Lesson 15: A Trip to Nagano Grammar + Expression Notes

Question 1

What is volitional form?

Answer 1

The volitional form of a verb is a less formal, more casual equivalent of ましょう. You can use it to suggest a plan to a close friend, for example.

Question 2

Dictionary formる-verb to volitional form:

Answer 2

Drop the final -ru and add -yoo

Example: 食べる ー＞ 食べよう

Question 3

Dictionary form う-verb to volitional form:

Answer 3

Drop the final -u and add -oo

Examples: 行く ー＞ 行こう

話す ー＞ 話そう

買う ー＞ 買おう

Question 4

Irregular verbs to volitional form:

Answer 4

来る ー＞ こよう

する ー＞ しよう

Question 5

明日はじょうぎょうがないから、今夜、どこかに食べに行こう。

Answer 5

We don’t have any classes tomorrow. Let’s go some place for dinner tonight.

Question 6

結婚しようよ。

Answer 6

Hey, let’s get married!

Question 7

How do we use volitional form?

Answer 7

1: Casually suggest a plan
2: Can be used plus the particle か to ask for an opinion in your offer or suggestion
3: Used with と思っています to talk about our determinations
4: Used with と思います to suggest that the decision to perform the activity is being made ON THE SPOT at the time of speaking.

Question 8

手伝おうか。

Answer 8

Shall I lend you a hand?

Question 9

友だしがおもしろいと言っていたから、この映画を見ようか。

Answer 9

Shall we see this film? My friends say it is good.

Question 10

今度、いつ会おうか。

Answer 10

When shall we meet again?

Question 11

毎日三時間日本語を勉強しようと思っています。

Answer 11

I’ve decided to/I’m going to study Japanese for three hours every day.

Question 12

Q: 一万円上げましょう。何に使いますか。
A: 漢字の辞書をかおうとおもいます。

Answer 12

Q: I will give you 10,000 yen. What will you use it for?
A: I will buy a kanji dictionary. (decision made on the spot)

Question 13

Q: 両親から１万円もらったんですか。何に使うんですか。
A: 漢字の辞書を買おうと思っています。

Answer 13

Q You got 10,000 yen from your parents? What are you going to use it for?
A: I am going to buy a kanji dictionary. (decision already made)

Question 14

〜ておく translation:

Answer 14

The te-form of a verb plus the helping verb おく describes an action performed in preparation for something.

Question 15

明日試験があるので、今晩勉強しておきます。

Answer 15

Since there will be an exam tomorrow, I will study (for it) tonight.

Question 16

寒くなるから、ストーブをつけておきました。

Answer 16

I turned the heater on by way of precaution, because it was going to get colder.

Question 17

ホテルを予約しておかなくちゃいけません。

Answer 17

I must make a hotel reservation in advance.

Question 18

Using Sentences to Qualify Nouns (Relative Clauses): What do these sentences do?

Answer 18

They tell us what kind of noun we are talking about, just like adjectives.

Grammatically speaking, these are called RELATIVE CLAUSES.

A “qualifier sentence + noun” combination is just like one big noun phrase.

Question 19

Using Sentences to Qualify Nouns (Relative Clauses) Rules:

Answer 19

1. Relative clauses precede the nouns they are modifying.
2. No relative pronouns (who, whom, whose, which, that, etc.) or adverbs should go between the relative clause and the modified noun.
3. The topic particle は is not used in the relative clause. Instead, の or が is used.
4. The verb in the relative clause must end in PLAIN FORM

Question 20

これは去年の誕生日に彼女がくれた本です。

Answer 20

This is a book that my girlfriend gave me on my birthday last year.

Question 21

父がエイミー・たんが書いた本をくれました。

Answer 21

My father gave me a book that Amy Tan wrote.

Question 22

私が一番感動した映画は「生きる」です。

Answer 22

The movie I was touched by the most is To Live.

Question 23

Expression Notes: Particle Drop Explanation:

Answer 23

The particles は, が, and を are frequently dropped in the casual speech. Additionally, if the question is a yes/no question, the particle か can be dropped (except volitional form).

Question 24

Expression Notes: 思ってる Explanation:

Answer 24

思ってるis the contraction of 思っている、where the vowel い of the helping verb いる is dropped.

Question 25

Expression Notes: 言ってたから Explanation:

Answer 25

言ってた is the contradiction of 行っていた。

Question 26

Expression Notes: だ Casual Rule:

Answer 26

In casual speech, だ is dropped at the end of a sentence, but is retained when it is followed by よ or ね.

A: 今日、何曜日？
B: 水曜日。/水曜日だよ。

Question 27

Expression Notes: Short Present + 予定です Explanation:

Answer 27

You can use 予定です to a verb in the present tense short form when you want to say that something is scheduled to take place.

Example: 私は今度の週末に韓国に行く予定です。I am scheduled to go to Korea this coming weekend.

You can also use 予定です with verbs in the negative.

Example: 明日は学校に来ない予定です。I am not planning to come to school tomorrow.

Question 28

私の兄は九月に結婚する予定です。

Answer 28

My big brother is scheduled to get married this September.

Question 29

Expression Notes: Difference Between 見える/見られる (Intransitive Verbs Vs. Potential Form):

Answer 29

Intransitive verbs are used to describe how someone or something is spontaneously performed. In this case, 見える means “something or someone is spontaneously visible.”

The potential form of a verb is used to describe how something is performed actively rather than passively. In this case, みられる, the potential form of 見る, means that the subject of the sentence can see something or someone actively rather than passively.

部屋の窓から海が見えます。I can see the ocean from the window of the room.

どこであの映画が見られますか。Where can I see that movie?

Question 30

Expression Notes: 〜目 Translation:

Answer 30

The suffix 目 turns a number into a reverence to a position in a series, like first, second, third and fourth.

Examples: 一人目 first person; 二枚目 second sheet; 三年目 third year