Japanese Basic Course 1732 Studios

Japanese · Lesson 14

Lesson 14

Sounds, kana, and the first conversations

98 lines

The face and its senses · Dialogue 1 of 5

The face and its parts

*かおには 何が ありますか* means "What are there on the face?" The reply names the eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.

*目と耳が 二つずつ、 口と はなが 一つずつ あります* means "There are two each of eyes and ears and one each of mouth and nose."

Equal numbers and the means used

In *二つずつ*, *ずつ* means "each" for the eyes and ears.

*目で いろいろなものを 見ます* describes seeing various things with the eyes. Here, *で* marks the eyes as the means used.

Kanji: 目, 見, 耳, 口

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

  1. 1

    かおにはなにがありますか。

    What are there on the face?

    かおface
    にon
    はtopic
    何what
    がsubject
    ありthere are
    ますpolite
    か。question
  2. 2

    かおにはめとはなとくちとみみがあります。

    There are eyes, nose, mouth, and ears on the face.

  3. 3

    いくつずつありますか。

    How many each are there?

  4. 4

    めとみみがふたつずつ、くちとはながひとつずつあります。

    There are two each of eyes and ears and one each of mouth and nose.

  5. 5

    わたくしたちはめでなにをしますか。

    What do we do with eyes?

  6. 6

    めでいろいろなものをみます。

    we see various things with eyes.

MASEN

MASEN is the negative form of MASU, and it is attached to the conjunctive ending of verbs, e.g.,

WATAKUSHI WA EIGO O HANASHIMASEN.

"I don't speak English."

ANOKATA WA SAKANA O TABEMASEN.

"He does not eat fish."
MASENDESHITA

MASENDESHITA is the negative form of --MASHITA, and it is attached to the conjunctive ending of verbs, e.g.,

WATAKUSHI WA MADO O AKEMASENDESHITA.

"I did not open the window."

NIPPON E IKIMASENDESHITA.

"I did not go to Japan."
ZUTSU

ZUTSU is a suffix attached to numerals and numerators and means 'each.'

ME TO MIMI GA FUTATSU ZUTSU ARIMASU.

"There are two each of eyes and ears."

KYOOSHITSU NIWA SEITO GA HACHININ ZUTSU IMASU.

"There are eight students each in the classrooms."
Particle DE

The particle DE has several uses. One use is that it is attached to substantives and indicates the means or the instrument with which something is performed or effected. It is translated as 'with' or 'in,' e.g.,

WATAKUSHI-TACHI WA ME DE MIMASU.

"We see with our eyes."

TE DE IROIRO NO MONO O MOCHIMASU.

"We hold various things with our hands."
Particle NI

The particle NI was used in Lesson 6 to indicate the place of existence. In this lesson, it is used to indicate the point of arrival of an action, and it is translated as 'on.'

ISU NI KAKEMASU.

"I'll sit on the chair."

KOKUBAN NI KAKIMASU.

"I'll write on the blackboard."

TSUKUE NO UE NI OKIMASU.

"I'll put it on the desk."
かお
face
に
on (See Gram. Notes)
が
but (See Gram. Notes)
か。
either--or-- (See Gram. Notes)
と
and (See Gram. Notes)
ずつ
each (See Gram. Notes)
二
two
はな
flower
一
one
で
--is and -- (See Grammar Notes)
を
particle denoting direct object (See Pattern Drill)
し
city
もの
things (tangible)

Hearing, speaking and eating · Dialogue 2 of 5

Hearing, speaking, and eating

*耳で おとを ききます* describes hearing sounds with the ears. Here, *で* marks the ears as the means used.

*口で はなします* describes speaking with the mouth. The next reply adds eating various things.

  1. 7

    みみでなにをしますか。

    what do we do with ears?

  2. 8

    みみでおとをききます。

    we hear sounds with ears.

  3. 9

    わたくしたちはくちでなにをしますか。

    What do we do with our mouths?

  4. 10

    くちではなします。

    we speak with our mouths.

  5. 11

    そのほかくちでなにをしますか。

    Besides that, what do we do with our mouths?

  6. 12

    いろいろなものをたべます。

    we eat various things.

おと
sound

Smelling, holding and writing · Dialogue 3 of 5

The nose and hands

*はなで においを かぎます* describes smelling scents with the nose.

*手で いろいろの ものを もちます。 そのほか 手で じを かきます* describes holding things and writing characters with the hands.

A negative reply

*はい、 えも かきますが、 かんじは かきません* affirms drawing pictures but denies writing Kanji.

In *かきません*, *ません* makes the action negative.

Kanji: 手

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

  1. 13

    わたくしたちははなでなにをしますか。

    What do we do with our noses?

  2. 14

    はなでにおいをかぎます。

    We smell scents with our noses.

  3. 15

    てでなにをしますか。

    What do we do with our hands?

  4. 16

    てでいろいろのものをもちます。そのほかてでじをかきます。

    We hold various things with our hands. Besides that, we write characters with our hands.

  5. 17

    えもかきますか。

    Do we draw pictures, too?

  6. 18

    はい、えもかきますが、かんじはかきません。

    Yes, we draw pictures, but we don’t write KANJI.

におい
smell, scent
の
See Grammar Notes
じ
character, word
が、
but (See Gram. Notes)
かんじ
Kanji (Chinese characters)

Walking and writing names · Dialogue 4 of 5

Writing a name on the board

*トマスさん、 こくばんに あなたの おなまえを おかきなさい* means "Mr. Thomas, write your name on the blackboard, please."

He agrees, takes the chalk, and writes his name on the blackboard.

The surface of the action

*こくばんに なまえを かきました* means "Then he wrote his name on the blackboard."

Here, *に* marks the blackboard as the surface of the action.

  1. 19

    あしでなにをしますか。

    What do we do with our legs?

  2. 20

    あしであるきます。

    we walk with our legs.

  3. 21

    トマスさん、こくばんにあなたのおなまえをおかきなさい。

    Mr. Thomas, write your name on the blackboard, please.

  4. 22

    はい、かしこまりました。

    yes, certainly.

  5. 23

    パーカーさん、トマスさんはなにをしましたか。

    Mr. Parker, what did Mr. Thomas do?

  6. 24

    トマスさんははくぼくをとりました。それから、こくばんになまえをかきました。

    Mr. Thomas picked up the chalk. Then he wrote his name on the blackboard.

なまえ
name

Hands and placing chalk · Dialogue 5 of 5

The hand used for writing

*いいえ、 ひだりの 手で かきませんでした。 みぎの 手で かきました* contrasts the hand not used with the hand used.

The reply means "No, he did not write with his left hand. He wrote with his right hand."

A past action made negative

In *かきませんでした*, *ませんでした* makes the past action negative: "did not write."

*つくえの うえに おきました* means "He put it on the desk." Here, *に* marks where the chalk was put.

  1. 25

    トマスさんはひだりのてでかきましたか。

    Did Mr. Thomas write with his left hand?

  2. 26

    いいえ、ひだりのてでかきませんでした。みぎのてでかきました。

    No, he did not write with his left hand. He wrote with his right hand.

  3. 27

    トマスさんははくぼくをどこにおきましたか。

    Where did Mr. Thomas put the chalk?

  4. 28

    つくえのうえにおきました。

    He put it on the desk.

ひだり
left
みぎ
right

Present and past negatives · Pattern 1 1 of 2

An action that does not happen

*私は がっこうへ 行きません* means "I don't go to school."

In *行きません*, *ません* takes the place of *ます* and makes the verb negative.

An action that did not happen

*私は がっこうへ 行きませんでした* means "I didn't go to school."

For a past action, *ませんでした* takes the place of *ました* and makes the verb negative.

  1. 29

    わたくしはがっこうへいきません。

    I don't go to school.

  2. 30

    わたくしはがっこうへいきませんでした。

    I didn't go to school.

  3. 31

    わたくしはさかなをたべません。

    I don't eat fish.

  4. 32

    わたくしはにっぽんへいきません。

    I don't go to Japan.

  5. 33

    わたくしはえをかきません。

    I don't draw pictures.

  6. 34

    あのかたはまどをしめませんでした。

    He did not close the window.

  7. 35

    あのかたはがっこうへきませんでした。

    He did not come to school.

へ
to (See Gram. Notes)

Answering with negative actions · Pattern 1 2 of 2

Negative answers in two times

*いいえ、 にっぽんへ 行きませんでした* means "No, he didn't go to Japan." The past question receives a past negative answer.

*いいえ、 スミスさんは さかなを たべません* means "No, Mr. Smith doesn't eat fish." The present question receives a present negative answer.

  1. 36

    たむらさんはにっぽんへいきましたか。

    Did Mr. Tamura go to Japan?

  2. 37

    いいえ、にっぽんへいきませんでした。

    No, he didn't go to Japan.

  3. 38

    スミスさんはさかなをたべますか。

    Does Mr. Smith eat fish?

  4. 39

    いいえ、スミスさんはさかなをたべません。

    No, Mr. Smith doesn't eat fish.

  5. 40

    あのかたはせきへかえりましたか。

    Did he return to the seat?

  6. 41

    いいえ、せきへかえりませんでした。

    No, he didn't return to the seat.

せき
seat

Equal quantities in groups · Pattern 2 1 of 2

The same number for each

*かおには 目と 耳が 二つずつ あります* means "There are two each of eyes and ears on the face."

The suffix *ずつ* follows a numeral or numerator and means "each."

Equal quantities across groups

*きょうしつには せいとが 八人ずつ 居ます* means "There are eight students each in the classrooms."

*スミスさんと ブラウンさんは かん字を 三つずつ かきました* means that Mr. Smith and Mr. Brown each wrote three Kanji.

Kanji: 人

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

  1. 42

    かおにはめとみみがふたつずつあります。

    There are two each of eyes and ears on the face.

  2. 43

    かおにはくちとはながひとつずつあります。

    There are one each of mouth and nose on the face.

  3. 44

    きょうしつにはせいとがはちにんずついます。

    There are eight students each in the classrooms.

  4. 45

    きょうしつにはこくばんがふたつずつあります。

    There are two blackboards each in the classrooms.

  5. 46

    スミスさんとブラウンさんはかんじをみっつずつかきました。

    Mr. Smith and Mr. Brown each wrote three Kanji.

  6. 47

    かおにはめとみみがいくつずつありますか。

    How many each of eyes and ears are on the face?

八
eight
人
people
三
three

Asking quantities for each · Pattern 2 2 of 2

How many for each

*この がっこうの きょうしつには まどが いくつずつ ありますか* means "How many windows each are there in the classrooms of this school?"

The answer *まどが 四つずつ あります* means "There are four windows each." A quantity with *ずつ* gives the equal amount.

  1. 48

    めとみみがふたつずつあります。

    There are two each of eyes and ears.

  2. 49

    せいとたちはももをたべましたか。

    Did the students eat peaches?

  3. 50

    ええ、せいとたちはももをふたつずつたべました。

    Yes, students ate two each of peaches.

  4. 51

    このがっこうのきょうしつにはまどがいくつずつありますか。

    How many windows each are there in the classrooms of this school?

  5. 52

    まどがよっつずつあります。

    There are four windows each.

もも
peach
ええ、
Yes
四
four

Body parts as means · Pattern 3 1 of 2

The means used for an action

*私たちは 目で 見ます* describes seeing with the eyes. Here, the eyes are the means used.

Body parts and instruments

The particle *で* follows a noun and marks the means or instrument used for an action.

*私たちは えんぴつで じを かきます* means "We write characters with pencils." Here, *で* marks the pencils as the instrument.

  1. 53

    わたくしたちはめでみます。

    We see with our eyes.

  2. 54

    わたくしたちはあしであるきます。

    We walk with our feet.

  3. 55

    わたくしたちはみみでおとをききます。

    We hear sounds with our ears.

  4. 56

    わたくしたちはくちでたべます。

    We eat with our mouths.

  5. 57

    わたくしたちはてでいろいろなものをもちます。

    We hold various things with our hands.

  6. 58

    わたくしたちはえんぴつでじをかきます。

    We write characters with pencils.

Asking what means are used · Pattern 3 2 of 2

Asking what means is used

*あなたは 何で おとを ききますか* means "What do you hear sounds with?" The question uses *何で* for the means.

*私は 耳で おとを ききます* answers with the means followed by *で*: "We hear sound with ears."

  1. 59

    わたくしたちははなでなにをしますか。

    What do we do with our noses?

  2. 60

    はなでにおいをかぎます。

    We smell scents with our noses.

  3. 61

    あなたはなにでおとをききますか。

    What do you hear sounds with?

  4. 62

    わたくしはみみでおとをききます。

    We hear sound with ears.

  5. 63

    にっぽんじんははしでたべますか。

    Do Japanese eat with chopsticks?

  6. 64

    はい、にっぽんじんはたいていはしでたべます。

    Yes, Japanese usually eat with chopsticks.

Destinations of everyday actions · Pattern 4 1 of 2

Writing on the blackboard

*あのかたは こくばんに なまえを かきました* means "He wrote his name on the blackboard."

The destination of an action

The particle *に* marks the destination or surface of an action. In this use, it means "on."

*これを つくえの うえに おきます* means "I'll put this on the desk." The phrase before *に* names the destination.

  1. 65

    あのかたはこくばんになまえをかきました。

    He wrote his name on the blackboard.

  2. 66

    こくばんににっぽんごをおかきなさい。

    Please write Japanese on the blackboard.

  3. 67

    このかみにあなたのおなまえをおかきなさい。

    Please write your name on this paper.

  4. 68

    これをつくえのうえにおきます。

    I'll put this on the desk.

  5. 69

    あなたのいすにおかけなさい。

    Please sit on your chair.

  6. 70

    このいすにおかけなさい。

    Please sit on this chair.

Following destination commands · Pattern 4 2 of 2

A command and its destination

*こくばんに あなたの おなまえを おかきなさい* means "Please write your name on the blackboard." Here, *に* marks the surface.

*はい、 こくばんに 私の なまえを かきます* means "Yes, I'll write my name on the blackboard."

Putting a book on the desk

*はい、 この 本を つくえのうえに おきます* means "Yes, I'll put this book on the desk."

The desk surface followed by *に* is the destination of the action.

  1. 71

    はい、そのいすにかけます。

    Yes, I'll sit on that chair.

  2. 72

    こくばんにあなたのおなまえをおかきなさい。

    Please write your name on the blackboard.

  3. 73

    はい、こくばんにわたくしのなまえをかきます。

    Yes, I'll write my name on the blackboard.

  4. 74

    そのほんをつくえのうえにおおきなさい。

    Please put that book on the desk.

  5. 75

    はい、このほんをつくえのうえにおきます。

    Yes, I'll put this book on the desk.

Media, senses and particles · Word list 1 of 2

Media, senses, means, and quantity

The words cover media and the senses. *テレビ* means "television," *おと* means "sound," and *におい* means "smell, scent."

The particles *で* and *に* mean "with" and "on." The suffix *ずつ* means "each."

  1. 76

    テレビ

    television

  2. 77

    ラジオ

    radio

  3. 78

    かんじ

    Kanji (Chinese characters)

  4. 79

    もの

    things (tangible)

  5. 80

    かお

    face

  6. 81

    おと

    sound

  7. 82

    じ

    character, word

  8. 83

    におい

    smell, scent

  9. 84

    で

    with (See Gram. Notes)

  10. 85

    に

    on (See Gram. Notes)

  11. 86

    ずつ

    each (See Gram. Notes)

  12. 87

    みます

    polite form of MIRU (v.t.) to see

テレビ
television
ラジオ
radio
見ます
polite form of MIRU (v.t.) to see

Everyday action verbs · Word list 2 of 2

Everyday actions and replies

These polite verbs cover common actions. *ききます* means "to hear, to listen," *あるきます* means "to walk," and *おきます* means "to put."

*いろいろの* and *いろいろな* both mean "various." *そのほか* means "besides that." *かしこまりました* is an acknowledgment such as "certainly" or "yes, sir."

  1. 88

    ききます

    polite form of KIKU (v.t.) to hear, to listen

  2. 89

    はなします

    polite form of HANASU (v.t.) to speak, talk

  3. 90

    たべます

    polite form of TABERU (v.t.) to eat

  4. 91

    もちます

    polite form of MOTSU (v.t.) to hold, to have

  5. 92

    あるきます

    polite form of ARUKU (v.i.) to walk

  6. 93

    おきます

    polite form of OKU (v.t.) to put

  7. 94

    します

    polite form of SURU (v.t.) to do

  8. 95

    いろいろの

    various

  9. 96

    いろいろな

    various

  10. 97

    そのほか

    besides that

  11. 98

    かしこまりました

    certainly; yes, sir

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.
ききます
polite form of KIKU (v.t.) to hear, to listen
はなします
polite form of HANASU (v.t.) to speak, talk
たべます
polite form of TABERU (v.t.) to eat
もちます
polite form of MOTSU (v.t.) to hold, to have
あるきます
polite form of ARUKU (v.i.) to walk
おきます
polite form of OKU (v.t.) to put
します
polite form of SURU (v.t.) to do
いろいろの
various
いろいろな
various
そのほか
besides that
かしこまりました
certainly; yes, sir

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.