Japanese class/course for you

 

 

 

I want to share with you my knoweldge bout Asian languages. I will do each post for each languages. Let's start with Japanese, for now :

 

 

Word order :

 

The word order in Japanese is different. In English you say "there is bread on the table"  Japanese says  "Table on bread there is"  as you can see the verb is always at the end of the phrase (there is).

Another exemple:   English language says:  "Maybe that the child gave a flower to her aunt in the streets yesterday. "  Japanese Language says like this:  Tabun (Maybe) kinou (yesterday) michi de (in the streets) kodomo ga (the child) obaasan ni (to her auntie) hana wo (a flower) agemashita (gave). 

Without words in parenthesis it is :   Tabun kinou michi de kodomo ga obaasan ni hana wo agemashita.

Can be difficult at first but the more you practice Japanese language word order , the better you get used to it! 

 

Grammar small words

 

 

- Wa is a small word that indicates something to announce or tell and this small word is located between subject and object =   I am French =  watashi WA furansujin desu. desu is the verb "to be" ,  the small word WA  is used to announce something: I (announce/tell/inform) that I'm French. (watashi = I / furansujin = french person)

 

- Wo indicates Object and is located between Object and Verb :  Watashi wa ringo WO tabemasu.  (I eat apples) (watashi wa = I / ringo = apple / wo = indicates Object / tabemasu: To eat )

- Ni : This small word is the most difficult one because it has many several different usages :

Ni can be used to indicate the place where there is something = There is books inside this mall:  kono mise NI hon ga arimasu. ( kono : this / mise : mall / ni = indicates place / hon = books / ga = small word that indicates subject/ arimasu : there is. )

 

Ni can also means the purpose of your going =  I'm going to the movies =  Watashi wa eiga ni ikimasu.  (watashi-wa : I / eiga = movies / ni : purpose of going /  ikimasu : to go )

 

Ni can also indicates "something you give to someone" or "do something to someone =  I phone my friend (or I call my friend by phone)  :  watashi wa (I ) tomodachi (friend) NI  (to) denwa (telephone) wo (Object) shimasu (to do ). Yes, in japanese you say " phone doing (to someone) " instead of "call someone" or "phone someone". 

And finally, NI is also used to indicates time and date:   it is 3am :  San ji NI.

Date:  3 years ago, I was living in Japan =  San ( 3 )  nen (years) mae (before) NI (the small word used to indicate time) Nihon (japan) ni (small word used to indicate place) sunde-imashita (was living). 

As you can see in this phrase, there is two "ni"  = one made to indicate the year ( 3 years ago ) and the second to indicate the place (living in Japan). You can make a difference between the many functions / usages of NI depending on the context or situation.

DE :  De is used to indicates the way you do something =  I go there by bus :  Basu DE ikimasu.  (Basu = Bus / ikimasu: to go)

Can also be used for indicating the place where something HAPPENS:   Ba DE hatara iteimasu. (I work in a bar). ba = bar / hatara iteimasu: to work)

TO :  "TO" is used to "quote" something. Like a name :  Anaisu TO moshimasu (my name is Anais) OR to quote a thought : 

I think that he will leave hospital next week :  Raishu ni taiin suru to omoimasu . 

(raishu ni = next week / taiin suru = leave hospital / to omoimasu: I think that)

 

 

NO is for saying "My"  =  Watashi NO neko :  MY cat.  Japan's sea :  Nihon NO umi (Nihon= japan / umi = sea) 

Small words located at the end of phrases :

NE : Ne is used when you agree with someone = 

 - Atsui desu ne  = The weather is very hot, right ?

 - Sou desu ne : I know right?!

YO :  Yo is the total opposite of NE :  Yo is used for when you tell an opinion by yourself, without caring if the other person agrees or not, kinda like "according to me"  :  Exemple:  I think this is good=   ii desu yo! ( ii = good / desu = to be / yo = according to me )

Polite and Neutral forms of verbs :

Japanese verbs change from when you talk to someone highly respectable (then you use polite verbs) that from when you speak to a family member or close friend (then you use neutral verbs).

Exemple :    What are you doing, sir ?  (polite) =  Nani wo shite-imasu ka ? 

What you doing man ?  =  Nani wo shiteru no ? 

The verb "Shite-imasu" (doing) (polite form) turns into "Shiteru" when it's neutral form.

In an neutral conversation , the "KA" (word that indicates that the phrase is a question) is replaced by "NO" but no is mostly used by females. "Ka" is used by both genders.

Watashi : I  (both genders) /  Atashi :  I ( only said by females  and Boku ( I ) =Only said by males.  There is different ways to say " I" in japanese. (Atashi : female way /  Boku: male way /  Watashi = used by both genders)

The word "kara" means "because" but isn't located at the same place in the phrase as in English, exemple:   I do not buy this because it is expensive :   Kore wa takai desu kara kaimasen. 

 

The word " ho " is used to compare things (I prefer that over this, this is better than... ) 

Exemple: I prefer that the garden is big (or I want the garden to be big) =  Niwa wa ookii ho ga ii desu ( Niwa = Garden /  Ookii = big / ho = better than /  ga ii desu = it is good )  

 

"No tame ni" is used to when you do something for someone:  exemple: I bought this camera for my child :  Watashi no kodomo (my child) no tame ni (for) kamera (camera) wo kaimashita (bought). 

Made is "until" and Kara is "from"  :  I go from Kyoto to Tokyo by train = Kyoto kara (from kyoto) Tokyo made (until Tokyo) densha de (by train) ikimasu (to go) 

 

The word TAI is located right after the verb and indicates something you WANT   Example:  =  I want to eat :  Watashi-wa Tabetai desu.  

Tabemasu = to eat / Tabetai =  I want to eat!

And finally, to ask someone's permission for something , you use verb ending with -TE and you add " mo ii desu ka ? " 

 

Exemple:  Can I watch TV ? =  Terebi wo mite mo ii desu ka ?  

 

 

 That's it. Tomorrow I will post some courses/classes about Korean and Chinese languages.