1. あまり(1) amari (1): too much, very, a lot Amari always precedes the verb. A. INTRODUCTION: Amari, which literally translates as “too much”, is an adverb that is usually found in negative sentences. When used in this fashion, it expresses lessthanperfect negation. So while “suki de wa nai” (好きではない) implies simply that “I don’t like it”, “amari suki de wa nai” (あまり好きではない) implies that “I like it a little, but not a lot” or “I don’t like it very much.” Like its English counterpart, amari may be used merely as a softening device. B. EXAMPLES: あまり調子がよくありません。 Amari chōshi ga yoku arimasen. I don’t feel very well. この絵はあまり好きではありません。 Kono e wa amari suki de wa arimasen. I don’t like that picture very much. C. NOTES: This expression is usually written in hiragana only. In informal conversation, “amari” is often replaced by “anmari” (あんまり). Although “amari” is normally found in negative sentences, it is also sometimes used in affirmative sentences, but carries a negative connotation. In such cases, it is sometimes followed by the particle “ni”. 彼の考えはあまりに非現実的だ。 Kare no kangae wa amari ni higenjitsuteki da. His thoughts are too unrealistic.
Page |1 Contents doodoofan Contents Page |2 1.あまり (1) - amari (1): too much, very, a lot Amari always precedes the verb A INTRODUCTION: Amari, which literally translates as “too much”, is an adverb that is usually found in negative sentences When used in this fashion, it expresses less-than-perfect negation So while “suki de wa nai” (好きではない) implies simply that “I don’t like it”, “amari suki de wa nai” (あまり好きではない) implies that “I like it a little, but not a lot” or “I don’t like it very much.” Like its English counterpart, amari may be used merely as a softening device B EXAMPLES: あまり調子がよくありません。 Amari chōshi ga yoku arimasen I don’t feel very well この絵はあまり好きではありません。 Kono e wa amari suki de wa arimasen I don’t like that picture very much C NOTES: This expression is usually written in hiragana only In informal conversation, “amari” is often replaced by “anmari” (あんまり) Although “amari” is normally found in negative sentences, it is also sometimes used in affirmative sentences, but carries a negative connotation In such cases, it is sometimes followed by the particle “ni” 彼の考えはあまりに非現実的だ。 Kare no kangae wa amari ni higenjitsuteki da His thoughts are too unrealistic 2.ある - aru: to be, to exist (of inanimate things); to have Thing + は + place + に + ある Person/Place + (に)は + thing + が + ある A INTRODUCTION: Aru is a special aru-class verb meaning “to exist” or “to have” Aru is only used to indicate the existence of inanimate objects That is, it is not used to indicate the existence of living things other than plants See いる (1) However, Aru can indicate the *possession* of animate living objects, however, this implies a close relationship between the “owner” and the “owned”, and the owner should be higher in rank or position The optional particle “ni” is often used in this sense The negative form of aru is the i-adjective “nai” (ない (無い)) B EXAMPLES: 私の iPod は車にある。 Watashi no aipoddo wa kuruma ni aru doodoofan My iPod is in the car 私は責任感がある。 Watashi wa sekininkan ga aru I have a sense of responsibility 私には夢が二つある。 Watashi ni wa yume ga futatsu aru I have two dreams C NOTES: Page |3 Because the two meanings of aru (to exist and to have) are closely related, there is some confusion over proper kanji usage In the strictest sense, 在る should be used for “to exist” and 有る should be used for “to have” Thus, 在る would be used in example #1 above, but 有る should be used for examples #2 and #3 Luckily for the Japanese learner, aru is almost always written in hiragana The honorific polite form of aru is gozaru (ござる) The verbs above should not be confused with 或 る , an attributive meaning “some” or “one” that is also pronounced "aru" Confusion sometimes arises because this expression is also normally written in hiragana ある学者が人権についてすばらしい演説を言った 。 Aru gakusha ga jinken ni tsuite subarashii enzetsu wo itta A scholar made a wonderful speech about human rights ある（或る）iPod は電池寿命の問題がある（有る）。 Aru aipoddo wa denchi jumyou mondai ga aru Some iPods have battery life problems 3.いい - ii: good A INTRODUCTION: The Japanese adjective for "good" is "yoi", written alternatively as 好い, 善い, and 良い In informal spoken and written Japanese, however, "yoi" is often replaced by "ii", usually written in hiragana only, without a change in meaning The adjective "ii" is often looked upon as having an irregular conjugation, because it becomes "yokatta" in the past tense But since, in fact, "ii" is merely a bastardized form of "yoi" that has no conjugation pattern of its own, it really isn't irregular For example, to construct the past form of "ii", you merely drop the final "i" from "yoi", and add "katta", as with any other i-adjective Likewise, the -tara conditional form of "ii" is "yokattara" B EXAMPLES: いいですよ。 Ii desu yo It's alright ちょっといいですか。 Chotto ii desu ka Do you have a minute? 幸運にも天気がよかった。 Kōun ni mo tenki ga yokatta Fortunately, the weather was good よかったら一緒にいらっしゃい。 Yokattara issho ni irasshai Come along with us if you like C NOTES: The honorific polite form of "ii" and "yoi" is "yoroshii" 4.いっぱい - ippai: full, many, a lot doodoofan ippai + V いっぱい食べる・ippai taberu - to eat a lot いっぱいある・ippai aru - there are a lot of something A INTRODUCTION: Ippai - full, many, a lot - is used as an adverb modifying the amount or volume of something B EXAMPLES: Page |4 作品がいっぱいあります。 Sakuhin ga ippai arimasu There are many works 人がいっぱいいます。 Hito ga ippai imasu There are many people C NOTES: The phrase "Genki ippai," is an abbreviated version of "Genki ga ippai arimasu!" 5.いる (1) - iru (1): to exist (for animate, usually living, things) Thing + は + place + に + いる Person/Place + (に)は + thing + が + いる A INTRODUCTION: "Iru" is a class-2 verb used to indicate the existence of animate (usually living) objects This verb, however, is also used to indicate the existence of some animate non-living things, such as ghosts, buses, robots, etc B EXAMPLES: この部屋に人は何人いますか。 Kono heya ni hito wa nan-nin imasu ka? How many people are in this room? あそこに犬と猫がいます。 Asoko ni inu to neko ga imasu There are a dog and cat over there C NOTES: This expression is usually written in hiragana only 6.いる (2) - iru (2): -ing V.te-form + iru (いる) A INTRODUCTION: "Iru" is a verb meaning "to be" In Japanese, the progressive/continuous aspect is expressed by using "iru" as an auxiliary verb, following the -te form of another verb The Japanese "-te iru" form is actually similar to both the English present progressive ("to be ~~ing"), past perfect ("to have ~~") and present perfect progressive ("to have been ~~ing") forms Its translation depends on context B EXAMPLES: 今新聞を読んでいます。 Ima shinbun o yonde imasu I'm reading the newspaper now ピーターは何をしていますか。 Pītā wa nani o shite imasu ka What's Peter doing? doodoofan ３年前からずっと毎日歯を磨いています。 San-nen mae kara zutto mainichi o migaite imasu I have brushed my teeth every day for the past three years C NOTES: Both the plain non-past form of verbs, and the "-te iru" form of verbs can be used to refer to repetitive actions For example, both of the following sentences are correct 1) 毎日歯を磨きます。 Page |5 2) 毎日歯を磨いています。 However, the nuance between the two, and the situations in which they can be used are different In the case of the "-te iru" verb form, we know that the habit/trend exists now, but it is not clear if it will continue into the future When using the non-past verb form, we know that the habit/trend exists now, but it is not clear if it existed in the past The following sentences, therefore, indicate examples in which the two verb forms are not interchangeable これからは毎日歯を磨きます。(OK!) これからは毎日歯を磨いています。(NO!) ３年前からずっと毎日歯を磨きます。(NO!) ３年前からずっと毎日歯を磨いています。(OK!) This expression is usually written in hiragana only 7.か (1) - ka (1): question particle Sentence + ka(か） A INTRODUCTION: Ka is a sentence-ending particle used to change a declarative statement into a yes-no question, or used in combination with interrogative words such as nani, dare, etc to ask an open-ended question B EXAMPLES: 明日時間がありますか。 Ashita jikan ga arimasu ka Do you have any [free] time tomorrow? あなたの名前は何ですか。 Anata no namae wa nan desu ka What's your name? この水飲んでもいいですか。 Kono mizu nonde mo ii desu ka May I drink this water? 8.か (2) - ka (2): or Noun + ka + Noun + ka Verb plain + ka Adj-i + ka Adj-na.stem + ka A INTRODUCTION: "Ka" is a particle used to indicate alternatives, and therefore equivalent to the English conjunction "or" B EXAMPLES: 今ブラジルが暑いか寒いか教えてください。 Ima Burajiru ga atsui ka samui ka oshiete kudasai Please tell me whether Brazil is hot or cold right now コーヒーか紅茶、どちらがいいですか。 doodoofan Kōhī ka kōcha, dochira ga ii desu ka Do you prefer coffee or tea? C NOTES: The use of "ka" as an interrogative sentence-ending particle is an extension of its use as an alternativemarking particle 9.から (1) - kara(1): from, since Page |6 Noun + kara (から) A INTRODUCTION: "Kara" is a particle used to indicate the starting position, or the source of an object or action This starting position may be either a point in space (in which case it is translated as "from"), or a point in time (in which case it is translated as "since" or "after") When used in this sense, "kara" always follows a noun B EXAMPLES: 学校から家までどれくらいかかりますか。 Gakkō kara ie made dorekurai kakarimasu ka? How long does it take you to get home from school? 生まれた時からここに住んでいます。 Umareta toki kara koko ni sunde imasu I've been living here since I was born 10 から（ 3） - kara(3): so Verb + kara I-adjective + kara Na-adjective + da + kara Noun + da + kara A INTRODUCTION: "Kara" is a subordinate conjunction that indicates a reason or cause When using "kara" in this manner, the reason always *precedes* kara "Kara" follows nouns and i-adjectives directly Na-adjectives and nouns require use of the copula "da", creating the common compound "dakara" B EXAMPLES: 来年日本へ行くから日本語を勉強しています。 Rainen nihon e iku kara nihongo o benkyō shite imasu I'm studying Japanese because I'm going to Japan next year 今日は天気がいいから家を出ます。 Kyō wa tenki ga ii kara ie o demasu Today, because the weather is nice, I’m going out 11 から（２） - kara(2): after having done s.t.; since te-form of Verb + kara + [main clause] A INTRODUCTION: When the particle "kara" is suffixed to the te-form of a verb, it expresses temporal sequence, with the action of the verb attached to "kara" occurring first doodoofan B EXAMPLES: 海外から留学生が来たから、学校が終わってから迎えに行った。 Kaigai kara ryūgakusei ga kita kara, gakkō ga owatte kara mukae ni itta Because an exchange student from abroad came, I went to meet him after school この料理を食べてからご判断をお願いします。 Kono ryōri o tabete kara go-handan o onegai shimasu After eating this dish, please give us your opinion ご飯を食べてから仕事に戻った。 Gohan o tabete kara shigoto ni modotta After eating, I returned to work Page |7 C NOTES: The Vte kara construction is related to the kara(1) particle, but should not be confused with the kara(3) conjunction kara(2) テレビを見てから頭が痛くなった。 Terebi o mite kara atama ga itaku natta After watching television, I got a headache kara(3) テレビを見たから頭が痛くなった。 Terebi o mita kara atama ga itaku natta Because I watched television, I got a headache The kara(3) conjunction shows a cause/effect relationship between S1 and S2, while kara(2) does not 12 が (1) - ga (1): subject-marking particle A INTRODUCTION: Ga is a particle used to mark the grammatical subject of a sentence when it is first introduced to a conversation Japanese particles are postpositions, and therefore ga always follows the subject B EXAMPLES: 私は猫が好きです。 Watashi wa neko ga suki desu I like cats 日本料理は何が好きですか。 Nihon ryōri wa nani ga suki desu ka What Japanese foods you like? 今夜星がきれいですね。 Kon\'ya hoshi ga kirei desu ne The stars sure are beautiful tonight, aren't they? C NOTES: The difference between \"ga\" and \"wa\" is one of the most troublesome for people studying the Japanese language Generally speaking, \"ga\" is replaced by \"wa\" when: a) the grammatical subject has already been introduced during the discussion; b) the subject is something that the listener is assumed to be familiar with; c) making generalizations; d) making comparisons \"Ga\" cannot be replaced by \"wa\" when it follows question words such as \"nani\", \"dare\", etc When answering these questions, the particle \"ga\" should also be used to mark the answer A: 日本人の歌手は誰が好きですか。(Nihonjin no kashu wa dare ga suki desu ka.) B: 北島三郎が好きです。(Kitajima Saburou ga suki desu.) A: What Japanese singers you like? doodoofan B: I like Saburou Kitajima \"Ga\" may be replaced by the particle \"no\" when used inside a relative clause あなたが書いた論文を提出しなさい。(Anata ga kaita ronbun wo teishutsu shinasai.) ー＞ あなたの書いた論文を提出しなさい。(Anata no kaita ronbun wo teishutsu shinasai.) Please hand in the thesis that you wrote 13 が (2) - ga (2): but, however Page |8 Sentence-1 + ga(が) + Sentence-2 Sentence-1 + ga(が)。 A INTRODUCTION: Ga is a conjunction used to join two independent sentences, which often have contrastive meaning It is therefore quite similar in meaning to the English word "but" Like "but", it is sometimes used merely to preface the second sentence with a reason or an excuse (See example sentence #3.) When context makes the second sentence obvious, it may be dropped, and ga is used to end the sentence This form is frequently used for polite requests, as in example sentence #4 B EXAMPLES: 彼は来ましたが、彼のともだちは来ませんでした。 Kare wa kimashita ga kare no tomodachi wa kimasendeshita He came, but his friend didn't 旅をしたいのだが、お金がありません。 Tabi o shitai no da ga okane ga arimasen I want to travel, but I don't have the money すみませんが、この席は空いていますか。 Sumimasen ga, kono seki wa aite imasu ka I'm sorry to bother you, but is this seat taken? 水が欲しいんですが。 Mizu ga hoshii n desu ga I'd like some water, so [would you mind getting it for me?] 14 くらい - kurai: approximately, about Number + Counter + kurai (くらい) Demonstrative Pronoun/Adjective + kurai (くらい） Interrogative Pronoun + kurai (くらい) A INTRODUCTION: "Kurai" (also pronounced "gurai") is an adverbial particle used to roughly indicate amount or extent It is usually translated as "about" or "approximately" "Kurai" always directly follows the amount/extent that it modifies B EXAMPLES: 百人くらい集まりました。 Hyakunin kurai atsumarimashita About a hundred people gathered together この靴はだいたい２万円くらいしました。 Kono kutsu wa daitai ni-man-en kurai shimashita These shoes cost about 20,000 yen あとどのくらいで仕上げなければならないの？ Ato donokurai de shiagenakereba naranai no? doodoofan How much time we have to finish this? 15 けれども - keredomo: although, though, but Amari always precedes the verb clause + keredomo V.plain/plain past + keredomo i-adj + keredomo Page |9 na-adj + copula plain/plain past + keredomo noun + copula plain/plain past + keredomo A INTRODUCTION: "keredomo" is an informal disjunctive conjunctions marking the subordinate clause It is commonly used in informal spoken Japanese There also exist some abbreviated versions of keredomo, each one having a different level of politeness Most Polite < > Least Polite keredomo - keredo - kedomo – kedo B EXAMPLES: 疲れているけれども、もう少し頑張ります。 Tsukareteiru keredomo, mousukoshi ganbarimasu Although I'm tired, I'll go on a bit longer 甘いものが食べたいけどふとるのでやめます。 Amaimono ga tabetai kedo futoru node yamemasu Although I want to eat sweets, I won't because I'll gain weight 16 こ そ あ ど 言 葉 - こ そ あ ど こ と ば - kosoado kotoba: ko-, so-, a- & dodemonstrative pronouns Kore・これ Kochira・こちら this/here is When the object is close to the speaker Sore・それ Sochira・そちら that/there When the object is close to the person spoken to Are・あれ Achira・あちら Over there(that/location)When the object is far from the both Dore・どれ Dochira・どちら Which A INTRODUCTION: Demonstrative & interrogative pronouns – “this” and “that” in Japanese B EXAMPLES: そちらはどちら様ですか。 Sochira wa dochira-sama desuka? Who is that person? あちらの方はヨナスの友達です。 Achira no kata wa Yonasu no tomodachi desu That person is Yonasu's friend お荷物はこちらでおあずかりします。 Onimotu wa kochira de oazukari shimasu We can keep your baggage here 17 する - suru: to Imperfective form - し、せ、さ Connective form - し Predicative form - する Attributive form - する doodoofan Hypothetical form - すれ Imperative form - しろ、せよ A INTRODUCTION: "Suru" is the Japanese verb for "to do" However, it is much more flexible than its English counterpart, and can be used in a wide array of situations P a g e | 10 1) "Suru", when preceded by the direct-object-marking particle "wo" means "to perform an action" In a large number of cases, "suru" can also affix to the noun directly, converting it into a special suru-class verb 2) "Suru" can also be used to indicate one's job 3) In the form ([~ni] ~wo suru), "suru" can be used to indicate the wearing of fashion accessories 4) "Suru" can be used to indicate someone/something's visible manner, attitude or appearance 5) "Suru" can attach to the masu-stems of other verbs, reconverting them from nouns back into verbs 6) In the forms (~wo ~ni suru), "suru" may be used to indicate assigning/relegating someone to a particular position It may also be used to indicate that a parent has raised a child to be suitable for a particular job 7) In the (~wo ~ni suru) form, "suru" may also be used to indicate the use of something for a specified purpose usually one other than that for which it was intended 8) In the (~wo ~ni suru) form, "suru" may also be used to indicate that one is changing something from the object marked by the "wo" particle, into the object marked by the "ni" particle 9) "Suru" may also be used to indicate the way that one treats, thinks/feels about or views something 10) "Suru" may follow adjectives in their adverbial form, in which case, it indicates a forced change upon the direct object to enter the state indicated by the adjective In addition to its meaning as "to do", "suru" also means "to decide", as used in the "koto ni suru" and "koto to suru" forms Nouns may also directly take the place of the "koto" nominalizers in the "koto ni suru" phrase, indicating the direct selection of that noun "To suru" differs from "ni suru" in that the "to suru" form indicates judgment/evaluation, rather than selection Suru is an irregular verb, each of its conjugations requiring individual memorization B EXAMPLES: ピーター、今夜電話しますね。 Pītā, konya denwa shimasu ne Peter, I’ll call you tonight 私は日本語を勉強します。 Watashi wa Nihongo o benkyō shimasu I study Japanese 夏子は英語を勉強しますか。 Natsuko wa eigo o benkyō shimasu ka? Natsuko, you study English? C NOTES: This expression is usually written in hiragana only 18 だ - da: be (copula) Present: Da Present negative: ja nai Past: datta Past negative: ja nakatta A INTRODUCTION: Da is a copula that is fairly formal when used in written Japanese, but informal when used in spoken Japanese doodoofan B EXAMPLES: あの車はみどりじゃなかった。青だった。 Ano kuruma wa midori ja nakatta Ao datta That car wasn't green It was blue お相撲さんだ！ O-sumō-san da! P a g e | 194 The brandname goods would be best for a present to your girlfriend But you don't have to anything you can't afford 369 に も 程 が あ る - に も ほ ど が あ る - ni mo hodo ga aru: How could can [anyone] be as ~ as * Noun + ni mo hodo ga aru(にも程がある) * Verb, non-past plain + ni mo hodo ga aru(にも程がある) * i-Adjective, non-past plain + ni mo hodo ga aru(にも程がある) A INTRODUCTION: ni mo hodo ga aru(～にも程がある) is the expression which is used to complain to someone about his/her action which you think goes too far "Hodo(程)" means a proper extent or degree When you think someone's actions exceed the proper degree, you can use this expression to criticize their actions B EXAMPLES: 冗談にも程がある。 Jōdan ni mo hodo ga aru You shouldn't tell such terrible jokes 部屋を汚すにも程がある。 Heya o yogosu ni mo hodo ga aru How could you mess up a room like this? うるさいにも程があります！もっと静かにしなさい！ Urusai ni mo hodo ga arimasu! Motto shizuka ni shinasai! You shouldn't be so noisy! Be quiet! 370 ております - te orimasu: is doing or keep in a state (humble) * te form of a verb + orimasu (～ております) A INTRODUCTION: Orimasu (おります) is the masu-form of oru (おる) which means "exists", and is used to talk about animate objects (people and animals) When it is used as an auxiliary verb as in the "te-form + orimasu ( ～ております) ", it expresses the idea that the action or state is continuing So, it is the humble form of "the te-form + iru ( ～ ている)," and it is used when the speaker is in a lower position and shows respect to the listening party B EXAMPLES: 私は、ここで待っております。 Watashi wa, koko de matte orimasu I'm waiting here 佐藤は、今、外出しております。 Sato wa, ima, gaishutsu shite orimasu Sato is out of the office right now 父は、今、お風呂に入っております。 Chichi wa, ima, o-furo ni haitte orimasu Father is taking a bath now doodoofan C NOTES: When it is used in the plain form as in -te oru ( ～ておる), it sounds arrogant as in the example below It can be used when a overbearing husband or superior talks to his wife or subordinate そんなことは分かっておる！ Sonna koto wa wakatte oru! I know that kind of stuff! (implying that you don't have to tell me) 371 ほどの～は ない - hodo no wa nai: is not so as [something] P a g e | 195 * [noun 1] hodo no [noun 2] wa nai * [noun 1] hodo no [noun 2] wa negative form of a verb A INTRODUCTION: "[noun 1] hodo no [noun 2] wa nai" literally means "doesn't have as much [noun 2] as [noun 1] does." So "noun 1" is indicated as a specific basis for comparison, so a demonstrative noun (kore, sore, are) or a proper noun like a person's name or specific name can be used as "noun 1," and a common name can be used for "noun 2." B EXAMPLES: 私は、あなたほどのお金はない。 Watashi wa, anata hodo no o-kane wa nai I don't have as much money as you 私は、彼ほどの背はない。 Watashi wa, kare hodo no se wa nai I don't have as much height as he does.(= I'm not as tall as he.) 私は、あれほどの高級車は持ってない。 Watashi wa, are hodo no kōkyū sha wa motte nai I don't have a car as expensive as that one 372 ようと思う - yō to omou: I think I will something * Volitional form + to omotte iru (と思っている) Volitional form + to omō (と思う) 食べる；食べよう と 思っている/思う; I think/am thinking that I'm going to eat 読む；読もう と 思っている/思う; I think/am thinking that I'm going to read A INTRODUCTION: When you tell somebody that you want to or intend to something, you often use the structure of "the volitional form + to omotte iru (と思っている)" or "the volitional form + to omou (と思う)," which means "I'm thinking/I think I'm going to something." B EXAMPLES: 私は、今夜、映画を見ようと思っている。 Watashi wa, konya, eiga o miyō to omotte iru I'm thinking I'm going to see a movie tonight ボーナスで、新しいパソコンを買おうと思う。 Bōnasu de, atarashii pasokon o kaō to omou I think I'm going to buy a new computer when I get my bonus これから、もっと勉強しようと思います。 Kore kara, motto benkyō shiyō to omoimasu I think I'm going to study harder from now on 373 んだけど , のですが - n da kedo, no desu ga: -, but * n da kedo, [main clause] no desu ga, [main clause] doodoofan A INTRODUCTION: " n da kedo" or "no desu ga" is used in a subordinate clause, it works to give some introductory information before asking someone about something or making a request " n da kedo" is used in a casual speech "no desu ga" sounds more polite B EXAMPLES: 明日、映画に行くんだけど、一緒に行かない？ P a g e | 196 Ashita, eiga ni iku n da kedo, issho ni ikanai? I'm going to a movie tomorrow; you want to come with me? 明日、映画に行くのですが、一緒に行きませんか？ Ashita, eiga ni iku no desu ga, issho ni ikimasen ka? I'm going to a movie tomorrow; won't you come with me? 焼肉を食べに行くんだけど、お奨めのお店はどこですか？ Yakiniku o tabe ni iku n da kedo, o-susume no o-mise wa doko desu ka? We're going to eat yakiniku Which place would you recommend? 374 たりして - tari shite: Something might happen Verb inf past + りして A INTRODUCTION: When this expression is used at the end of a sentence, it works to obscure the speaker's statement The sentence ending tari shite literally means that something might happen, but it implies how the speaker would feel if something takes place B EXAMPLES: 明日、雪が降ったりして。 Ashita, yuki ga futtari shite It might be snowing tomorrow (=What if it's snowing tomorrow?) お父さん、このケーキ全部食べたりして！ O-tōsan, kono kēki zenbu tabetari shite! (It would be surprising if) Father might eat the whole cake! カナエは、きれいだよね。将来、女優になったりして。 Kanae wa kirei da yo ne Shōrai joyū ni nattari shite Kanae is beautiful, isn't she? (It would be amazing if) She might become an actress C NOTES: It is used in a very casual conversation 375 ようだ - yō da: it seems that * Verb/i-adj plain + yō da * Noun/na-adj.stem + no + yō da A INTRODUCTION: "Yō da" expresses the speaker's conjecture based on what one can see, but also "yō da" can express the speaker's judgment based on the first hand information from other senses like taste, smell or touch It is conjugated in the same way as na-adjectives B EXAMPLES: お店はもう閉まっているようだ。 O-mise wa mō shimatte iru yō da doodoofan It seems that the shop is already closed (→ visual information) 少しゆで過ぎたようだ。 Sukoshi ude sugita yō da.) It seems that I boiled it too long (→ taste) いいにおいがする。隣の家の夕食はシチューのようだ。 Ii nioi ga suru! Tonari no ie no yūshoku wa shichū no yō da Smells good! It seems that my neighbor is going to have stew for dinner (→ smell) どうやらこれは本物の毛皮のようだ。 P a g e | 197 Dōyara, kore wa honmono no kegawa no yō da.) Apparently, it's a real fur (→ touch) 376 とても～ない - totemo –nai: not – possibly * totemo + verb nagative potential form とても 食べられない; totemo taberarenai; can not possibly eat とても 考えられない；totemo kangaerarenai; can not possibly think とても 会えない; totemo aenai; can not possibly meet/see A INTRODUCTION: "totemo ( と て も )," when it is used in a negative construction clause, it works to strengthen the negative meaning It is equivalent to "not possibly" or "there is no possibility at all." It is usually used with a negative potential form to mean "can not possibly something" like totemo dekinai (とても～できない; can not possibly something) B EXAMPLES: あの大声には、とても耐えられない。 I can't possibly put up with that loud voice とても、そんなに速く走れないよ。 I can't possibly run so fast あの話は、とても先生には言えないね。 We can't tell the teacher about that story, can we? 377 によると /によりますと - ni yoru to/ ni yorimasu to: according to – * ni yorimasu to + sō desu (～そうです) + to iu koto desu (～ということです) + to no koto desu (～とのことです) + opinion/judgment etc * ni yoru to + hearsay expressions/opinion or judgment + sō da(～そうだ) + to iu koto da(～ということだ) + to no koto da(～とのことだ) + opinion/judgment etc A INTRODUCTION: " ni yoru to ( ～ に よ る と )" or " ni yorimasu to ( ～ に よ り ま す と )" indicates the source of information, corresponding to the English "according to -." The verb, "yoru" (よる), means "to depend on -" or "to base on ." As this is used to indicate the source of information, it is often followed by a clause with hearsay expressions like " sō da (～そうだ)" or " to iu koto da (～ということだ)" or " to no koto da (～とのことだ)," all of which mean "it is said that -." doodoofan B EXAMPLES: 天気予報によると、明日は雨だそうだ。 Tenki yohō ni yoru to, ashita wa ame da sō da The weather forecast said that it'll be rainy tomorrow A 社のプレスリリースによりますと、来月、新製品が発売されるとのことです。 A sha no puresu rirīsu ni yorimasu to, raigetsu, shinseihin ga hatsubai sareru tono koto desu According to the press release by Company A, they are going to release a new product next month 三郎によると、四郎は今日休みだそうだ。 P a g e | 198 Saburō ni yoru to, Shirō wa kyō yasumi da sō da Saburo said that Shiro was going to take a day off today C NOTES: Depending on which one is used, " ni yorimasu to" or " ni yoru to," you need to use the same the politeness level in the following clause 378 につき - ni tsuki: per * [Number (A) + counter] + "ni tsuki" + [number (B) + counter] A INTRODUCTION: " ni tsuki (～につき)" is a compound particle which is made of the particle "ni" and the -masu stem of verb "tsuku." It expresses a rate or ratio and it corresponds to "per" in English B EXAMPLES: 入場料は、大人 名につき 2000 円です。 Nyūjōryō wa, otona 1-mei ni tsuki 2000-en desu The entrance fee is 2,000 yen per adult このカラオケ屋は、1 時間につき 300 円かかる。 Kono karaoke-ya wa, 1-jikan ni tsuki 300-en kakaru At this karaoke shop, it costs 300-yen per hour 水１リットルにつき、砂糖 100g を入れてください。 Please add 100g of sugar per liter of water 379 ～ように言う - ～ようにいう - ~yō ni iu: to tell (someone) to Informal verb ＋ ように ＋ verb (expressing a request or command, such as 言う・頼む・伝える・命じる) 勉強する (benkyō suru) ように (yō ni) 言う (iu) "to tell (someone) to study" 卵を買う (tamago o kau) ように (yō ni) 頼む (tanomu) "to ask (someone) to buy eggs" 明日来る (ashita kuru) ように (yō ni) 伝える (tsutaeru) "to tell (someone) to come tomorrow" 仕事をする (shigoto o suru) ように (yō ni) 命令する (meirei suru) "to order(someone) to his job" A INTRODUCTION: doodoofan "～ように言う (-yō ni iu)", is a phrase to use for an indirect quote Use it when talking about someone being told or requested to something The action that someone is being told or requested to comes before "- yō ni" In this construction, we commonly use the verb 言う (iu) meaning "to say," but it is possible to use other verbs in place of 言う, such as 頼む (tanomu) "to request," 伝える (tsutaeru) "to pass on" [a message] and 命じる (meijiru) "to order," among others P a g e | 199 B EXAMPLES: 友達にテレビゲームを持ってくるように頼んだ。 Tomodachi ni terebi gemu o motte kuru you ni tanonda "I asked my friend to bring the video game." 先生は、生徒に遊ばないように言った。 Sensei wa, seito ni asobanai you ni itta "The teacher told the students not to play around." ハンコを持ってくるように伝えた。 Hanko o motte kuru you ni tsutaeta "I told (them) to bring their name stamps." 明日までに仕事を終わらせるように命令した。 Ashita made ni shigoto o owaraseru you ni meirei shita "I ordered (them) to finish their work by tomorrow." 380 何とか - なんとか - nantoka: Somehow 何とか + verb = somehow something A INTRODUCTION: Nan to ka (何とか) is an adverb used to convey the meaning of "somehow," as in "someone does something somehow" and "something somehow happens." As in the example sentence in the title, when used in a request expression like 「何とか～してもらえませんか」, it has the nuance of "I know it's probably impossible, but I'd still like to make this request." B EXAMPLES: 寝坊してしまったが、何とか、授業に間に合った。 Nebō shite shimatta ga, nan toka, jugyō ni maniatta I overslept, but I still somehow made it to class on time フルマラソンはつらかったけど、何とか、完走できたよ。 Furumarason wa tsurakatta kedo, nantoka, kansō dekita yo The full marathon was really tough, but I somehow managed to finish it とても痛いんです。何とか、今日診てもらえませんか。 Totemo itai n desu Nantoka, kyō mite moraemasen ka I'm in a lot of pain Is there any way I could have you examine me today? 381 向き - むき - muki: suitable for ~ A INTRODUCTION: Muki (向き) is used in the form of "Noun ＋muki", which means "to be suitable for [noun]" (but not meant exclusively for) As a sentence, it is often used as [~ wa ~muki da] or [~muki no ~] B EXAMPLES: この服は、ちょっと私向きじゃないわ。 Kono fuku wa, chotto watashi-muki janai wa These clothes aren't really right for me doodoofan ここは、年寄りが来るところじゃないね。若者向きの店だ。 Koko wa, toshiyori ga kuru tokoro janai ne Wakamono-muki no mise da This isn't a place for older people to come to It's more suitable for young people 382 向け - むけ - muke: exclusively for A INTRODUCTION: P a g e | 200 Muke (向け) is the masu stem of the verb mukeru (向ける）, which means "to direct" or "to aim" When used in the form "Noun＋向け", it means "to be aimed at [noun]" or "be directed at [noun]" Also, depending on the context, it can mean "made (exclusively) for the use of [noun]" It is often used as an adverb in the phrase "～に向けに", or as a word that describes a noun in the phrase "～向けの Noun" B EXAMPLES: ベジタリアン向けに特別メニューを用意している。 Bejitarian-muke ni tokubetsu menyu o yōi shite iru We've prepared a dish especially for vegetarians 上級者向けのコースを作ってください。 Jōkyū-muke no kōsu o tsukutte kudasai Please make a course that's aimed at advanced learners 383 ものだ (1) - mono da (1): used to Formation: * Verb, plain past + mono da （～た ものだ＝used to something) Dictionary Plain past 食べる 行く Plain past + mono da 食べた 食べた ものだ 行った 行った ものだ Translation used to eat used to go * i/na-adj, plain past + mono da (～た ものだ＝used to something) Dictionary Plain past 安い 安かった Plain past + mono da Translation 安かった ものだ used to be cheap きれいな きれいだった きれいだった ものだ used to be beautiful A INTRODUCTION: When the speaker is recollecting his or her past nostalgically, this expression is used It means "used to." In this case, the plain past tense of a verb or adjective is used before mono da B EXAMPLES: (verb) 私たちが若い頃は、よく色々なところに旅行したものです。 Watashitachi ga wakai koro wa, yoku iroiro na tokoro ni ryokō shita mono desu When we were young, we used to travel around lots of different places (i-adj) 子供のとき、一人でトイレに行くのが怖かったものです。 Kodomo no toki, hitori de toire ni iku no ga kowakatta mono desu When I was a kid, I used to feel scared of going to the toilet alone (na-adj) 昔は携帯電話がなくて、とても不便だったものです。 Mukashi wa keitaidenwa ga nakute, totemo fuben datta mono desu It used to be inconvenient because there were no mobile phones in the old days C NOTES: mono is contracted into mon in colloquial speech Example: (verb) 学生のときは、一日中、本を読んだもんだ。 Gakusei no toki wa, ichi-nichijū hon o honda mon da doodoofan When I was a student, I used to read books all day long (i-adj) 昔、海外に行くのは、高くて珍しかったもんだ。 Mukashi, kaigai ni iku no wa, takakute, mezurashikatta mon da In the old days, going abroad was an expensive and rare thing to (na-adj) 私が子供の頃、よく友達と外で遊んだもんだ。 P a g e | 201 Watashi ga kodomo no koro, yoku tomodachi to soto de asonda mon da When I was a kid, I used to play outside with my friends 384 ものだ (2) - mono da(2): norm * Verb, plain non-past + mono da （～する ものだ＝one should something） あいさつする あいさつする ものだ one should say hello あやまる あやまる ものだ one should apologize *Verb, plain non-past negative + mono da （～しない ものだ＝one should not something） 泣かない 泣かない ものだ one should not cry 遅れない 遅れない ものだ one should not be late A INTRODUCTION: This usage of mono da means "one should something", but note that it is used to express a social norm, so it is not used in specific situations B EXAMPLES: (verb) 集中力は誰でも９０分持続するものです。 Shūchūryoku wa dare demo 90-pun jioku suru mono da Anyone can keep concentrating for 90 minutes 日本では、食べる前に「いただきます」と言うもんです。 Nihon de wa, taberu mae ni "itadakimasu" to iu mon desu In Japan, people say "itadakimasu" before they start eating 人が話しているときは、話をしないものだ。 Hitoga hanashite iru toki wa, hanashi o shinai mono da You shouldn't talk while someone else is speaking (i-adj) 北半球では、冬はたいてい寒いものです。 Kitahankyū de wa, fuyu wa taitei samui mono desu In the northern hemisphere, it is usually cold in winter 逆に、南半球では、冬はたいてい暑いもんです。 Gyaku ni, minamihankyū de wa, fuyu wa taitei atsui mon desu Conversely, in the southern hemisphere it is usually hot in winter 日本では、冬、夕方６時になるとたいてい明るくないもんです。 Nihon de wa, fuyu, yūgata 6-ji ni naru to akarukunai mon desu In Japan, it's not usually still light at 6pm in winter (na-adj) 金曜日の夜、街はにぎやかなものです。 Kin-yōbi no yoru, machi wa nigiyaka na mono desu The town is busy every Friday night たいてい子供はアイスクリームが好きなもんです。 Taitei kodomo wa aisukurīmuga suki na mon desu Usually children like ice-cream C NOTES: doodoofan mono is contracted into mon in colloquial speech 385 ただし - tadashi: however [sentence A] + ただし + [sentence B] A INTRODUCTION: Tadashi is a conjunction which is used in a sentence structure like "[sentence A] ただし [sentence B]." When you want to add a condition, restriction or exception to the preceding sentence A, you can start the next sentence (sentence B) with た だ し This is a very formal phrase that means "however" in English This P a g e | 202 conjunction is especially used often in contracts or regulations to add a condition or restriction to the preceding sentence B EXAMPLES: 営業時間は、朝 時から夜 12 時まで。ただし、年末年始は除く。 "We are open from 7:00 in the morning to 12:00 in the night, except for the end and the beginning of the year." 休暇申請は、事前に行う。ただし、急用の場合は、事後でもよい。 "You are required to make a prior notice when you want to take a day-off However, an ex-post notification can be accepted for the emergency." 386 自 動 詞 ・ 他 動 詞 - じ ど う し ・ た ど う し Intransitive/Transitive Verb - jidōshi tadōshi: が（は）＋＜something> を＋transitive verb ＜something> が＋intransitive verb A INTRODUCTION: Please remember that the main focus of suru is the performer of the action whereas the concern of naru centers on a change of state Transitive verbs correspond to the verb suru, where we mention the doer of the action: "John opens the door" and "She boiled the water" are such examples in English On the other hand, intransitive verbs are similar to the verb naru, where emphasis is on the result of the action (the sentence does not mention the subject or the performer) Some examples are "the door opened" and "the water boiled." B EXAMPLES: パーティーは、夜 時から始まります。 Pātī wa yoru hachi-ji kara hajimarimasu "The party starts at eight at night." それでは、パーティーを始めます。 Sore de wa pātī o hajimemasu "Then we'll start the party." このジュースは、とてもよく売れています。 Kono jūsu wa totemo yoku urete imasu "This soft drink sold very well." パソコンを自分で直した。 Pasokon o jibun de naoshita "I fixed my computer." 急に電気が消えた。 Kyū ni denki ga kieta "The light went out suddenly." 寝るために、電気を消した。 Neru tame ni denki o keshita "I switched off the light to sleep." doodoofan 387 身 - み - mi: Body The basic meaning of 身 is of course "body," but it has another meaning besides "physical body," which is "a person by oneself." We also use 身 to indicate the main part of something For example, we call the meaty part of a fish you can eat 身, as opposed to the skin or bones that you can't eat Mi ni oboe ga aru (身に覚えがある) literally means "remember something with one's body." But, in this case, we use 身 to indicate "oneself," and this phrase means "a person remembers doing something." Please note that we use this phrase in a situation where a person has done something bad or is being blamed or accused P a g e | 203 Mi kara deta sabi (身から出たさび) literally means "rust from one's body." In this case, we use sabi ( さ び) in a figurative way to indicate "bad karma" or "payment for one's bad actions or behavior." So, we can use this phrase in a situation where someone does something bad and as a result he or she gets in trouble, and we could say 身から出たさびだ to mean that the person got what he or she deserved A INTRODUCTION: Mi mo futa mo nai (身も蓋もない) literally means "there is neither anything inside or a lid." In this case, 身 indicates "something inside a bottle," which is the main part as opposed to a bottle or a lid We can often use this phrase in a situation where person (A) gets in trouble and asks person (B) for some advice, but person (B) says something too bluntly without thinking empathetically about person (A)'s situation You can use this expression to say that person (B) is too brutally frank Mi ni shimiru (身にしみる) literally means "to seep into one's body." We often use this phrase in the sentence structure [something] が身にしみる, and it means "to feel something to the bone" or "to be deeply impressed by something." For the first meaning, you can use this phrase when you feel strong coldness or chills, as in 寒 さが身にしみる For the second meaning, you can use this phrase when you are very impressed by someone's kindness or warm heart, or when you realize something as a result of your experience, as in the example from this dialogue B EXAMPLES: 何か身に覚えはないのか？ "Can you think of a reason why?" 身から出たさびだ。 "You got what you asked for." そんないい方、身も蓋もないじゃないか。 "That way of putting it is way too blunt." 夫婦は信じ合うことが大切だって、本当に身にしみたよ。 "I really understand how important it is for a married couple to trust each other." 388 猫 - ねこ - neko: cat Out of idiomatic expressions that use the names of animals, many expressions use the word 猫, meaning "cat." People believe this is the case because many people keep cats as pets, and they have become a big part of our daily lives 猫なで声（ねこなでごえ） refers to a voice that people use when they are trying to fawn on or suck up to someone, much like the sound cats make when they are petted on the head It is common for some women to make their voice higher and sweeter-sounding when asking for something from someone else, and this is what we refer to as 猫なで声 We use 猫をかぶる（ねこをかぶる）to describe a person who hides his or her real personality and behaves like a quiet and docile person かぶる is the same verb that we use in 「ぼうしをかぶる」, meaning "to wear a hat," so it means "to wear something on one's head." It is believed that this expression came to be because on the outside, a cat looks like a gentle, obedient creature, but on the inside, it is actually thought to be greedy and tricky doodoofan A INTRODUCTION: We use the phrase 借りてきた猫 to describe someone who feels frightened or intimidated when in a new, unfamiliar place This expression comes from the fact that cats not handle new environments very well and often get nervous and timid When someone looks intimidated in an unfamiliar place, it is common to attach 「～のうよう」 or 「みたい」 to this expression and say 「借りてきた猫のよう」 and 「借りてきた猫みたい」 We use 猫の額（ねこのひたい） to describe a tiny plot of land 額（ひたい） means "forehead," the space between the eyebrows and hairline, but because it is hard to judge where exactly the forehead is on a cat (or whether a cat even has one), 「猫の額」 came to be used to describe a piece of land that was very small We often use it in the construction 「猫の額ほどの～」, as in 「猫の額ほどの土地」 P a g e | 204 We use「猫の手も借りたい」 in a situation where someone doesn't have enough people helping him or her and are so busy that the person wants help from anyone, even someone who wouldn't be useful In this case, the phrase 「猫の手」 refers to the help of someone who is not helpful We usually use this phrase together with the words 「ほど」 and 「ぐらい」 attached at the end to create the phrases 「猫の手も借りたいほど」 and 「猫の 手も借りたいくらい」 B EXAMPLES: 君が猫なで声を出すときは、必ず何かをねだるときだ。 "When you use a coaxing voice like that, it is always when you are mooching for something." 私は、夫の両親の前では猫をかぶっている。 "I always hide my true colors when I'm around my husband's parents." 子供達は、お客さんがきたとたんに、借りてきた猫のようになった。 "The children became quiet and meek the moment a guest came." 私の家には、猫の額ほどの小さな庭しかない。 "At my house, we only have a tiny yard." 今日は、猫の手も借りたいくらい忙しくて、大変だった。 "Today it was so busy that I was desperate for help It was tough." 389 ため - tame: for the benefit of A INTRODUCTION: ～ため is most commonly used to indicate a purpose, but it also indicates benefit when the noun that comes before ため is a person, group, company, country, etc B EXAMPLES: 世界中で苦しんでいる人のために、何かしたい。 Sekaijū de kurushinde iru hito no tame ni nani ka shitai "I want to something for the people who suffer around the globe." 390 ても 始ま ら ない - ても はじ まら ない - te mo hajimaranai: there is no point in doing something [te form of a verb] + mo + hajimaranai A INTRODUCTION: Hajimaru (始まる) is a verb meaning "to begin," but when we use it as an expression of -te mo hajimaranai, it conveys the idea that "you will get nothing even if you something" or "there is no point in doing something." B EXAMPLES: 難しいことから逃げていても始まらないよ。トライすることが大切だよ。 "You'll get nothing by running away from tough times Trying is important." 文句ばかり言っていても始まらない. 解決策を考えてくれよ。 "You'll get nothing by complaining Think of how to fix the problem." 391 たって - tatte: even if * Verb informal past + って doodoofan * i adverbial adjective + たって * na adjective stem/noun + だって A INTRODUCTION: Tatte (たって) is a shortened form of te mo, which is the formation of the te form of a verb + the emphasis particle, mo, which means "even if." たって and ても are interchangeable, but we use たって more often in casual conversation, and ても sounds more formal and we can use it in written Japanese B EXAMPLES: P a g e | 205 こんなちょっと食べたって、お腹なんかいっぱいにならないよ。 "If you eat such a small amount, you're not going to get full." 子供だって、そんなわがままは言わない。 "Even a child wouldn't be so selfish." 392 ～ ど こ ろ じ ゃ な い - ~dokoro ja nai: doing something (or being in a certain state) is not possible at all because the situation is too bad to allow it A FORMATION: * Verb dictionary form + どころじゃない * i adjective dictionary form + どころじゃない * noun + どころじゃない * na adjective/stem + どころじゃない B INTRODUCTION: This is the casual, contracted form of - dokoro de wa nai (どころではない) We use this phrase to mean "doing something (or being in a certain state) is not possible at all because the situation is too bad to allow it." It implies that something is "out of the question." C EXAMPLES: 結局、旅行どころじゃないじゃないか。 "In the end, it's like taking a vacation is out of the question." 旅行客が増えるどころじゃないよ。 "There's no way tourists would increase." 393 過去形 - かこけい - kakokei: past tense Verb + no datta ※ Noun + datta I-adjective + datta Na-adjective + datta ※ In the case of a verb, you should use the past form of no da, which is no datta ※We often shorten this to n datta in conversation A INTRODUCTION: The past form (ta), which you will know as the verb ending expressing the past can also express other meanings As you might have noticed already, we can also use the past form to show that we have just recalled something as well as to confirm some information in a more polite way B EXAMPLES: 来週の日曜日は、会えないや。約束があった。 Raishū no nichiyōbi wa aenai ya Yakusoku ga atta "I can't meet you next Sunday (I just remembered) I've got an appointment." 冷蔵庫にマヨネーズあったっけ？ Reizōko ni mayonēzu atta kke? "I can't remember Is there mayonnaise in the fridge?" 明日、テストだったっけ？ doodoofan Ashita tesuto datta kke? "Do we have a test tomorrow?" すみません、千葉に住んでいるんでしたよね？ Sumimasen Chiba ni sunde iru n deshita yo ne? "Sorry, but if I remember correctly, you live in Chiba, right?" P a g e | 206 394 ～ ば 、 済 む - ～ ば 、 す む - ~ba, sumu: "if you [verb], everything will be fine" ba conditional + sumu (済む) A INTRODUCTION: Sumu ( 済 む ) literally means "to finish," but in this case it means "to solve things." So we use it in the formation of ba conditional form + sumu (済む), and all together, it means "if you [verb], everything will be fine" or "doing [action] would solve the problem." B EXAMPLES: 僕が謝れば済むなら、謝るよ。 "If apologizing will solve the problem, then I'll apologize." 私が会社を辞めれば、済むことだ。 "The problem will be solved if I quit the company." 395 謙譲語 - けんじょうご - kenjōgo: humble expressions There are two types of humble verbs - Regular and Irregular ■ Irregular humble verbs to exist (animate) - いる iru - おる oru - おります orimasu to go - 行く iku - 参る mairu - 参ります mairimasu to come - 来る kuru to say - 言う iu - 申す mōsu - 申します mōshimasu to - する suru - いたす itasu - いたします itashimasu to eat - 食べる taberu - いただく itadaku - いただきます itadakimasu to drink - 飲む nomu to exist (inanimate) - ある aru - ござる gozaru - ございます* gozaimasu to ask - きく kiku - 伺う ukagau - 伺います ukagaimasu to visit - たずねる tazuneru *The masu form of gozaru is irregular It's not not gozarimasu but gozaimasu A INTRODUCTION: The purpose of using kenjō-go (humble language) is to show the speaker's respect toward the listening party To so, the speaker lowers one's action by using kenjō-go or humble language and elevates the listening party Remember that the basic function of kenjō-go is to lower the status of the subject, so it is usually used to describe your own actions B EXAMPLES: "Excuse me." Formal 失礼します。 [Shitsurei shimasu] Humble 失礼いたします。 [Shitsurei itashimasu ] "I'm sorry." Formal 申し訳ありません。 [Mōshiwake arimasen] Humble 申し訳ございません。 [Mōshiwake gozaimasen.] doodoofan "I'll take(or carry) your bag." Formal かばんを持ちます。 [ Kaban o mochimasu ] Humble かばんをお持ちします。 [Kaban o o-mochi-shimasu ] *The humble form of -te iru is -te oru "I'm studying Japanese." Formal 日本語を勉強しています。 [Nihongo o benkyō shite imasu.] P a g e | 207 Humble 日本語を勉強しております。 [Nihongo o benkyō shite orimasu.] *Kiku and tazuneru can be treated as regular verbs "May I have your name?" Formal お名前を聞いてもいいですか。 [O-namae o kiite mo ii desu ka.] Humble -irregular お名前を伺ってもいいですか。 [O-namae o ukagatte mo ii desu ka.] Humble -regular お名前をお聞きしてもいいですか。 [O-namae o o-kiki-shite mo ii desu ka.] 396 ので - node: because A INTRODUCTION: The conjunction node also indicates a reason or cause When we use it in this way, it is interchangeable with kara However, node is more objective than kara Because of that, node carries a softer and more polite connotation B EXAMPLES: 結婚するので、家を買った。 Kekkon suru node, ie o katta "Since we're getting married, we bought a house." その店は安いので人気がある。 Sono mise wa yasui node ninki ga aru "That store is inexpensive so it's popular." iPhone は便利なので人気がある。 Aifon wa benri na node ninki ga aru The iPhone is popular because it's so useful 今日は日曜日だったので、たくさん人がいる。 Kyō wa nichi-yōbi datta node, takusan hito ga iru doodoofan "There were a lot of people because today was Sunday." P a g e | 208 397 ABC ABC 0 398 ABC ABC 0 399 ABC ABC 0 400 ABC ABC 0 401 ABC ABC 0 doodoofan 402