Lesson 13: Looking for a Part-Time Job Grammar + Expression Notes

Question 1

Potential verb translation:

Answer 1

“Used to say that someone “can,” or “has the ability to,” do something, or that something is “possible.” They conjugate as regular る-verbs.

Question 2

Potential verb conjugations:

Answer 2

る-verbs: drop the final -る and add られる。

Example: 見る (mi-ru) ー＞ 見られる (mi-rareru)

う-verbs: drop the final -う and add -える。

Examples: 行く ー＞ 行ける；話す ー＞ 話せる；買う ー＞ 買える

Irregular verbs: くる ー＞ こられる；する ー＞ できる

Question 3

Alternative potential forms:

Answer 3

Drop the ら in られる。 “These ら-less forms are gaining popularity, but are considered slightly substandard.”

Example: 見られる ー＞ 見れる

Question 4

私は日本語が話せます。

Answer 4

I can speak Japanese.

Question 5

私は泳げないんです。

Answer 5

(The truth is) I cannot swim.

Question 6

雨が降ったので、海に行けませんでした。

Answer 6

We could not go to the beach, because it rained.

Question 7

Which particle do potential forms take in a sentence: を or が?

Answer 7

Verbs with を: can take either を or が when made potential.

するーできる: almost always takes が (“The use of を with できる is considered highly substandard.”)

Verbs that do not follow を: no particle change.

Question 8

〜し translation:

Answer 8

Is used just like から, but is used to mention two or more reasons for a situation.

(reason1) し、(reason2) し、(situation)。

Question 9

日本語はおもしろいし、先生はいいし、私は日本語の授業が大好きです。

Answer 9

I really like my Japanese class, because Japanese language is interesting, and our teacher is good.

Question 10

家族から手紙が来たし、彼と電話で話したし、きのうはとてもいい日でした。

Answer 10

Yesterday was a great day - a letter came in from my family, and I talked with my boyfriend on the phone.

Question 11

Other uses for し:

Answer 11

You can use just one し clause, implying that it is not the only reason for this situation.

Example: 物価が安いし、この町の生活は楽です。Life in this city is an easygoing one. Things are inexpensive, for one thing.

Sometimes the し clauses follow the description of the situation explained.

Example: 山下先生はいい先生です。教えるのが上手だし、親切だし。Professor Yamashita is a great teacher, He is good at teaching, and he is kind.

Question 12

し follows the short forms (unless in very polite speech where it can follow long forms). In other words:

Answer 12

い-adjectives: 面白いし
な-adjectives: 好きだし
noun + です: 学生だし

Question 13

〜そうです translation:

Answer 13

“It looks like (adjective/property)”

Question 14

〜そうです conjugation:

Answer 14

い-adjectives: drop the final い

EXCEPTION: いい ー＞ よさ

な-adjectives: drop な

Question 15

このりんごはおいしそうです。

Answer 15

This apple looks delicious.

Question 16

あしたはtネキがよさそうです。

Answer 16

It looks like the weather will be fine tomorrow.

Question 17

メアリーさんは元気そうでした。

Answer 17

It looked like Mary was fine.

Question 18

そうです negative endings + use with verbs:

Answer 18

The negative ending ない is changed to なさ before そう。

Example: ともこさんはテニスが上手じゃなさそうです。It does not look like Tomoko is good at tennis.

Use a verb stem with そうです to describe an imminent event. The negative of the verb stem + そうです will be 〜そうもありません。

Example: 雨が降りそうもありません。It does not look like it will rain.

Question 19

Adjective + そうな:

Answer 19

Is used before a noun; means “(adjective)-looking (noun). そうis a な-adjectives, so な is added in this combination.

Question 20

暖かそうなセーターを着ています。

Answer 20

She wears a warm-looking sweater.

Question 21

Which use of そうです is acceptable: おいしそうです or きれいそうです and why?

Answer 21

We use そうです when we lack conclusive evidence (used on the basis of visual impressions).

おいしそうです is acceptable because the speaker does not actually know if the apple is delicious or not. Once they tasted it, it is おいしい。

きれいそうです is NOT acceptable because one will already have enough visual evidence to know if it is pretty; we already have enough evidence to conclude that it is pretty.

Question 22

〜てみる translation and conjugation:

Answer 22

Used to express the idea of “doing something tentatively,” or “trying something,” not knowing what the outcome will be.

Use the te-form of a verb + みる。This conjugates as a regular ru-verb.

Question 23

漢字がわからなかったので、日本人の友だちに聞いてみました。

Answer 23

I did not know the kanji, so I tried asking a Japanese friend of mine.

Question 24

友だしがあの店のケーキはおいしいと言っていましたから、今度たべてみます。

Answer 24

My friends say that the cake at the shop is good. I will have a piece one of these days (and see if it really lives up to its reputation).

Question 25

なら translation:

Answer 25

“(NOUN A) なら (predicate X)” says that predicate X applies only to A and is not more generally valid, so ならcan be translated as “limitation” and “contrast”.

Example:

Q: ブラジルに行ったことがありますか。Have you ever been to Brazil?

A: メキシコなら行ったことがありますが、ブラジルは行ったことがありません。I’ve been to Mexico, but never been to Brazil.

Question 26

Particle rules for なら:

Answer 26

Particles such as に、で、and から may, but do not have to, intervene between the noun and なら (you can optionally keep the particle).

は、が、and を never go with なら。

Question 27

Q: 日本語がわかりますか。

A: ひらがなならわかります。

Answer 27

Q: Do you understand Japanese?

A: if it is in hiragana, yes.

Question 28

What does なら do in both なら examples?

Answer 28

なら introduces a sentence that says something “positive” about the item that is contrasted.

Example 1: Mexico is in a positive light and in contrast to Brazil, which the question was originally about.

Example 2: Hiragana is contrasted with the language as a whole.

Question 29

一週間に三回 (frequency of events) framework:

Answer 29

(period) に (frequency) = (frequency) per (period)

Question 30

私は一週間に三回髪を洗います。

Answer 30

I shampoo (my hair) three times a week.

Question 31

私は一か月に一回家族に電話をかけます。

Answer 31

I call my family once a month.

Question 32

父は一年に二回旅行をします。

Answer 32

My father goes on a trip twice a year.

Question 33

Expression Notes: Verbs for the Playing of Musical Instruments:

Answer 33

For stringed and keyboard instruments:　ひく

For wind instruments: ふく

For percussion instruments: たたく

Question 34

Expression Notes: Verbs for Referring to Musical Instruments in General:

Answer 34

やる and できる (for potential)

Examples:

何が楽器ができますか。Can you play any instruments?

何が楽器をやりますか。Do you play any instruments?

Question 35

Expression Notes: 上手/上手に:

Answer 35

Both い-adjectives and な-adjectives can modify verbs as adverbs. With い-adjectives, the final い is dropped and くis added. With な-adjectives, に is added.

Example: 毎日日本語を楽しく勉強しています。I enjoy studying Japanese every day.

Question 36

料理が上手です。上手に料理ができます。

Answer 36

I am good at cooking. I can cook well.