OK, it's time to take what you've learned in the past several lessons and ... (drum roll, not egg roll) ... apply it! Try some of these examples and see how well you do.
A) Practice changing the sentences around.
If it says, "There is an A there", change it to "The A is there" and vice-versa.
Also, try to write down the meaning of each of the sentences for practice.
You should be able to put it together if you have come this far.
Rei: Asoko ni niwa ga arimasu. --> Niwa wa asoko ni arimasu.
1. Koko ni shii-dii ga arimasu. -->
2. Niwa no ike ni sakana ga imasu. -->
3. Keiko-san wa doko ni imasu ka? -->
4. Heya ni neko wa imasen. -->
5. Sono teeburu ni biiru ga takusan arimasu. -->
B) Produce the following sentences.
Each one will get larger, but they are all complete sentences.
Rei: Arimasu; takusan; okane (money); watashi wa. --> Watashi wa okane ga takusan arimasu.
1. Imasen; amari; tomodachi (friend); imooto (younger sister) -->
2. Arimasu; san-gai (third floor); pooru (pool); anata-tachi no -->
3. Arimasu; takusan; okane; kanojo -->
4. Imasu; oji-san (middle-aged man); futotta; tabako-ya ni wa -->
C) Say the following in Japanese.
Be careful of the use of wa, ga, imasu, arimasu.
1. There are (some) cats here.
2. The tobacco shop is over there.
3. Over there is a fish.
4. Honda-san is over there.
5. There is a pen there.
And...
Take a deep breath
in..........
now......
out ........
You're doing a fantastic job! Now go turn off your computer, and head out into the great outdoors for some refreshing minus ions to help let your brain relax, and absorb what we have been learning about in these lessons!
I'll see you again soon.
- Sensei
P.S. Send me a message when you get this far and are ready for some more lessons. Until I get a few people who have come this far, I plan to give you a break.
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Possible answers to Part C:
1. There are (some) cats here. --> Koko ni neko ga imasu.
2. The tobacco shop is over there. --> Tabako-ya ga asoko ni arimasu.
3. Over there is a fish. --> Asoko ni sakana ga imasu.
4. Honda-san is over there. --> Honda-san wa asoko ni imasu.
5. There is a pen there. --> Asoko ni pen ga arimasu.
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Lesson 17: More of a good thing - Plurals
Unlike English where we put an s at the end of nouns to indicate more than one (in most cases), Japanese does not have singular and plural nouns (in most cases). This would mean that neko could mean cat or cats, depending on the situation. Usually it is understood in the context of the sentence.
However, with pronouns such as I (watashi/boku), you (anata/kimi), he (kare), she (kanojo) we pluralize them by adding -tachi to the end of the noun. 'We' becomes watashi-tachi, you becomes anata-tachi, they becomes kare-tachi or kanojo-tachi.
With kare or kanojo, one could also use the form -ra instead of -tachi to signify the plural (this is more informal). Here are just a few examples for you to look at:
1. Watashi-tachi wa ginko ni ikitai. (We want to go to the bank.)
2. Kanojo-tachi wa Nihon ni imasu. (They are in Japan.)
3. Kare-ra ni wa rippa-na ie ga arimasu. (They have a splendid house.)
But, but but but but but, if you attach the plural -tachi to people's names, it takes on a different meaning:
1. Yamamoto-san-tachi. (Mr./Mrs. Yamamoto and those around them. (often the family)
2. Keiko-chan-tachi. (Keiko and her buddies.)
And if you grab another kind of tachi with two hands and swing it around the room you can do some very serious damage because a tachi is the two-handed long sword of Japanese samurai days. Interesting, yes?
In the next lesson, let's practice.
More to come...
- Sensei
Next Lesson 18: Time for some Renshuu - Practice Makes Perfect.
However, with pronouns such as I (watashi/boku), you (anata/kimi), he (kare), she (kanojo) we pluralize them by adding -tachi to the end of the noun. 'We' becomes watashi-tachi, you becomes anata-tachi, they becomes kare-tachi or kanojo-tachi.
With kare or kanojo, one could also use the form -ra instead of -tachi to signify the plural (this is more informal). Here are just a few examples for you to look at:
1. Watashi-tachi wa ginko ni ikitai. (We want to go to the bank.)
2. Kanojo-tachi wa Nihon ni imasu. (They are in Japan.)
3. Kare-ra ni wa rippa-na ie ga arimasu. (They have a splendid house.)
But, but but but but but, if you attach the plural -tachi to people's names, it takes on a different meaning:
1. Yamamoto-san-tachi. (Mr./Mrs. Yamamoto and those around them. (often the family)
2. Keiko-chan-tachi. (Keiko and her buddies.)
And if you grab another kind of tachi with two hands and swing it around the room you can do some very serious damage because a tachi is the two-handed long sword of Japanese samurai days. Interesting, yes?
In the next lesson, let's practice.
More to come...
- Sensei
Next Lesson 18: Time for some Renshuu - Practice Makes Perfect.
Lesson 16: More on the verb Arimasu
The Form, Part B
Sentences can become pretty complicated at this stage. The nice thing about Japanese, though, is that you can often omit a lot of words that you would need to have in English. Whereas English cannot function without a subject (be it a noun or pronoun), the subject in Japanese can be omitted altogether if it is already known. Watch:
1a. Watashi (ni) wa neko ga yon-hiki imasu. (I have four cats - hiki is the counter for small animals)
1b. Ippai imasu, ne. (You certainly do have a lot!) - note, the "you" (anata) is missing in the Japanese.
2a. Imasu. ((I) have (some).)
2b. Takusan imasu. ((I) have a lot.
2c. Kyodai ga takusan imasu. (There are many brothers & sisters/(I) have a lot of brothers & sisters.)
2d. Watashi (ni) wa kyodai ga takusan imasu. ((I) have many brothers & sisters.)
In number (2) if all of the subjects are known, you can simply say, Imasu (2a) to say the same thing as you would say in (2d) and therefore save yourself a lot of time and breath (especially if you are in a really smoky place and the cigarette smoke is killing you). It makes the language really handy, don't you think?
There is one other pattern that you should be aware of and that is ni wa will sometimes be used in place of wa. See the examples below:
1. Otooto ni wa tomodachi ga ippai imasu. (My brother has many friends.)
2. Kono heya ni wa shii-dii pureyaa ga arimasu ka? (Does this room have a CD player?)
One Final Note (+/-):When you change from positive tense to negative tense, you usually switch the ga to wa.
1. Otooto ni wa tomodachi wa amari imasen. (My brother doesn't have many friends.)
2. Kono heya ni wa shii-dii pureyaa wa arimasen ka? (Doesn't this room have a CD player?)
In the next two lessons on this topic we will talk about plurals, and then give you some practice sentences. Then we'll take a "culture pocket break".
- Sensei
Next Lesson 17: More of a good thing - Plurals
Sentences can become pretty complicated at this stage. The nice thing about Japanese, though, is that you can often omit a lot of words that you would need to have in English. Whereas English cannot function without a subject (be it a noun or pronoun), the subject in Japanese can be omitted altogether if it is already known. Watch:
1a. Watashi (ni) wa neko ga yon-hiki imasu. (I have four cats - hiki is the counter for small animals)
1b. Ippai imasu, ne. (You certainly do have a lot!) - note, the "you" (anata) is missing in the Japanese.
2a. Imasu. ((I) have (some).)
2b. Takusan imasu. ((I) have a lot.
2c. Kyodai ga takusan imasu. (There are many brothers & sisters/(I) have a lot of brothers & sisters.)
2d. Watashi (ni) wa kyodai ga takusan imasu. ((I) have many brothers & sisters.)
In number (2) if all of the subjects are known, you can simply say, Imasu (2a) to say the same thing as you would say in (2d) and therefore save yourself a lot of time and breath (especially if you are in a really smoky place and the cigarette smoke is killing you). It makes the language really handy, don't you think?
There is one other pattern that you should be aware of and that is ni wa will sometimes be used in place of wa. See the examples below:
1. Otooto ni wa tomodachi ga ippai imasu. (My brother has many friends.)
2. Kono heya ni wa shii-dii pureyaa ga arimasu ka? (Does this room have a CD player?)
One Final Note (+/-):When you change from positive tense to negative tense, you usually switch the ga to wa.
1. Otooto ni wa tomodachi wa amari imasen. (My brother doesn't have many friends.)
2. Kono heya ni wa shii-dii pureyaa wa arimasen ka? (Doesn't this room have a CD player?)
In the next two lessons on this topic we will talk about plurals, and then give you some practice sentences. Then we'll take a "culture pocket break".
- Sensei
Next Lesson 17: More of a good thing - Plurals
Lesson 15: Having & Being Continued
The Form
Arimasu and imasu can be used to indicate location as well if used in the following pattern:
A wa B ni arimasu/imasu.
... where A is the topic of discussion and B is the place.
In this case you must use ni before arimasu/imasu in order to designate the location.
1. Neko wa soko ni imasu. (There is a cat there.)
2. Sakana no niku wa koko ni arimasu. (There is some fish meat here.)
You could also use the previously-learned pattern of A wa B desu to designate a similar meaning:
1. Neko wa soko desu. (The cat is "that place.")
2. Sakana no niku wa koko desu. (The fish meat is "this place.")
Either pattern is fine, but since today we are focusing on arimasu and imasu, let's stick with that pattern, shall we?
If you have forgotten how to use desu, please refer back to previous lessons.
Now you can switch around the location of the location in the sentence and put it in the beginning. If you wanted to do that, you would say, B ni A ga arimasu/imasu where B is still the location and A is the topic.
If you notice, ga has replaced wa in this case. Why? Simply, because A wa tends to be stuck at the beginning of a sentence but A ga does not have this restriction.
If you switch A and B around like this you are also changing the importance of A and B in relation to each other (the difference between the and a). You could also look at this as A wa is already understood or noticed while A ga is noticed for the first time.
A wa can also be used when comparing two things, even if one of the two is not actually mentioned (or present) - see example 7. and 8. below.
1. Toire wa asoko ni arimasu. (The toilet is over there.) - does this ring a bell?
2. Asoko ni koban ga arimasu. (There is a police box over there.)
3. Shini-so! Tabako-ya wa soko ni aru no? (I'm dying! The smoke shop is over there?)
4. Shini-so! Soko ni Tabako-ya ga aru no? (I'm dying! There is a smoke shop over there?)
5. Inu wa niwa ni imasu. (The dog is in the garden)
6. Niwa ni inu ga imasu. (There is a dog in the garden.)
7. Sakana wa niwa no ike ni imasu. Neko wa ike no soba ni imasu. (The fish is in the pond in the garden. The cat is beside the pond.)
8. Sakana wa niwa no ike ni imasu. (The fish is in the pond (wherever the cat may be).)
This verb is important to understand, so let's take a breath, think about this, and then head into the next lesson whenever you are ready. Don't rush it, I'll be here when you want to come back.
Rather than put this all in one huge blog-lesson, I prefer to break it up into short "spurts". That way, you don't need to feel overwhelmed by it all.
Take your time. It's worth the effort (although Chinese these days might get you further ahead in the business world than Japanese...)
More to come...
- Sensei
Next Lesson 16: More on the verb arimasu.
Arimasu and imasu can be used to indicate location as well if used in the following pattern:
A wa B ni arimasu/imasu.
... where A is the topic of discussion and B is the place.
In this case you must use ni before arimasu/imasu in order to designate the location.
1. Neko wa soko ni imasu. (There is a cat there.)
2. Sakana no niku wa koko ni arimasu. (There is some fish meat here.)
You could also use the previously-learned pattern of A wa B desu to designate a similar meaning:
1. Neko wa soko desu. (The cat is "that place.")
2. Sakana no niku wa koko desu. (The fish meat is "this place.")
Either pattern is fine, but since today we are focusing on arimasu and imasu, let's stick with that pattern, shall we?
If you have forgotten how to use desu, please refer back to previous lessons.
Now you can switch around the location of the location in the sentence and put it in the beginning. If you wanted to do that, you would say, B ni A ga arimasu/imasu where B is still the location and A is the topic.
If you notice, ga has replaced wa in this case. Why? Simply, because A wa tends to be stuck at the beginning of a sentence but A ga does not have this restriction.
If you switch A and B around like this you are also changing the importance of A and B in relation to each other (the difference between the and a). You could also look at this as A wa is already understood or noticed while A ga is noticed for the first time.
A wa can also be used when comparing two things, even if one of the two is not actually mentioned (or present) - see example 7. and 8. below.
1. Toire wa asoko ni arimasu. (The toilet is over there.) - does this ring a bell?
2. Asoko ni koban ga arimasu. (There is a police box over there.)
3. Shini-so! Tabako-ya wa soko ni aru no? (I'm dying! The smoke shop is over there?)
4. Shini-so! Soko ni Tabako-ya ga aru no? (I'm dying! There is a smoke shop over there?)
5. Inu wa niwa ni imasu. (The dog is in the garden)
6. Niwa ni inu ga imasu. (There is a dog in the garden.)
7. Sakana wa niwa no ike ni imasu. Neko wa ike no soba ni imasu. (The fish is in the pond in the garden. The cat is beside the pond.)
8. Sakana wa niwa no ike ni imasu. (The fish is in the pond (wherever the cat may be).)
This verb is important to understand, so let's take a breath, think about this, and then head into the next lesson whenever you are ready. Don't rush it, I'll be here when you want to come back.
Rather than put this all in one huge blog-lesson, I prefer to break it up into short "spurts". That way, you don't need to feel overwhelmed by it all.
Take your time. It's worth the effort (although Chinese these days might get you further ahead in the business world than Japanese...)
More to come...
- Sensei
Next Lesson 16: More on the verb arimasu.
Lesson 14: Having & Being
I want. I need. You have. I don't have. I take. You don't have anymore? Tough. Gimme gimme never gets. Ain't you learned your manners yet?
There are a lot of things in life that we have or need. For example, I have three mountain bikes; three beautiful mountain bikes that love to work their tires off for me on those steep steep climbs up and then spread their wings on the wicked descents back down to civilization. Maybe I don't need three bikes, but I have them.
There is a computer that I have sitting in one of my rooms (if I didn't have a computer you wouldn't have this lesson in front of you right now). It used to be a luxury (want) but has since become a need.
I have spam coming out of the wazoo every morning I get up and check my mail. I don't need that.
I do need you folks to continue enjoying these lessons.
So, for now, I have a following. Or I could say, there is a fairly large group of people who have accessed these lessons are are patiently (impatiently?) awaiting the next lesson which is far too far late in coming.
It is always important to know what is yours and what isn't, if there is something there or if there isn't.
If I said to you, "There is a murderer lurking in that alley." would you venture down it? What if I knew there was a murderer there but couldn't tell you so because I didn't know how? How would I explain to the police when they found your remains that I knew there was danger lurking in the darkness, but did not have the ability to tell the victim? Can you say, "good morning, fellow inmate"? Sure, I knew you could.
So in this lesson we will learn how to say "I have" and "There is" because at times it can be important.
The Lead-in
The verb arimasu (aru) means "there is" and "have" when you are referring to objects. If you are talking about the possession of people (not politically correct these days), living things or the existence of living things, you would use the verb imasu (iru) to express your thoughts.
In a previous lesson we learned that desu means to be but with these two new verbs your conversation strategies expand exponentially.
Arimasu and imasu are the "polite" forms of the verbs aru and iru respectively, which is not to say that aru or iru is "impolite". Rather, they tend to be used in more casual conversations with family and friends, or when writing books, papers, etc. although you could use the more polite version when writing to friends, etc. if you so wish.
Women tend to use the polite version more often than men do, but that is a cultural thing here in Japan. It seems to be acceptable if men act more impolite on a common basis although this too is falling into disfavor with many women who find many young men unmannered these days. As an aside, foreign men are viewed by Japanese women to have much better manners than their Japanese counterpart - just for all you single guys out there.
Here is an example of what it would look like in a simple sentence:
1. Anata no ie ni neko ga imasu. (There is a cat in your house.)
2. Watashi no poketto no naka ni sakana no niku ga aru. (I have some fish meat in my pocket.)
3. Boku no mawari ni neko ga sen-biki iru! Tasukete!! (There are 1000 cats around me! Help!!)
More to come on this very important verb...
- Sensei
Next Lesson 15: Having & Being Continued.
There are a lot of things in life that we have or need. For example, I have three mountain bikes; three beautiful mountain bikes that love to work their tires off for me on those steep steep climbs up and then spread their wings on the wicked descents back down to civilization. Maybe I don't need three bikes, but I have them.
There is a computer that I have sitting in one of my rooms (if I didn't have a computer you wouldn't have this lesson in front of you right now). It used to be a luxury (want) but has since become a need.
I have spam coming out of the wazoo every morning I get up and check my mail. I don't need that.
I do need you folks to continue enjoying these lessons.
So, for now, I have a following. Or I could say, there is a fairly large group of people who have accessed these lessons are are patiently (impatiently?) awaiting the next lesson which is far too far late in coming.
It is always important to know what is yours and what isn't, if there is something there or if there isn't.
If I said to you, "There is a murderer lurking in that alley." would you venture down it? What if I knew there was a murderer there but couldn't tell you so because I didn't know how? How would I explain to the police when they found your remains that I knew there was danger lurking in the darkness, but did not have the ability to tell the victim? Can you say, "good morning, fellow inmate"? Sure, I knew you could.
So in this lesson we will learn how to say "I have" and "There is" because at times it can be important.
The Lead-in
The verb arimasu (aru) means "there is" and "have" when you are referring to objects. If you are talking about the possession of people (not politically correct these days), living things or the existence of living things, you would use the verb imasu (iru) to express your thoughts.
In a previous lesson we learned that desu means to be but with these two new verbs your conversation strategies expand exponentially.
Arimasu and imasu are the "polite" forms of the verbs aru and iru respectively, which is not to say that aru or iru is "impolite". Rather, they tend to be used in more casual conversations with family and friends, or when writing books, papers, etc. although you could use the more polite version when writing to friends, etc. if you so wish.
Women tend to use the polite version more often than men do, but that is a cultural thing here in Japan. It seems to be acceptable if men act more impolite on a common basis although this too is falling into disfavor with many women who find many young men unmannered these days. As an aside, foreign men are viewed by Japanese women to have much better manners than their Japanese counterpart - just for all you single guys out there.
Here is an example of what it would look like in a simple sentence:
1. Anata no ie ni neko ga imasu. (There is a cat in your house.)
2. Watashi no poketto no naka ni sakana no niku ga aru. (I have some fish meat in my pocket.)
3. Boku no mawari ni neko ga sen-biki iru! Tasukete!! (There are 1000 cats around me! Help!!)
More to come on this very important verb...
- Sensei
Next Lesson 15: Having & Being Continued.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
The Culture Pocket: Daily Life in Japan
We all know how important it is to have a daily schedule in order to feel as if we are in control of our life. This is even more true when one lives in a foreign country for the first time. And it is vital when transplanted to a culture that is so different from one's own.
Japan, on the outside, looks a lot like the west. This is mainly because western goods and services abound. Everywhere you look you can see things from the US. To the "new" foreigner, at first it seems as if Japan is not so different. Everyone lives in a house, apartment, condo, drives a car, goes to work, owns a pet, eats food. It is easy to misinterpret the situation and try to live following the same cultural rules that are familiar back home. This, however will lead to several complications after a short while.
As mentioned earlier, it looks similar on the outside, but looks can be deceiving. Deep down the roots are totally different, fundamentally different. Basic survival can be achieved by practically anyone on their own: after a few months foreigners will be able to move on their own, eat, shop, use the public transportation and other basic services. But some of the people will not have acquired the rules of the Japanese domain correctly.
If, however, the foreigner is guided during the initial stages, adapting to the culture of Japan and the Japanese daily life routine may be near perfect. This will prevent foreigners from the: "why does everyone treat me like a foreigner?" syndrome. To do this it is important to watch the people around you, ask for correction, discuss behavior with Japanese friends and try to immerse yourself in the culture as much as you can. Many acquaintances of mine have lived here in Japan for two to three years in a totally "English environment". They go about their day in a North American way, listen to English music, rent English videos, eat at western restaurants, answer their phone in English, hang out with other native English speakers all the time. And they wonder why Japan always seems so strange and foreign to them. It is simply because they are refusing to try.
Because daily life is more complicated here than many other places it is especially important to make the effort to adapt to the cultural aspects of life. Work hours are longer, there are less holidays, people travel longer distances to work, eat out more, spend more money (save less). I would like to make a few brief comments on various aspects of daily life in Japan, aspects which, if taken into account, should help the newcomer adapt more quickly to his or her new daily life.
Bathing time is important to consider. Most households bathe at night, after the work day is completed. There are showers available in most places but these tend to be mainly for rinsing off before getting into the bath. In the summer months when the heat and humidity is high families tend to take showers but during the cold winter months the bath is important.
People here believe that you will catch a cold if you have a shower and not a bath in the winter because you will not be able to heat your body entirely. Breakfast meals tend to be western-style these days but in some families you will still find the very filling Japanese-style breakfast of rice, miso soup, fish, natto, and a few vegetables. Breakfast is usually not a problem for the foreigner.
If someone is leaving the house before you, walk them to the genkan (entrance) and see them off. As it is a time-honored custom here, to not do so will seem very strange and possibly the foreigner will be thought of as inconsiderate.
When going to and from work or school, many people use public transportation because the roads are always congested (except in the middle of the night - a great time to travel) and parking is at a premium. Public transportation tends to be very crowded during rush hour so don't be surprised to find that there is almost no room to maneuver around. The public transport system here is extremely efficient and runs to most locations with little or no problem at all. Taxis are abundant if not expensive.
Usually people who finish their daily work at a bar with coworkers will take a taxi home late at night when the trains are no longer running. Taxis are reliable and drivers taking roundabout routes to make extra money are extremely rare. The rear left door will open automatically for you while the driver sits in his seat and waits for you to enter. Drivers here tend to be quiet and not converse with passengers unless the passenger begins a conversation.
There are three types of lunches in Japan: single dish, set meal, and elaborate course dinner (does not belong to the normal daily domain). Western food, Chinese and Japanese food tend to be the norm for lunch. Many people will have a bowl of noodles (Chinese ramen or Japanese udon/soba) for lunch or perhaps a bowl of rice with egg or pork on top. Set menus usually consist of a meat, vegetable, salad and a soup of some kind. It is not uncommon to see people dropping into the local McDonalds for a lunch or a quick coffee these days. In fact, young people tend to like the western food more than traditional fare. In restaurants there is a consumption tax (5% in 1998) but nobody tips; which makes for poor service at some places because the part time staff have no incentive to work hard at pleasing the customer.
When asking for directions, choose who you ask with care. It is best to avoid large stores because people working there may not live in the area and only know their route to work. Also, people in the street may not know either as they may be travelers as well. It is best to ask for directions at police boxes (small one or two-man stations found on many corners around town) or gasoline stations. Automobile dealers seem to have a good grip on directions as well. Stay away from convenience stores; they are notorious for "trying to please" by giving directions, any directions to you.
In the big cities, most people do their shopping on the way home from work. But as this may be late and the stores closed, Sundays tend to be very popular shopping times. All retail businesses are open on Sundays for the customers' convenience. Convenience stores (Circle K, Lawson, Family Mart, etc.) are open in the evening if you need to do some emergency staple shopping but the prices are a little higher than supermarkets and the selection is less. Except for electronic stores where you might be able to haggle a better deal, all prices are fixed. There is no bartering here like in many other Asian countries. You pay the price on the tag. People are very honest here and do not usually overcharge so you can be sure that you are not paying overinflated prices. Most shops will be similar in price, but it is always good to shop around.
The main meal is dinner at home for families. They usually try to eat together as much as possible. This may even mean that dinner is not until 10pm because Dad gets home late every night. On average, though, dinner is later here than in North America because the work hours are longer. It is not unusual to begin eating at 9pm. Adults often drink beer or sake with the meal. I drink milk and get funny looks.
All homes and apartments have a bath (unless you are living in a very old rural community, in a very old house in which case there will be a public bath nearby that the locals visit every evening). It is very important to observe bathing rituals so that others can enjoy the bath as well. The water in the bath is heated to a high temperature (often too hot for many foreigners) and is used for soaking and relaxing, not for bathing. Bathing occurs outside the bath and care must be taken not to get any soap into the water. The order is usually rinse, soak, wash and rinse, then get back in and soak again. In most homes the bathing order is hierarchical with the father having the first bath and the mother bathing last.
Many young people sleep on beds these days but it is not uncommon to find futons still. Most older people prefer the futon on the tatami floor to a bed. The quilts that are used are fairly thick and heavy. Western-style sheets are not used so most people sleep with pajamas or a t-shirt on to avoid the draft that tends to seep in around the shoulders. Most pillows in homes (the exception is in hotels where they seem to have gone to the extreme and looked for the softest, most uncomfortable ones in existence) tend to be small and hard. This dates back to when people wore elaborately coiffured hairdos and didn't want to ruin it just by sleeping. Most bedrooms do not have light switches and the light are operated by pulling a cord that attaches to the light itself.
These are just a few common things in daily life that may help the foreigner adjust a little more easily.
- Sensei
Next Lesson 14: Having and Being.
Japan, on the outside, looks a lot like the west. This is mainly because western goods and services abound. Everywhere you look you can see things from the US. To the "new" foreigner, at first it seems as if Japan is not so different. Everyone lives in a house, apartment, condo, drives a car, goes to work, owns a pet, eats food. It is easy to misinterpret the situation and try to live following the same cultural rules that are familiar back home. This, however will lead to several complications after a short while.
As mentioned earlier, it looks similar on the outside, but looks can be deceiving. Deep down the roots are totally different, fundamentally different. Basic survival can be achieved by practically anyone on their own: after a few months foreigners will be able to move on their own, eat, shop, use the public transportation and other basic services. But some of the people will not have acquired the rules of the Japanese domain correctly.
If, however, the foreigner is guided during the initial stages, adapting to the culture of Japan and the Japanese daily life routine may be near perfect. This will prevent foreigners from the: "why does everyone treat me like a foreigner?" syndrome. To do this it is important to watch the people around you, ask for correction, discuss behavior with Japanese friends and try to immerse yourself in the culture as much as you can. Many acquaintances of mine have lived here in Japan for two to three years in a totally "English environment". They go about their day in a North American way, listen to English music, rent English videos, eat at western restaurants, answer their phone in English, hang out with other native English speakers all the time. And they wonder why Japan always seems so strange and foreign to them. It is simply because they are refusing to try.
Because daily life is more complicated here than many other places it is especially important to make the effort to adapt to the cultural aspects of life. Work hours are longer, there are less holidays, people travel longer distances to work, eat out more, spend more money (save less). I would like to make a few brief comments on various aspects of daily life in Japan, aspects which, if taken into account, should help the newcomer adapt more quickly to his or her new daily life.
Bathing time is important to consider. Most households bathe at night, after the work day is completed. There are showers available in most places but these tend to be mainly for rinsing off before getting into the bath. In the summer months when the heat and humidity is high families tend to take showers but during the cold winter months the bath is important.
People here believe that you will catch a cold if you have a shower and not a bath in the winter because you will not be able to heat your body entirely. Breakfast meals tend to be western-style these days but in some families you will still find the very filling Japanese-style breakfast of rice, miso soup, fish, natto, and a few vegetables. Breakfast is usually not a problem for the foreigner.
If someone is leaving the house before you, walk them to the genkan (entrance) and see them off. As it is a time-honored custom here, to not do so will seem very strange and possibly the foreigner will be thought of as inconsiderate.
When going to and from work or school, many people use public transportation because the roads are always congested (except in the middle of the night - a great time to travel) and parking is at a premium. Public transportation tends to be very crowded during rush hour so don't be surprised to find that there is almost no room to maneuver around. The public transport system here is extremely efficient and runs to most locations with little or no problem at all. Taxis are abundant if not expensive.
Usually people who finish their daily work at a bar with coworkers will take a taxi home late at night when the trains are no longer running. Taxis are reliable and drivers taking roundabout routes to make extra money are extremely rare. The rear left door will open automatically for you while the driver sits in his seat and waits for you to enter. Drivers here tend to be quiet and not converse with passengers unless the passenger begins a conversation.
There are three types of lunches in Japan: single dish, set meal, and elaborate course dinner (does not belong to the normal daily domain). Western food, Chinese and Japanese food tend to be the norm for lunch. Many people will have a bowl of noodles (Chinese ramen or Japanese udon/soba) for lunch or perhaps a bowl of rice with egg or pork on top. Set menus usually consist of a meat, vegetable, salad and a soup of some kind. It is not uncommon to see people dropping into the local McDonalds for a lunch or a quick coffee these days. In fact, young people tend to like the western food more than traditional fare. In restaurants there is a consumption tax (5% in 1998) but nobody tips; which makes for poor service at some places because the part time staff have no incentive to work hard at pleasing the customer.
When asking for directions, choose who you ask with care. It is best to avoid large stores because people working there may not live in the area and only know their route to work. Also, people in the street may not know either as they may be travelers as well. It is best to ask for directions at police boxes (small one or two-man stations found on many corners around town) or gasoline stations. Automobile dealers seem to have a good grip on directions as well. Stay away from convenience stores; they are notorious for "trying to please" by giving directions, any directions to you.
In the big cities, most people do their shopping on the way home from work. But as this may be late and the stores closed, Sundays tend to be very popular shopping times. All retail businesses are open on Sundays for the customers' convenience. Convenience stores (Circle K, Lawson, Family Mart, etc.) are open in the evening if you need to do some emergency staple shopping but the prices are a little higher than supermarkets and the selection is less. Except for electronic stores where you might be able to haggle a better deal, all prices are fixed. There is no bartering here like in many other Asian countries. You pay the price on the tag. People are very honest here and do not usually overcharge so you can be sure that you are not paying overinflated prices. Most shops will be similar in price, but it is always good to shop around.
The main meal is dinner at home for families. They usually try to eat together as much as possible. This may even mean that dinner is not until 10pm because Dad gets home late every night. On average, though, dinner is later here than in North America because the work hours are longer. It is not unusual to begin eating at 9pm. Adults often drink beer or sake with the meal. I drink milk and get funny looks.
All homes and apartments have a bath (unless you are living in a very old rural community, in a very old house in which case there will be a public bath nearby that the locals visit every evening). It is very important to observe bathing rituals so that others can enjoy the bath as well. The water in the bath is heated to a high temperature (often too hot for many foreigners) and is used for soaking and relaxing, not for bathing. Bathing occurs outside the bath and care must be taken not to get any soap into the water. The order is usually rinse, soak, wash and rinse, then get back in and soak again. In most homes the bathing order is hierarchical with the father having the first bath and the mother bathing last.
Many young people sleep on beds these days but it is not uncommon to find futons still. Most older people prefer the futon on the tatami floor to a bed. The quilts that are used are fairly thick and heavy. Western-style sheets are not used so most people sleep with pajamas or a t-shirt on to avoid the draft that tends to seep in around the shoulders. Most pillows in homes (the exception is in hotels where they seem to have gone to the extreme and looked for the softest, most uncomfortable ones in existence) tend to be small and hard. This dates back to when people wore elaborately coiffured hairdos and didn't want to ruin it just by sleeping. Most bedrooms do not have light switches and the light are operated by pulling a cord that attaches to the light itself.
These are just a few common things in daily life that may help the foreigner adjust a little more easily.
- Sensei
Next Lesson 14: Having and Being.
Lesson 13: Renshuu: Practice Makes Perfect - Adjectives
Now it is time to put it all together and practice what you have learned on adjectives.
Put the following conversation into Japanese:
1. Where is the beauty salon (biyoushitsu)?
2. It's that way.
3. Is it far?
4. No, it's not very far. It's near the station (eki).
5. Is it a clean beauty salon?
6. Yes, it's very clean.
You are in a foul mood. Complain about everything:(the "answers" are examples only. Your answers could vary)
1. the bus you are waiting for
2. the handsome Italian you had a date with
3. the public toilet that you had to use
4. the sound (oto) at the movie theater (eigakan)
5. the "new" computer (pasokon) that is full of used parts
Unscramble the following words and make correct sentences:
1. kissaten, kono, de, wa, arimasen, amari, shizuka, wa
2. desu, wa, Tanaka-san, Nihonjin, hen na
3. suupu (soup), wa, atatakai, kore, desu
4. ka, desu, dochira-sama
5. ooki na, kasa (umbrella), wa, sono, taihen, desu, kasa
Whew, we're done with the adjectives. I hope you enjoyed / survived this lesson.
Let's take a little break with a Culture Pocket on Daily Life in Japan.
- Sensei
Put the following conversation into Japanese:
1. Where is the beauty salon (biyoushitsu)?
2. It's that way.
3. Is it far?
4. No, it's not very far. It's near the station (eki).
5. Is it a clean beauty salon?
6. Yes, it's very clean.
You are in a foul mood. Complain about everything:(the "answers" are examples only. Your answers could vary)
1. the bus you are waiting for
2. the handsome Italian you had a date with
3. the public toilet that you had to use
4. the sound (oto) at the movie theater (eigakan)
5. the "new" computer (pasokon) that is full of used parts
Unscramble the following words and make correct sentences:
1. kissaten, kono, de, wa, arimasen, amari, shizuka, wa
2. desu, wa, Tanaka-san, Nihonjin, hen na
3. suupu (soup), wa, atatakai, kore, desu
4. ka, desu, dochira-sama
5. ooki na, kasa (umbrella), wa, sono, taihen, desu, kasa
Whew, we're done with the adjectives. I hope you enjoyed / survived this lesson.
Let's take a little break with a Culture Pocket on Daily Life in Japan.
- Sensei
Lesson 12: Adjectives continued - Pointing things out
Words to Indicate People, Places, Things, Locations.
Little by little we learn how to be more specific. Do you remember in way back in primary school when you forgot to bring your pen to class and you had to ask someone to lend you one? If they were having a bad day, the conversation might have gone something like this:
You: Can I borrow a pen?
Him: Which color?
You: Um, blue I guess.
Him: Sorry, I ain't got blue.
You: Can I borrow a black one then?
Him: Sure.
You: .... Well can I have it?
Him: Which one do you want?
You: The black one. I just said so.
Him: I have four black ones.
You: I don't care. Gimme any one.
Him: You choose.
You: (suck in breath) OK. That one.
Him: Which one?
You: That one.
Him: This one? (evil grin creeps on face)
You: No! That one there! (muscles in face tense)
Him: Oh, you mean this one?
You: NO! I said that one right there! The one withh the green cap!
Him: Ohhhh, you want this one right here, right?
You: AAAARRRRGGGGHHH! (pencils and pens fly across the room, nose blood is spilled)Teacher: You two over there! Down to the Principals office, pronto!
Well, if you get your indicators specific the first time, you could avoid this test of your patience.
We talked in a previous lesson about kore (this), sore (that), are (that over there) which relate to things. There are parallel words when you want to relate to places:
koko - (here, this place) - is for places closer to the speaker than the listener
soko - (there, that place) - indicates locations near the listener than the speaker. It also indicates a relational proximity to the listener, not always a physical proximity.
asoko - (over there, that place over there) - is used for places that are at a distance from both the speaker and listener.
doko - (where) - fits into this class as well and is used to ask questions.
1. Toire wa koko de wa arimasen. (The toilet is not here.)
2. Hachi wa soko desu yo! (The wasp is right there, by you!)
3. Keisatsu-kan wa asoko desu ka? (Is the police station over there?
4. Toire wa doko desu ka? (Where is the toilet?)
You can make your Japanese a little more formal by replacing koko, soko, asoko and doko with kochira, sochira, achira and dochira. And you can make your Japanese even more informal by replacing koko, soko, asoko, doko with kocchi, socchi, acchi, docchi.
If you were in the Honolulu Hilton, you might hear:
O-tearai wa kochira desu. (The restroom is this way.)
But if you were in the Hanoi Hilton (if they spoke Japanese at all), it would probably be more like:
Benjo wa kocchi. Omae no neru tokoro. (The pit is here; where you sleep.)
When you pick up the phone, usually you would ask:
Dochira sama desu ka? (Who is calling, please?)
(we put -sama at the end of people's names to give them respect.)
Kore, sore, are can stand alone as a pronoun but the words kono, sono, ano which have a similar meaning must be in front of the nouns they modify:
1. Kono jamu wa mazui desu. (This jam is terrible.)
2. Sono hyaku doru shihei wa boku no desu. (That hundred dollar bill by you is mine.)
3. Ano hito wa baka desu. (That person over there is stupid.)
There are a few words which indicate position. These actually act as nouns and are used differently from English. In English we might say next to X, but in Japanese we would say X no tonari. Here is a list of a few other position words.
chikaku - nearby
mae - in front
naka - inside
ushiro - back, behind (people, buildings, etc. opposite of mae)
ura - reverse/other side, behind (rear side, buildings, etc. but not people)
ue - on top, above
shita - underneath
Time for a few examples. I hope this lesson isn't putting you to sleep yet...
1. Toire wa asoko no ginko no chikaku desu. (The toilet is near that bank.)
2. Same wa saafaa no ushiro desu. (The shark is behind the surfer.)
3. Honya-san wa soko no kissaten no ura desu. (The bookstore is behind that coffee shop.)
4. Kaijuu wa ano beddo no shita desu. (The monster is under that bed.)
Next Lesson: Lesson 13: Renshu makes perfect - adjectives
Little by little we learn how to be more specific. Do you remember in way back in primary school when you forgot to bring your pen to class and you had to ask someone to lend you one? If they were having a bad day, the conversation might have gone something like this:
You: Can I borrow a pen?
Him: Which color?
You: Um, blue I guess.
Him: Sorry, I ain't got blue.
You: Can I borrow a black one then?
Him: Sure.
You: .... Well can I have it?
Him: Which one do you want?
You: The black one. I just said so.
Him: I have four black ones.
You: I don't care. Gimme any one.
Him: You choose.
You: (suck in breath) OK. That one.
Him: Which one?
You: That one.
Him: This one? (evil grin creeps on face)
You: No! That one there! (muscles in face tense)
Him: Oh, you mean this one?
You: NO! I said that one right there! The one withh the green cap!
Him: Ohhhh, you want this one right here, right?
You: AAAARRRRGGGGHHH! (pencils and pens fly across the room, nose blood is spilled)Teacher: You two over there! Down to the Principals office, pronto!
Well, if you get your indicators specific the first time, you could avoid this test of your patience.
We talked in a previous lesson about kore (this), sore (that), are (that over there) which relate to things. There are parallel words when you want to relate to places:
koko - (here, this place) - is for places closer to the speaker than the listener
soko - (there, that place) - indicates locations near the listener than the speaker. It also indicates a relational proximity to the listener, not always a physical proximity.
asoko - (over there, that place over there) - is used for places that are at a distance from both the speaker and listener.
doko - (where) - fits into this class as well and is used to ask questions.
1. Toire wa koko de wa arimasen. (The toilet is not here.)
2. Hachi wa soko desu yo! (The wasp is right there, by you!)
3. Keisatsu-kan wa asoko desu ka? (Is the police station over there?
4. Toire wa doko desu ka? (Where is the toilet?)
You can make your Japanese a little more formal by replacing koko, soko, asoko and doko with kochira, sochira, achira and dochira. And you can make your Japanese even more informal by replacing koko, soko, asoko, doko with kocchi, socchi, acchi, docchi.
If you were in the Honolulu Hilton, you might hear:
O-tearai wa kochira desu. (The restroom is this way.)
But if you were in the Hanoi Hilton (if they spoke Japanese at all), it would probably be more like:
Benjo wa kocchi. Omae no neru tokoro. (The pit is here; where you sleep.)
When you pick up the phone, usually you would ask:
Dochira sama desu ka? (Who is calling, please?)
(we put -sama at the end of people's names to give them respect.)
Kore, sore, are can stand alone as a pronoun but the words kono, sono, ano which have a similar meaning must be in front of the nouns they modify:
1. Kono jamu wa mazui desu. (This jam is terrible.)
2. Sono hyaku doru shihei wa boku no desu. (That hundred dollar bill by you is mine.)
3. Ano hito wa baka desu. (That person over there is stupid.)
There are a few words which indicate position. These actually act as nouns and are used differently from English. In English we might say next to X, but in Japanese we would say X no tonari. Here is a list of a few other position words.
chikaku - nearby
mae - in front
naka - inside
ushiro - back, behind (people, buildings, etc. opposite of mae)
ura - reverse/other side, behind (rear side, buildings, etc. but not people)
ue - on top, above
shita - underneath
Time for a few examples. I hope this lesson isn't putting you to sleep yet...
1. Toire wa asoko no ginko no chikaku desu. (The toilet is near that bank.)
2. Same wa saafaa no ushiro desu. (The shark is behind the surfer.)
3. Honya-san wa soko no kissaten no ura desu. (The bookstore is behind that coffee shop.)
4. Kaijuu wa ano beddo no shita desu. (The monster is under that bed.)
Next Lesson: Lesson 13: Renshu makes perfect - adjectives
Lesson 11: Questions & Adjectives
Where would we get in life without questions and answers? Ever since you were a little grasshopper you had an insatiable curiosity, yes? And as you got older your quest for knowledge grew and grew. No, you say? Well, then why are you here? If you have no desire to learn, you should be off drinking beer and belching while watching reruns of the latest Lakers game (no offense to you Lakers fans out there). Some of the questions in your life that you asked you probably wished you hadn't, and there are probably a whole lot more questions that you wish you had asked but never had the courage to do so.
Fear not for your chance to renew your desire to quest for the unknown is closer than you think. Work with us through this lesson and you will be able to broaden your horizons beyond your wildest dreams. Who would have thought that you would be asking detailed questions in Japanese? Do you know what makes this lesson so great? Since you are conversing in a foreign tongue, the inibitions and barriers of culture and of your youth will be torn down and a clean road will be paved just for you. There is a saying in Japanese, Tabi no haji wa kaki sute which means, "The shame you create while away from the home is easily sloughed off and forgotten". Japanese people do this all the time and now you too, with your newfound love of Japanese, can do things the Japanese way! So in this lesson, let's start to ask slightly more detailed questions, ones that may have a little more relevance to your life (as opposed to, "Is this a pen?")
The Question
To review, the basic sentence structure in Japanese is, A wa B desu. This pattern is essential to remember as we progress through the various patterns. Just as in English when we first formally learn the verb, to be, we should keep in mind this pattern as well.We then learned how to form a simple question by adding ka to the end of the sentence to make it a question. A wa B desu ka. Gramatically speaking there is no question mark at the end of Japanese questions, but as everything in Japan that has taken on a western taste to it, many people add the question mark to the end. You wouldn't be penalized for it in a letter to a loved one, I don't think. You are probably a pro by now with this simple question pattern so I don't really want to dwell on it. Enough said, let's move on.
Making Your Speech more "Colorful": The Adjective
Adjectives, like in English, can be placed usually before or after the noun they are modifying. Remember that if you add the ka to the end of the statements they become questions. Here are a few examples of how you would place the adjective before the noun:
1. Kore wa oishii chiizu desu. (This is delicious cheese.)
2. Sore wa hen na hito desu ka. (Is that a strange person?)
3. Ano akai kuruma wa watashi no desu. (That red car is mine.)
4. Chiisai hito wa kirai desu ka? (Do you dislike small people?)
5. Takai hoteru wa ii hoteru desu. (Expensive hotels are good hotels.)
There are basically two kinds of adjectives, one that ends in -i when placed before nouns and another that ends in na before nouns. The na adjectives are usually words of chinese origin (just a tidbit of culture to store away in your ever-questing mind).
Here is a list of adjectives that you can use to spice up your daily conversations. Remember, a pen is just a pen, but a red pen is so much more!
Common -i Adjectives
atsui - hot
samui - cold
atatakai - warm
tsumetai - cool
ookii * - big
chiisai * - small
chikai - near
tooi - far
wakai - young (people etc.)
atarashii - new (things)
furui - old (things)
hayai - quick, early, fast
osoi - slow, late
oishii - tasty, delicious
mazui - awful, yucky
Common na Adjectives
benri na - convenient, useful
fuben na - inconvenient
shizuka na - quiet, peaceful
shinsetsu na - kind
yuumei na - famous
kirei na - pretty, clean, neat
taisetsu na - important
hontoo na - true
taihen na - serious, awful
hansamu na - handsome
ereganto na - elegant
shikku na - chic
rippa na - splendid
hen na - strange
shizuka na - quiet, silent
*The adjectives ookii and chiisai also have alternate na forms which are ooki na and chiisa na so you could say ookii hito or ooki na hito (big person).
Now let's take a look at adjectives when they come after the noun they modify:
We can use the same adjectives as noted above whether before or after the noun but there are a few subtle differences to remember. While the -i adjective stays the same, the na adjective drops the na altogether. Look at the example:
1. Watashi no kokoro wa wakai desu. (My mind is young.)
2. Watashi no shujin wa hansamu desu. (My husband is handsome.)
The Negative Adjective
It turns out that when you want to change your sentence from positive to negative, and the adjective is at the end, the form actually changes a little bit, but not that much that you can't remember. Japanese is not like English; the rules are rules and do not change. Remember it once and you will remember it forever.
To make an -i adjective negative you replace the final -i with -ku and then add arimasen (polite) or nai desu (informal). To make a -na adjective negative you put the verb desu into the negative: de wa arimasen (polite) or ja arimasen (informal). Ja is a contraction of de wa just like isn't is a contraction of is not. When we speak quickly our words tend to slur and as humans are lazy animals, it is easier not to move the lips much if we don't need to (especially if you hail from the Great White North where the winters are too cold to move the lips anyway). To add to this, you can make your speech even a little less formal by using nai in place of arimasen. Here are a few examples:
1a. Nihon no biiru wa oishii desu. (Japanese beer is delicious.)
1b. Kanada no biiru wa oishiku arimasen. (Canadian beer is not delicious.)
2a. Aki no happa wa akai desu. (Autumn leaves are red.)
2b. Watashi no hada wa akaku nai desu. (My skin is not red.)
3a. Indo karee wa karai desu. (Indian curry is hot.)
3b. Nihon no karee wa karaku nai. (Japanese curry is not hot.)
4a. Brad Pitt wa hansamu desu. (Brad Pitt is handsome.)
4b. Mick Jagger wa hansamu de wa arimasen. (Mick Jagger in not handsome.)
5a. Boku no heya wa kirei desu. (My room is clean.)
5b. Otooto no heya wa kirei ja arimasen. (My brother's room is not clean.)
6a. Keitai denwa wa benri desu. (Cellular phones are handy.)
6b. Botton benjo wa benri ja nai. (Outhouses are not handy.)
Stressing the Adjectives: Very and Not Very
It is quite simple to add a little more stress to describing an adjective. All you have to do is add totemo or taihen before the adjective you wish to modify.
1. Kono hito wa totemo ookii desu. (This person is very big.)
2. Furansu no wain wa taihen oishii desu. (French wine is very delicious.)
If you want to say it in the negative, just add amari before the adjective you wish to modify.
1. Jooji Baanzu wa amari wakaku arimasen. (George Burns is not very young.)
2. Kore wa amari benri ja nai. (This isn't very useful.)
- Sensei
Next Lesson: More on Adjectives - Pointing things out.
Fear not for your chance to renew your desire to quest for the unknown is closer than you think. Work with us through this lesson and you will be able to broaden your horizons beyond your wildest dreams. Who would have thought that you would be asking detailed questions in Japanese? Do you know what makes this lesson so great? Since you are conversing in a foreign tongue, the inibitions and barriers of culture and of your youth will be torn down and a clean road will be paved just for you. There is a saying in Japanese, Tabi no haji wa kaki sute which means, "The shame you create while away from the home is easily sloughed off and forgotten". Japanese people do this all the time and now you too, with your newfound love of Japanese, can do things the Japanese way! So in this lesson, let's start to ask slightly more detailed questions, ones that may have a little more relevance to your life (as opposed to, "Is this a pen?")
The Question
To review, the basic sentence structure in Japanese is, A wa B desu. This pattern is essential to remember as we progress through the various patterns. Just as in English when we first formally learn the verb, to be, we should keep in mind this pattern as well.We then learned how to form a simple question by adding ka to the end of the sentence to make it a question. A wa B desu ka. Gramatically speaking there is no question mark at the end of Japanese questions, but as everything in Japan that has taken on a western taste to it, many people add the question mark to the end. You wouldn't be penalized for it in a letter to a loved one, I don't think. You are probably a pro by now with this simple question pattern so I don't really want to dwell on it. Enough said, let's move on.
Making Your Speech more "Colorful": The Adjective
Adjectives, like in English, can be placed usually before or after the noun they are modifying. Remember that if you add the ka to the end of the statements they become questions. Here are a few examples of how you would place the adjective before the noun:
1. Kore wa oishii chiizu desu. (This is delicious cheese.)
2. Sore wa hen na hito desu ka. (Is that a strange person?)
3. Ano akai kuruma wa watashi no desu. (That red car is mine.)
4. Chiisai hito wa kirai desu ka? (Do you dislike small people?)
5. Takai hoteru wa ii hoteru desu. (Expensive hotels are good hotels.)
There are basically two kinds of adjectives, one that ends in -i when placed before nouns and another that ends in na before nouns. The na adjectives are usually words of chinese origin (just a tidbit of culture to store away in your ever-questing mind).
Here is a list of adjectives that you can use to spice up your daily conversations. Remember, a pen is just a pen, but a red pen is so much more!
Common -i Adjectives
atsui - hot
samui - cold
atatakai - warm
tsumetai - cool
ookii * - big
chiisai * - small
chikai - near
tooi - far
wakai - young (people etc.)
atarashii - new (things)
furui - old (things)
hayai - quick, early, fast
osoi - slow, late
oishii - tasty, delicious
mazui - awful, yucky
Common na Adjectives
benri na - convenient, useful
fuben na - inconvenient
shizuka na - quiet, peaceful
shinsetsu na - kind
yuumei na - famous
kirei na - pretty, clean, neat
taisetsu na - important
hontoo na - true
taihen na - serious, awful
hansamu na - handsome
ereganto na - elegant
shikku na - chic
rippa na - splendid
hen na - strange
shizuka na - quiet, silent
*The adjectives ookii and chiisai also have alternate na forms which are ooki na and chiisa na so you could say ookii hito or ooki na hito (big person).
Now let's take a look at adjectives when they come after the noun they modify:
We can use the same adjectives as noted above whether before or after the noun but there are a few subtle differences to remember. While the -i adjective stays the same, the na adjective drops the na altogether. Look at the example:
1. Watashi no kokoro wa wakai desu. (My mind is young.)
2. Watashi no shujin wa hansamu desu. (My husband is handsome.)
The Negative Adjective
It turns out that when you want to change your sentence from positive to negative, and the adjective is at the end, the form actually changes a little bit, but not that much that you can't remember. Japanese is not like English; the rules are rules and do not change. Remember it once and you will remember it forever.
To make an -i adjective negative you replace the final -i with -ku and then add arimasen (polite) or nai desu (informal). To make a -na adjective negative you put the verb desu into the negative: de wa arimasen (polite) or ja arimasen (informal). Ja is a contraction of de wa just like isn't is a contraction of is not. When we speak quickly our words tend to slur and as humans are lazy animals, it is easier not to move the lips much if we don't need to (especially if you hail from the Great White North where the winters are too cold to move the lips anyway). To add to this, you can make your speech even a little less formal by using nai in place of arimasen. Here are a few examples:
1a. Nihon no biiru wa oishii desu. (Japanese beer is delicious.)
1b. Kanada no biiru wa oishiku arimasen. (Canadian beer is not delicious.)
2a. Aki no happa wa akai desu. (Autumn leaves are red.)
2b. Watashi no hada wa akaku nai desu. (My skin is not red.)
3a. Indo karee wa karai desu. (Indian curry is hot.)
3b. Nihon no karee wa karaku nai. (Japanese curry is not hot.)
4a. Brad Pitt wa hansamu desu. (Brad Pitt is handsome.)
4b. Mick Jagger wa hansamu de wa arimasen. (Mick Jagger in not handsome.)
5a. Boku no heya wa kirei desu. (My room is clean.)
5b. Otooto no heya wa kirei ja arimasen. (My brother's room is not clean.)
6a. Keitai denwa wa benri desu. (Cellular phones are handy.)
6b. Botton benjo wa benri ja nai. (Outhouses are not handy.)
Stressing the Adjectives: Very and Not Very
It is quite simple to add a little more stress to describing an adjective. All you have to do is add totemo or taihen before the adjective you wish to modify.
1. Kono hito wa totemo ookii desu. (This person is very big.)
2. Furansu no wain wa taihen oishii desu. (French wine is very delicious.)
If you want to say it in the negative, just add amari before the adjective you wish to modify.
1. Jooji Baanzu wa amari wakaku arimasen. (George Burns is not very young.)
2. Kore wa amari benri ja nai. (This isn't very useful.)
- Sensei
Next Lesson: More on Adjectives - Pointing things out.
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