I am Mie, teach Japanese at a Japanese language school in Tokyo. My Blog is mainly about Japanese grammars and what's happening in Japan, cultures, news .... a bit of everything! Hope you enjoy it!
My name is Mie, I teach Japanese in Tokyo. This blog is for someone who is interested in the Japanese Language, culture and everyday life. Hope it helps you :-)
読(よ)んでみましょう： let’s try to read a news 始(はじ)まった： started 人気(にんき)のある： very popular 大会(たいかい)： race (in this context) 定員(ていいん)： quota, quorum 10倍(ばい)： 10 times 応募(おうぼ)する： to apply
３万(まん)１８２人(にん)： 30,182 people 完走(かんそう)： run the whole course 東京都(とうきょうと)： The Tokyo Metropolitan Government 主催(しゅさい)： host 市民(しみん)： citizen 国内外(こくないがい)： in and outside of Japan, from home and abroad 選手(せんしゅ)： (sports) player, runner (in this news) 都心(としん)： central of Tokyo 繁華街(はんかがい)： busy downtown area, entertainment district 臨界(りんかい)地区(ちく)： 東京都お台場地区（Tokyo Odaiba Area） 駆(か)け抜(ぬ)けた： ran through 銀座(ぎんざ)： Ginza (Shopping district) 浅草(あさくさ)： Asakusa (Old downtown) 東京ビッグサイト： Tokyo Big Sight 江東区(こうとうく)： Koto ward 石原(いしはら)慎太郎(しんたろう)都知事(とちじ)： Shintaro Ishihara, the governor of Tokyo 号砲(ごうほう)： signal gun 都庁(とちょう)前(まえ)： in front of Tokyo Metropolitan City Hall 新宿区(しんじゅくく)： Shinjuku ward 制限時間(せいげんじかん)内(ない)に： within the time limit
Tokyo Marathon - 30,182 people could run 42.195km -
“Tokyo Marathon 2010 (hosted Tokyo Metoropolitan and others) has been taken place on 28th, there are about 35,000 people from inside and out of Japan ran through central Tokyo. It is a full-marathon course, they started from Tokyo City Hall with the gun signal by Shintaro Ishihara, the governer of Tokyo, ran through Ginza, Asakusa and Tokyo Big Sight which is its goal. 30,182 people, 94.1%, ran within 7 hours which is the time limit.
March starts from next week! There are 4 months to go for one who targets JLPT (N1-N3) in this July. Gambatte kudasai! I will write about Reading Comprehension (N1-N2 Level) knacks/tricks/techniques from Today.
① read fast/quickly
Train yourself to read fast. It’s an exercise, you will be able to do it if you practice. 5 minutes for the longest one, 3 minutes for middle ones. (set your alarm clock!)
Don’t worry about if you have lots of Kanji or vocabularies that you do not know/understand, just read it to the end. It is ok if you know what it is about roughly.
For example, “Kanzen Master Series Dokkai” textbook on page 24, it is ok if you understand 3 items are written which are : (a) sugar consumption (b) differences between countries (c) differences between year. There is no need to memorize/know about which year or each data/numbers at this stage.
②Elimination method
I think you would answer with the same technique in your own language reading comprehension. Delete answers that you think incorrect. I assume you can choose two of them from the 4 answers.
③Which one do you pick?
The remaining two answers : (a) you do not think the two are not correct (b) you think the two are not 100% incorrect In that case, choose the one which has “less incorrect degree”.
For example, #1 & #4 are definitely not right answers and you are not sure between #2 & #3. You do not think either one of them (#2 & #3) are correct, but the answer is #2 if you think that 30% wrong in #2 and 60% wrong in #3. There are not always you can find 100% correct answer.
Yes, of course, you will know if you have plenty of time. Unfortunately you do not have much time in the exam. So, pick one that you think less incorrect degree.
I will write about “Thank you” today. “Thank you” is also used for the past in Japanese, i.e. used for someone who has done something for you before. For example, A-san gives you some cookies. Of course, you say “thank you” at that time. And you have a chance to meet A-san again about a week later. Then “Thank you for the cookies. (They were very delicious.)” is often said. A-san feels good if you say “thank you” again some days later which shows you still remember about what he/she did before. Why don’t you try to use it?
過去(かこ)： past つまり： in short 誰(だれ)か： someone, somebody 何(なに)か： something 先日(せんじつ)は： the other day 少(すこ)したって： some days/hours later 言(い)われたら： if one would be said 覚(おぼ)えて： to remember うれしくなる： become happy 是非(ぜひ)： by all means
Yesterday was February 22bd, year Heisei 22. Date is printed on each train ticket so it was said “22.2.22” on the yesterday’s one. Tokyu Corporation and others sold a set of memorial tickets and all of them were sold out in 2 hours. It is very rare, lots of train fans queued to buy it.
平成(へいせい)： Heisei which is the current era name in Japan. 切符(きっぷ)： tickets, which is now used only for train tickets (i.e. not used for movie or concert tickets) 印刷(いんさつ)される： be printed 東急電鉄(とうきゅうでんてつ)： Tokyu Corperation which is one of the private rail ways companies 記念(きねん)した： commemorate 発売(はつばい)され： is sold 売(う)り切(き)れ： sold out 珍(めずら)しい： rare 並(なら)んで： line up ～そうです： I heard/read that ～
It has been a cold week last week, we got some snows also. But Sakura (Cherry Blossoms) season is just around the corner! It seems like some drinks which reflect image of Sakura are sold at Starbucks. Wish spring is coming soon!
I had a discussion with a new student about his study plans. He spoke very beautiful Japanese. Why I said “beautiful” is there was no mistakes in his Japanese. Even if someone who is at 2kyu or 1kyu level but has lots of mistakes, it would ruin everything and degrade his Japanese. For example, talking about trips “～wa kirei katta” "～wa oishii datta” or “ookii no otera o mimashita” and so on are common mistakes. Probably it would be like wearing fine cloths with lots of soy-sauce spots. If you would like to improve your Japanese, it is very important to study difficult grammars and vocabularies, however, it is also quite effective to correct your current mistakes at your level now.
先日(せんじつ)： shortly before 相談(そうだん)する： to consult なぜ～かというと： why (I) say it is ～ 間違(まちが)い： mistakes 下手(へた)に聞こえる： it sounds not so good ～てしまいます： negative connotations 例(たと)えば： for example 旅行(りょこう)の話(はなし)をする： talk about a trip 多分(たぶん)： probably 素敵(すてき)な： fancy, wonderful, great ～のに： even though シミ： spots 効果的(こうかてき)： effective
14th was St. Valentine ’s Day. Did you have a romantic day? People often give Chocolates as a Valentine’s Day present. However, these chocolates are probably not so happy to receive. Looks creepy!
Publishing "New Japanese-Language Proficiency Test Guidebook", "New Japanese-Language Proficiency Test Guidebook: An Executive Summary (Japanese/English version)", and "New Japanese-Language Proficiency Test Sample Questions"
The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services (JEES) are pleased to inform you of the publication of the New JLPT. We have released the following materials to indicate what the new JLPT will be like. The following items are available on this JLPT official website. Please freely download and make use of them, according to your needs.
(1)"ATARASHII NIHONGO NOURYOKU SHIKEN Guidebook" (Japanese only) (New Japanese-Language Proficiency Test Guidebook)
(2)-1 "ATARASHII NIHONGO NOURYOKU SHIKEN Guidebook GAIYOOBAN" (New Japanese-Language Proficiency Test Guidebook: An Executive Summary, Japanese version)
(2)-2 "New Japanese-Language Proficiency Test Guidebook: An Executive Summary, English version)
(3) "ATARASHII NIHONGO NOURYOKU SHIKEN MONDAIREI SYUU" (New Japanese-Language Proficiency Test Sample Questions) (Japanese only)
The (2)-1 and (2)-2 "New Japanese-Language Proficiency Test Guidebook: An Executive Summary" provides a brief overview of the New JLPT. The (1) "New Japanese-Language Proficiency Test Guidebook" is for more details about New JLPT. In addition, sample questions for each level, for each type of test items are released in the (3) 2New Japanese-Language Proficiency Test Sample Questions". In addition, the new JLPT booklets below have been recently published by BONJINSHA:.
* "New Japanese-Language Proficiency Test Guidebook: An Executive Summary, and Sample Questions for N1, N2 and N3" with a CD of the Listening Section. Price: 945 Japanese Yen, tax included.
* "New Japanese-Language Proficiency Test Guidebook: An Executive Summary, and Sample Questions for N4 and N5" with a CD of the Listening Section. Price: 840 Japanese Yen, tax included.
As for the above-mentioned material (3), a new collection of sample questions will be available in 2012 which includes test items taken from actual tests conducted in 2010 and 2011. It will have the same number of test items as the actual tests. After that, a workbook will be published periodically, consisting of past conducted test items.
Pandas will be back to Tokyo Ueno Zoo next year! Shintaro Ishihara, the governor of Tokyo, announced that Panda couples lease contract has been signed for 10 years costs 9.5 M dollars per year, on January 12th. “Kan-Kan” and “Ran-Ran” came to Japan first time in 1972, Panda had been a symbol of Ueno Zoo. However, there has been no Pandas since “Rin-Rin” died in 2008 April, the number of visitors has been decreased. NHK News
来年東京上野動物園にパンダが戻ってきます。 ２月１２日の石原東京都知事が会見で、来年中に中国からつがい１組を年間95万ドル（約8550万円）で10年間借りる契約をしたと発表しました。 1972年に初めて｢カンカン｣と｢ランラン｣が来てからジャイアントパンダは上野動物園のシンボルでした。 でも2008年４月に｢リンリン｣が死んでからずっとパンダがいなかったので、入園者数が減ってしまいました。 NHK News
- words & phrases -
来年(らいねん)： next year 上野(うえの)動物園(どうぶつえん)： Ueno Zoo 戻(もど)ってきます： will be back 石原(いしはら)東京(とうきょう)都知事(とちじ)： Ishihara, the governor of Tokyo[ 来年中(らいねんちゅう)： by the end of next year, during the next year 中国(ちゅうごく)から： from China つがい： brace, breeding pair 年間(ねんかん)95万(まん)ドル： 9.5 Million Dollars per year 借(か)りる契約(けいやく)： a contract for rent 発表(はっぴょう)しました： announced 入園者数(にゅうえんしゃすう)： the number of visitors 減(へ)ってしまいました： has decreased
* tenses ①present form : habitual action and future Ex. Tanaka san wa mainiti kaisha ni ikimasu. (Mr. Tanaka goes to the office every day.)
* For expressing present on-going action, different verb conjugation “te-form” is used. Ex. Kare wa ima hirugohan o tabete imasu. (He is having lunch now.)
②past form : past and present perfect Ex. Kare wa senshu Kyoto ni ikimashita. (He went/has been to Kyoto last week.)
(9) Adjectives
* two groups : ①i-adjective(Japanese origin words) and ②na-adjective(foreign words origin).
①I-adjectives end with “i”. Ex. Kyo wa atsui desu. (Today is hot. = It is hot today.)
②Na-adjectives do not end with “na” when they modify a noun, they must be followed by na. Ex. Kyoto wa yumeena machi desu. (Kyoto is a famous town.)
* conjugation : Japanese adjectives have conjugations (present affirmative, present negative, past affirmative, past negative) Ex. i-adjective "kawaii (cute)” -> kawaii, kawaikunai, kawaikatta, kawaikunakatta na-adjective “shizuka (quiet)” -> shizuka, shizuka janai, shizuka deshita, shizuka janakatta
* present form : present Ex. Kyo wa atsui desu. (Today is hot. = It is hot today.) * For expressing future tense, different form which conveys inference is used. Ex. Ashita wa atsui desho. (It will (probably) be hot tomorrow.) * past form : past Ex. Kino wa atsukatta desu. (Yesterday was hot. = It was hot yesterday.)
I will write about Japanese grammar basics again today.
(6) Particles
Japanese particles are similar to English prepositions, such as “in” and “at”. As you see below, English prepositions precede the noun, clause or phrase they modify. Japanese particles are postpositions come after the noun, clause or phrase.
Ex. Kare no heya de bangohan o tabemashita. = I had dinner in his room.
Although particles themselves do not carry any meaning, they provide an important role in sentence formation. The particle determines how the noun or clause functions in a sentence.
Ex. Heya o soji shimasu. = I (will) clean my room. -> room is an object Heya ga kirei desu. = My room is clean/beautiful. -> room is a subject Heya de yasumimasu. = I (will) take a break in my room. -> room is a place for the action
(7) Function and conjugation of “desu”
When “desu” is placed after a noun, it expresses the speaker’s polite attitude as well as tense.
Kare wa John-san desu. (present) He (as for him) John is
Kare wa kashu deshita (past) He (as for him) a singer was
Kyo wa Kaze ga tsumetai desu. Today (as for today) the wind is cold (add politeness)
Today I will write about very basics of Japanese grammars and structures.
(1) Word order A predicate (verb or adjective) comes at the end of a sentence. Tense and whether it is affirmative or negative are revealed only when the last word of the sentence is spoken. This is the reason that one must listen to the very end of a Japanese sentence to know whether it is negative/affirmative or question.
(2) omission Words or phrases are often omitted if they are understood from the context. Even the subject and object of a sentence are often omitted.
(3) Three basic structures Japanese sentences can be divided into the following three patters.
① Noun sentence : (topic) wa (Noun) desu. Ex. Watashi wa Suzuki desu. (I am Suzuki.)
② Adjective sentence : (topic) wa (Adjective) desu. Ex. Kono inu wa kawaii desu. (This dog is cute.)
③ Verb sentence : (topic) wa (Verb). Ex. Watashi wa arukimasu. (I (will) walk) * “desu” has a similar function to “to be” in English, and comes at the end of Noun and Adjective phrases.
(4) Negative Sentence Negative Sentences are made by modifying the end of a predicate. Ex. Kyo wa ame desu. -> Kyo wa ame dewa arimasen. (Today is rain. = It is raining today.)
(5) Question sentences Attach “ka” to the end of a Declarative Sentence to create a question sentence. Ex. Kore wa oishii desu ka. (Is this tasty?)
Meiji Shrine, near Harajuku station on JR Yamanote line, is also a popular tourist spot for one from overseas.
It is a very beautiful and quiet greenish area. The well in Meiji Shrine is broadcasted in last December as a “power spot”, there are many people come and visit it. It is said that luck will improve to place its photo on a cell phone idle display. It would be better to get there early because seems like you need to wait for 2-3 hours.
JR山手線(やまのてせん)： JR Yamanote Line 原宿駅(はらじゅくえき)： Harajuku station 明治神宮(めいじじんぐう)： Meiji Shrine 海外(かいがい)からの観光客(かんこうきゃく)： tourists from overseas 人気(にんき)の場所(ばしょ)： popular place/spot 緑(みどり)が多(おお)い： greenish, lots of green 井戸(いど)： well テレビで紹介(しょうかい)された： broadcasted on TV, introduced in a TV program 携帯電話(けいたいでんわ)： cell phone 待(う)ち受(う)け画面(がめん)： idle display, standby screen 運気(うんき)があがる： luck is improved 並(なら)ぶ： queue
2009 Dec JLPT result has been sent, I thinkg everybody has started to move for this year’s JLPT.
The problem is we still do not know (1) its pass line and (2) N3 details. Regarding the pass line, each skills such as grammars, reading and listening comprehensions is required to above the certain line not only pass total score. Therefore, it could be said the new JLPT gets more difficult to pass because of it.
Ok, then, what will we do for preparing N3? Before talking about N3, let’s see old 3kyu. When your level is at around finished textbooks, Minna no Nihongo 1&2, Japanese for Busy People 1-3, or Genki 1&2, you could pass 3kyu. However, 3kyu did not focus on some difficult parts like Keigo, Ukemi (passive), Shieki (causative) or Shieki-Ukemi (causative-passive). We, the teachers at our school, did actually give some advice if someone struggled with those difficult parts said that just ignored them if it was too difficult because there were only one or two questions.
It used to be for one who passed 3kyu then moved to 2kyu, those parts would become small matters comparing to study about 1000 Kanji or over 170 grammar points. Like someone who aimed 3kyu, the particles were not special grammar points anymore which were the main grammar points for 4kyu. So we presume that Keigo, Ukemi or Shieki and so on which are usually in a latter half of Minnano Nihongo 2 or JBP 3 would become important grammar points.
I came across a study book for N3 in Amazon site, have not checked it yet though.
みなさん、こんにちは！ We had snow last night (Feb 1st). It has been 2 years since the last time. People who live in cities do not get used to it, there are some people suffer fractures.
MSN News I took some photos myself but they were not good at all unfortunately…
- words & phrases - 昨日(きのう)： yesterday 雪(ゆき)が降(ふ)りました： it snowed ２年(ねん)ぶり： it has been two years since 都会(とかい)： city 慣(な)れていない： not get use to it 転(ころ)ぶ： fall down, slip 骨折(こっせつ)する： fracture
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