Genki Grammar Flashcards
Do not use particle に with (1) time expressions relative to present moment, such as today or tomorrow, (2) intervals, such as every day, and (3) “when”
あした来ます
まいばんテレビを見ます
いつ行きますか
Words where お is optional in front
お酒 (おさけ)
お金 (おかね)
お風呂 (おふろ)
お祭り (おまつり)
the o adds smoothness & nuance of social refinement
Describing physical attributes:
[person] は [body part] が [adj]
Info only
わかりません
Say this if you don’t know the answer but should’ve thought about it.
知(し)りません
Would be rude in this context, implying your ignorance is none of the inquirer’s business.
Speaking informal: drop the だ at the end
unless following up with ね or よ
〜がとくい です
good at/comfortable with
[when describing one’s skills]
〜がにがて です
bad at/uncomfortable with
[describing one’s lack of skill]
作文 (さくぶん)
essay, composition
試験 (しけん)
exam
メール
病気 (びょうき)
sickness, illness
薬 (くすり)
medicine
今度 (こんど)
near future
先月 (せんげつ)
去年 (きょねん)
some い-adjectives
青い、赤い、黒い、白い
寂しい (さびしい)
若い (わかい)
A と B と どちら／どっちの方が[property]
Comparing 2 items
“Between A and B, which is more…”
Can get rid of の方 too.
どっち is more colloquial.
A と B と C/Category X の中で[question word]がいちばん[property]
Comparing 3 or more items
Question words: だれ、どれ、何、いつ、どこ
どれ is preferred with lists of items
なに is preferred with category/group name
(の方&どっち are NOT used!)
Replace noun/adjective with の if it’s clear what you’re referring to, to avoid repetition
“…one”
の mainly refers to things not people
の for people is limited to describing them with のは first, and then naming that person with です
e.g. あそこで歌っているのは田中さんです
Replace noun with の for sense of “mine” or “yours”
e.g. わたしの[かばん]です
e.g. アメリカの車の方が日本の[車]より大きいです。
verb (short, present) + つまり です
I intend to…
Verb can be positive or negative
Adj + なる
い-adj —> use く なる
な-adj —> use に なる
noun —> use に なる
〜[stem]たい と思っています
have wanted to
(your wish is one you have entertained for some time)
〜[stem]たがっている
replaces たい
describes your observation that somebody wants to do something
e.g. メアリーさんはきものをきたがっています
Derived from たがる (I think that she wants to, bc of the way she’s behaving)
〜たり〜たりする/しました
verb (short, past) + り , verb (short, past) + り
do such things as this and that
- the actions are listed as examples
Another use:
おどったり、おんがくをきいたりするのがすきです
verb (short, past) + ことがある
have the experience of…
ヨーロッパに行ったことがありますか？
Have you ever been to Europe?
Answer: はい、あります
は in negative sentences
More natural than を or が
テレビを見ますか？
A:いいえ、テレビは見ません
コーヒーが好きですか？
A: いいえ、コーヒーは好きじゃないです
Rule of thumb is that negative JP sentences tend to have at least one は phrase
は can also follow particles like で & に
英語では話したくない
東京には行ったことがありません
Genki 1 pg. 262
だけ
Add to numbers/counters to talk about having just that many items
だけ suggests that you can live with that few though the number admittedly could have been higher
1つだけしつもんがある
その人にいっかいだけ会ったことがあります
しか means “only” in the sense that you do not have enough of
夢 (ゆめ)
2 meanings:
1. sleeping dreams - use 見る
2. aspirations - 持っている or ある
には
Describes a place in terms of things that are found there.
東京にはデパートがたくさんあります
東京にデパートがたくさんあります
Both mean “There are many department stores in Tokyo” but there’s a subtle difference.
The first sentence answers questions like “what is Tokyo like? “
The second sentence answers questions like “where do you find many department stores?”
〜んです
makes sentences an explanation
short form + んです
な-adjective & noun: なんです
also used a lot with question words
どうしたんですか what happened? (bc you look like crap)
どうしてなんですか whyy
will see the more formal のです in writing
informal:
んですか = の
んです = んだ
〜すぎる
too much
Verb stem + すぎる (conjugated like ru-verb]
い & な-adj: drop those and add すぎる
この町(まち)はしずかすぎる
This town is too quiet.
Used when something is beyond normal or proper, suggesting you don’t welcome it. For positive things, use とても or すごく
Can also use as a noun: すぎ
食べすぎです
食べなさすぎる
Eat too little
〜ほうがいい
it is better (for you) to do…
(really should/should not)
Verb (short, past, affirmative) + …
Verb (short, present, negative) + …
〜ので
because
(Similar to から in rules)
ので is usually used with short form but can use ます to be super polite
Use な in between if ので follows な-adj or noun
Use ので if the first sentence before it is valid, acceptable, believed by the listener. If there is uncertainty, use から
〜なければいけません／なきゃいけません
Shorten to:
〜なきゃ
〜なくちゃ
〜ないと
must/have to
Short negative stem + なきゃ
Many variations - just pick one
Can also use the substitute なりません for いけません
〜でしょうか
でしょう = probably
Asking with it adds tentativeness and politeness, implying you think the listener has a better-informed opinion
でしょうか follows short form predicates (affirmative or negative, present or past), and directly follows after nouns/な-adj without the だ
食べるでしょう - probably eat
飲まないでしょう - probably not drink
寒いでしょう - probably cold
東京でしょう - probably Tokyo
肉が食べれるでしょう - can probably eat meat
〜でしょ
…right?
(same rules as でしょう)
casual, rising intonation
何(なん)の薬(くすり)ですか？
What kind of medicine?
Generally use やる and できる when referring to musical instruments
何(なに)か楽器(がっき)ができますか
Can you play any instruments?
