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Grammar 1A

Verbals
Sentence-particles: か [ka], ね [ne], よ [yo]
Negative Questions
Affirming and Negating
Miscellaneous Notes

Verbals

  1. Conjugations:

    V-masu (affirmative imperfective)
    V-masen (negative imperfective)
    V-masita (affirmative perfective)
    V-masen desita (negative perfective)

  2. Tense:

    imperfective - unfinished/has not occurred
    perfective - finished/has occurred

れい (Examples)

  1. Ikimasu.
  2. Wakarimasen.
  3. Tukurimasita.
  4. Dekimasen desita.

れんしゅう (Exercises)

How do you say the following in Japanese?

  1. I understand/don't understand.
  2. I will come/won't come.
  3. I understood/didn't understand.
  4. I came/didn't come.
  5. I drank/didn't drink.

Answers

Sentence-particles: か [ka], ね [ne], よ [yo]

  1. か [ka] → for questions
  2. ね [ne] → for confirmation
  3. よ [yo] → for assertion

れい (Examples)

  1. Wakarimasita ka.
  2. Asita kimasu ne.
  3. Kinoo kaimasita yo.

れんしゅう (Exercises)

How do you say the following in Japanese?

  1. Do you understand (it)?
  2. I understood (it).
  3. You understand, don't you? (confirming).

Answers

Negative Questions

れい (Examples)

  1. A: Wakarimasen ka.
    B: Hai, wakarimasen. Sumimasen.

  2. A: Kinoo simasen desita yo.
    B: Aa, simasen desita ka.

  3. A: Tabemasen ka.
    B: Arigatoo gozaimasu.

れんしゅう (Exercises)

How do you say the following in Japanese?

  1. A: I won't come.
    B: You won't come? (confirming what A said)

  2. A: I won't come.
    B: (Oh), won't you come? (what A said is contrary to B's assumption.)

  3. A: Won't you come? (Invitation)
    B: Yes. Thank you.

Answers

Affirming and Negating

はい [hai] / ええ [ee] "(yes) what you have said is correct".
いいえ [iie] / いえ [ie] / いや [iya] "(no) what you have said is not correct".

れい (Examples)

  1. A: Tigaimasu ka.
    B: Ee, tigaimasu yo.

  2. A: Kyoo simasita ne.
    B: Ie, simasen desita. Asita simasu yo.

  3. A: Dekimasen desita ka.
    B: Ie, dekimasita yo. Hai.

れんしゅう (Exercises)

  1. A: Did you understand?
    B: Yes, I did.

  2. A: Did you drink (it)?
    B: No, I didn't.

  3. A: Won't you come?
    B: No, I won't. (That's right, I won't come.)

  4. A: Didn't you understand (it)?
    B: No, I didn't. (That's right, I didn't understand (it).)

  5. A: You're going to eat (it), aren't you?
    B: Yes, I'm going to.

  6. A: You are not going to eat (it), are you?
    B: That's right. I am not going to eat (it).

  7. A: Won't you drink (some)? (Invitation)
    B: Yes, thank you. (Acceptance)

  8. A: Won't you eat (some) (Invitation)
    B: Well..... (rejecting the invitation)

Answers

Miscellaneous Notes

  1. Usage of dekimasu

    1. completion: Dekimasita ka? "Did you finish (it)?"
    2. ability/capability of sports, languages, etc. (talking about Tennis, for instance): Dekimasu ka? "Can you play?"

  2. Usage of tyotto "a little/a bit": this phrase can be used as a polite refusal as we see in example 8 above.

  3. Itadakimasu "before you start eating/drinking" (cf. Gotisoosama desita "after you finish eating/drinking")

  4. Usage of the verbs: ikimasu "to go" (motion away from the speaker) and kimasu "to come" (motion towards the speaker.)


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