Learn Minna no Nihongo Grammar – Lesson 7

Learn Minna no Nihongo Grammar – Lesson 7
Let’s study N5-level Japanese grammar, lesson by lesson, following the Minna no Nihongo textbook.

Lesson 7:

1. なんで Vますか。What do you do ~ with?
N で V ます。: To do ~ with N
• Usage: N: a noun for a means or tool, で: the particle marking the means, way or method used for an action (including a language).

• Examples:
なんでかきますか。
Nan de kakimasuka.
What do you write with?

えんぴつでかきます。
Enpitsu de kakimasu.
I write with a pencil

なんでごはんをたべますか。
Nan de gohan wo tabemasuka.
What do you eat with?

はしでたべます。
Hashi de tabemasu.
I eat with chopsticks.

にほんごではなします。
Nihongo de hanashimasu.
I speak in Japanese .

2. (Word/Sentence) は ～語で 何ですか。What is “word/sentence” in ~?
• Usage: used to ask how to say a word or sentence in a particular language. In writing, the word or sentence asked about is usually put in 「 」(Japanese quotation marks)
• Examples:
「Cảm ơn」はにほんごでなんですか。 ”Cảm ơn” wa nihongo de nan desuka. What is ”thank you” in Japanese?
「ありがとう」です。“Arigatou” desu. It is “Arigatou”.

「おやすみなさい」えいごでなんですか。”Oyasuminasai” wa eigo de nan desuka. What is “おやすみなさい” in English?
「Goodnight」です。“Goodnight” desu. It is “Goodnight”.

3. だれにVますか。 Who do you do ~ for?
N1 (a person, company, country) に N2 を あげます: To give, to present to N1
N1 に N2 を かします : To lend to N1
N1 に N2 を かきます : To write to N1
N1 に N2 を おしえます : To teach, to show N1

• Usage: に is the particle marking who the action is directed at, “to someone”.
With the verb あげます, N1 cannot be わたし

• Examples:
だれに　てがみを　かきますか。
Dare ni tegami wo kakimasuka.
Who are you writing a letter to?

友達に　かきます。
Tomodachi ni kakimasu.
I am writing to a friend.

4. だれ に（から）Vますか。~ from whom?
N1 (a person) に N2 を もらいます : To receive from N1
N1 (a person) に N2 を かります : To borrow from N1
N1 (a person) に N2 を ならいます : To learn from N1

• Usage:
– N1 is the source of what the subject receives, borrows or learns;
– N2 is the thing the subject receives, borrows or learns.
– Use から instead of に when N1 is not a person but an organisation

• Examples:
だれに　にほんごを　ならいましたか。
Dare ni nihongo wo naraimashitaka.
Who did you learn Japanese from?

いとながせんせいに　ならいました。
Itonaga sensei ni naraimashita.
I learned from Ms Itonaga.

だれから　お金を　かりましたか。
Dare kara okane wo karimashitaka.
Where did you borrow the money from?

銀行から　借りました。
Ginkō kara karimashita.
I borrowed it from the bank.

5. もう V ましたか？Have you already …?
はい、もう V ました。Yes, I have already …
いいえ、まだです。No, I have not ~ yet
• Usage:
もう＋V ました：have already …
まだ：not yet; an action or state that has not happened or finished at the time of speaking.
• Examples:

もうニュースをみましたか。
Mō nyūsu wo mimashitaka.
Have you watched the news yet?

はい、もうみました。
Hai, mōmimashita.
Yes, I have already watched it.

いいえ、まだです。
Iie, madadesu.
No, I have not watched it yet.