Japanese Language for Beginners

Grammar Explanation

LJB1010・2011/2012 Trimester 3

＜Chapter 1＞

Grammar Explanation:

1. N1 は N2 です (1) Particle 「は」 Note: The particle is read “wa”. The particle は indicates that the word before it is the topic of the sentence. You select a noun you want to talk about, add は to show that it is the topic and give a statement about the topic. れい(example) わたしは すずき まことです。 わたしは がくせいです。 I am Makoto Suzuki. I am a student

(2) です Nouns used with です work as predicates. です indicates judgment or assertion. です also conveys that the speaker is being polite towards the listener. です inflicts when the sentence is negative (see 2. below) or in the past tense. れい わたしは せんせいです。 I am a teacher.

2. N1 は N2 じゃ ありません / では ありません Note: は in では is read “dewa”. じゃ ありません is the negative form of です. It is the form used in daily conversation. For a formal speech or writing, では ありません is used instead. れい わたしは マレーシアじんじゃ(では) ありません。 まことさんは せんせいじゃ(では) ありません。 I’ m not Malaysian. Makoto is not a teacher.

3. S か (1) Particle か The particle か is used to express the speaker’s doubt, question, uncertainty, etc. A question is formed by simply adding か to the end of the sentence. A question ends with a rising intonation. (2) Question asking whether a statement is correct or not As mentioned above, a sentence becomes a question when か is added to the end. The word order does not change. The question thus made asks whether a statement is correct or not. Depending on whether you agree with the statement or not, your answer to such a question begins with はい or いいえ. れい A: まことさんは にほんじんですか。 B: はい、そうです。 にほんじんです。 A:すずきさんは せんせいですか。 B:いいえ、ちがいます。 がくせいです。 A: Is Makoto Japanese? B: Yes, he is. He is Japanese. A: Is Ms. Suzuki a teacher. B: No, she is not. She is a student.

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Grammar Explanation

LJB1010・2011/2012 Trimester 3

(3) Question with interrogatives An interrogative replaces the part of the sentence that covers what you want to ask about. The word order does not change, and か is...