Learn Minna no Nihongo Grammar – Lesson 4
Translated from the Vietnamese original. View the original.
Learn Minna no Nihongo Grammar – Lesson 4
Let’s study N5-level Japanese grammar, lesson by lesson, following the Minna no Nihongo textbook.
Lesson 4:
1. 今なんじですか: What time is it now?
…～ 時 ～ 分 で: It is now ~ o’clock ~ minutes
• Usage:
– じ goes after a number to say the hour.
– ふん（ぷん）goes after a number to say the minutes.
• Examples:
いまなんじですか。
What time is it now?
８時３０分(8時半)です。
It is 8:30 (half past eight).
Note: ～じはん ：used to say half past the hour.
2. N (a day) は 何曜(なんよう)日(び)ですか。 What day is N?
N (a day) は ～曜日 です : N is ~day.
Examples:
今日は何曜日ですか。What day is it today?
日曜日です。Today is Sunday.
あしたは何曜日ですか。What day is tomorrow?
月曜日です。 It is Monday.
3. Vます: The ます form of verbs
• Usage: a verb form showing politeness to the listener, expressing an action in the present or the future.
• Examples:
まい日１１じにねます。I go to bed at 11 every day
The particle に is used after a specific time expression (covered in later lessons)
4. V ます／ V ません／ V ました / Vませんでした。Verb tenses
• Usage:
Past : affirmative : ました
negative: ませんでした
Present: affirmative: ます
negative: ません
• Examples:
まいばんべんきょうします。
Ma iban be n kyō shimasu.
I study every evening.
あしたべんきょうしません。
Ashita be n kyōshimasen.
I will not study tomorrow.
きのう べんきょうしました。
Kinō be n kyō shimashita.
I studied yesterday.
おととい べんきょうしませんでした。
Ototoi be n kyōshimasendeshita.
I did not study the day before yesterday.
5. N (a time) に＋ V ます : doing something at a certain time
• Usage: shows when an action takes place. If the time is not expressed with numbers, に is not added. After the days of the week, に is optional.
• Examples:
私は１２じにたべます。
Watashi wa 12ji ni tabemasu.
I eat at 12 o’clock.
土曜日（に）べんきょうしません。
Doyōbi (ni) be n kyōshimasen.
I usually do not study on Saturdays.
6. ～から～まで: From ~ to ~
• Usage: a way of expressing a period; the particle から marks the starting point of a time or place, まで marks the end point of a time or place (the two particles do not have to be used together)
• Examples:
８じから（１１じまで）べんきょうします.
8-Ji kara (11ji made) benkyō shimasu.
I study from 8 o’clock (until 11 o’clock)