Japanese for Busy People Unit 1 Flashcards
Wa
“As for….”
Follows the first noun in a sentence singling it out as the topic. Noun 2 is then identified and and the phrase concludes with “desu”
Ex. “Gurei-san wa bengoshi desu”. Mr Gray is an attorney.
It is the particle that denotes the topic of the sentence
Ka
Use this to make a question.
“Gurei-san wa bengoshi desu ka” - Is Mr. Gray an attorney?
“Hai, bengoshi desu” - Yes, he is an attorney
“Iie, bengoshi dewa arimasen” - No he isn’t an attorney
Yes
Hai
No
Iie
Negative form of “desu”
Dewa arimasen or Ja arimasen
Ja is more informal otherwise they are the same
Present form affirmative and negative
Desu - is (affirmative)
Dewa arimasen - is not (negative)
Past form affirmative and negative
Deshita - was (affirmative)
Dewa arimasendeshita - was not (negative)
kochira
this one (polite for this person)
“this person here”
Kochira wa Sumisu-san desu - This one is Mike
desu
be
ABC Fuzu
ABC Foods (first u has a line over it)
The particle “no”
it expresses belonging or affiliation. It attaches to nouns
“Nozomi Depato no Takahashi desu” - indicates that Mr. Takahashi works for (belongs) to the Nozomi Department store
bengoshi
attorney, lawyer
Hajimemashite
how do you do?
Yoroshiku onegaishimasu
Pleased to meet you.
Usually combined with Hajimemashite (how do you do?)
Also used when leaving after having asked a favor.
Nihon
Japan
Chûgoku
China (line over first u)
Doitsu
Germany
Igirisu
the UK
Amerika
The United States
Ôsutoraria
Australia
Tai
Thailand
(Country name) + jin
person from country such as Nihon-jin
hisho
secretary
gakusei
student
enjinia
engineer
Hofuman
Hoffman (last name)
Buraun
Brown (last name)
Rin
Lin (last name)
Sumisu-san wa Amerika-jin desu
Mr. Smith is American
Sumisu-san wa bengoshi desu
Mr. Smith is a lawyer
anata
you
Berurin Môtâzu
Berlin Motors
Rondon Ginkô
London Bank
Ginkô
Bank
Daigaku
university, college
Tôkyo
Tokyo
o (as in o onegaishimasu)
used when asking to see somebody as in “Takahashi-san o onegaishimasu”. Mr. Takahashi please
onegaishimasu
please
uketsuke
reception desk, receptionist
Donata
Who
hai, dôzo
please go ahead, please feel free
Donata desu ka
Who is it?
Watashi wa Asurion no shain desu
I am an employee of Asurion
Watashi no meishi. Dozo
This is my business card. Here.
Dômo arigatô gozaimasu. Kore wa Takahashi-san no namae desu ka.
Thank you very much. (pointing to name on other side of business card). Is this your name?
Ee, sô desu. Takashi Shingo desu
Yes, that’s right. It’s Shingo Takahashi
Kore wa?
What about this?
Kaisha no namae desu. Nozomi Depatô desu
It’s the name of my company. It’s “Nozomi Department Store”
Watashi no
my
meishi
business card
dôzo
please, if you please
dômo arigatô gozaimasu
thank you very much
kore
this one
namae
name
ee
yes (les formal than hai)
sô desu
that’s right
kore wa?
what about this?
kaisha
company, the office
Watashi no meishi
My business card (the no expresses possession)
Levels of formality in saying thank you
Dômo arigatô gozaimasu
Arigatô gozaimasu
Dômo arigatô
Arigatô
Kore wa?
“what about this”?
The rising intonation on wa makes this a question without using Ka
0
zero / rei
1
ichi
2
ni
3
san
4
yon / shi
5
go
6
roku
7
nana / shichi
8
hachi
9
kyû / ku
how you say a phone number
put no in between the area code and the exchange and between the exchange and last 4 numbers. 0 in phone numbers is pronounced zero instead of rei
jûsho
address
denwa-bangô
telephone number
denwa
telephone
bangô
number
merû-adoresu
e-mail address
keitai
cell / mobile phone
kasa
umbrella
hon
book
shimbun
newspaper
kagi
key
tokei
watch, clock
dewa arimasen
is / are not
nan
what
taishikan
embassy
Introduce someone (Mr. Smith)
Kochira wa Sumisu-san desu
It means “I” but is rarely used in conversational Japanese
It means “you” but is barely used in conversational Japanese
Watashi
Anata
Say, “I am Smith”
(Watashi wa) Sumisu desu
Say, “Mr. Smith is an attorney with ABC Foods”
Sumisu-san wa ABC Fuzû no bengoshi desu
Say, “This is Mr. Takahashi from Nozomi Department Store”
Kochira wa Nozomi Depâto no Takahashi-san desu
Say, “Mr. Hoffman is from Germany”
Hofuman-san wa Doitsu-jin desu
Say, “Mr. Smith is a lawyer”
Sumisu-san wa bengoshi desu
Ask if Mr. Smith is American then reply that he is
Sumisu-san wa Amerika-jin desu ka
Hai, Amerika-jin desu
Ask if Mr. Smith is an engineer and reply no that he is a lawyer
Sumisu-san wa enjinia desu ka
Iie. Bengoshi desu
Ask if Mr. Smith is American or from the UK
Sumisu-san wa Amerika-jin desu ka, Igirisu desu ka
Amerika-jin desu
Introduce Mr. Hoffman of Berlin Motors to another person then Mr. Smith of ABC Foods
Kochira wa Berurin Môtâzu no Hofuman-san desu. Kochira wa ABC Fuzû no Sumisu-san desu
Say, “I’m Mr. Smith from ABC Foods. I’d like to see Mr. Takahashi please.”
ABC Fuzû no Sumisu desu. Takahashi-san o onegaishimasu.
The home buzzer rings. Say:
“Yes, who is it.”
“It’s Nakamura”
“All right. Please come in”
Hai. Donata desu ka
Nakamura desu
Hai, dôzo
donata
Donata desu ka
who
who is it?
(Kore wa) watashi no meishi desu
My business card (literally - this one is my business card) with the no expressing possession
Dôzo
please, if you please, here you go
Sô desu
that’s right
Kore wa
What about this?
Count to 9
zero/rei ichi ni son yon/shi go roku nana/shîchi hachi kyû/ku
address as in street address
jûsho
telephone number
Email address
denwa-bangô
mêru-adoresu
This is a business card
This not a business card
This is Ms. Sasaki’s umbrella
Mr. Takahashi’s telephone number is 03-3459-9620
Kore wa meishi desu
Kore wa meishi dewa arimasen
Kore wa Sasaki-san no kasa desu
Takahashi-san no denwa-bangô wa …..
