Japanese Basic Course 1732 Studios

Japanese · Lesson 13

Lesson 13

Sounds, kana, and the first conversations

112 lines

Following classroom commands · Dialogue 1 of 5

At the blackboard

A teacher directs SGT Green through a classroom task. *こくばんの ところへ おいでなさい* means "Go to the blackboard, please."

Green answers each command with the action he will take. *はい、 こくばんの ところへ 行きます* means "Yes, I'll go to the blackboard."

Movement and objects

In *こくばんの ところへ おいでなさい*, the particle *へ* follows the destination of the movement.

In *はくぼくを おとりなさい*, the particle *を* follows *はくぼく*, the object that Green takes.

The command *おとりなさい* requests the action. The answer *とります* states the action Green will take.

Kanji: 行

New kanji in these lines. Read down: the kanji, its reading, then the words it makes.

  1. 1

    グリーンぐんそう、おたちなさい。

    SGT Green, stand up, please.

    グリーンGreen
    ぐsergeant
    んsergeant
    そう、sergeant
    おpolite
    たちstand up
    なさい。please
  2. 2

    はい、たちます。

    Yes, I'll stand up.

  3. 3

    こくばんのところへおいでなさい。

    Go to the blackboard, please.

  4. 4

    はい、こくばんのところへいきます。

    Yes, I'll go to the blackboard.

  5. 5

    はくぼくをおとりなさい。

    Pick up the chalk, please.

  6. 6

    はい、はくぼくをとります。

    Yes, I'll pick up the chalk.

Verbs

Japanese verbs are inflected or their endings are changed according to certain uses. The part that does not inflect is called the 'root' which usually furnishes the basic meaning. That which is placed before the root is called 'prefix' that gives a particular modification to the root meaning. That which immediately follows the root is called 'ending.'

Verbs fall into three main classes according to these conjugations:

Consonant verbs

Vowel verbs

Irregular verbs

Consonant verbs are those whose roots end in one of the following nine consonants: --K, -G, -S, -T, -N, -B, -M, -R, and -(W).

Vowel verbs are those (with some exceptions) whose roots end in the vowel -I or -E.

There are only two verbs which have slight irregularities of inflection. They are the verbs KURU(KIMASU),

'come' and SURU(SHIMASU), 'do.'

Conjugations of modern colloquial Japanese verbs show eight endings:

| Name 'ending' | Example of consonant verb 'write' | Example of vowel verb 'open' | Irregular verbs 'come' | Irregular verbs 'do'
1. | Negative ending | KAKA | AKE** | KO | SHI, SE
2. | Conjunctive ending | KAKI | AKE** | KI | SHI
3. | Basic ending | KAKU | AKERU | KURU | SURU
4. | Conditional ending | KAKEBA | AKEREBA | KUREBA | SUREBA
5. | Imperative ending | KAKE | AKERO | KOI | SHIRO
6. | Conjectural ending | KAKOO | AKEYOO | KOYOO | SHIYOO
7. | TE-ending | *KAITE | AKETE | KITE | SHITE
8. | TA-ending | *KAITA | AKETA | KITA | SHITA

* Euphonic changes in time changed KAKITE and KAKITA to KAITE and KAITA respectively.

** Note that the negative and conjunctive endings of vowel verbs have no shape at all or are synonymous with the root. It is customary to refer to verbs by their basic endings, and these are the forms under which verbs are entered in dictionaries. Note also that the basic endings are in the vowel U.

Each underlined part in the above table is the root represented in terms of ROMAJI. For example, KAK and I of KAKI are the root and conjunctive ending of the verb KAKU, 'write.' However, the root of this type cannot be written completely in terms of the conventional writing system (KANJI and KANA). Therefore, for the sake of convenience, the final consonant of the consonant verbs is separated from the root and combined with the ending so as to make it possible to discuss the conjugation in terms of the conventional writing system or in terms of syllables. For example, KAKI becomes KAKI or かき; and in terms of KANA, か is the root and き is the conjunctive ending of the verb KAKU, 'write.' The sounds and uses of the eight endings will be dealt with as they are introduced in the course.

a. The particle E (へ) indicates direction or place toward which an action moves. It also denotes the destination or point of arrival of an action. It corresponds to the English preposition 'to.'
Conjunctive ending

The conjunctive ending is normally followed immediately by certain inflected suffixes:

--MASU:

The conjunctive ending may be followed by the inflected suffix MASU not only to yield compounded forms of present tense or definite future tense meaning but also to add a degree of politeness.

WATAKUSHI WA KAKIMASU. "I'll write," "I am going to write," or "I write."

WATAKUSHI WA TACHIMASU. "I'll stand up," "I am going to stand up," or "I stand up."

--NASAI:

The conjunctive ending may also be followed by certain other verbs, e.g.,

KAKINASAI Write, please.

TACHINASAI Stand up, please.

KINASAI Come, please.

NASAI is from the polite verb NASARU, 'do,' and it is its imperative ending. It follows not only the conjunctive ending of verbs but also certain nouns and adverbs to express polite command.

O is the honorific prefix as was explained in Lesson 9. Therefore, the pattern O + conjunctive (verb) ending + NASAI is politer than the pattern without the honorific prefix O.
Particle E

The particle E (へ) indicates direction or place toward which an action moves. It also denotes the destination or point of arrival of an action. It corresponds to the English preposition 'to.'

GAKKOO E IKIMASU. "I'll go to school."

KOKO E OIDENASAI. "Come here, please."

TOKORO 'place'

The noun TOKORO means 'place.' In Japanese one does not say he goes or comes to an object or to a person. Instead, he says he goes or comes to the place where an

object is or to the place where someone is.

MADO NO TOKORO E IKIMASU. "I'll go to the window."

KOKUBAN NO TOKORO E OIDENASAI. "Please go to the blackboard."
Particle O

The particle O (を) in this lesson indicates that the substantive (noun and pronoun) that precedes it is the direct object of a verb. The direct object is the receiver (thing or person) of the direct action indicated by the verb. In Japanese the direct object is normally placed before the verb.

WATAKUSHI WA NAMAE O KAKIMASU. "I'll write (my) name."

MADO O AKEMASU. "I'll open the window."

HON O TOJIMASU. "I'll close the book."
Past Tense MASHITA

The compounded forms of polite present tense or definite future tense are formed by the conjunctive ending plus MASU. Polite past tense is formed by adding MASHITA to the conjunctive ending.

| 
AKE-MASU | AKEMASHITA
"I'll open." | "I opened."
KAKIMASU | KAKIMASHITA
"I'll write." | "I wrote."
IKIMASU | IKIMASHITA
"I'll go." | "I went."
の
See Grammar Notes
ところ
place (See Gram. Notes)
へ
to (See Gram. Notes)
を
particle denoting direct object (See Pattern Drill)

Writing and returning to seat · Dialogue 2 of 5

Write, then return

The classroom task continues with writing and movement. *あなたの おなまえを おかきなさい* means "Write your name, please."

After praise and thanks, *あなたの せきへ おかえりなさい* means "Go back to your seat, please."

The replies *かきます* and *かえります* state the actions the speaker will take.

Kanji: 私

New kanji in these lines. Read down: the kanji, its reading, then the words it makes.

  1. 7

    あなたのおなまえをおかきなさい。

    Write your name, please.

  2. 8

    はい、わたくしのなまえをかきます。

    Yes, I'll write my name.

  3. 9

    よろしい。よくできました。

    Good ! Well done !

  4. 10

    ありがとうございます。

    Thank you.

  5. 11

    あなたのせきへおかえりなさい。

    Go back to your seat, please.

  6. 12

    はい、せきへかえります。

    Yes, I'll go back to (my) seat.

なまえ
name
よろしい。
good!
せき
seat

Describing completed classroom actions · Dialogue 3 of 5

What Green did

After Green sits down, Mr. Smith reports his actions. *グリーンぐんそうは たちました* means "SGT Green stood up."

The account continues with *それから、 こくばんの ところへ 行きました*, "After that, he went to the blackboard."

Completed actions

The ending *ました* marks each reported action as completed. It appears in *たちました* and *行きました*.

Kanji: 何

New kanji in these lines. Read down: the kanji, its reading, then the words it makes.

  1. 13

    おかけなさい。

    Sit down, please.

  2. 14

    はい、かけます。

    Yes, I'll sit down.

  3. 15

    スミスさん、グリーンぐんそうはいまなにをしましたか。

    Mr. Smith, what did SGT Green do just now?

  4. 16

    グリーンぐんそうはたちました。

    SGT Green stood up.

  5. 17

    それから、なにをしましたか。

    Then, what did he do?

  6. 18

    それから、こくばんのところへいきました。

    After that, he went to the blackboard.

いま
now, just now
し
city
か。
either--or-- (See Gram. Notes)

Sequencing completed actions · Dialogue 4 of 5

One action after another

Mr. Smith continues the account of Green's actions. *それから、 はくぼくを とりました* means "Then, he picked up the chalk."

*それから* introduces each next action. The verbs *とりました*, *かきました*, and *かえりました* report completed actions.

*それから、 グリーンぐんそうは せきへ かえりました* ends the sequence with Green's return to his seat.

  1. 19

    それから。

    And then?

  2. 20

    それから、はくぼくをとりました。

    Then, he picked up the chalk.

  3. 21

    それから、なまえをかきましたね。

    After that, he wrote his name, didn't he?

  4. 22

    はい、そうです。

    Yes, that's right.

  5. 23

    それからどうしましたか。

    What did he do after that?

  6. 24

    それから、グリーンぐんそうはせきへかえりました。

    After that, SGT Green returned to his seat.

ね。
isn't it (See Grammar Notes)

Confirming the final action · Dialogue 5 of 5

The final action

The speakers confirm how Green's sequence ended. *それから、 こしかけましたね* means "Then, he sat down, didn't he?"

The final *ね* asks for confirmation of the completed action. *はい、 そうです* confirms it with "Yes, that's right."

The exchange closes with *よく できました* and *ありがとう ございます*, praise followed by thanks.

  1. 25

    それから、こしかけましたね。

    Then, he sat down, didn't he?

  2. 26

    はい、そうです。

    Yes, that's right.

  3. 27

    よくできました。

    You did well.

  4. 28

    ありがとうございます。

    Thank you.

Giving basic commands · Pattern 1 1 of 2

A verb changes for its use

*おかきなさい* means "Write, please." The response *かきます* means "I'll write."

Japanese verbs change their endings according to their use. These endings distinguish a command from a willing action.

Commands and willing actions

In *おかきなさい*, *なさい* follows the verb's conjunctive ending and makes a polite command.

In *かきます*, *ます* follows the same ending and makes a polite present or future form.

The honorific *お* makes *おかきなさい* politer.

  1. 29

    おかきなさい。

    Write, please.

  2. 30

    はい、かきます。

    Yes, I'll write.

  3. 31

    おたちなさい。

    Stand up, please.

  4. 32

    おしめなさい。

    Close it, please.

  5. 33

    おかえりなさい。

    Go back, please.

  6. 34

    たちます。

    I'll stand up.

  7. 35

    かきます。

    I'll write.

Commands and willing responses · Pattern 1 2 of 2

A command and its response

*アダムスさん、 おたちなさい* means "Mr. Adams, stand up, please." The answer is *はい、 たちます*, "Yes, I'll stand up."

The answer to *おかえりなさい* is *かえります*. The answer to *おかけなさい* is *かけます*.

  1. 36

    あけます。

    I'll open.

  2. 37

    アダムスさん、おたちなさい。

    Mr. Adams, stand up, please.

  3. 38

    はい、たちます。

    Yes, I'll stand up.

  4. 39

    グリーンさん、おかえりなさい。

    Mr. Green, go back, please.

  5. 40

    はい、かえります。

    Yes, I'll return.

  6. 41

    たなかさん、おかけなさい。

    Mr. Tanaka, sit down, please

  7. 42

    はい、かけます。

    Yes, I'll sit down.

Movement toward destinations · Pattern 2 1 of 2

The destination of movement

*私は にっぽんへ 行きます* means "I'll go to Japan." The particle *へ* follows the destination and means "to".

*ところ* means "place". Movement toward an object is expressed as movement toward the place where that object is.

*こくばんの ところへ おいでなさい* means "Please go to the blackboard." Here *へ* follows *こくばんの ところ*.

  1. 43

    わたくしはにっぽんへいきます。

    I'll go to Japan.

  2. 44

    いすのところへおいでなさい。

    Please go to the chair.

  3. 45

    こどもたちはがっこうへいきます。

    The children go to school.

  4. 46

    せいとはサンフランシスコへいきます。

    Students will go to San Francisco.

  5. 47

    ここへおいでなさい。

    Please come here.

  6. 48

    こくばんのところへおいでなさい。

    Please go to the blackboard.

  7. 49

    まどのところへいきます。

    I'll go to the window.

子ども
child, children
と
and (See Gram. Notes)
ここ
here

Answering movement commands · Pattern 2 2 of 2

The destination in the answer

*こくばんの ところへ おいでなさい* means "Please go to the blackboard." The answer repeats the destination before *行きます*.

*はい、 こくばんの ところへ 行きます* means "Yes, I'll go to the blackboard." The particle *へ* follows the destination.

A question follows the same order. *あなたは にっぽんへ 行きますか* asks whether the listener is going to Japan.

  1. 50

    いすのところへいきます。

    I will go to the chair.

  2. 51

    あなたはにっぽんへいきますか。

    Are you going to Japan?

  3. 52

    はい、にっぽんへいきます。

    Yes, I'll go to Japan.

  4. 53

    こくばんのところへおいでなさい。

    Please go to the blackboard.

  5. 54

    はい、こくばんのところへいきます。

    Yes, I'll go to the blackboard.

  6. 55

    ここへおいでなさい。

    Please come here.

  7. 56

    はい、そこへいきます。

    Yes, I'll go there.

そこ
there

Actions and direct objects · Pattern 3 1 of 2

The thing the action affects

*私は なまえを かきます* means "I'll write my name." The particle *を* follows the direct object *なまえ*.

The particle *を* follows the direct object. Japanese normally places that object before the verb.

*私は まどを あけます* places *を* after *まど*, the window that the speaker will open.

Kanji: 本

New kanji in these lines. Read down: the kanji, its reading, then the words it makes.

  1. 57

    わたくしはなまえをかきます。

    I'll write my name. (direct object)

  2. 58

    わたくしはまどをあけます。

    I'll open the window.

  3. 59

    わたくしはほんをとじます。

    I'll close the book.

  4. 60

    わたくしはまどをしめます。

    I'll close the window.

  5. 61

    あなたはなにをしますか。

    What are you going to do?

  6. 62

    わたくしはぼうしをとります。

    I'll take the hat.

Asking about intended actions · Pattern 3 2 of 2

Asking which object

*あなたは 何を あけますか* means "What are you going to open?" The phrase *何を* asks for the direct object.

The answer replaces *何* with the object. *私は とを あけます* means "I'll open the door."

The same form asks *何を とじますか*. The answer *私は めを とじます* names the eyes as the object.

  1. 63

    あなたはなにをしますか。

    What are you going to do?

  2. 64

    わたくしはわたくしのなまえをかきます。

    I'll write my name.

  3. 65

    あなたはなにをあけますか。

    What are you going to open?

  4. 66

    わたくしはとをあけます。

    I'll open the door.

  5. 67

    あなたはなにをとじますか。

    What are you going to close?

  6. 68

    わたくしはめをとじます。

    I'll close my eyes.

Stating completed actions · Pattern 4 1 of 2

The polite past

*私は なまえを かきました* means "I wrote my name." The form *ました* follows the conjunctive ending to make the polite past.

*かきます* means "I'll write." Replacing *ます* with *ました* gives *かきました*, "I wrote."

*たむらさんは にっぽんへ 行きました* uses the same past form for "Mr. Tamura went to Japan."

Kanji: 来

New kanji in these lines. Read down: the kanji, its reading, then the words it makes.

  1. 69

    わたくしはなまえをかきました。

    I wrote my name.

  2. 70

    あのかたはがっこうへきました。

    He came to school.

  3. 71

    たむらさんはにっぽんへいきました。

    Mr. Tamura went to Japan.

  4. 72

    ヤングごちょうはせきへかえりました。

    Corporal Young returned to his seat.

  5. 73

    わたくしはほんをあけました。

    I opened my book.

  6. 74

    やまださんはえんぴつをとりました。

    Mr. Yamada took his pencil.

Asking about completed actions · Pattern 4 2 of 2

What someone did

*たむらさんは 何を しましたか* means "What did Mr. Tamura do?" An answer names the object and the completed action.

*まどを あけました* answers with "He opened the window." The particle *を* follows the object *まど*.

A destination question also keeps *ました*. *ええ、 せきへ かえりました* confirms that he returned to his seat.

  1. 75

    たむらさんはなにをしましたか。

    What did Mr. Tamura do?

  2. 76

    まどをあけました。

    He opened the window.

  3. 77

    やまださんはなにをしましたか。

    What did Mr. Yamada do?

  4. 78

    えんぴつをとりました。

    He took his pencil.

  5. 79

    あのかたはせきへかえりましたか。

    Did he return to his seat?

  6. 80

    ええ、せきへかえりました。

    Yes, he returned to his seat.

ええ、
Yes

Classroom command words · Word list 1 of 3

Commands in the classroom

These words cover classroom places and polite commands. *ところ* means "place", and *せき* means "seat".

The commands include *おたちなさい*, "Stand up, please.", and *おかきなさい*, "Please write."

Each action command places the honorific *お* before the verb form and ends in *なさい*.

  1. 81

    ところ

    place (See Gram. Notes)

  2. 82

    せき

    seat

  3. 83

    おたちなさい

    Stand up, please. (See Notes)

  4. 84

    おいでなさい

    Please come; please go; please be

  5. 85

    おとりなさい

    Please take, pick up

  6. 86

    おかきなさい

    Please write.

  7. 87

    おかえりなさい

    Please return; go back

  8. 88

    おかけなさい

    Please sit down.

  9. 89

    おあけなさい

    Please open.

  10. 90

    おとじなさい

    Please close.

  11. 91

    おしめなさい

    Please close; shut

おたちなさい
Stand up, please. (See Notes)
おいでなさい
Please come; please go; please be
おとりなさい
Please take, pick up
おかきなさい
Please write.
おかえりなさい
Please return; go back
おかけなさい
Please sit down.
おあけなさい
Please open.
おとじなさい
Please close.
おしめなさい
Please close; shut

Willing action expressions · Word list 2 of 3

Actions the speaker will take

These words state polite willing actions. *たちます* means "I'll stand.", and *行きます* means "I'll go."

Classroom actions include *かきます*, "I'll write.", and *あけます*, "I'll open."

The command *来なさい*, "Please come.", pairs with *来ます*, "I'll come."

  1. 92

    きなさい

    Please come.

  2. 93

    たちます

    I'll stand. (See Gram. Notes)

  3. 94

    いきます

    I'll go.

  4. 95

    とります

    I'll take.

  5. 96

    かきます

    I'll write.

  6. 97

    かえります

    I'll go back.

  7. 98

    かけます

    I'll sit down.

  8. 99

    きます

    I'll come.

  9. 100

    あけます

    I'll open.

  10. 101

    とじます

    I'll close.

  11. 102

    しめます

    I'll close.

来なさい
Please come.
たちます
I'll stand. (See Gram. Notes)
行きます
I'll go.
とります
I'll take.
かきます
I'll write.
かえります
I'll go back.
かけます
I'll sit down.
来ます
I'll come.
あけます
I'll open.
とじます
I'll close.
しめます
I'll close.

Sequence, thanks and past expressions · Word list 3 of 3

How the account is built

This set supplies words for movement, objects, and completed actions. *へ* means "to", while *を* marks a direct object.

The ending *---ました* marks the polite past. *それから* means "after that, and then" and links completed actions.

The exchange can close with *よくできました*, "You did well.", and *ありがとう ございます*, "Thank you."

  1. 103

    こしかけます

    I'll sit down.

  2. 104

    へ

    to (See Gram. Notes)

  3. 105

    を

    particle denoting direct object (See Pattern Drill)

  4. 106

    よろしい

    good!

  5. 107

    よくできました

    You did well; well done.

  6. 108

    ありがとうございます

    Thank you.

  7. 109

    ---ました

    past tense of MASU (See Gram. Notes)

  8. 110

    それから

    after that, and then

  9. 111

    いま

    now, just now

  10. 112

    どうしましたか

    What did he do?

Homework Assignment

1. Listen to the tape and practice pronunciation.

2. Memorize the Dialogue.

3. Read the Grammar Notes.

4. Practice reading and writing of Kanji.
こしかけます
I'll sit down.
よろしい
good!
よくできました
You did well; well done.
ありがとうございます
Thank you.
---ました
past tense of MASU (See Gram. Notes)
それから
after that, and then
どうしましたか
What did he do?

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
Two whoopie pies and a pine. An inside joke.