Japanese · Lesson 1
Lesson 1
Sounds, kana, and the first conversations
Greetings and identifying objects · Dialogue 1 of 2
A greeting and a question
Two people greet each other and ask what a thing is. The Japanese is spelled with English letters.
Each Japanese line is heard, repeated, and understood word by word. *Konnichi wa* means "Hello."
What to listen for
*Kore wa nan desu ka* means "What is this?" *wa* stands after *kore*, and *ka* stands at the end.
*Sore wa hon desu* means "That's a book." The noun *hon* with *desu* identifies the thing.
- 1
Konnichi wa.
こんにちわ
Hello.
- 2
Konnichi wa.
こんにちわ
Hello.
- 3
Ikaga desu ka?
いかがですか
How are you?
- 4
Genki desu.
げんきです
I am fine.
- 5
Kore wa nan desu ka?
これわなんですか
What is this?
- 6
Sore wa hon desu.
それわほんです
That's a book.
Japanese Nouns
Inflection: Japanese nouns are not inflected.
Number: Japanese nouns do not have any distinction of plural forms like 'pen' or 'pens,' 'foot' and 'feet.' It is generally possible to determine what is meant by context.
Gender: Japanese nouns do not have masculine, feminine, and neuter genders.
Articles: Japanese nouns are not preceded by articles such as 'a,' 'an,' or 'the' as in English.Particles
In Japanese there is an important group of words called particles, which resemble English prepositions such as 'in,' 'on,' 'of,' 'at,' 'from,' etc., or conjunctions such as 'because,' 'but,' 'since,' etc., in that they show the relation of one word, phrase, or clause to another or connect different parts of a sentence. They are sometimes called postpositions, always come after words, and are pronounced almost as though they were suffixes. One of the beginner's faults in speaking Japanese is over emphasizing the pronunciation of particles. They should be pronounced with the preceding words without a pause between, but not loudly.
KORE-WA hon desu. "This is a book."
WA is a particle that has no definite English equivalent. In most cases it serves to set off the topic of a phrase, clause, or sentence about which a statement is made. Words, phrases, or clauses followed by the particle WA are placed at the beginning of Japanese sentences. When difficulty is encountered in comprehending sentences, the device of temporarily translating WA as 'as for' helps to clarify their meaning.Equational sentence
An equational sentence is used to identify or name things both animate and inanimate. It is essentially made up of two parts: the subject (general topic) and the predicate (a statement of what or whom the subject is).
Equational sentence:
Subject | Predicate
KORE WA | NOUN DESU
Note that the subject is followed by the particle WA, and that the predicate ends with a copula DESU.
The English verb 'to be' (is, are, am, etc.) acts as a copula connecting two parts of a sentence as a kind of equal sign.
This is a book. This = a book.
I am a student. I = a student.
In Japanese DESU serves the same purpose.
The negative of DESU is DEWA ARIMASEN.Interrogative Particle KA
A Japanese sentence ending with the interrogative particle KA is a question. Any statement can be made into a question by adding KA.
KORE WA HON DESU. "This is a book."
KORE WA HON DESU KA. "Is this a book?"Confirming and correcting objects · Dialogue 2 of 2
A blackboard, a window, and a wall
One person asks about classroom objects. The other confirms a blackboard, rejects a window, and identifies a wall.
*Kore wa kokuban desu ka* means "Is this a blackboard?" *Hai, sore wa kokuban desu* confirms it.
A rejected identification
*Iie, sore wa mado dewa arimasen* means "No, that's not a window." *dewa arimasen* rejects the identification.
*Dewa, kore wa nan desu ka* then asks what the object is.
- 7
Kore wa kokuban desu ka?
これわこくばんですか
Is this a blackboard?
- 8
Hai, sore wa kokuban desu.
はいそれわこくばんです
Yes, that's a blackboard.
- 9
Kore wa mado desu ka?
これわまどですか
Is this a window?
- 10
Iie, sore wa mado dewa arimasen.
いいえそれわまどでわありません
No, that's not a window.
- 11
Dewa, kore wa nan desu ka?
でわこれわなんですか
Then, what's this?
- 12
Sore wa kabe desu.
それわかべです
That's a wall.
Pictures, eyes and doors · Perception Drill 1
Naming a thing with desu
*hai, e desu* means "Yes, it is a picture." The noun *e* names the thing, and *desu* completes the identification.
The topic is what a sentence makes a statement about. In this line, *e desu* is the statement that identifies it.
A question at the end
*e desu ka* means "Is it a picture?" The same identification becomes a question when *ka* stands at the end.
A particle shows how one part of a sentence relates to another. Here *ka* marks the question.
Hands, chairs, ears and windows · Perception Drill 2
A question and an answer
*isu desu ka* means "Is it a chair?" The sentence-final particle *ka* marks the question.
*hai, isu desu* means "Yes, it is a chair." The noun with *desu* supplies the identification.
Noses, walls and mouths · Perception Drill 3
Noses, walls, and mouths
*kabe desu ka* means "Is it a wall?" The particle *ka* marks the question at the end.
*hai, kabe desu* means "Yes, it is a wall." The answer omits *ka* and ends with *desu*.
- 33
hai, mado desu
はいまどです
Yes, it is a window.
- 34
hana
はな
nose
- 35
hana desu ka?
はなですか
Is it a nose?
- 36
hai, hana desu
はいはなです
Yes, it is a nose.
- 37
kabe
かべ
wall
- 38
kabe desu ka?
かべですか
Is it a wall?
- 39
hai, kabe desu
はいかべです
Yes, it is a wall.
- 40
kuchi
くち
mouth
- 41
kuchi desu ka?
くちですか
Is it a mouth?
- 42
hai, kuchi desu
はいくちです
Yes, it is a mouth.
Feet, paper, maps and books · Perception Drill 4
Feet, paper, and maps
*ashi desu ka* means "Is it a foot?" The sentence ends with the question particle *ka*.
*hai, ashi desu* means "Yes, it is a foot." The noun *ashi* with *desu* identifies it.
Books, blackboards, floors and desks · Perception Drill 5
Objects in the classroom
*kokuban desu ka* means "Is it a blackboard?" The particle *ka* turns the identification into a question.
*hai, kokuban desu* means "Yes, it is a blackboard." The answer ends with *desu*.
- 53
hon desu ka?
ほんですか
Is it a book?
- 54
hai, hon desu
はいほんです
Yes, it is a book.
- 55
kokuban
こくばん
blackboard
- 56
kokuban desu ka?
こくばんですか
Is it a blackboard?
- 57
hai, kokuban desu
はいこくばんです
Yes, it is a blackboard.
- 58
yuka
ゆか
floor
- 59
yuka desu ka?
ゆかですか
Is it the floor?
- 60
hai, yuka desu
はいゆかです
Yes, it is the floor.
- 61
tsukue
つくえ
desk
- 62
tsukue desu ka?
つくえですか
Is it a desk?
Asking what things are · Perception Drill 6
Asking what it is
*nan desu ka* means "What is it?" *nan* asks for the noun that identifies the thing.
*kami desu* means "It is paper." The noun *kami* with *desu* supplies the identification.
- 63
hai, tsukue desu
はいつくえです
Yes, it is a desk.
- 64
enpitsu
えんぴつ
pencil
- 65
enpitsu desu ka?
えんぴつですか
Is it a pencil?
- 66
hai, enpitsu desu
はいえんぴつです
Yes, it is a pencil.
- 67
nan desu ka?
なんですか
What is it?
- 68
nan desu ka?
なんですか
What is it?
- 69
kami desu.
かみです
It is paper.
- 70
nan desu ka?
なんですか
What is it?
- 71
hon desu.
ほんです
It is a book.
- 72
nan desu ka?
なんですか
What is it?
Naming classroom objects · Perception Drill 7
The topic comes first
*kore-wa hon desu* means "This is a book." The particle *wa* follows *kore* and marks it as the topic.
Word by word, the line is "this, as for, book, is." The topic comes first, before the statement about it.
In *kore-wa hon desu*, say *wa* with *kore*. There is no pause, and *wa* is not louder than the other words.
- 73
mado desu.
まどです
It is a window.
- 74
nan desu ka?
なんですか
What is it?
- 75
kokuban desu.
こくばんです
It is a blackboard.
- 76
nan desu ka?
なんですか
What is it?
- 77
kabe desu.
かべです
It is a wall.
- 78
nan desu ka?
なんですか
What is it?
- 79
isu desu.
いすです
It is a chair.
- 80
nan desu ka?
なんですか
What is it?
- 81
mimi desu.
みみです
It is an ear.
- 82
kore-wa hon desu.
これわほんです
This is a book.
This, that and over there · Perception Drill 8
Three distances
*kore-wa kami desu* means "This is paper." *kore* indicates a thing near the speaker.
*sore-wa enpitsu desu* means "That is a pencil." *sore* indicates a thing near the person spoken to.
*are-wa chizu desu* means "That over there is a map." *are* indicates a thing away from both people.
In these lines, each pointing word takes the topic particle *wa* before the identification.
- 83
kore-wa kami desu.
これわかみです
This is paper.
- 84
sore-wa enpitsu desu.
それわえんぴつです
That is a pencil.
- 85
sore-wa isu desu.
それわいすです
That is a chair.
- 86
are-wa chizu desu.
あれわちずです
That over there is a map.
- 87
are-wa mado desu.
あれわまどです
That over there is a window.
- 88
kore-wa hon desu ka?
これわほんですか
Is this a book?
- 89
hai, sore-wa hon desu.
はいそれわほんです
Yes, that is a book.
- 90
kore-wa enpitsu desu ka?
これわえんぴつですか
Is this a pencil?
- 91
hai, sore-wa enpitsu desu.
はいそれわえんぴつです
Yes, that is a pencil.
- 92
sore-wa mado desu ka?
それわまどですか
Is that a window?
Questions about near and far objects · Perception Drill 9
The same distance in the answer
*are-wa kokuban desu ka* means "Is that over there a blackboard?" *are* indicates something away from both people.
*hai, are-wa kokuban desu* confirms the same distant object. The topic particle *wa* remains after *are*.
- 93
hai, kore-wa mado desu.
はいこれわまどです
Yes, this is a window.
- 94
sore-wa chizu desu ka?
それわちずですか
Is that a map?
- 95
hai, kore-wa chizu desu.
はいこれわちずです
Yes, this is a map.
- 96
are-wa kokuban desu ka?
あれわこくばんですか
Is that over there a blackboard?
- 97
hai, are-wa kokuban desu.
はいあれわこくばんです
Yes, that over there is a blackboard.
- 98
are-wa to desu ka?
あれわとですか
Is that over there a door?
- 99
hai, are-wa to desu.
はいあれわとです
Yes, that over there is a door.
- 100
kore-wa nan desu ka?
これわなんですか
What is this?
- 101
sore-wa nan desu ka?
それわなんですか
What is that?
- 102
are-wa nan desu ka?
あれわなんですか
What is that over there?
Identifying near and far objects · Perception Drill 10
What is this
*kore-wa nan desu ka* means "What is this?" *kore* is the topic, and *nan* asks for its identification.
*sore-wa mimi desu* means "That is an ear." The answer uses *sore* for the thing near the other person.
- 103
kore-wa nan desu ka?
これわなんですか
What is this?
- 104
sore wa me desu.
それわめです
That is an eye.
- 105
kore-wa nan desu ka?
これわなんですか
What is this?
- 106
sore-wa mimi desu.
それわみみです
That is an ear.
- 107
sore-wa nan desu ka?
それわなんですか
What is that?
- 108
kore-wa isu desu.
これわいすです
This is a chair.
- 109
sore-wa nan desu ka?
それわなんですか
What is that?
- 110
kore-wa mado desu.
これわまどです
This is a window.
- 111
are-wa nan desu ka?
あれわなんですか
What is that over there?
- 112
are-wa chizu desu.
あれわちずです
That over there is a map.
Saying what things are not · Perception Drill 11
Saying what a thing is not
*kore-wa hon dewa arimasen* means "This is not a book." *dewa arimasen* is the negative of *desu*.
The topic particle *wa* follows *kore*, and *dewa arimasen* follows the noun *hon*.
- 113
are-wa nan desu ka?
あれわなんですか
What is that over there?
- 114
are-wa to desu.
あれわとです
That over there is a door.
- 115
kore-wa hon dewa arimasen.
これわほんでわありません
This is not a book.
- 116
sore-wa isu dewa arimasen.
それわいすでわありません
That is not a chair.
- 117
are-wa mado dewa arimasen.
あれわまどでわありません
That over there is not a window.
- 118
kore-wa kokuban desu ka?
これわこくばんですか
Is this a blackboard?
- 119
Iie, sore-wa kokuban dewa arimasen.
いいえそれわこくばんでわありません
No, that is not a blackboard.
- 120
kore-wa yuka desu ka?
これわゆかですか
Is this the floor?
- 121
Iie, sore-wa yuka dewa arimasen.
いいえそれわゆかでわありません
No, that is not the floor.
- 122
sore-wa kabe desu ka?
それわかべですか
Is that a wall?
Rejecting object identifications · Perception Drill 12
A negative answer
*are-wa e desu ka* means "Is that over there a picture?" The question asks about the distant topic.
*Iie, are-wa e dewa arimasen* means "No, that over there is not a picture." *iie* gives the negative answer. *dewa arimasen* rejects the identification.
- 123
Iie, kore-wa kabe dewa arimasen.
いいえこれわかべでわありません
No, this is not a wall.
- 124
sore-wa kami desu ka?
それわかみですか
Is that paper?
- 125
Iie, kore-wa kami dewa arimasen.
いいえこれわかみでわありません
No, this is not paper.
- 126
are-wa e desu ka?
あれわえですか
Is that over there a picture?
- 127
Iie, are-wa e dewa arimasen.
いいえあれわえでわありません
No, that over there is not a picture.
- 128
are-wa to desu ka?
あれわとですか
Is that over there a door?
- 129
Iie, are-wa to dewa arimasen.
いいえあれわとでわありません
No, that over there is not a door.
Counting syllables in words · Pronunciation drill 1
One, two, and three syllables
The drill groups words by syllable count and vowel sound. *ka* has one syllable, while *haha* has two.
*ishi* has two syllables, while *ishii* has three. The added *i* forms an additional syllable.
- 130
ka, ta, na, ha
かたなは
one-syllable words:
- 131
haha, kasa, hana, yama
ははかさはなやま
two-syllable words:
- 132
yamaha, sakana, takara
やまはさかなたから
three-syllable words:
- 133
i, ki, hi, chi, shi
いきひちし
one-syllable words:
- 134
michi, shichi, ishi, ichi, imi
みちしちいしいちいみ
two-syllable words:
- 135
ishii, ibiki, hibiki
いしいいびきひびき
three-syllable words:
- 136
u, bu, ku, su, zu
うぶくすず
one-syllable words:
Syllable lengths across vowel sounds · Pronunciation drill 2
Syllables with u, e, and o
The drill groups words with three vowel sounds by syllable count. *kutsu* has two syllables, while *sukumu* has three.
*o* has one syllable, *koko* has two, and *otoko* has three.
- 137
kutsu, sumu, umu, kuru
くつすむうむくる
two-syllable words:
- 138
sukumu, fukumu, yurumu, yurusu
すくむふくむゆるむゆるす
three-syllable words:
- 139
e, ke, te, ne, me
えけてねめ
one-syllable words:
- 140
ete
えて
two-syllable words:
- 141
o, to, ho
おとほ
one-syllable words:
- 142
koko, oto, soko, kono, sono, momo
ここおとそここのそのもも
two-syllable words:
- 143
otoko, otoso, koromo, tokoro, kodomo
おとこおとそころもところこども
three-syllable words:
Objects and body words · Word list 1 of 3
Nouns that do not change
The words name objects and body parts. *e* means "picture" or "drawing", and *ashi* means "leg" or "feet."
Japanese nouns are not inflected. They have no plural forms or grammatical gender. Articles such as "a", "an", and "the" do not precede them.
Context determines whether a noun such as *hon*, "book", refers to one or more.
Classroom objects and pointing words · Word list 2 of 3
Objects and pointing words
The words include classroom objects and body parts. *chizu* means "map", and *mimi* means "ear."
The pointing words distinguish distance. *kore* means "this" near the speaker, *sore* means "that" near the other person, and *are* means "that" away from both.
*nan* means "what" in a question.
- 155
chizu
ちず
map
- 156
mimi
みみ
ear
- 157
hana
はな
nose
- 158
kuchi
くち
mouth
- 159
kokuban
こくばん
blackboard
- 160
tsukue
つくえ
desk
- 161
enpitsu
えんぴつ
pencil
- 162
kore
これ
this (thing), (near the speaker)
- 163
sore
それ
that (thing), (near the person spoken to)
- 164
are
あれ
that (thing), (away from both the speaker and the person spoken to)
- 165
nan
なん
what (for a question)
Questions, negatives and greetings · Word list 3 of 3
Greeting, asking, and answering
The words cover greetings, questions, and answers. *Konnichi wa* means "Hello." *Ikaga desu ka* means "How are you?"
*hai* means "yes", and *iie* means "no." The question particle *ka* stands at the end of a sentence.
*desu* means "is." Its negative *dewa arimasen* means "is not."
- 166
desu
です
copula (is)
- 167
ka?
か
(comes at the end of a sentence and indicates a question)
- 168
dewa arimasen
でわありません
--- is not
- 169
dewa
でわ
then
- 170
hai
はい
yes
- 171
iie
いいえ
no
- 172
Konnichi wa
こんにちわ
Hello. Good day.
- 173
Ikaga desu ka?
いかがですか
How are you?
- 174
Genki desu.
げんきです
I am fine.
Homework Assignment
1 Memorize the dialogue.
2 Listen to the tape and practice pronunciation.
3 Read the explanatory notes.
4 Memorize the vocabulary.
5 Practice reading and writing of HIRAGANA, a to go.The particulars
- The course
- Defense Language Institute, Japanese Basic Course, 1967 to 1971. Public domain. The teaching pages and the narration are ours.
- Reading aloud
- Digital narration, directed by 1732 Studios.
- The book
- Botchan, the work this course leads to, free to read here.
- Data
- JSON · Markdown · A guide for agents