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Yet another conversation session.

Conversation 1
Q : Since it is raining, shouldn’t we go by taxi? – Ame ga (furu)futte iru kara, takushi-de ikimashō ka?
A : Yeah. I’ll call a taxi – Sō desu ne. Jaa, boku ga (yobu)yonde kimasu
Meaning : Ame ga furu (Raining), Ame (Rain), Takushi- (Taxi), Boku (I), Yobu (Call)

Conversation 2
Q : It’s 7 o’clock. Still not going to the party yet? – Mō 7 ji desu yo. Mada pa-ti- e ikanain desu ka
A : Ya, I have something to do and I’ll be a bit late – Ee. yōji ga aru kara, chotto okurete ikimasu
Meaning : Mada (Still), Pa-ti- (Party), Yōji (Tasks / Things to do), Chotto (A little)

Conversation 3
Q : Did you already know Japanese when you come to Japan? – Nihon e kita toki, mō nihongo ga dekitan desu ka?
A : Ya, I speak a little because I studied in China – Ee. chūgoku de benkyō shite imashita kara, sukoshi dake hanasu koto ga dekimashita
Meaning : Chūgoku (China), Benkyō (Study), Sukoshi (A little bit), Dake (Only), Hanasu (Speak)

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Today, I will show you how to use “toki (when)” & “kara (because)”.

Example (toki)

• When I go out, I lock the door – Uchi o deru toki, kagi o kakimasu
• When I was taking meal, the phone rang – Shokuji o shite ita toki, denwa ga (naru)narimashita
• When I am free, I visit my friend – Hima na toki, otomodachi no uchi e asobi ni ikimasu

Meaning : Kagi (Key), Shokuji (Meal), Naru (For phone, it means Ring)

Example (kara)

• I have to wake up at 5 o’clock because I need to go out at 6 o’clock – 6 ji ni uchi o deru kara, 5 ji ni (okiru)okimasu
• I can’t really hear you because your voice was too low – Chiisai koe de (hanasu)hanashita kara, yoku (kikoeru)kikoemasen deshita
• I reached office late because the bas was delayed – Basu ga (okuru)okureta kara, kaisha ni chikoku shimashita

Meaning : Okiru (Wake), Koe (Voice), Kikoeru (Can Hear), Okuru (Delay), Kaisha (Company), Chikoku (Late)

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Conversation time again !!! Here we go …..

Conversation 1
Q : What happened? – Dō shimashita ka?
A : I have flu – Kaze o (hiku)hiitan desu.
Q : Do you have fever? – Netsu ga arimasu ka?
A : Yes, about 37 degree – Hai. 37 do chotto arimasu.
Meaning : Kaze (Flu), Hiku (Catch a flu), Netsu (Fever), 37 Do (37 degree)

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“~n” is to attached at the end of the verb like : (iku) ikun, (kau) kaun. “~n” is used when you want to emphasize something that you WILL do it.

Example
Q: Kobayashi, shopping? – Kobayashi san, kaimono desu ka?
A: Yeah. Are you going for shopping too? – Ee. Toni san mo kaimono ni ikun desu ka?
Q: No, I am going to the library – Iie, watashi wa toshokan e ikun desu
Meaning : Kaimono (Shopping), Toshokan (Library)

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“Mae Ni” means “Before Something” and “Ato De” means “After Something”. When using “Mae Ni” the verbs before it must be a Normal Form (ie. Kaku (Write), Taberu (Eat), Kau (Buy)) where the verbs used before “Ato De” shall be past tense (ie. Kaita, Tabeta, Katta)

Example
I have to wash my hands before taking breakfast – Asa gohan o taberu mae ni, te o (arau)araimasu.

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Dare Demo = Whoever / Anybody
Itsu Demo = Whenever / Anytime
Doko Demo = Wherever / Anywhere
Nan Demo = Whatever / Anything

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It’s been a while since my last post. I was a bit busy in my job.

Today I will cover conversation for what we have learned the last couple of weeks.

A : Excuse Me, Can I borrow the phone? – Sumimasen, denwa o (kariru)karite mo ii desu ka?
B : Yes, please. – Hai, dōzo
Meaning : Sumimasen (Excuse Me), Denwa (Telephone), Kariru (Borrow)

A : Can I switch on the radio? – Rajio o (tsukeru)tsukete mo ii desu ka?
B : Sure but don’t turn the sound too loud – Ii desu yo. Demo, oto o amari (ookii)ookiku shinaide kudasai ne.
Meaning : Rajio (Radio), Tsukeru (Switch On), Oto (Voice / Sound), Ookii (Big)

A : Am I not allow to enter this classroom? – Kono kyōshitsu ni (hairu)haitte wa ikemasen ka?
B : Yes, nobody is allow to enter. It is in a midst of exam now. – Hai, dare mo haitte wa ikemasen. Ima, shiken chū desu
Meaning : Hairu (Enter / Go In), Kyōshitsu (Classroom), Shiken (Examination), Chū (In a midst of)

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“~hō ga ii desu” means “It’s better to do something”. For instance, “Kusuri o nonda hō ga ii desu” means “It’s better to take medicine”. Remember that the verb must be converted to past tense when using this sentences. As shown in the above example, “Nomu” (Drink) is converted to “Nonda” which is past tense. However, when using this sentence for negative phrase, no past tense shall be used. For example : “Kusuri wa nomanai hō ga ii desu” (It’s better not to take medicine). See it doesn’t use “nomanakatta” (past tense) instead “nomanai” (present tense) is used.

As usual, “o” shall be used after the noun for positive phrase and “wa” is used for negative phrase.

Other Examples
It’s better to eat more vegetables – Yasai o takusan (taberu)tabeta hō ga ii desu
It’s better to sleep earlier – (Hayai)Hayaku (neru)neta hō ga ii desu
It’s better not to go too far – Amari (tooi)tooku e wa (iku)ikanai hō ga ii desu
Meaning : Yasai (Vegetables), Takusan (Many / More), Neru (Sleep), Hayai (Fast), Tooi (Far), Amari (Not So)

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~nakereba narimasen – It’s not right not to do something (have to do)
~nakute mo ii desu – It’s fine not to do something (do not have to do)

To use these, you have to change the the verbs to negative (ie. (tomeru)tomenai, kaku(kakanai), miru(minai))

You have to stop the car – Kuruma o tomenakereba narimasen
You don’t have to stop the car – Kuruma o tomenakute mo ii desu

Other Example
Q : Bōshi o (kaburu)kaburanakereba narimasen ka?
A : Hai, bōshi o kaburanakereba narimasen (Positive Answer)
A : Iie, bōshi o kaburanakute mo ii desu (Negative Answer)
Meaning : Bōshi (Cap), Kaburu (Wear/Put On)

Q : Kimono o (kiru)kinakute mo ii desu ka?
A : Hai, Kimono o kinakute mo ii desu (Positive Answer)
A : Iie, Kimono o kinakereba narimasen (Negative Answer)
Meaning : Kimono (Japanese Tradisional Wear), Kiru (Wear)

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“mo ii desu” (can do something) and “wa ikemasen” (cannot or not allow to do something). You have to use ~te form for the verbs just before the above sentences. Rules : Verbs (~te form) + “mo ii desu” or “wa ikemasen”

Q : Can I smoke cigarrette? – Tabako o (suu)sutte mo ii desu ka?
A : Yes, you can smoke cigarette – Hai, Tabako o sutte mo ii desu (Positive)
A : No, you cannot smoke cigarette – Iie, Tabako o sutte wa ikemasen
Meaning : Tabako (Cigarrette), Suu (Smoke)

You can stop your car – Kuruma o (tomeru)tomete mo ii desu
Can I go back now – Ima, (kaeru)kaete mo ii desu ka

Form a sentence in English and try to use the above sentences.

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