Unit 1 Lesson 3

Question 1

Connecting related sentences

Answer 1

The particle で after a noun can serve as a conjunction equivalent in meaning to the -te form. You can connect two sentences even if they’re two different subjects or topics.

ミルズさんはカナダ人で、かとうさんは日本人です。
Mr Mills is a Canadian and Mr Kato is a Japanese.

[わすれものは] 白(しろ)いかみぶくろで、中(なか)にチョコレートが入(はい)っています。
It’s a white paper bag, and inside it there are chocolates.

The -te (or -de) form of an adjective, too, can act as a conjunction.

For -i adjectives, you get the -te form by dropping the final い from the modifying form and adding くて
白(しろ)い→白(しろ)くて
white→white and …

For -na adjective, you drop な from the modifying form and add で
べんりな→べんりで
Convenient→covenient and …

ちかてつはべんりで安(やす)いです。
The subways are convenient and cheap.

You connect two or more adjectives with the -te form when they’re both/all either positive in meaning or negative. When you want to connect as a positive adjective with a negative one, as in the following example, you have to use the particle が.
このケーキはおいしいですが高(たか)いです。
The cake is delicious but expensive.

Question 2

Describe ongoing actions or states in effect

Answer 2

ていますform of a verb indicates an ongoing action

水をのんでいます。
I’m drinking water.

コートをきています。
I’m wearing a coat.

Two highly frequent verbs that well exemplify the state in effect meaning of te imasu are 入(はい)います to go inside and つきます to attach to or to come with.

グラスレワインが入っています。
Wine is in the glass.

バッグにはながついています。
A flower is attached to the bag.

Question 3

Going somewhere to do something

Answer 3

You use the masu stem of a verb followed by に行(い)きます, に来(き)ます or にかえります,to express the idea of coming, going, or returning to do something.

今からとりに行きます。
I’ll come and get it right away.