de nan jikan gurai kakarimashita ka?
Tony : It took about 14 hours – 14 jikan gurai kakarimashita
Meaning : Doko (Where), Itsu (When), Goro (Around), Choudo (Exactly), Mae (Front), 1 nen mae (1 year ago), Hokouki (Flight / Aeroplane)

Kobayashi : What are you doing? – Nani o shite imasu ka?
Tony : I am studying Japanese Language – Nihongo o benkyou shite imasu
Kobayashi : You study from around what time? – Nan ji goro kara benkyou shite imasu ka?
Tony : I start at around 8 o’clock. When I reach home, I will start immediately after taking dinner – 8 ji goro kara desu. Uchi ni kaette, ban gohan o tabete kara, zutto benkyou shite imasu.
Kobayashi : So, you study for 2 hours, right? – Jaa, 2 jikan gurai desu ka?
Tony : Yes, about that long – Hai, sono gurai desu
Meaning : Benkyou (Study), Ban (Night), Ban Gohan (Dinner), Zutto (All the way / Continuously)

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Before I move further on other usage of ~te, I will post some examples of how to converse using the ~te form we have learned so far.

Conversation 1
Tony : Excuse me, can you please take photo for me? – Sumimasen, shashin o (toru)totte kudasai?
Watanabe : Yes. Ready. I’m taking – Hai. Ii desu ka. Torimasu yo.
Meaning : Sumimasen (Excuse Me / Sorry), Shashin (Photo)

Conversation 2
Tony : Wait a moment. Please repeat again- Chotto (matsu)matte kudasai. Mou ichido (iu)itte kudasai.
Watanabe : Can’t you hear? – Kikoemasen deshita ka?
Tony : Yes, please say louder – Hai, motto ookii koe de itte kudasai.
Meaning : Chotto (A Moment), Matsu (Wait), Mou (Again), Ichido (One more time), Kikoemasen (Can’t hear), Motto (More), Ookii (Big / Large), Koe (Voice), Ookii Koe (Loud)

Conversation 3
Jen : Please come to the station at 7 o’clock tomorrow morning – Ashita no asa, 7 ji ni eki e (kuru)kite kudasai
Yoda : 7 o’clock. It’s too early – 7 ji desu ka. Zuibun hayai desu ne.
Jen : Yeah. Please don’t be late – Ee. (Okureru)Okurenaide kudasai.
Meaning : Ashita (Tomorrow), Asa (Morning), Zuibun (Very), Okureru (Late / Delay)

Conversation 4
Yoda : Hurry Up. Class is starting – (Isogu)Isoide kudasai. Jugyou ga (hajimaru)hajimarimasu yo.
Watanabe : OK, coming now – Hai, ima ikimasu.
Yoda : Oh, but please don’t run at the corridor – Aa, demo rouka wa (hashiru)hashiranaide kudasai.
Meaning : Isogu (Hurry), Jugyou (Class / Lesson), Hajimaru (Start / Begin), Rouka (Corridor), hashiru (Run)

Enjoy your lesson !!! 😉

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I will cover the conversation part of what we have learned in previous lesson.

Conversation 1
Tony : It was a good weather yesterday – Kinou wa ii tenki deshita ne
Yoda : Yeah. But, today is warmer than yesterday – Ee. Demo, kyou no hou ga kinou yori atatakai desu ne
Tony : That’s right – Sou desu ne
Meaning : Kinou (Yesterday), Tenki (Weather), Demo (But), Kyou (Today), Atatakai (Warm)

Conversation 2
Tony : Is Japan’s summer sultry? – Nihon no natsu wa mushi atsui desu ne?
Mieko : Yeah, I was in Japan last year, it was so hot – Ee, watashi wa kyonen no natsu mo nihon ni imashita ga, totemo atsukatta desu yo.
Tony : America’s summer is better than Japan’s summer – Amerika no natsu no hou ga nihon no natsu yori ii desu ne
Meaning : Natsu (Summer), Mushi Atsui (Sultry), Atsui (Hot), Kyonen (Last Year)

Conversation 3
John : For me, I like spring the most in a year – Watashi wa, 1 (ichi) nen no naka de, haru ga ichiban suki desu
Mieko : I like spring too but I like summer more – Watashi ha haru mo suki desu ga, natsu no hou ga suki desu
Meaning : Nen (Year), Naka (In / Inside), Haru (Spring), Ichiban (First / Most), Mo (Too)

Conversation 4
Miyata : Between our friends, who is the tallest? – O tomodachi no naka de, dare ga ichiban se ga takai desu ka?
Tony : Mieko is the tallest – Mieko ga ichiban takai desu
Miyata : How about John – Jon wa?
Tony : John is tall too but he is not taller than Mieko – Jon mo takai desu ga, Meiko hodo takaku arimasen
Meaning : Tomodachi (Friends), Dare (Who), Se (Height), Takai (Tall / Expensive)

Conversation 5
Tony : Is your car and mine the same? – Anata no kuruma to watashi no wa onaji desu ka?
Mieko : Yes, it’s the same but the color is different – Hai, onaji desu ga, iro ga chigaimasu.
Meaning : Onaji (Same), Iro (Color), Chigau / Chigaimasu (Different)

Hope the above conversation could give you a clear picture of how to use the hou ga, yo ri, etc.

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I will cover conversation in various scenario and some new words that are use during normal conversation.

Conversation 1
Tony : Is that your glove – Sore, kimi no tebukuro　「それ、きみのてぶくろ」
Tanaka : Yeah, that’s right – Ee, sou yo　「ええ、そうよ」
Tony : That’s great / cool – Suteki da ne　「すてきだね」
Tanaka : Thanks – Arigatou　「ありがとう」
Meaning : Tebukuro (Glove), Ee (Yes / Yeah), Sou (Really), Suteki (Lovely / Great), Arigatou (Thanks), [Polite] Arigatou Gozaimasu (Thank You)

Conversation 2
Tanaka : This sweater, how much – Kono se-ta-, ikura datta　「このセーター、いくらだった」
Tony : 4,000 yen – 4,000 en datta yo　「よんせんえんだったよ」
Tanaka : Haa, very cheap. Where you bought it – Hee, yasukatta ne. Doko de　「へえ、やすかったよ。どこで」
Tony : The department store infront of the train station. Now, bargain season – Eki mae no depa-to de. Ima, ba-gen chuu da yo　「えきまえのデパートで。いま、バーゲンちゅうだよ」
Meaning : Se-ta- (Sweater), Ikura (How Much), Hee (When someone feels suprise), Doko (Where), Ima (Now), Ba-gen (Bargain), Chuu (In the midst of something)

Conversation 3
Jenny : How’s this shoe – Kono kutsu, dou　「このくつ、どう」
Ida : Oh, it’s great – Ara, ii wa ne　「あら、いいわね」
Jenny : Yeah, but it’s bit expensive – Ee, demo chotto takai no yo　「ええ、でもちょっとたかいのよ」
Meaning : Kutsu (Shoe), Dou (How), Ara (Oh – word used to express a variety of emotions – delight, relief, surprise or contempt), Ii (Good / Great), Ee (Yeah – affirmative reply), Chotto (A bit / A Little)

Conversation 4
Jenny : Is this temple famous – Kono otera, yuumei na no　「このおてら、ゆうめいなの」
Tanaka : Nope, not that famous – Uun, amari yuumei janai yo　「ううん、あまりゆうめいじゃないよ」
Jenny : It’s very quiet here – Zuibun shizuka ne　「ずいぶんしずかね」
Tanaka : Yeah – Sou da ne　「そうだね」
Meaning : Otera (Temple), Yuumei (Famous), Shizuka (Quiet)

Some meaning of the words were covered previously, so I won’t be repeating it. I also include Hiragana / Katakana for easy reference (for those who has master hiragana / katakana). If you have not, visit Pronunciation session for more info.

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Few days ago, I have posted how to communicate in a normal-form (inpolite / friends-talk). Today I will add a bit more on this subject.

Usually, male and female use different way such as “boku”, “kimi” and “ore” is used by male where “watashi” and “anata” is used by female.

Conversation 1
Q : Is the exam difficult?
Q : (Polite) – Shiken wa muzukashikatta desu ka?
Q : (Normal – Male & Female) – Shiken, muzukashikatta?

A : No, it isn’t that difficult
A : (Polite) – Iie, muzukashiku arimasen deshita.
A : (Normal – Male) – Uun, muzukashikunakatta yo
A : (Normal – Female) – Uun, muzukashikunakatta wa yo

Meaning : Shiken (Exam), Muzukashii (Difficult)

Ladies will in most cases add a “wa” at the end.

Conversation 2
Polite
Q : How was (your trip to) Kyoto? – Kyouto wa dou deshita ka?
A : (I) enjoyed it very much – Tottemo omoshirokatta desu.
Q : Wasn’t there cold? – Samuku arimasen deshita ka?
A : Yes, it was cold – Hai, samukatta desu.

Q : Kyouto, Dou datta?
A : Tottemo omoshirokatta yo
Q : Samukunakatta?
A : Un, samukatta yo.

Meaning :Kyouto (Kyoto – State name), Dou (How), Omoshiroi (Fun / Enjoy), Samui (Cold)

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Most Japanese Language Center teaches their student on the “polite form” such as “masu”, “desu”, etc. But even though they can master the “polite form”, they may not be able to understand what the Japanese is communicating because they are using an “inpolite form” or “friends-talk”.

Japanese uses different way of conversation depending on who they are talking to. If they are talking to a person who they respect such as bosses, senior, new friends, etc, they would use the “polite form” like “wakarimasu“, “shimasu“, “kakimasu“. If they are talking with close friends, family members, subordinates or someone who should respect them, then the words they use will be totally different like “wakaru”, “suru” and “kaku”. See, the “masu” is gone now !!!

Example
English : Is this your pen?
Polite : Kore wa anata no enpitsu desu ka?
Normal : Kore, kimi no enpitsu?

English : Yes, this is mine
Polite : Hai, kore wa watashi no desu.
Normal : Un, boku no da yo

English : No, This isn’t mine
Polite : Iie, kore wa watashi no dewa arimasen.
Normal : Uun, boku no janai

The above examples shown almost each words are different between “polite form” and “normal form”. The meaning of them are :

Polite Form => Normal Form
Watashi => Boku (For Male only & Moderate Polite), Watashi (For Female) and Ore (For Male only & normal form)

Anata => Kimi (For Male only & Moderate Polite), Anata (For Female) Omai (For Male only & normal form)

Hai => Un
Iie => Uun
dewa arimasen => janai
desu => da
arimasen => nai
deshita => datta

Form others word such as verbs where we use convert from normal to “masu” such as tsutsumimasu, wakarimasu, kakimasu and so on that I have covered previously. For non-polite way, we don’t need to convert it to “masu form” and we use tsutsumu, wakaru, kaku and so on.

Remember, for female, dont ever use “boku” and “ore” as they are use by male only.

Conversation
Q : This belongs to who? – Kore wa dare no?
A : It’s not mine. Maybe it’s belongs to Tony – Boku no janai yo. Tabun, Toni no da yo.
Q : Oh, is it – Aa, sou.

Some sentences shown above have a “yo” at the end and this is only some sort of expression like what I have teached earlier for “ne”. “Boku no da” and “Boku no da yo” are the same meaning but most of the time the Japanese will add a “yo” behind to show deeper expression on the sentence.

Hope it is not too confuse. Go back to all previous lessons and try to convert them to “Inpolite” or “Normal Form” yourself. This way, you will be able to master this very quickly.

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I will show you how to conversate properly by combining what we have learned so far.

Q : Does Tony speaks Chinese very well? – Toni-san wa chuugoku go ga jouzu desu ka?
A : No, not that good. However, he speaks French very well. – Iie, amari jouzu dewa arimasen. Keredomo, furansu go ga jouzu desu.

Q : Do you travel often? – Yoku ryokou o shimasu ka?
A : No, not that often – Iie, amari shimasen

Q : Is your room wide? – Anata no heya wa hiroi desu ka?
A : No, not that wide. And it is expensive – Iie, amari hiroku arimasen. Soshite, takai desu

Q : The wind was extremely strong this morning – Kesa wa zuibun kaze ga tsuyokatta desu ne
A : Yeah. It was cold – Sou desu ne. Samukatta desu ne.

Meaning : Chuugoku (China), Chuugoku Go (Chinese language), Go (language), Ryokou (Tour / Travel), Hiroi (Wide), Zuibun (Extremely / Very), Tsuyoi (Strong)

The “ne” is something like “huh”, “ah”, etc that doesn’t have any meaning. “ne” is placed at the end of any sentences. Example : Ii desu ne (That’s good), Wakarimasen ne (Don’t understand / Not sure)

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Today, I will show you how to converse using Verbs

Conversation 1
Q : Is the window closed? – Mado o shimemashita ka?
A : Yes, the window and curtain are closed – Hai, Mado mo ka-ten mo shimemashita (the curtain is an aditional info to the question, that’s why “mo” is used) OR
A : Yes, it’s closed – Hai, shimemashita

Conversation 2
Q : Have you rented a house? – Uchi o karimashita ka?
A : No, I did not rent a house but rented an Apartment – Iie, uchi wa karimasen deshita, apa-to o karimashita
Q : I see. Where is the Apartment located? – Sou desu ka. Sono apa-to wa doko ni arimasu ka?
A : It’s near the train station. – Eki no soba ni arimasu.

Conversation 3
Waiter : Welcome – Irasshaimase
Tony : What do you want to drink – Nani o nomimasu ka?
Jenny : Coffee for me. How about you? – Watashi wa ko-hi- desu. Anata wa?
Tony : Me too and order me a cake please – Watashi mo. Sorekara ke-ki mo onegai shimasu

Meaning : Mado (Window), Shimemashita (Closed), Ka-ten (Curtain), Uchi (House), Karimashita (Rented), Apa-to (Apartment), Doko (Where), Iwasshaimase (Welcome), Nomimasu (Drink), Ko-hi (Coffee), Ke-ki (Cake), Onegai Shimasu (Please)

You may have notice that some verbs use “mashita” instead of “masu”. “mashita” is use for Past Tense where “masu” is Present Tense. For example :

See, It’s easy. Japanese Present/Past Tense is much easier than English.

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Japanese are very dicipline where they will wish everyone whenever they meet in the morning, afternoon and night.

Good Morning – Ohayō Gozaimasu　（おはようございます）
Good Afternoon – Konnichiwa　（こんにちは）
Good Evening – Konbanwa　（こんばんは）
Good Night – Oyasumi Nasai　（おやすみなさい）

There is another type of wishes where Japanese family will normally say :
When you are going out from home, dormitory, office, etc
You should say : Itte Kimasu （いってきます）- I’m going out
They should reply : Itte Rasshai （いってらっしゃい）- Take care yourself

When you return home, office, dormitory, etc
You should say : Tadaima （ただいま）- I’m Home
They should reply : O Kaeri Nasai （おかえりなさい）- Welcome Back

Based on the above, you may notice that some word has a double character like “itte” & “rasshai”. This will happen whenever there is a small “tsu”.
Example : itte （いって）and rasshai （らっしゃい）

To understanding further on the pronunciation, visit HERE

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