Japanese Basic Course 1732 Studios

Japanese · Lesson 2

Lesson 2

Sounds, kana, and the first conversations

195 lines

Teachers and students · Dialogue 1 of 3

Teachers and students

Two people greet each other and identify teachers and students. *Watakushi wa sensei desu ka* means "Am I a teacher?"

The reply *Hai, anata wa sensei desu* means "Yes, you are a teacher."

One person and several people

*watakushi* identifies the speaker as "I", while *anata* identifies the addressee as "you".

In *Anata-gata wa seito desu ka*, *anata-gata* addresses several people: "Are you students?"

  1. 1

    Konnichi wa.

    こんにちわ

    Hello.

  2. 2

    Konnichi wa.

    こんにちわ

    Hello.

  3. 3

    Watakushi wa sensei desu ka?

    わたくしわせんせいですか

    Am I a teacher?

  4. 4

    Hai, anata wa sensei desu.

    はいあなたわせんせいです

    Yes, you are a teacher.

  5. 5

    Anata-gata wa seito desu ka?

    あなたがたわせいとですか

    Are you students?

Personal Pronouns

The singular personal pronouns for ordinary polite speech are as follows:

1st person

watakushi 'I'

2nd person

anata 'you'

3rd person

konokata 'this person (he or she)'

sonokata 'that person (he or she)'

anokata 'that person (he or she) over there'

The plural forms of these personal pronouns are formed by combining them with tachi or gata, that is:

Singular | | Plural | 
watakushi | I | watakushi-tachi | we
anata | you | anata-gata | you
konokata | he or she | konokata-tachi | they
sonokata | he or she | sonokata-tachi | they
anokata | he or she | anokata-tachi | they
Particle NO to denote possession

The particle NO is used to denote that the personal pronoun is in the possessive case. In the following examples, NO is followed by a noun.

watakushi no hon my book

anata no hon your book

konokata no hon his book

sonokata no enpitsu his pencil

anokata no isu his chair

watakushi-tachi no sensei our teacher

b NO is used to establish a genitive relationship between nouns. In the following examples, NO is preceded by a noun and is also followed by a noun.

sensei no hon teacher's book

seito no hon student's book

Tanaka-san no hon Mr. Tanaka's book

In the following examples, NO is followed by DESU or DEWA ARIMASEN.

--- watakushi no desu. --- is mine.

--- anata no desu. --- is yours.

--- anokata no desu. --- is his.
Pre-substantives

KONO, SONO, and ANO are called pre-substantives, and they are placed immediately before nouns to modify them. They function as a kind of adjectival modifier, that is:

kono hon this book

sono kabe that wall

ano booshi that hat over there

As in the case of the demonstrative pronouns KORE, SORE, and ARE:

KONO is used to point to or single out something or someone close at hand to the speaker.

SONO is used to point to or single out something or someone away from the speaker but close to the person spoken to.

ANO is used to point to or single out something or someone distant from the persons speaking and spoken to.

Officers and enlisted ranks · Dialogue 2 of 3

Officers and enlisted ranks

Students identify themselves and two other people by military rank. *Hai, watakushi-tachi wa seito desu* identifies the speakers as students.

*Konokata wa shookoo desu ka* asks whether this person is an officer.

This person and that person

*konokata* identifies this person. *sonokata* identifies that person.

*Iie, sonokata wa shookoo dewa arimasen* means "No, that person is not an officer."

  1. 6

    Hai, watakushi-tachi wa seito desu.

    はいわたくしたちわせいとです

    Yes, we are students.

  2. 7

    Konokata wa shookoo desu ka?

    このかたわしょおこおですか

    IS this person an officer?

  3. 8

    Iie, sonokata wa shookoo dewa arimasen.

    いいえそのかたわしょおこおでわありません

    No, that person (he) is not an officer.

  4. 9

    Dewa, konokata wa nan desu ka?

    でわこのかたわなんですか

    What is this person, then?

  5. 10

    Sonokata wa kashikan desu.

    そのかたわかしかんです

    That person (he) is a NCO.

Asking who owns things · Dialogue 3 of 3

A hat and a pencil

Two people ask who owns a hat and a pencil. *Kore wa anata no booshi desu ka* means "is this your hat?"

*Kono enpitsu wa anata no desu ka* means "is this pencil yours?"

The owner and the object

In *watakushi no booshi*, *no* connects the owner to the hat: "my hat".

*kono* stands before *enpitsu* in *Kono enpitsu*: "this pencil".

  1. 11

    Kore wa anata no booshi desu ka?

    これわあなたのぼおしですか

    is this your hat?

  2. 12

    Hai, sore wa watakushi no booshi desu.

    はいそれわわたくしのぼおしです

    Yes, that's my hat.

  3. 13

    Kono enpitsu wa anata no desu ka?

    このえんぴつわあなたのですか

    is this pencil yours?

  4. 14

    Iie, sore wa watakushi no dewa arimasen. Sore wa anokata no desu.

    いいえそれわわたくしのでわありませんそれわあのかたのです

    No, that's not mine. That's that person's (his).

Words for people · Perception Drill 1

The speaker and the addressee

*watakushi* means "I". It is the polite pronoun for the speaker.

*anata* means "you". It is the polite pronoun for the addressee.

People at different locations

*Kono-kata wa gunjin desu* identifies "This person". *sono-kata* identifies "that person", and *ano-kata* identifies "that person over there".

Each of these polite pronouns can mean "he" or "she".

  1. 15

    watakushi

    わたくし

    I

  2. 16

    Watakushi wa gunjin (soldier) desu.

    わたくしわぐんじんです

    I am a soldier.

  3. 17

    anata

    あなた

    you

  4. 18

    Anata wa kashikan (NCO) desu ka?

    あなたわかしかんですか

    Are you an NCO?

  5. 19

    Hai, watakushi wa kashikan desu.

    はいわたくしわかしかんです

    Yes, I am an NCO.

  6. 20

    kono-kata

    このかた

    this person

  7. 21

    Kono-kata wa gunjin desu.

    このかたわぐんじんです

    This person is a soldier.

  8. 22

    sono-kata

    そのかた

    he, she (that person)

  9. 23

    Sono-kata wa gunjin desu.

    そのかたわぐんじんです

    That person is a soldier.

  10. 24

    ano-kata

    あのかた

    he, she (that person over there)

Singular and plural people · Perception Drill 2

One speaker or several

*Watakushi-tachi wa gunjin desu* means "We are soldiers." *watakushi-tachi* is the plural form of *watakushi*.

*Anata-gata wa gunjin desu* means "You are soldiers." *anata-gata* is the plural form of *anata*.

  1. 25

    Ano-kata wa gunjin desu.

    あのかたわぐんじんです

    That person over there is a soldier.

  2. 26

    watakushi-tachi

    わたくしたち

    we

  3. 27

    Watakushi-tachi wa gunjin desu.

    わたくしたちわぐんじんです

    We are soldiers.

  4. 28

    anata-gata

    あなたがた

    you (plural)

  5. 29

    Anata-gata wa gunjin desu.

    あなたがたわぐんじんです

    You are soldiers.

  6. 30

    Watakushi wa gunjin desu ka?

    わたくしわぐんじんですか

    Am I a soldier?

  7. 31

    Hai, anata wa gunjin desu.

    はいあなたわぐんじんです

    Yes, you are a soldier.

  8. 32

    Watakushi wa kashikan desu ka?

    わたくしわかしかんですか

    Am I an NCO?

  9. 33

    Iie, anata wa kashikan dewa arimasen.

    いいえあなたわかしかんでわありません

    No, you are not an NCO.

  10. 34

    Anata wa kashikan desu ka?

    あなたわかしかんですか

    Are you an NCO?

Identifying military personnel · Perception Drill 3

People at three locations

*Kono-kata wa gunjin desu ka* asks "Is this person a soldier?" The polite pronoun identifies someone near the speaker.

*Sono-kata wa heisotsu desu ka* asks about that person. *Ano-kata wa gunjin desu ka* asks about that person over there.

  1. 35

    Hai, watakushi wa kashikan desu.

    はいわたくしわかしかんです

    Yes, I am an NCO.

  2. 36

    Anata wa heisotsu desu ka?

    あなたわへいそつですか

    Are you an enlisted man?

  3. 37

    Iie, watakushi wa heisotsu dewa arimasen.

    いいえわたくしわへいそつでわありません

    No, I am not an enlisted man.

  4. 38

    Kono-kata wa gunjin desu ka?

    このかたわぐんじんですか

    Is this person a soldier?

  5. 39

    Hai, sono-kata wa gunjin desu.

    はいそのかたわぐんじんです

    Yes, that person is a soldier.

  6. 40

    Sono-kata wa heisotsu desu ka?

    そのかたわへいそつですか

    Is that person an enlisted man?

  7. 41

    Hai, kono-kata wa heisotsu desu.

    はいこのかたわへいそつです

    Yes, this person is an enlisted man.

  8. 42

    Ano-kata wa gunjin desu ka?

    あのかたわぐんじんですか

    Is that person over there a soldier?

  9. 43

    Hai, ano-kata wa gunjin desu.

    はいあのかたわぐんじんです

    Yes, that person over there is a soldier.

  10. 44

    Ano-kata wa heisotsu desu ka?

    あのかたわへいそつですか

    Is that person over there an enlisted man?

Soldiers, teachers and students · Perception Drill 4

Groups of soldiers

*Anata-gata wa gunjin desu ka* means "Are you soldiers?" The question addresses several people.

*Hai, watakushi-tachi wa gunjin desu* confirms that the speakers are soldiers.

  1. 45

    Iie, ano-kata wa heisotsu dewa arimasen

    いいえあのかたわへいそつでわありません

    No, that person over there is not an enlisted man.

  2. 46

    Anata-gata wa gunjin desu ka?

    あなたがたわぐんじんですか

    Are you soldiers?

  3. 47

    Hai, watakushi-tachi wa gunjin desu.

    はいわたくしたちわぐんじんです

    Yes, we are soldiers.

  4. 48

    Watakushi-tachi wa gunjin desu ka?

    わたくしたちわぐんじんですか

    Are we soldiers?

  5. 49

    Hai, anata-gata wa gunjin desu.

    はいあなたがたわぐんじんです

    Yes, you are soldiers.

  6. 50

    sensei

    せんせい

    teacher

  7. 51

    sensei desu ka?

    せんせいですか

    Is it a teacher?

  8. 52

    hai, sensei desu.

    はいせんせいです

    Yes, it is a teacher.

  9. 53

    seito

    せいと

    student

  10. 54

    seito desu ka?

    せいとですか

    Is it a student?

Weapons and military ranks · Perception Drill 5

Weapons and ranks

*heiki* means "military weapon". The two people are *heisotsu*, "private", and *shookoo*, "officer".

*shookoo desu ka* asks "Is he an officer?" The answer *hai, shookoo desu* confirms that rank.

  1. 55

    hai, seito desu.

    はいせいとです

    Yes, it is a student.

  2. 56

    heiki

    へいき

    military weapon

  3. 57

    heiki desu ka?

    へいきですか

    Is it a weapon?

  4. 58

    hai, heiki desu.

    はいへいきです

    Yes, it is a weapon.

  5. 59

    heisotsu

    へいそつ

    private

  6. 60

    heisotsu desu ka?

    へいそつですか

    Is he an enlisted man?

  7. 61

    hai, heisotsu desu.

    はいへいそつです

    Yes, he is an enlisted man.

  8. 62

    shookoo

    しょおこお

    officer

  9. 63

    shookoo desu ka?

    しょおこおですか

    Is he an officer?

  10. 64

    hai, shookoo desu.

    はいしょおこおです

    Yes, he is an officer.

Hats, ceilings, rifles and lights · Perception Drill 6

Hats, ceilings, rifles, and lights

*booshi* means "hat", and *tenjoo* means "ceiling".

*shoojuu desu ka* asks "Is it a rifle?" *dentoo* means "electric light".

  1. 65

    booshi

    ぼおし

    hat

  2. 66

    booshi desu ka?

    ぼおしですか

    Is it a hat?

  3. 67

    hai, booshi desu.

    はいぼおしです

    Yes, it is a hat.

  4. 68

    tenjoo

    てんじょお

    ceiling

  5. 69

    tenjoo desu ka?

    てんじょおですか

    Is it a ceiling?

  6. 70

    hai, tenjoo desu.

    はいてんじょおです

    Yes, it is a ceiling.

  7. 71

    shoojuu

    しょおじゅう

    rifle

  8. 72

    shoojuu desu ka?

    しょおじゅうですか

    Is it a rifle?

  9. 73

    hai, shoojuu desu.

    はいしょおじゅうです

    Yes, it is a rifle.

  10. 74

    dentoo

    でんとお

    electric light

Tables, rifles and weapons · Perception Drill 7

This object and that object

*Kore wa shoojuu desu ka* means "Is this a rifle?" The reply *Hai, sore wa shoojuu desu* means "Yes, that is a rifle."

*Shoojuu wa heiki desu ka* asks whether a rifle is a weapon. *Hai, shoojuu wa heiki desu* confirms that classification.

  1. 75

    dentoo desu ka?

    でんとおですか

    Is it an electric light?

  2. 76

    hai, dentoo desu.

    はいでんとおです

    Yes, it is an electric light.

  3. 77

    teeburu

    てえぶる

    table

  4. 78

    teeburu desu ka?

    てえぶるですか

    Is it a table?

  5. 79

    hai, teeburu desu.

    はいてえぶるです

    Yes, it is a table.

  6. 80

    Kore wa shoojuu desu ka?

    これわしょおじゅうですか

    Is this a rifle?

  7. 81

    Hai, sore wa shoojuu desu.

    はいそれわしょおじゅうです

    Yes, that is a rifle.

  8. 82

    Shoojuu wa heiki desu ka?

    しょおじゅうわへいきですか

    Is a rifle a weapon?

  9. 83

    Hai, shoojuu wa heiki desu.

    はいしょおじゅうわへいきです

    Yes, a rifle is a weapon.

  10. 84

    Kore wa teeburu desu ka?

    これわてえぶるですか

    Is this a table?

Identifying people and objects · Perception Drill 8

Objects and people

*Watakushi wa sensei desu ka* means "Am I a teacher?" The question identifies the speaker.

The reply uses *anata*: *Hai, anata wa sensei desu*, "Yes, you are a teacher." *Anata wa seito desu ka* asks about the student.

  1. 85

    Hai, sore wa teeburu desu.

    はいそれわてえぶるです

    Yes, that is a table.

  2. 86

    Kore wa dentoo desu ka?

    これわでんとおですか

    Is this an electric light?

  3. 87

    Hai, sore wa dentoo desu.

    はいそれわでんとおです

    Yes, that is an electric light.

  4. 88

    Are wa tenjoo desu ka?

    あれわてんじょおですか

    Is that over there a ceiling?

  5. 89

    Hai, are wa tenjoo desu.

    はいあれわてんじょおです

    Yes, that over there is a ceiling.

  6. 90

    Sore wa booshi desu ka?

    それわぼおしですか

    Is that a hat?

  7. 91

    Hai, kore wa booshi desu.

    はいこれわぼおしです

    Yes, this is a hat.

  8. 92

    Watakushi wa sensei desu ka?

    わたくしわせんせいですか

    Am I a teacher?

  9. 93

    Hai, anata wa sensei desu.

    はいあなたわせんせいです

    Yes, you are a teacher.

  10. 94

    Anata wa seito desu ka?

    あなたわせいとですか

    Are you a student?

Ranks and personal possession · Perception Drill 9

The owner comes before the object

*Watakushi no hon desu* means "It is my book." The particle *no* joins the owner *Watakushi* to the owned object *hon*.

The owner comes before *no*, and the owned object comes after it.

The object can be omitted

*Watakushi no desu* means "It is mine." Before *desu*, *no* can express possession without naming the object again.

  1. 95

    Hai, watakushi wa seito desu.

    はいわたくしわせいとです

    Yes, I am a student.

  2. 96

    Anokata wa shookoo desu ka?

    あのかたわしょおこおですか

    Is that person over there an officer?

  3. 97

    Hai, anokata wa shookoo desu.

    はいあのかたわしょおこおです

    Yes, that person over there is an officer.

  4. 98

    Konokata wa heisotsu desu ka?

    このかたわへいそつですか

    Is this person a private?

  5. 99

    Hai, sonokata wa heisotsu desu.

    はいそのかたわへいそつです

    Yes, that person is a private.

  6. 100

    Sonokata wa kashikan desu ka?

    そのかたわかしかんですか

    Is that person a noncommissioned officer?

  7. 101

    Hai, konokata wa kashikan desu.

    はいこのかたわかしかんです

    Yes, this person is a noncommissioned officer.

  8. 102

    Watakushi

    わたくし

    I

  9. 103

    Watakushi no hon desu.

    わたくしのほんです

    It is my book.

  10. 104

    Watakushi no desu.

    わたくしのです

    It is mine.

Possession by different people · Perception Drill 10

Different owners

*Anata no hon desu* means "It is your book." Possessive *no* follows *Anata*.

*Sonokata no enpitsu desu* means "It is that person's pencil." *Sonokata no desu* omits the pencil and means "It is that person's."

  1. 105

    Anata

    あなた

    you

  2. 106

    Anata no hon desu.

    あなたのほんです

    It is your book.

  3. 107

    Anata no desu.

    あなたのです

    It is yours.

  4. 108

    Konokata

    このかた

    he, she (this person)

  5. 109

    Konokata no hon desu.

    このかたのほんです

    It is this person's book.

  6. 110

    Konokata no desu.

    このかたのです

    It is this person’s.

  7. 111

    Sonokata

    そのかた

    That person.

  8. 112

    Sonokata no enpitsu desu.

    そのかたのえんぴつです

    It is that person's pencil.

  9. 113

    Sonokata no desu.

    そのかたのです

    It is that person’s.

  10. 114

    Anokata

    あのかた

    That person over there.

Asking whose things are · Perception Drill 11

Asking for the owner

*Donata no hon desu ka* means "Whose book is it?" Possessive *no* follows *Donata* to ask for an owner.

*Sensei no hon desu* means "It is the teacher's book." The owner can be a role or a name.

  1. 115

    Anokata no isu desu.

    あのかたのいすです

    It is the chair belonging to that person over there.

  2. 116

    Anokata no desu.

    あのかたのです

    It belongs to that person over there.

  3. 117

    Donata

    どなた

    who?

  4. 118

    Donata no hon desu ka?

    どなたのほんですか

    Whose book is it?

  5. 119

    Donata no desu ka?

    どなたのですか

    Whose is it?

  6. 120

    Sensei

    せんせい

    teacher

  7. 121

    Sensei no hon desu.

    せんせいのほんです

    It is the teacher's book.

  8. 122

    Sensei no desu.

    せんせいのです

    It is the teacher's.

  9. 123

    Tanaka-san

    たなかさん

    Mr. Tanaka.

  10. 124

    Tanaka-san no enpitsu desu.

    たなかさんのえんぴつです

    It is Mr. Tanaka's pencil.

Confirming who owns things · Perception Drill 12

Confirming an owner

*Kore wa anata no hon desu ka* means "Is this your book?" The answer names the speaker as owner.

*Hai, sore wa watakushi no hon desu* means "Yes, that is my book."

Denying an owner

*Are wa anata no desu ka* asks whether that object over there is yours.

*Iie, are wa watakushi no dewa arimasen* means "No, that over there is not mine."

  1. 125

    Tanaka-san no desu.

    たなかさんのです

    It is Mr. Tanaka's.

  2. 126

    Kore wa anata no hon desu ka?

    これわあなたのほんですか

    Is this your book?

  3. 127

    Hai, sore wa watakushi no hon desu.

    はいそれわわたくしのほんです

    Yes, that is my book.

  4. 128

    Sore wa anata no desu ka?

    それわあなたのですか

    Is that yours?

  5. 129

    Hai, kore wa watakushi no desu.

    はいこれわわたくしのです

    Yes, this is mine.

  6. 130

    Are wa anata no desu ka?

    あれわあなたのですか

    Is that over there yours?

  7. 131

    Iie, are wa watakushi no dewa arimasen.

    いいえあれわわたくしのでわありません

    No, that over there is not mine.

  8. 132

    Kore wa konokata no enpitsu desu ka?

    これわこのかたのえんぴつですか

    Is this this person's pencil?

  9. 133

    Hai, sore wa sonokata no enpitsu desu.

    はいそれわそのかたのえんぴつです

    Yes, that is that person's pencil.

  10. 134

    Sore wa konokata no desu ka?

    それわこのかたのですか

    Is that this person's?

Belonging to near and distant people · Perception Drill 13

This pencil

*Kono enpitsu* means "This pencil." *kono* stands immediately before a noun and identifies something near the speaker.

*Kono enpitsu wa watakushi no desu* means "This pencil is mine."

  1. 135

    Hai, kore wa sonokata no desu.

    はいこれわそのかたのです

    Yes, this is that person's.

  2. 136

    Are wa sonokata no tsukue desu ka?

    あれわそのかたのつくえですか

    Is that over there that person's desk?

  3. 137

    Hai, are wa konokata no tsukue desu.

    はいあれわこのかたのつくえです

    Yes, that over there is this person's desk.

  4. 138

    Kore wa anokata no isu desu ka?

    これわあのかたのいすですか

    Is this the chair belonging to that person over there?

  5. 139

    Hai, sore wa anokata no isu desu.

    はいそれわあのかたのいすです

    Yes, that is the chair belonging to that person over there.

  6. 140

    Kore wa anokata no desu ka?

    これわあのかたのですか

    Does this belong to that person over there?

  7. 141

    Hai, sore wa anokata no desu.

    はいそれわあのかたのです

    Yes, that belongs to that person over there.

  8. 142

    Kono

    この

    this N

  9. 143

    Kono enpitsu

    このえんぴつ

    This pencil.

  10. 144

    Kono enpitsu wa watakushi no desu.

    このえんぴつわわたくしのです

    This pencil is mine.

Pointing words before nouns · Perception Drill 14

That book and that chair over there

*Sono hon* means "That book." *sono* identifies a noun near the addressee.

*Ano isu* means "That chair over there." *ano* identifies a noun distant from the speaker and addressee.

  1. 145

    Sono

    その

    that N

  2. 146

    Sono hon

    そのほん

    That book.

  3. 147

    Sono hon wa anata no desu.

    そのほんわあなたのです

    That book is yours.

  4. 148

    Ano

    あの

    that N over there

  5. 149

    Ano isu

    あのいす

    That chair over there.

  6. 150

    Ano isu wa konokata no desu.

    あのいすわこのかたのです

    That chair over there is this person's.

  7. 151

    Kono hon wa anata no desu ka?

    このほんわあなたのですか

    Is this book yours?

  8. 152

    Hai, sono hon wa watakushi no desu.

    はいそのほんわわたくしのです

    Yes, that book is mine.

  9. 153

    Sono isu wa anata no desu ka?

    そのいすわあなたのですか

    Is that chair yours?

  10. 154

    Hai, kono isu wa watakushi no desu.

    はいこのいすわわたくしのです

    Yes, this chair is mine.

Correcting who owns things · Perception Drill 15

Location and ownership together

*Ano booshi wa anata no desu ka* means "Is that hat over there yours?"

*Ano booshi* locates the hat over there. Possessive *no* identifies its owner.

Correcting the owner

*Iie, kono isu wa seito no dewa arimasen* denies that the chair belongs to the student.

*Sensei no desu* supplies the correction: "it is the teacher's."

  1. 155

    Ano booshi wa anata no desu ka?

    あのぼおしわあなたのですか

    Is that hat over there yours?

  2. 156

    Hai, ano booshi wa watakushi no desu.

    はいあのぼおしわわたくしのです

    Yes, that hat over there is mine.

  3. 157

    Kono booshi wa anata no desu ka?

    このぼおしわあなたのですか

    Is this hat yours?

  4. 158

    Iie, sono booshi wa watakushi no dewa arimasen.

    いいえそのぼおしわわたくしのでわありません

    No, that hat is not mine.

  5. 159

    Dewa, kono booshi wa donata no desu ka?

    でわこのぼおしわどなたのですか

    Well then, whose hat is this?

  6. 160

    Sono booshi wa konokata no desu.

    そのぼおしわこのかたのです

    That hat belongs to this person.

  7. 161

    Kono isu wa seito no desu ka?

    このいすわせいとのですか

    Is this chair the student's?

  8. 162

    Hai, sono isu wa seito no desu.

    はいそのいすわせいとのです

    Yes, that chair is the student's.

  9. 163

    Sono isu wa seito no desu ka?

    そのいすわせいとのですか

    Is that chair the student's?

  10. 164

    Iie, kono isu wa seito no dewa arimasen. Sensei no desu.

    いいえこのいすわせいとのでわありませんせんせいのです

    No, this chair is not the student's; it is the teacher's.

Military people, equipment and furnishings · Word list 1 of 3

People, equipment, and furnishings

The field covers military people, equipment, and furnishings. *sensei* means "teacher", and *shookoo* means "officer".

*shoojuu* means "rifle".

  1. 165

    sensei

    せんせい

    teacher

  2. 166

    seito

    せいと

    student

  3. 167

    gunjin

    ぐんじん

    soldier

  4. 168

    kashikan

    かしかん

    NCO

  5. 169

    shookoo

    しょおこお

    officer

  6. 170

    heisotsu

    へいそつ

    private

  7. 171

    booshi

    ぼおし

    hat

  8. 172

    dentoo

    でんとお

    electric light

  9. 173

    tenjoo

    てんじょお

    ceiling

  10. 174

    heiki

    へいき

    military weapon

  11. 175

    shoojuu

    しょおじゅう

    rifle

Pronouns and possessive words · Word list 2 of 3

People and possession

The field covers personal pronouns and their possessive forms. *watakushi* means "I". *watakushi-tachi* is its plural form.

*watakushi no* means "my" or "mine".

  1. 176

    teeburu

    てえぶる

    table

  2. 177

    watakushi

    わたくし

    I

  3. 178

    watakushi-tachi

    わたくしたち

    we

  4. 179

    anata

    あなた

    you

  5. 180

    anata-gata

    あなたがた

    you (plural)

  6. 181

    konokata

    このかた

    he, she (this person)

  7. 182

    sono-kata

    そのかた

    he, she (that person)

  8. 183

    ano-kata

    あのかた

    he, she (that person over there)

  9. 184

    watakushi no

    わたくしの

    my, mine

  10. 185

    anata no

    あなたの

    your, yours

  11. 186

    watakushi-tachi no

    わたくしたちの

    our, ours

Pointing and asking whose · Word list 3 of 3

Pointing and asking whose

The field covers pointing words and expressions for asking whose something is. *kono* means "this N".

*ano* means "that N over there". *donata no* means "whose?"

  1. 187

    anata-gata no

    あなたがたの

    your, yours

  2. 188

    kono-kata no

    このかたの

    his, her (this person's) hers

  3. 189

    sono-kata no

    そのかたの

    his, her (that person's) hers

  4. 190

    ano-kata no

    あのかたの

    his, her (that person's) hers

  5. 191

    kono

    この

    this N

  6. 192

    sono

    その

    that N

  7. 193

    ano

    あの

    that N over there

  8. 194

    donata

    どなた

    who?

  9. 195

    donata no

    どなたの

    whose?

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, sa to zo.

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.