2021-Feb-1 Level 1 この人が僕の彼女だよ。

Lesson Dialogues

Situation 1

Hiroshi is inviting Emiko to a meal.

ヒロシ：ねえ、今(いま)からごはんに行(い)かない？

Hiroshi: Hey, shall we go for dinner now?

• ねえ hey
• 今(いま) now
• ～から from; after: 日本(にほん)から来(き)ました。I'm from Japan.
• ごはん rice; meal
• 食(た)べに the same inflection as the masu form 食(た)べ[ます]
• 食(た)べる to eat
• 行(い)かない negative form of 行(い)く
• 行(い)く to go

エミコ：行(い)きたいけど、どうしようかな。

Emiko: I want to go, but I'm not sure what I should do.

• 行(い)きたい たい form of 行(い)く; ～たい expresses desire; I want to __
• けど but; however; although; though; a lot of people finish a sentence with (だ))けど because it makes the sentence less direct.
• どうしよう what should I do?
• ～かな indicates uncertainty; softens a sentence: ちょっと寒(さむ)いかな。I think it's a bit cold.

ヒロシ：お金(かね)が無(な)いの？

Hiroshi: You have no money?

• お金(かね) money
• 無(な)い There is no . . . ; no . . .
• ～の emphasises a sentence or question: 本当(ほんとう)にできるの？Can you really do it?; できるの！I can do it!; may sound feminine in some cases; 私(わたし)、できるの。 sounds feminine.

エミコ：うん、最近(さいきん)いろいろ買(か)ったから。

Emiko: Yeah, because I bought various things recently.

• うん (casual, non-keigo)) yes; yeah
• 最近(さいきん) recently; lately
• いろいろ various, different kinds; いろいろ食(た)べた。 I ate many different kinds of food.
• 買(か)った past tense of 買(か)う
• 買(か)う to buy
• ～から because; since: 雨(あめ)だから行(い)きません。I won't go because it's raining.; use だから with nouns and na-adjectives.

ヒロシ：そっか。

Hiroshi: I see.

• そっか a colloquial form of そうか; is that so?; I see; you're right

エミコ：この前(まえ)みたいに、家(いえ)で何(なに)か食(た)べよう。

Emiko: Let's eat something at home like last time.

• この前(まえ) some time ago; recently; lately; the other day; この前(まえ)車(くるま)買(か)ったよ。I bought a car the other day.
• ～みたい like; it seems that…; as if…
• 家(いえ) house; home
• ～で in; at; from; by: indicates means (methods)) or places; フォークで食(た)べる to eat with a fork; 家(いえ)で食(た)べる to eat at home; may make a noun adverbial: 短(みじか)い時間(じかん)で食(た)べる eating fast; indicates a choice: じゃあビールで。Then, I choose beer.
• 何(なに)か something; things like …, or something like that …; conversation filler: なんか、寒(さむ)い。Well, it's cold.
• 食(た)べよう ou form of 食(た)べる; ～ou expresses suggestion; let's __; 食(た)べよう。 let's eat; 行(い)こう。 let's go; 遊(あそ)ぼう。 let's play; 作(つく)ろう。let's make.

Situation 2

Hiroshi and Emiko are talking on the phone.

エミコ：もう会社(かいしゃ)出(で)た？

Emiko: Have you left your company yet?

• もう already; soon; again; more; strengthens expression of an emotion; filler word: なんか、もう、帰(かえ)ろうよ: Like, let's go home already?
• 会社(かいしゃ) company; firm
• 出(で)た past tense of 出(で)る
• 出(で)る to go out; to come out; to attend

ヒロシ：まだだよ。

Hiroshi: Not yet.

• まだ yet; still; まだ帰(かえ)れない。I can't go home yet.
• ～よ introduces new information; emphasises a sentence; 朝(あさ)だよ！It's morning!

エミコ：そっか、仕事(しごと)終(お)わってないんだね。

Emiko: I see. I guess you haven't finished work?

• 仕事(しごと) work, job; 仕事(しごと)する to work
• 終(お)わって te-form of 終(お)わる; te-form is often used to connect to other expressions; te-form may indicate a command; 食(た)べて！Please eat!; it's common to end a sentence with a te-form. Japanese people often don't finish a sentence completely: 昨日(きのう)学校(がっこう)行(い)って、勉強(べんきょう)して。。。I went to school yesterday, studied, and…
• 終(お)わる to end; to finish
• ～てない negative form of ～てる
• ～ている、てる verb form to express continuation; 食(た)べる + ている = 食(た)べている eating; てる is a colloquial version of ている; some verbs such as 知(し)る uses this form to express the present situation 知(し)っている (I know)) but uses the present native form to say the opposite: 知(し)らない (I don't know)); often てん in spoken Japanese: それ、知(し)ってんの？Do you know that?
• ～んだ often used in spoken Japanese as a colloquial ending; 食(た)べるんだ (I'll eat)) is more colloquial than 食(た)べる (I'll eat); also can be used to express realisation: えっ、それ食(た)べるんだ！What? You eat that?
• ～ね shares information or experiences; softens a sentence; expects an agreement; isn't it?; don't you?: 雨(あめ)だね。Oh, it's raining (as you can see)).

ヒロシ：そう、まだ帰(かえ)れないよ。

Hiroshi: Nope, I still can't go home.

• そう so; such; that is so; that's right
• 帰(かえ)れない negative form of 帰(かえ)れる
• 帰(かえ)れる potential form of 帰(かえ)る; ～れる expresses possibility; can; can be
• 帰(かえ)る to return; to go home; to go back

エミコ：ねえ、あとで食(た)べたいものある？

Emiko: Hey, is there anything you want to eat later?

• 後(あと) after; later; the rest; also; in addition; from now: あと三分(さんふん)あります。We have 3 minutes left (from now)).
• 食(た)べたい たい form of 食(た)べる; ～たい expresses desire; I want to __
• もの thing; object; stuff; ～の can replace 物(もの) if it's after na-adjective: いろんなのがある＝いろんな物(もの)がある。
• ある to be (existence)); to have (possession)); to happen; use ある for objects and いる for people and animals

ヒロシ：特(とく)にないかな。

Hiroshi: Not in particular.

• 特(とく)に especially; particularly

エミコ：わかった、何(なに)か買(か)ってくるね。

Emiko: Got it. I'll go buy something.

• 分(わ)かった past tense of 分(わ)かる
• 分(わ)かる to understand; to see
• 買(か)って te-form of 買(か)う; te-form is often used to connect to other expressions; te-form may indicate a command; 食(た)べて！Please eat!; it's common to end a sentence with a te-form. Japanese people often don't finish a sentence completely: 昨日(きのう)学校(がっこう)行(い)って、勉強(べんきょう)して。。。I went to school yesterday, studied, and…
• ～てくる [1] go and _; indicates that you will do something and come back to the original place; indicates you are doing something in addition to coming to a place; 学校(がっこう)に行(い)ってくる。 I'll go to school (and come back).) [2] indicates a gradual process; 空(そら)が赤(あか)くなってくる。The sky is becoming red.

Situation 3

Kenta is introducing his girlfriend to Hiroshi.

ケンタ：この人(ひと)が僕(ぼく)の彼女(かのじょ)だよ。

Kenta: This person is my girlfriend.

• この this; these
• 人(ひと) person; people; human being
• 僕(ぼく) I (used by male speakers))
• ～の indicates possession: 私(わたし)の子供(こども) my child; その車(くるま)、私(わたし)の。That car is mine; 私(わたし)の食(た)べる？Do you want to eat mine?
• 彼女(かのじょ) she; girlfriend

ヒロシ：そうなんだ。もう一緒(いっしょ)に住(す)んでるの？

Hiroshi: I see. Are you living together already?

• 一緒(いっしょ) together; with
• 住(す)んで te-form of 住(す)む; te-form is often used to connect to other expressions; te-form may indicate a command; 食(た)べて！Please eat!; it's common to end a sentence with a te-form. Japanese people often don't finish a sentence completely: 昨日(きのう)学校(がっこう)行(い)って、勉強(べんきょう)して。。。I went to school yesterday, studied, and…
• 住(す)む to live

ケンタ：うん、ちょっと前(まえ)からね。

Kenta: Yeah, since a while ago.

• ちょっと (just) a little); a bit; (conversation filler))
• 前(まえ) forward; front; before

ヒロシ：へー、家(いえ)でずっと一緒(いっしょ)なんだね。

Hiroshi: Oh, that means you're together at home all the time?

• へー oh, yes?; really?
• ずっと all the time; for a long time; forever; far as in "far better"

ケンタ：そうだね。

Kenta: That's right.

Situation 4

Yuji and Masashi are talking about their children.

ユウジ：うちの子供(こども)は話(はな)すのが好(す)きなんだよね。

Yuji: My child enjoys talking.

• うち inside; of; before; home; my place; family; うちの my: うちの家(いえ) my home
• 子供(こども) child
• 話(はな)す to talk; to tell; to speak
• ～の の can make other words, such as verbs, function like a noun: 食(た)べるのはやめる。I will stop eating.
• 好(す)き favorite; to like; to love
• ～よね shares mutual sentiments; confirms some information: 寒(さむ)いよね。 It's cold, right?; よな is sometimes used by male speakers; かわいいよ。 may imply she might not know that she's cute, かわいいね。 may imply you expect her to notice it too, and かわいいよね。implies that the speaker is fairly certain about the statement and expect the other person to agree

マサシ：うちの子供(こども)もそうだよ。

Masashi: So does my child.

• ～も too; also; 私(わたし)も行(い)く！ I'll go too!; but: 頑張(がんば)っても出来(でき)なかった。I tried my best, but I couldn't do it.

ユウジ：だから先生(せんせい)にもいろいろ話(はな)すみたい。

Yuji: That's why he seems to talk to his teacher about various things.

• 先生(せんせい) teacher; professor; doctor

マサシ：そうなんだ。

Masashi: Ah, I see.

ユウジ：先生(せんせい)もよく聞(き)いてくれるしね。

Yuji: His teacher also listens to him patiently.

• よく good; well; often: 日本(にほん)によく行(い)きます。 I go to Japan often.
• 聞(き)いて te-form of 聞(き)く; te-form is often used to connect to other expressions; te-form may indicate a command; 食(た)べて！Please eat!; it's common to end a sentence with a te-form. Japanese people often don't finish a sentence completely: 昨日(きのう)学校(がっこう)行(い)って、勉強(べんきょう)して。。。I went to school yesterday, studied, and…
• 聞(き)く to hear; to listen; to ask; to obey
• ～てくれる to do something as a favor: 学校(がっこう)に来(き)てくれる？ Can you come to the school?; ～てくれない indicates that someone is not doing something even if you want them to: 鈴木(すずき)くんが学校(がっこう)に来(き)てくれない。Suzuki-kun is not coming to school (even though I want him to).)
• ～し and; besides; because, since; 雨(あめ)だし行(い)かない。／行(い)かない、雨(あめ)だし。 I won't go. Besides, it's raining.

マサシ：それはいい先生(せんせい)だね。

Masashi: That's a good teacher.

• それ that
• いい good: 映画(えいが)よかった！ The film was great!; you may use this to indicate your preference or choice: 私(わたし)、ラーメンがいい。I'd like to choose ramen; いいね is the Japanese version of "like" on social media.

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