Lesson Dialogues
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* Hover over or tap words to see definitions:
Situation 1
Kojima-san met his neighbor Ohnishi-san, who was about to go out.
Fast Version
Comprehension Quiz (Skip if you don't understand the conversation yet)
小島さんは今日、会社に行きますか？
A はい
B いいえ
小島：こんにちは。どこ行くんですか？
大西：会社です。小島さんは？
小島：今日は家にいます。
大西：そうですか。いいですね。
Situation 2
In the evening, Sato-san spoke to her neighbor, Kojima-san.
Fast Version
Comprehension Quiz (Skip if you don't understand the conversation yet)
小島さんは、____ご飯を食べた。
A 一人で
B 佐藤さんと
C そこのお店で
D 会社で
佐藤：どこ行ってたんですか？
小島：そこのお店です。ご飯食べてきました。
佐藤：へー。誰かとですか？
小島：はい、友達と。
Situation 3
At home, Ami is talking with her older brother Kento.
Fast Version
Comprehension Quiz (Skip if you don't understand the conversation yet)
ケントは今、____。
A スマホを見てた
B 本を読んでた
C 映画を観てた
D ご飯を食べてた
アミ：ケント、何してるの？
ケント：今？本、読んでた。
アミ：そっか。その本、面白い？
ケント：うん。かなり面白いよ。
Situation 4
At school, Hiroto is inviting his classmate Yuko to a movie.
Fast Version
Comprehension Quiz (Skip if you don't understand the conversation yet)
ユウコは、映画が好きですか？
A はい
B いいえ
ヒロト：ユウコ、映画、好き？
ユウコ：うん。よく観るよ。
ヒロト：じゃあ、今度これ観ない？一緒に。
ユウコ：いいね。観る！
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In this sentence:
Why is the negative 観ない used instead of 観る?
Thank you!
verb + ない？ indicates an invitation, and 観ない？ means “Why don’t we watch it?” or “How about watching it?”
He could say 今度これ観る？, but it sounds like he is asking about her intention, not inviting her.
Hello, can I ask why the てる (continuation) is used in the past sense here on situation 2, and not just the standard past tense? I am not understanding the difference as to me that sentence does not seem like a continuation or repetition.
Thank you
Do you mean the line “アミ：ケント、何してるの？ in situation 3?
When asking a question, please specify which sentence you are referring to.
It’s natural for Ami to ask Kent, 何してるの？(What are you doing?), because she wants to know his current activity.
Kent replies, 本、読んでた。(I was reading a book.) He means that he had been reading a book until Ami talked to him.
If you meant the ine 佐藤：どこ行ってたんですか？, which means “Where have you been?”
She wants to know where he was until he came back.
It has a stronger nuance of asking about what someone had been doing recently or the reason for their absence.
If she says どこ行ったんですか？, she simply asks about a past event.
Thanks for your responses. I am not sure what has happened, as I seem to have commented on the wrong lesson as these are not what I am referring to… I will try and find the situation I mean.
Thank you
Ah, I see. No worries!
Feel free to ask questions anytime. 🙂