LIVING LANGUAGE - iKnow Japanese - Beginner Level Japanese Program

ashi no yubi ano uchi
toe that house (over there)

shita, bero Sore wa ii kangae desu ne.
tongue That is a good idea.

ha sono tegami
tooth that letter

chitsu sono hito
vagina that person

tekubi ano ki
wrist that tree (over there)

This and That sono kotoba
that word
Kore mo sore mo dame desu.
Both this one and that one are no Sore desu.
good. That’s it./It’s that.

Are o kudasai. kono hon
Give me that (over there), please. this book

Are ja arimasen. kono hoteru
It isn’t that./That’s not it. this hotel

Are desu. Kore wa watakushi no desu.
It’s that (over there). This is mine.

Sore o totte kudasai. kono tegami
Please pick that one. this letter

ano neko Kore wa watakushi no desu;
that cat (over there) are wa anata no desu.
This one is mine; that one (over there)
sono hi is yours.
that day
kono hito
sono hoteru this person
that hotel

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kono hanashi rainen
this story next year

Kore wa doo yuu imi desu ka? sarainen
What does this mean? in two years, the year after next

This Week, Next Month, etc. issakunen, ototoshi
the year before last
konshuu
this week asa
in the morning
senshuu
last week ban
in the evening
raishuu
next week hiru goro
around noon
saraishuu
in two weeks, the week after next yuushokugo
after dinner (the evening meal)
kongetsu
this month shuumatsu
at the end of the week
sengetsu
last month getsumatsu
at the end of the month
raigetsu
next month konshuu no owari goro ni
toward the end of the week
saraigetsu
the month after next juu gofun inai ni
in a quarter of an hour
sensengetsu
two months ago, the month before sono uchi ni
last one of these days

kotoshi mainichi
this year every day

kyonen, sakunen ichinichi juu
last year all day (long)

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hitoban juu Enpitsu ga arimasu ka?
all night (long) Do you have a pencil?/Is there a
pencil?

To Be or Not to Be Watashi wa gakusei desu.
I’m a student.
Anata wa Amerikajin desu ka?
Are you an American? Watashi wa kaishain desu.
I’m a businessperson.
Hai, soo desu.
Yes, I am. (Yes, am so.) Kono tatemono wa Igirisu
Taishikan desu ka?
Dono tatemono ga Amerika Is this building the British Embassy?
Taishikan desu ka?
Which building is the American Igirisu Taishikan ja arimasen.
Embassy? It is not the British Embassy.

Ano tatemono wa Amerika Watashi wa gakusei ja arimasen.
Taishikan desu. I’m not a student.
That building is the American
Embassy. Ano hito wa kaishain ja arimasen.
He (that person) is not a
Ano tatemono ga Amerika businessperson.
Taishikan desu ka?
Is that building the American Watashi wa gakusei deshita.
Embassy? I was a student.

Sumisu-san wa Amerika Taishikan Tanaka-san wa sensei deshita.
ni imasu. Ms. Tanaka was a teacher.
Mr. Smith is in the American Embassy.
Kare wa gakusei ja arimasen
Tanaka-san wa Tookyoo ni imasu. deshita.
Ms. Tanaka is in Tokyo. He was not a student.

Okinawa wa doko ni arimasu ka? Kore wa hoteru deshoo.
Where is Okinawa? This is probably a hotel.

Nippon to Taiwan no aida ni Ano hito wa Amerikajin deshoo.
arimasu. He (that person) is probably
It is between Japan and Taiwan. American.

Dono kata ga Tanaka-san desu ka?
Which person is Ms. Tanaka?

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Ano hito wa sensei ja nai deshoo. Gekijoo kara kimasu.
He (that person) is probably not a I am coming from the theater.
teacher.
Sugu kimasu.
Kuruma wa Nihonsei ja I am coming right away.
nai deshoo.
The car is probably not Japanese. Amerika kara kita bakari desu.
I have just come from the United
Ano hito wa sensei ja States.
nakatta deshoo.
He (that person) was probably not a To Do
teacher.

Kuruma wa Nihonsei ja Shimasu.
nakatta deshoo. I do. (you do, he/she does, etc.)
The car was probably not Japanese.
Shite imasu.
To Come I’m doing it.

Kimasu. Nani o shite imasu ka?
I come. (you come, he/she comes, What are you doing?
etc.)
Doo shimasu ka?
Kite kudasai! How do you do that?
Please come!
Nani o shite imashita ka?
Koko e kite kudasai. What have you been doing?
Come here, please.
Shinaide kudasai!
Watakushi to issho ni kite kudasai. Please don’t do it!
Come with me, please.
Moo shinaide kudasai.
Mata kite kudasai. Please don’t do it anymore.
Come again, please.
Shinakereba narimasen.
Doko kara kimasu ka? You must do it.
Where are you coming from?
Shite wa ikemasen.
Tookyoo kara kimasu. You mustn’t do it.
I am coming from Tokyo.
Nani mo shite imasen.
I’m not doing anything.

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Nani mo shinaide kudasai. Tabenaide kudasai.
Don’t do anything, please. Please don’t eat.

Hayaku shite kudasai! Donna mono o tabemashita ka?
Do it quickly, please! What kinds of things did you eat?

Chuui shite kudasai! Sukiyaki ya tenpura o
Pay attention, please! tabemashita.
We ate sukiyaki, tempura, and things
To Eat like that.

Tabemasu. To Go
I eat./I will eat. (you eat/will eat, etc.)
ikimasu
Tabete imasu. I go (you go, he/she goes, etc.)
I am eating.
ikimashita
Tabemashita. I went
I ate.
ikimasen
Tabete imashita. I don’t go
I was eating.
ikimashoo
Tabete kudasai. I think I’ll go./Let’s go.
Please eat.
Ike!
Tabemashoo. Go! (sharp command)
Let’s eat.
Itte kudasai!
Tabemasen. Please go!
I do not eat./I will not eat.
Ikanaide kudasai.
Tabete imasen. Please don’t go.
I am not eating.
Yukkuri itte kudasai.
Tabemasen deshita. Go slowly, please.
I did not eat.
Itte sagashite kudasai.
Tabete imasen deshita. Go look for it, please.
I was not eating.

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Soko e ikanakereba narimasen. Okane o motte imasu.
We have to go there. (If I don’t go, it I have money.
won’t do.)
Okane o juubun motte imasu.
Itte wa ikemasen. I have enough money.
You must not go.
Okane o sukoshi mo motte
Ikanakute mo ii desu. imasen.
We don’t have to go. I don’t have any money. (I don’t have
even a little bit of money.)
Itte mo ikanakute mo ii desu.
It doesn’t matter whether we go or Motte imasu ka?
not. Do you have (it)?

Itte mo ii desu. Motte imasen ka?
You may go./You have my permission Don’t you have (it)?
to go.
Okane o motte imasu ka?
Ikitai desu ga iku koto ga Do you have (any) money?
dekimasen.
I want to go, but I can’t (go). Okane o juubun motte imasu ka?
Do you have enough money?
Itta koto ga arimasu.
I have been there. Enpitsu o motte imasu ka?
Do you have a pencil?
Itta koto wa arimasen.
I have never been there. Okane o juubun motte imasen ka?
Don’t you have enough money?
Iku koto ga arimasu.
I sometimes go. Enpitsu o motte imasen ka?
Don’t you have a pencil?

To Have and Have Not Motte inakereba narimasen.
I have to have (it). (If I don’t have it, it
Motte imasu. won’t do.)
I have. (you have, he/she has, etc.)
Motte inakereba narimasen ka?
Motte imasen. Do I have to have (it)?
I don’t have. (you don’t have, he/she
doesn’t have, etc.) Motte inakute mo ii desu.
I don’t have to have (it). (Even if I
Nani mo motte imasen. don’t have it, I will be all right.)
I have nothing./I don’t have anything.

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Motte inakute mo ii desu ka? Kippu o motte iru
Don’t I have to have it? kamoshiremasen.
I may have the ticket.
Pasupooto o motte inakereba
narimasen. Okane o motte inai
You have to have a passport. kamoshiremasen.
I may not have any money.
Kippu o motte inakereba
narimasen. Kippu o motte inai
You have to have a ticket. kamoshiremasen.
I may not have the ticket.
Pasupooto o motte inakereba
narimasen ka? To Say
Do you have to have a passport?

Kippu o motte inakereba Iimasu.
narimasen ka? I say. (you say, he/she says, etc.)
Do you have to have a ticket?
Ikanai to iimashita.
Pasupooto o motte inakute I said that I wouldn’t go. (I said, “I will
mo ii desu. not go.”)
You don’t have to have a passport.
Iinikui desu.
Kippu o motte inakute mo ii desu. It’s hard to say.
You don’t have to have a ticket.
Itte kudasai.
Pasupooto o motte inakute mo ii Say (it)!/Tell (it), please.
desu ka?
Don’t I have to have a passport? (Is Iwanaide kudasai.
it all right to go even if I don’t have a Don’t say that, please.
passport?)
Kuru yoo ni itte kudasai.
Motte iru ka moshiremasen. Tell him to come, please.
I may have (it). (I can’t tell if I have it.)
Konai yoo ni itte kudasai.
Motte inai kamoshiremasen. Please tell him not to come.
I may not have (it).
Nan to iimashita ka?
Okane o motte iru What did you say?
kamoshiremasen.
I may have (some) money.

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To Speak kamera
camera
Hanashimasu.
I speak./I talk./I will speak./I will talk. Watashitachi no shashin o totte
(you speak/talk, etc.) kudasai masu ka?
Can you take our picture?
Hanashimashita.
I spoke./I talked./I have spoken./ gaidotsuki no tsuaa
I have talked. guided tour

Hanashimashoo. hoteru
Let’s talk./Let’s speak./I think I’ll talk./ hotel
I think I’ll speak.
annaijo, infomeeshonsentaa
Hanashite imasu. information center
I am talking/speaking.
chizu
Hanashite imashita. map
I was talking/speaking.
kinenhi
Hanashite kudasai. monument
Please talk/speak.
pasupooto
Hanashimasen. passport
I don’t speak./I will not speak.
furonto desuku
Hanashimasen deshita. reception desk
I didn’t speak.
yoyaku
Hanashite imasen. reservation
I am not speaking.
chekkuinsuru
Hanashite imasen deshita. to check in
I wasn’t speaking.
chekkuautosuru
Hanasanaide kudasai. to check out
Please don’t speak.
kankoo ni iku, kenbutsu ni iku
Travel and Tourism to go sightseeing

panfuretto shashin o toru
brochure to take a picture

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kankoobasu Arare ga futteiru.
tour bus It’s hailing.

ryokoosha Atsui desu.
tourist It’s hot.

ryokoo to kankoojigyoo Ii tenki desu.
travel and tourism It’s nice weather.

yuusuhosuteru Ame ga futteiru.
youth hostel It’s raining.

Weather Yuki ga futteiru.
It’s snowing.

kumo Hareteiru.
cloud It’s sunny.

do Kaze ga tsuyoi desu.
degree It’s windy.

kiri kaminari
fog lightning

Kyoo no tenki wa doo desu ka? ame
How’s the weather today?/What’s the rain
weather like today?
sumoggu
taifuu, harikeen smog
hurricane
yuki
Subarashii desu. snow
It’s beautiful.
arashi
Kumotteiru. storm
It’s cloudy.
taiyoo, nikkoo
Samui desu. sun
It’s cold.
ondo
Suzushii desu. temperature
It’s cool.

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Kyoo wa tenki ga warui. tenki
The weather is bad today. weather

arashi kaze
thunder wind

kasa
umbrella

Dialogue 1 (Introductions)

A, Yamada san, kon’nichiwa.
Oh, Mr. Yamada, hello.

Kon’nichiwa. Shibaraku desu nee.
Hello. I haven’t seen you for a long time.

Ogenki desu ka?
How are you?

Ee, maa maa.
So-so. (lit., Yes, so-so.)

Kochira wa watashi no tomodachi desu.
This is my friend.

Suzuki san desu.
This is Ms. Suzuki.

Yamada desu.
I’m Yamada.

Hajimemashite.
How do you do?

Hajimemashite.
How do you do?

Suzuki san mo gakusei desu ka?
Are you a student, too, Ms. Suzuki?

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Iie.
No.

Watashi wa gakusei ja arimsen.
I’m not a student.

Sotsugyoosei desu.
I’m an alumna.

Dialogue 2 (Saying Hello)

Zuibun hisashiburi desu ne?
Long time no see!

Ogenki desu ka?
How are you?

Okage sama de.
Fine, thanks.

Otaku wa?
And you and your family?

Arigatoo.
Thanks.

Minna genki desu.
We’re all fine.

Nagai goryokoo de otsukare desu (ka)?
You’re not too tired from your trip?

Iya. Betsu ni.
No. Not really.

A, kanai o goshookai shimashoo.
Oh, I’d like you to meet my wife.

Doozo.
I’d be happy to. (lit., Please do.)

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Kochira wa Satoo san.
This is Mrs. Sato.

Hajimemashite.
How do you do?

Doozo yoroshiku.
Nice to meet you.

Kochira koso.
I’m glad to know you.

Dialogue 3 (Family)

Gokazoku no shashin desu ka?
Is this a picture of your family?

Ee, mukashi no shashin desu.
Yes, it’s an old picture.

Kore wa Nagoya no uchi desu.
This is our house in Nagoya.

Kore wa okaasan desu ne.
This is your mother, isn’t it?

Iie, sore wa sobo desu.
No, that’s my grandmother.

Haha wa koko ni imasu.
My mother is here.

Kirei na okaasan desu ne.
She’s beautiful.

Soo desu ka?
Do you think so?

Takusan irasshaimasu ne.
You have a big family.

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Ee, ani ga hitori to ane ga sannin imasu.
Yes, I have one older brother and three older sisters.
Otoosan mo okaasan mo yoku Tookyoo e irasshaimasu ka?
Do both your father and your mother come to Tokyo often?
Iie, amari.
No, not very often.
Futari tomo shigoto de isogashii n desu.
Both of them are busy with their jobs.
Demo, ani ya anetachi wa yoku kimasu kara.
But my older brother and sisters come often.
Itsumo kekkoo nigiyaka desu yo.
It’s always very lively.
Ii desu nee!
How nice!

That brings us to the end of Living Language iKnow Japanese. If you
master just the words and phrases you’ve heard in this program, you’ll
be able to get by in Japanese. Of course, you may decide that you’d
like to learn more. If that’s the case, Living Language also offers great
complete courses in a variety of languages. For more information on
Living Language programs, go to www.livinglanguage.com.

Copyright © 2008 Living Language, a Random House Company
ISBN 978-1-4000-0936-7

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