Lesson Dialogues
Situation 1
Yamada-san and Hayakawa-san are talking about how they spend their days off.
Comprehension Quiz (Skip if you don't understand the conversation yet)
山田さんは映画が好きですか?
A はい
B いいえ
山田:どんなこと、するんですか?
- どんな what kind of: どんな音楽が好き?What kind of music do you like?
- 事 thing: 大事なこと an important thing; こと converts a sentence into a massive noun: 明日、日本に行くことは難しい。 It's difficult to go to Japan tomorrow. ("明日、日本に行くこと" works like a big chunk of noun)
- する to do; to make; to decide on; to choose
- ~のです、んです、のだ、んだ、の actually, as a matter of fact: 明日、映画見たいんですよね/だよね。I actually want to watch a movie tomorrow; often used with けど: すいません、トイレに行きたいんですけど/だけど。。。Excuse me, I'd like to go to the bathroom; used to ask for a reason: なんで明日、会社来ないんですか/来ないの? Why are you not coming to work tomorrow?; used to confirm or react to your observation: もう帰るんですか/帰るの? Are you going home already?; emphasizes discontentment or anger: 何言ってんだよ/んですか。 What the heck are you talking about?; ~なんだ with nouns, na-adjectives, and adverbs: 明日雨なんだ。It will rain tomorrow.
早川:最近は、映画を観ます。
- 最近 recently; lately
- 映画 movie
- 観ます ます form of 観る; ~ます makes a keigo (polite) sentence
- 見る、観る to see; to look; to watch; to check; we use 観る for things like sports or TV shows
山田:いいですね。私も、映画好きです。
- よい、いい good: 映画よかった! The film was great!; you may use this to indicate your preference or choice: 私、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.
- ~ね shares information or experiences; softens a sentence; expects an agreement; isn't it?, don't you?: 雨だね。Oh, it's raining (as you can see).
- 好き favorite; to like; to love
早川:そうなんですね。
- そう so (as in "I think so"): そう思う。 I think so. ; そうなんだ。 I see.; that is so, that's right
Situation 2
Suzuki-san and Matsumoto-san are talking about what they did last Sunday.
Comprehension Quiz (Skip if you don't understand the conversation yet)
松本さんは、____、海に行った。
A 今日
B 今度
C 土曜日
D 日曜日
鈴木:日曜日は、何しましたか?
- 曜日 days of the week;月曜日 Monday 火曜日 Tuesday 水曜日 Wednesday 木曜日 Thursday 金曜日 Friday 土曜日 Saturday 日曜日 Sunday
- 何 what
- しました past form of します
- します ます form of する; ~ます makes a keigo (polite) sentence
- する to do; to make; to decide on; to choose
松本:日曜日ですか?海に行きました。
- 海 sea; ocean
- 行きました past form of 行きます
- 行きます ます form of 行く; ~ます makes a keigo (polite) sentence
- 行く to go
鈴木:そうなんですか。海、よく行くんですか?
- よく good; well; often: 日本によく行きます。 I go to Japan often.
松本:はい。
Situation 3
It seems that Miki wants to go to a restaurant called "Aoba" with Naomi.
Comprehension Quiz (Skip if you don't understand the conversation yet)
「あおば」はおいしいですか?
A はい
B いいえ
みき:今度、「あおば」に行こうよ。
- 今度 next time; sometime; this time
- ~よ introduces new information; emphasises a sentence: 朝だよ!It's morning!
なおみ:え、やめようよ。
- えー、え expresses surprise or disappointment: えー、本当? What? Really?
- やめよう ou form of やめる; ~ou expresses suggestion; let's __; 食べよう。 let's eat; 行こう。 let's go; 遊ぼう。 let's play; 作ろう。let's make.
- やめる、止める to stop, to give up; 辞める to quit (a job)
みき:なんで?どういうこと?
- なぜ、なんで why; how come
- どう how; what: どう思う?What do you think?; how about: ラーメンどう?How about (eating) ramen?
- 言う to say; to speak; to talk; to mean: どういう意味?What does it mean? 暑いっていう意味。It means "hot".
なおみ:高いし、おいしくないよ。
- 高い high; tall; expensive
- ~し and; besides; because, since: 雨だし行かない。/行かない、雨だし。 I won't go. Besides, it's raining.
- おいしくない negative form of おいしい
- おいしい delicious; tasty
みき:本当?
- 本当、ほんと truth; right; really
なおみ:うん。
- うん (casual, non-keigo) yes; yeah
Situation 4
Shota and Miki are talking about their favorite music.
Comprehension Quiz (Skip if you don't understand the conversation yet)
しょうたは、いろいろな____を聴く。
A 音楽
B 海
C 映画
D ラジオ
みき:どんな音楽を聴くの?
- 音楽 music
- 聞く、聴く to hear; to listen; to ask; to obey
しょうた:まぁ、いろいろ聴くよ。
- まー、まあ well; I think: まあ、そうだよね。Well, that's right.
- いろいろ various, different kinds: いろいろ食べた。 I ate many different kinds of food.
みき:一番好きなのは何?
- 一番 number one; first; most
- 物、の thing; object; stuff
しょうた:一番は、マイケル・ジャクソンかな。
- マイケル・ジャクソン Michael Jackson
- ~かな indicates uncertainty; softens a sentence: ちょっと寒いかな。I think it's a bit cold.
Step 2 - Take the Quiz
Let's see how many words you remember.
Take the quiz here.
Step 3 - Writing Exercises (Optional)
Let's practice what you learned here.
Let’s say I get asked 1)”What kind of activities do I like doing?” Would it kind of look like something like this どんな部活は好きしているんですか?
Also if I wanted to say 2)”I do all kinds of activities such as running, playing videogames, and drawing.” How would I say it.
(Tried to make my own sentences, but that was pretty hard for both of these.)
Thanks for the feedback.
What kind of activities do I like doing?
→どんな活動をするのが好きですか。OR 何をするのが好きですか?
2)”I do all kinds of activities such as running, playing videogames, and drawing.”
→いろいろな活動をします。例えば、ランニング、ビデオゲーム、図画などです。OR
ランニング、ビデオゲーム、図画など、いろいろな事をします。
Hope this helps!
In terms of the lessons you guys create. Is it possible if you guys can add pitch accent tone patterns onto the other upcoming lessons that are in development? Because I know pitch accent plays a very important role in Japanese speaking, if there was pitch tone pattern it would be very helpful.
Thanks for your suggestion. As for pitch accent, I recommend you hum the “melody” first as though you are singing without thinking of the words. It’s just like singing.
Oh yeah. I forgot about that a while back. Very well then, I shall try the humming technique.
Thank you for the suggestion.
Keep up your good work! Enjoy!