Lesson 1 - Introductions
Ai introduces Seijiro to Morfar.
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あい： |
もうふぁさん、 こちらは せいじろさんです。 |
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Ai: |
Moufa-san, kochira wa Seijiro-san desu. |
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Ai: |
Mr. Morfar, this is Mr. Seijiro. |
Vocabulary:
せいじろ = Seijiro = a name
せいじろさん = Seijiro-san = a name with honorific (names are unusually to see with -san honorific, surnames are used more, tho we gonna make an exception here)
～さん = -san = Mr., Mrs., Ms., Miss (these are suffix)
こちら = kochira = this one (as in this person)
は = wa = as for (topic marker, particle)
です = desu = is
はじめまして = hajimemashite = How do you do
わたし = watashi = I
どうぞ よろしく = douzo yoroshiku = I'm pleased to meet you
おたく アニメーション = Otaku Animeeshon = Otaku Animation (organization name)
の = no = 's (possessive particle)
わたしたち = watashitachi = we, us
てつだい = tetsudai = assistant, helper
1. noun 1 WA noun 2 DESU
2. noun 1 WA noun 2 DESU KA
Hai, (noun 1 wa) noun 2 desu.
Iie, (noun 1 wa) noun 2 dewa/ja arimasen.
Ex.
Seijiro-san wa tetsudai desu ka?
Hai, (Seijiro-san wa) tetsudai desu.
When the person or the object is known to the listener or if it's obvious what the topic is it can be omitted as seen above (the parentheses).
| Present Form | Past Form | ||
| affirmative |
negative | affirmative | negative |
| desu |
dewa arimasen | deshita | dewa arimasendeshita |
| is |
is not | was | was not |
# Particle wa. Topic marker.
Wa follows noun 1 which indicates that it is the topic and then noun 2 is identified and the sentence in concluded with desu. Often the topic is the same as the subject but not always and it's also possible for the object to be the topic as well. Let's take one more example of this kind:
Ramen-san to Misoshiru-san wa tabemono desu. "Mr. Ramen and Mr. Miso Soup are food."
# Particle ka. Question marker.
Questions can be easily made in japanese, just put a ka at the end of a sentence and it becomes a question. There is no need for a change in word order is required even if there are interrogative words such as what, who, when etc. Ex:
Seijiro-san watashitachi no tetsudai desu ka. "Is Mr. Seijiro our assistant?
Hai, watashitachi no tetsudai desu. "Yes, he's our assistant."
Also with ka you don't need the questionmark "?" as ka indicates itself that it's a question.
# Hai and Iie.
Hai is virtually the same as "yes" and iie as "no", though however, it's better to think of hai as "That's right" and iie as "That's wrong", otherwise negative questions can give you a problem. For example:
Ja, banana ga arimasen ka? "So you have no bananas?" - You could get confused if someone said just hai or iie. Now the reply to this is either:
Hai, arimasen. "That's right, we have none." - Or:
Iie, arimasu. "That's wrong, we have some."
# Hajimemashite / Douzo yoroshiku and kochira.
Hajimemashite is a form of the verb hajimeru, "to begin". This phrase is used when meeting someone for the first time. Douzo yoroshiku is a phrase used when being introduced and is usually combined with hajimemashite. It is also used when taking one's leave after having asked a favor. Yoroshiku means "good" and is a request for the other person's favorable consideration in the future. It can also be used when asking someone to give regards:
Moufa-san ni yoroshiku "Please give my regards to Mr. Morfar."
Kochira meaning "this one", implies to "this person here" and is a very polite way saying "this person".
Vocabulary:
らめん = ramen = Noodles, kind of food (though there are many variations)
もそしる = misoshiru = Miso Soup, kind of food
らべもの = tabemono = food
じゃ/では = ja/dewa = well, well then
ばなな = banana = banana
あります （ある）= arimasu (aru) = being (inanimate things, dead things: car, tree, buildings etc.)
います （いる） = imasu (iru) = being (animate things, living things: people, animals, insects etc.)
Short dialogues:
| 1. |
Seijiro: |
Moufa-san desu ka. |
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Seijiro: |
Are you Mr. Morfar? |
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| 2. |
Ai: |
Go-shoukai shimasu. Kochira wa Kawashi-san desu. Seijiro-san no tomodachi desu. Kochira wa Moufa-san desu. |
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Ai: |
Let me introduce you. This is Miss Kawashi. She is a friend of Mr. Seijiro. This is Mr. Morfar. |
Vocabulary:
かいしゃいん = kaishain = company employee
かいしゃ = kaisha = company
がくせい = gakusei = student
ごしょうかい しなす = go-shoukai shimasu = let me introduce you
ともだち = tomodachi = friend
Go to Lesson 2 - Coming and going
Updated 2008-09-27 19:56:01