Japanese Basic Course 1732 Studios

Japanese · Lesson 5

Lesson 5

Sounds, kana, and the first conversations

130 lines

Asking about family health · Dialogue 1 of 3

Asking about a wife

Two people greet each other and ask about their health. One then asks, *Okusan mo ogenki desu ka*, "Is your wife fine, too?"

Another person's wife

In *Okusan mo ogenki desu ka*, *okusan* politely names the other person's wife.

*okusan* also addresses a married woman or a mature woman you do not know. It means "madam" or "Mrs."

A speaker uses *kanai* for their own wife.

  1. 1

    Konnichi wa.

    こんにちわ

    Hello.

  2. 2

    Konnichi wa.

    こんにちわ

    Hello.

  3. 3

    Ogenki desu ka?

    おげんきですか

    Are you fine?

  4. 4

    Hai, okagesama de genki desu.

    はいおかげさまでげんきです

    Yes, I am fine, thanks.

  5. 5

    Okusan mo ogenki desu ka?

    おくさんもおげんきですか

    Is your wife fine, too?

Contracted sounds

Contracted sounds KYA, KYU, KYO which are pronounced as single syllables are the contractions of two syllables KI plus YA, KI plus YU, and KI plus YO respectively. Similarly, SHA, SHU, SHO are the contractions of SHI plus YA, YU, YO.

CHA, CHU, CHO--CHI plus YA, YU, YO
NYA, NYU, NYO--NI plus YA, YU, YO
HYA, HYU, HYO--HI plus YA, YU, YO
MYA, MYU, MYO--MI plus YA, YU, YO
RYA, RYU, RYO--RI plus YA, YU, YO
GYA, GYU, GYO--GI plus YA, YU, YO
JA, JU, JO--JI plus YA, YU, YO
BYA, BYU, BYO--BI plus YA, YU, YO
PYA, PYU, PYO--PI plus YA, YU, YO
True adjectives (i-adjectives) used attributively

One of the functions of a true Japanese adjective is to modify a noun that immediately follows it. When it is used attributively, it ends with one of the following "vowels in sequence."

--ai
--ii
--ui
--oi

NAGAI ENPITSU "long pencil"

OOKII MADO "large window"

USUI HON "thin book"

KUROI KAMI "black paper"
True adjectives used predicatively

True adjectives are not only used attributively but are also used predicatively. That is, they are used to conclude the sentence to describe the quality of the subject. When used predicatively, true adjectives may occur in their i-form alone as a sentence in informal speech, or they may be followed by the copula DESU to add a degree of politeness.

Informal | Formal
--WA OOKII | --WA OOKII DESU "-- is big"
--WA ATSUI | --WA ATSUI DESU "--is thick"
--WA MIJIKAI | --WA MIJIKAI DESU"--is short"
Negative form of true adjectives

The negative of I-adjectives that are used predicatively with DESU is formed by changing the final syllable I of the I-adjectives to the syllable KU and replacing DESU by ARIMASEN. The particle WA may be inserted between the KU ending base of an I-adjective and the negative verb ARIMASEN. The particle WA is inserted to emphasize the negative verb ARIMASEN.

Affirmative | Negative
OOKII DESU | OOKIKU (WA) ARIMASEN.
"-- is big." | "-- is not big."
CHIISAI DESU | CHIISAKU (WA) ARIMASEN.
"-- is small." | "-- is not small."
OKUSAN is the regular polite term to address married women and mature, unacquainted women. It is the Japanese equivalent of 'madam' and 'Mrs. _.' To refer to your own wife, KANAI is used.

Illness, textbooks and classroom size · Dialogue 2 of 3

A wife, a textbook, and a classroom

The speakers discuss a wife's illness, a textbook's thickness, and a classroom's size.

*Iie, kanai wa sukoshi byooki desu* means "No, my wife is a little ill." Here *kanai* names the speaker's own wife.

Descriptions to listen for

*byooki*, *kyookasho*, and *kyooshitsu* contain contracted sounds pronounced as single syllables.

In *Usui kyookasho desu*, *usui* comes before the noun it describes. In *Chiisai desu*, *chiisai* ends the description.

In *ookiku wa arimasen*, *ookii* changes before the negative. The phrase means "is not big."

  1. 6

    Iie, kanai wa sukoshi byooki desu.

    いいえかないわすこしびょおきです

    No, my wife is a little ill.

  2. 7

    Kore wa atsui kyookasho desu ka?

    これわあついきょおかしょですか

    Is this a thick textbook?

  3. 8

    Iie, sore wa atsui kyookasho dewa arimasen. Usui kyookasho desu.

    いいえそれわあついきょおかしょでわありません うすいきょおかしょです

    No, that’s not a thick textbook. It’s a thin textbook.

  4. 9

    Kono kyooshitsu wa ookii desu ka?

    このきょおしつわおおきいですか

    Is this classroom big.

  5. 10

    Iie, kono kyooshitsu wa ookiku wa arimasen. Chiisai desu.

    いいえこのきょおしつわおおきくわありません ちいさいです

    No, this classroom is not big.

Weather and payday · Dialogue 3 of 3

Weather and payday

The speakers ask whether today is hot and whether it is payday.

*Iie, kyoo wa atsuku wa arimasen. Samui desu* means "No, it is not hot today. It is cold."

In *tanoshii gekkyuubi*, *tanoshii* describes the payday.

  1. 11

    Kyoo wa atsui desu ka?

    きょおわあついですか

    Is it hot today?

  2. 12

    Iie, kyoo wa atsuku wa arimasen. Samui desu.

    いいえきょおわあつくわありませんさむいです

    No, it’s not hot today. It’s cold.

  3. 13

    Kyoo wa gekkyuubi desu ka?

    きょおわげっきゅうびですか

    Is it payday today?

  4. 14

    Hai, kyoo wa tanoshii gekkyuubi desu.

    はいきょおわたのしいげっきゅうびです

    Yes, it is happy payday today.

Health, classrooms and payday · Perception Drill 1

Two syllables said as one

*byooki* means "sick." Its opening is a contraction of two syllables pronounced as one syllable.

*kyooshitsu* also begins with a contracted sound pronounced as one syllable.

Two contractions in one word

*kyookasho* means "textbook." It contains two contracted sounds, *kyo* and *sho*. Each is one syllable.

*kyoo wa gekkyuubi desu ka* means "Is today payday?" The contracted sound in *kyoo* is one syllable.

  1. 15

    byooki

    びょおき

    sick

  2. 16

    byooki desu ka?

    びょおきですか

    Are you sick?

  3. 17

    Hai, byooki desu.

    はいびょおきです

    Yes, I am sick.

  4. 18

    kyooshitsu

    きょおしつ

    classroom

  5. 19

    kyooshitsu desu ka?

    きょおしつですか

    Is it a classroom?

  6. 20

    Hai, kyooshitsu desu.

    はいきょおしつです

    Yes, it is a classroom.

  7. 21

    kyoo; gekkyuubi

    きょお;げっきゅうび

    today; payday

  8. 22

    kyoo wa gekkyuubi desu ka?

    きょおわげっきゅうびですか

    Is today payday?

  9. 23

    Hai, kyoo wa gekkyuubi desu.

    はいきょおわげっきゅうびです

    Yes, today is payday.

  10. 24

    kyookasho

    きょおかしょ

    textbook

Identifying a Japanese textbook · Perception Drill 2

Identifying a textbook

*Kore wa Nippongo no kyookasho desu* means "This is a Japanese textbook." The lines also identify its owner.

In *Iie, watakushi wa byooki desu*, the contracted sound in *byooki* remains one syllable.

*Iie, soo dewa arimasen. Sore wa zasshi desu* rejects one identification and supplies another: "No, it is not. That is a magazine."

  1. 25

    kyookasho desu ka?

    きょおかしょですか

    Is it a textbook?

  2. 26

    Hai, kyookasho desu.

    はいきょおかしょです

    Yes, it is a textbook.

  3. 27

    Anata wa genki desu ka?

    あなたわげんきですか

    Are you well?

  4. 28

    Iie, watakushi wa byooki desu.

    いいえわたくしわびょおきです

    No, I am sick.

  5. 29

    Sore wa nan desu ka?

    それわなんですか

    What is that?

  6. 30

    Kore wa Nippongo no kyookasho desu.

    これわにっぽんごのきょおかしょです

    This is a Japanese textbook.

  7. 31

    Sore wa anata no kyookasho desu ka?

    それわあなたのきょおかしょですか

    Is that your textbook?

  8. 32

    Hai, sore wa watakushi no kyookasho desu.

    はいそれわわたくしのきょおかしょです

    Yes, that is my textbook.

  9. 33

    Kore mo Nippongo no kyookasho desu ka?

    これもにっぽんごのきょおかしょですか

    Is this also a Japanese textbook?

  10. 34

    Iie, soo dewa arimasen. Sore wa zasshi desu.

    いいえそおでわありませんそれわざっしです

    No, it is not. That is a magazine.

Describing size and thickness · Perception Drill 3

A description before a noun

*ookii kyooshitsu* means "a large classroom." The adjective *ookii* stands directly before *kyooshitsu*, the noun it describes.

The I-adjective position

An I-adjective is a Japanese adjective that ends in *i*.

Before a noun, an I-adjective keeps its final *i* and stands directly before that noun.

*atsui kyookasho* means "a thick textbook." Here *atsui* describes *kyookasho*.

  1. 35

    Kyoo wa gekkyuubi desu ka?

    きょおわげっきゅうびですか

    Is today payday?

  2. 36

    Hai, kyoo wa gekkyuubi desu.

    はいきょおわげっきゅうびです

    Yes, today is payday.

  3. 37

    ookii

    おおきい

    large, big

  4. 38

    ookii kyooshitsu

    おおきいきょおしつ

    a large classroom

  5. 39

    Kore wa ookii kyooshitsu desu.

    これわおおきいきょおしつです

    This is a large classroom.

  6. 40

    chiisai

    ちいさい

    small

  7. 41

    chiisai kyooshitsu

    ちいさいきょおしつ

    a small classroom

  8. 42

    Kore wa chiisai kyooshitsu desu.

    これわちいさいきょおしつです

    This is a small classroom.

  9. 43

    atsui

    あつい

    thick

  10. 44

    atsui kyookasho

    あついきょおかしょ

    a thick textbook

Thickness and temperature descriptions · Perception Drill 4

Thickness and temperature

*usui kyookasho* means "a thin textbook." The I-adjective *usui* stands directly before the noun it describes.

*samui hi* means "a cold day." Here *samui* stands before *hi*.

The word *atsui* means "thick" in *atsui kyookasho* and "hot" in *atsui hi*.

  1. 45

    Kore wa atsui kyookasho desu.

    これわあついきょおかしょです

    This is a thick textbook.

  2. 46

    usui

    うすい

    thin

  3. 47

    usui kyookasho

    うすいきょおかしょ

    a thin textbook

  4. 48

    Kore wa usui kyookasho desu.

    これわうすいきょおかしょです

    This is a thin textbook.

  5. 49

    atsui

    あつい

    thick

  6. 50

    atsui hi

    あついひ

    a hot day

  7. 51

    Kyoo wa atsui hi desu.

    きょおわあついひです

    Today is a hot day.

  8. 52

    samui

    さむい

    cold

  9. 53

    samui hi

    さむいひ

    a cold day

  10. 54

    Kyoo wa samui hi desu.

    きょおわさむいひです

    Today is a cold day.

Contrasting size and temperature · Perception Drill 5

Contrasting descriptions

*Kore wa atsui hon desu ka* means "Is this a thick book?"

*Dewa, kore wa ookii mado desu ka* means "Then, is this a large window?" It follows the rejected description *chiisai mado*.

*samui hi* means "a cold day," while *atsui hi* means "a hot day."

  1. 55

    Kore wa atsui hon desu ka?

    これわあついほんですか

    Is this a thick book?

  2. 56

    Kore wa chiisai mado desu ka?

    これわちいさいまどですか

    Is this a small window?

  3. 57

    Iie, sore wa chiisai mado dewa arimasen.

    いいえそれわちいさいまどでわありません

    No, that is not a small window.

  4. 58

    Dewa, kore wa ookii mado desu ka?

    でわこれわおおきいまどですか

    Then, is this a large window?

  5. 59

    Hai, sore wa ookii mado desu.

    はいそれわおおきいまどです

    Yes, that is a large window.

  6. 60

    Kyoo wa samui hi desu ka?

    きょおわさむいひですか

    Is today a cold day?

  7. 61

    Iie, kyoo wa samui hi dewa arimasen.

    いいえきょおわさむいひでわありません

    No, today is not a cold day.

  8. 62

    Dewa, kyoo wa atsui hi desu ka?

    でわきょおわあついひですか

    Then, is today a hot day?

  9. 63

    Hai, kyoo wa atsui hi desu.

    はいきょおわあついひです

    Yes, today is a hot day.

  10. 64

    ookii

    おおきい

    large, big

Saying big, small and thick · Perception Drill 6

A describing word at the end

*Hai, ookii desu* means "Yes, it is large." The I-adjective describes the subject and stands before *desu*.

An I-adjective can stand alone as an informal sentence. Adding *desu* makes the sentence formal.

Making the description negative

*Iie, ookiku wa arimasen* means "No, it is not large."

For a negative predicate, change the final *i* to *ku* and replace *desu* with *arimasen*.

The particle *wa* may stand between *ku* and *arimasen* to emphasize the negative.

  1. 65

    ookii desu ka?

    おおきいですか

    Is it large?

  2. 66

    Hai, ookii desu.

    はいおおきいです

    Yes, it is large.

  3. 67

    Iie, ookiku wa arimasen.

    いいえおおきくわありません

    No, it is not large.

  4. 68

    chiisai

    ちいさい

    small

  5. 69

    chiisai desu ka?

    ちいさいですか

    Is it small?

  6. 70

    Hai, chiisai desu.

    はいちいさいです

    Yes, it is small.

  7. 71

    Iie, chiisaku wa arimasen.

    いいえちいさくわありません

    No, it is not small.

  8. 72

    atsui

    あつい

    thick

  9. 73

    atsui desu ka?

    あついですか

    Is it thick?

  10. 74

    Hai, atsui desu.

    はいあついです

    Yes, it is thick.

Saying thin, hot and cold · Perception Drill 7

The same forms with new qualities

*Hai, usui desu* means "Yes, it is thin." Its negative pair is *Iie, usuku wa arimasen*, "No, it is not thin."

*atsui desu* and *atsuku wa arimasen* give the same contrast for "hot" and "not hot."

*samui* introduces the description "cold."

  1. 75

    Iie, atsuku wa arimasen.

    いいえあつくわありません

    No, it is not thick.

  2. 76

    usui

    うすい

    thin

  3. 77

    usui desu ka?

    うすいですか

    Is it thin?

  4. 78

    Hai, usui desu.

    はいうすいです

    Yes, it is thin.

  5. 79

    Iie, usuku wa arimasen.

    いいえうすくわありません

    No, it is not thin.

  6. 80

    atsui

    あつい

    thick

  7. 81

    atsui desu ka?

    あついですか

    Is it hot?

  8. 82

    Hai, atsui desu.

    はいあついです

    Yes, it is hot.

  9. 83

    Iie, atsuku wa arimasen.

    いいえあつくわありません

    No, it is not hot.

  10. 84

    samui

    さむい

    cold

Describing windows, books and weather · Perception Drill 8

Replacing one description with another

*Iie, sono hon wa atsukuwa arimasen* says that it is not thick. *usui desu* supplies another description: "It is thin."

*Iie, kyoo wa atsuku wa arimasen* says that today is not hot. *samui desu* supplies another description: "It is cold."

The other lines ask about a window, cold weather, and a short pencil.

  1. 85

    samui desu ka?

    さむいですか

    Is it cold?

  2. 86

    Hai, samui desu.

    はいさむいです

    Yes, it is cold.

  3. 87

    Iie, samuku wa arimasen.

    いいえさむくわありません

    No, it is not cold.

  4. 88

    Kono mado wa ookii desu ka?

    このまどわおおきいですか

    Is this window large?

  5. 89

    Kono hon wa atsui desu ka?

    このほんわあついですか

    Is this book thick?

  6. 90

    Iie, sono hon wa atsukuwa arimasen. (Sono hon wa) usui desu.

    いいえそのほんわあつくわありません うすいです

    No, that book is not thick. It is thin.

  7. 91

    Kyoo wa atsui desu ka?

    きょおわあついですか

    Is it hot today?

  8. 92

    Iie, kyoo wa atsuku wa arimasen. (Kyoo wa) samui desu.

    いいえきょおわあつくわありません さむいです

    No, it is not hot today. It is cold.

  9. 93

    Kono enpitsu wa mijikai desu ka?

    このえんぴつわみじかいですか

    Is this pencil short?

Positive and negative dimensions · Pronunciation drill 1

Positive and negative dimensions

*ookii desu* means "It is big." Its negative pair, *ookiku wa arimasen*, means "It is not big."

*chiisai desu* and *chiisaku wa arimasen* repeat the affirmative and negative forms.

The pairs continue with long, short, and thick.

  1. 94

    ookii desu

    おおきいです

    It is big.

  2. 95

    ookiku wa arimasen

    おおきくわありません

    It is not big.

  3. 96

    chiisai desu

    ちいさいです

    It is small.

  4. 97

    chiisaku wa arimasen

    ちいさくわありません

    It is not small.

  5. 98

    nagai desu

    ながいです

    It is long.

  6. 99

    nagaku wa arimasen

    ながくわありません

    It is not long.

  7. 100

    mijikai desu

    みじかいです

    It is short.

  8. 101

    mijikaku wa arimasen

    みじかくわありません

    It is not short.

  9. 102

    atsui desu

    あついです

    It is thick.

Positive and negative qualities · Pronunciation drill 2

Positive and negative qualities

*samui desu* means "It is cold." Its negative pair, *samuku wa arimasen*, means "It is not cold."

*tanoshii desu* and *tanoshiku wa arimasen* contrast "It is enjoyable" with "It is not enjoyable."

The other pairs describe thickness and heat.

  1. 103

    atsuku wa arimasen

    あつくわありません

    It is not thick.

  2. 104

    usui desu

    うすいです

    It is thin.

  3. 105

    usuku wa arimasen

    うすくわありません

    It is not thin.

  4. 106

    atsui desu

    あついです

    It is hot.

  5. 107

    atsuku wa arimasen

    あつくわありません

    It is not hot.

  6. 108

    samui desu

    さむいです

    It is cold.

  7. 109

    samuku wa arimasen

    さむくわありません

    It is not cold.

  8. 110

    tanoshii desu

    たのしいです

    It is enjoyable.

  9. 111

    tanoshiku wa arimasen

    たのしくわありません

    It is not enjoyable.

Family, school and calendar words · Word list 1 of 2

People, school, and the day

These words cover family, health, school, and the calendar. *byooki* means "sick," and *kyooshitsu* means "classroom."

*okusan* politely names another person's wife. *kanai* means the speaker's own wife.

Each contracted sound in *byooki*, *kyookasho*, *kyooshitsu*, and *kyoo* forms one syllable.

  1. 112

    Nippongo

    にっぽんご

    Japanese language

  2. 113

    okusan

    おくさん

    madam, Mrs. (others)

  3. 114

    kanai

    かない

    wife (speaker’s)

  4. 115

    byooki

    びょおき

    sick

  5. 116

    kyookasho

    きょおかしょ

    textbook

  6. 117

    kyooshitsu

    きょおしつ

    classroom

  7. 118

    kyoo

    きょお

    today

  8. 119

    gekkyuubi

    げっきゅうび

    payday

  9. 120

    hi

    ひ

    day

  10. 121

    sukoshi

    すこし

    a little

Size, temperature and length words · Word list 2 of 2

Contrasting qualities

These I-adjectives cover size, temperature, enjoyment, and length. *ookii* means "large" or "big," while *chiisai* means "small."

The list gives two meanings for *atsui*: "thick" and "hot."

*nagai* means "long," while *mijikai* means "short."

  1. 122

    atsui

    あつい

    thick

  2. 123

    usui

    うすい

    thin

  3. 124

    ookii

    おおきい

    large, big

  4. 125

    chiisai

    ちいさい

    small

  5. 126

    atsui

    あつい

    hot

  6. 127

    samui

    さむい

    cold

  7. 128

    tanoshii

    たのしい

    happy, pleasant

  8. 129

    nagai

    ながい

    long

  9. 130

    mijikai

    みじかい

    short

Homework Assignment

1 Memorize the Dialogue.

2 Memorize the vocabulary.

3 Listen to the tape and practice pronunciation.

4 Read the Explanatory Notes.

5 Practice writing and reading of assimilated sounds, contracted sounds, and double vowels.

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.