January 26th Power Session

This session covered location and very basic directions.

Kosoado series: Koko, soko, asoko, doko.  They stand alone.

Koko: this place
Soko: that place
Asoko: over there
Doko: which place


The basic sentence for showing the location of an inanimate object is
X(ko/so/a) ni Y (object) ga arimasu


Ni shows location. Ex. Asoko-ni kaban-ga arimasu. (There is a bag over there)


Location words


tonari: next door, next to
soba: close to, near
mae: front
yoko: beside
ushiro: back
ue: top, on
naka: in, middle


X(object)-no Y (location)-ni arimasu/imasu


People


imasu: verb for living things
dare: who
ano-hito: literally ”that person”. He, she.
onna-no-hito: woman/women (female person)
otoko-no-hito: man/men (male person)
onna-no-ko: girl/s (female child)
otoko-no-ko: boy/s (male child)


tachi: you can use this to pluralize a family or a person. Ex. Nakamura-san tachi: Miss Nakamura and others or the Nakamuras. However, the above people words are ambiguous and can be used either for a single person or for several people.

Vocabulary



yuubinkyoku: post office
byouin: hospital
hoteru: hotel
ginkou: bank
erebeetaa: elevator
okusan: wife (polite)
shokudou: restaurant, dining hall
robii: lobby
goshujin: husband
kissaten: cafe, coffee shop
gakou: school
toshokan: library

First Official Session of January

The topic of this session was "Introducing Yourself".  The four people who attended had lots of fun and worked hard.

Feedback:

 I enjoyed the class last night. As I am a senior pairing me with my daughter helps me to remember. We were teasing daddy -hajimimashte.  I look forward to coming for the next class.

Vowel sounds: a = aw, i = ee, u = put, e = get, o = so, ai = aye, ei = hey



Points; the "u"s in "desu" and "masu" aren't said, so it comes out sounding like "des" and "mas". The "i" at the end of "hajimemashite" isn't said, so it sounds like "hajimemashte".


In Japanese, the action comes at the end of the sentence: Watashi wa gakusei desu = I a student am.


Beginners' Japanese Journal This link has more information on the Japanese language.


Ohayou gozaimasu: good morning


Konnichiwa: good afternoon, good day


Konbanwa: good evening


Oyasumi nasai: good night


Hai: Yes


Chigaimasu: No, it isn't right.


Ii desu ne/ Ii desu yo: That's right, that's good (approval)



Hajimemashite: How do you do?:


Douzo yoroshiku: Pleased to meet you.


Shigoto wa nan desu ka: what is your job/occupation?


Nan sai desu ka: How old are you?


O namae wa: Name?


Watashi wa: I


Watashi no namae wa: My name


Desu: is/am


Jobs/Occupations:


Gakusei: student


Juudai no ko: teenager


Reedaa: leader


Tomodachi: friend


Kanada jin: Canadian


Amerika jin: American


Age:


Juusan sai: 13 years old


Juuyon sai: 14 years old


Juugo sai: 15 years old


Introduction order and information:


Remember; You don't have to say "watashi wa" before every sentence. After you say your name, you can continue on with just "... desu".

You can also introduce each other. Leave out "hajimemashite" and "douzo yoroshiku", and just say the person's name (...desu) and continue on with the intro.


How do you do?


I am (my name is)...


I am a... (student, teenager, etc.)


I am ...(Canadian, American, etc.)


I am...(years old).


Nice to meet you.

BGC Session Specifics

As per the everyone's request.

Vowel sounds: a = aw, i = ee, u = put, e = get, o = so, ai = aye, ei = hey

Points; the "u"s in "desu" and "masu" aren't said, so it comes out sounding like "des" and "mas".  The "i" at the end of "hajimemashite" isn't said, so it sounds like "hajimemashte".

In Japanese, the action comes at the end of the sentence: Watashi wa gakusei desu = I a student am.
 
Beginners' Japanese Journal This link has more information on the Japanese language.

Ohayou gozaimasu:  good morning
Konnichiwa:  good afternoon, good day
Konbanwa:  good evening
Oyasumi nasai:  good night
Hai: Yes
Chigaimasu:  No, it isn't right.
Ii desu ne/ Ii desu yo: That's right, that's good (approval)

Hajimemashite:  How do you do?:
Douzo yoroshiku:  Pleased to meet you.
Shigoto wa nan desu ka: what is your job/occupation?
Nan sai desu ka:  How old are you?
O namae wa:  Name?
Watashi wa: I
Watashi no namae wa:  My name
Desu: is/am

Jobs/Occupations:
Gakusei:  student
Juudai no ko:  teenager
Reedaa:  leader
Tomodachi:  friend
Kanada jin: Canadian
Amerika jin: American

Age:
Juusan sai:  13 years old
Juuyon sai:  14 years old
Juugo sai:  15 years old

Introduction order and information:

Remember; You don't have to say "watashi wa" before every sentence. After you say your name, you can continue on with just "... desu".

You can also introduce each other. Leave out "hajimemashite" and "douzo yoroshiku", and just say the person's name (...desu) and continue on with the intro.

How do you do?
I am (my name is)...
I am a... (student, teenager, etc.)
I am ...(Canadian, American, etc.)
I am...(years old).
Nice to meet you.

First Power Session

The very first Power Japanese session was held yesterday, and it was a huge success.  Everyone had fun, with a couple of brave souls standing at the front and making a full intro of themselves in Japanese.