Learn Minna no Nihongo Grammar – Lesson 6

Learn Minna no Nihongo Grammar – Lesson 6
Let’s study N5-level Japanese grammar, lesson by lesson, following the Minna no Nihongo textbook.

Lesson 6:

1. なにを Vますか。What do you do (eat, drink, read…)?
Or なにを しますか。What are you doing? (a general question for any verb)
N をVます。

• Usage: N is the object of the action, V is a transitive verb, を is the particle marking what the action affects

• Examples:
あなたはなにをのみますか。
Anata wa nani wo nomimasuka?
What are you drinking?

みずをのみます。
Mizu wo nomimasu.
I am drinking water

きのうなにをしましたか。
Kinō nani wo shimashitaka?
What did you do yesterday?

ほんをよみました。
Hon wo yomimashita.
I read a book.

• Note: + も replaces を when the same action applies to 2 different objects (the same V but a different N)
私はにくをたべます。やさいもたべます。
Watashi wa niku wo tabemasu. Yasai mo tabemasu.
I eat meat. I eat vegetables too.

2. なにもV ません: Not to do anything
• Usage: the particle も follows a question word and is used with the negative form to deny
everything within the range of that question word.
• Examples:
あしたなにもしません。
Ashita nani mo shimasen.
I am not doing anything tomorrow.

3. どこで V ますか。 Where did/will you do something?
N1 で N2 を V ます: To do ~ at/in N1.

Examples:
どこでかばんをかいましたか。
Doko de kaban wo kaimashitaka?
Where did you buy your bag?

スーパでかいました。
Sūpa de kaimashita.
I bought it at the supermarket.

4. いっしょにV ませんか。: Shall we do ~ together!
ええ、いいですね。… Yes, that would be lovely!
… すみません。ちょっと… … Sorry. It is a bit… (a polite refusal)
• Usage: This is not a negative sentence; it is an invitation asking someone to do something with you.

• Examples:
いっしょにこうえんへいきませんか。
Issho ni kōen e ikimasenka.
Shall we go to the park together!

ええ、いいですね。
Ee, iidesune.
Yes, that would be lovely! (Good idea)

すみません、ちょっと…
Sumimasen, chotto.
Sorry, but…

5. V ましょう: Let us do ~!
• Usage: A suggestion to do something together, made when you already know the other person will agree; it has the feel of rallying everyone to do it

• Examples:
いきましょう:
Ikimashō.
Let us go!

はじめましょう。
Hajimemashō.
Right, let us begin!

6. なん／なに (何)
• なん:
– When 何 comes before a word starting with “d, n or t” :
何ですか。Nan desuka. What is it?
– When 何 is followed by a counter: 何さい, 何ようび, 何にち …

• なに: in all other cases

何をのみますか。
Nani wo nomimasuka.
What are you drinking?