Lesson 2: Meeting New Friends

Dialogue, Say It Out Loud

How do you do? Hajimemashite. Watashi wa Lucy Kent desu.I am Lucy Kent.

When you are familiar with these sentences, try putting your name, your friends' names, and your teachers' names in them, and introduce yourself to your friends. (Note: Many words used in English are not always needed in Japanese. The words in brackets [ ] are not in the Japanese, but their meaning is understood in the conversation.)

Hajimemashite. your name Watashi wa _______ desu. Namae wa nan desu ka. Watashi wa Lucy Kent desu.

How do you do? My name is _______. What is [your] name? I am Lucy Kent.

Tomodachi no namae Tomodachi no namae wa nan desu ka. Tomodachi no namae wa Kenta desu. Kenta kun wa tomodachi desu. Sensei no namae wa nan desu ka.

friend's name What is [your] friend's name? [My] friend's name is Kenta. Kenta is [my] friend. What is [your] teacher's name? [My] teacher's name is

Sensei no namae wa Tanaka sensei desu.[Mr./Ms.] Tanaka. Tanaka san wa sensei desu.
[Mr./Ms.] Tanaka is a teacher.

Lesson 1: Japanese Greetings and Writing System Say It Out Loud

For starters, here's a list of common greetings and useful expressions. Point to a phrase to hear how it's pronounced. Listen carefully, and try saying it yourself.

Lesson 3: What Language Do You Understand? Say It Out Loud

Here is a conversation between Lucy and her new friend Kenta.

Hajimemashite
Kenta :

How do you do? My name is Kenta. What is [your] name? How do you do? My name is Lucy.

Watashi no namae wa Kenta desu. Namae wa nandesuka.

Lucy :

Hajimemashite Watashi no namae wa Lucy desu.

Kenta :

Nihongo ga wakarimasu ka. Hai, chotto wakarimasu.

Do [you] understand Japanese? Yes, [I] understand a bit.

Lucy :

Kenta kun, eigo ga wakarimasu ka.

Kenta, Do [you] understand English?

Kenta :

Iie, wakarimasen. Nanigo ga wakarimasu ka. Chuugokugo ga wakarimasu.

No, [I] don't understand [English]. What language do [you] understand? [I] understand Chinese.

Lucy :

Kenta :

Lesson 4: Where Did You Come from? Dialogue, Say It Out Loud
Point to a phrase to hear how it's pronounced.

How do you do? I am Lucy Kent. I understand a little Japanese. I came from Canada. (New sentence)

A:

Kinoo aisukuriimu o tabemashita ka. Iie, (tabemasen deshita.) Nani o tabemashita ka. Hanbaagaa o tabemashita.

Did you eat ice cream yesterday? No, I didn't. What did you eat? I ate a hamburger.

B:

A:

B:

A:

Kinoo miruku o nomimashita ka. Iie, (nomimasen deshita.) orenjijuusu o nomimashita. Ashita Lucy wa nani o shimasu ka. Tenisu o shimasu. Lucy wa doko kara kimashita ka. Kanada kara kimashita.

Did you drink milk yesterday?

B:

No, I didn't. I drank orange juice.

A:

What will Lucy do tomorrow? Lucy will play tennis. Where did Lucy come from? Lucy came from Canada. Where will Kenta go tomorrow? Kenta will go to Tokyo. What did you do yesterday? I read a book.

B:

A:

B:

A:

Kenta wa ashita doko e ikimasu ka. Tookyoo e ikimasu. Kinoo nani o shimashita ka. Hon o yomimashita.

B:

A:

B:

Lesson 5: When Is Your Birthday?

Dialogue, Say It Out Loud
How do you do? I am Lucy Kent. I understand Japanese a bit. I came from Canada. I am 13 years old.

A: Tanjoobi wa itsu desu ka?

When is [your] birthday?

B: Tanjoobi wa kugatsu mikka desu.

[My] birthday is September third.

A: Kugatsu muika desu ka?

Is it September sixth?

B: Iie, muika dewa arimasen. Mikka desu.

No, it isn't the sixth, it's the third.

A: Ichigatsu tsuitachi wa yasumi desu ka.

Is January first a holiday?

B: Hai, yasumi desu.

Yes, it is.

A: Kayoobi ni nani o shimashita ka.

What did you do on Tuesday?

B: Tenisu o shimashita.

I played tennis.

A: Lucy no tanjoobi wa itsu desu ka?

When is Lucy's birthday?

B: Shichigatsu yokka desu.

[Lucy's birthday is] July fourth.

A: Yasumi ni doko e ikimashita ka.

Where did you go on the holiday?

B: Kyooto e ikimashita.

[I] went to Kyoto.

Lesson 7: Is This an Interesting Book? Dialogue, Say It Out Loud

How do you do? I am Lucy Kent. I understand a little Japanese. I came from Canada. I am 13 years old. I like soccer and tennis Tennis is very fun.

A: Kore wa omoshiroi hon desu ka?

Is this an interesting book? No, [it] is not interesting. [It] is boring.

B: Iie, omoshiroku arimasen.

Tsumaranai desu.

A: Are wa omoshiroi hon desu ka?

Is that an interesting book over there?

B: Ano hon wa muzukashii desu.

That book is difficult.

A: Kinoo resutoran e ikimashita.

[I] went to a restaurant yesterday.

B: Nani o tabemashita ka?

What did [you] eat?

A: Oishii hanbaagaa o tabemashita.

[I] ate a delicious hamburger.

L: Tanjoobi no paatii wa tanoshikatta desu ka?

Was [your] birthday party fun?

K: Totemo tanoshikatta desu.

[It] was very fun.

L: Tanjoobi no purezento wa nan deshita ka?

What was [your] birthday present?

K: Omoshiroi hon deshita.

[It] was an interesting book.

T: Kono shatsu wa ookii desu ka?

Is this shirt big?

S: Sono shatsu wa ookii desu.

That shirt is big.

T: Ano shatsu wa ookii desu ka?

Is that shirt over there big?

S: Iie, are wa chiisai desu.

No, that is small.

Lesson 8: Introducing My Family

Say It Out Loud, Vocabulary
A: Kazoku wa nannin desu ka?

How many people are in [your] family?

B: Kazoku wa yonin desu.

There are four people in [my] family.

A: Kono hito wa dare desu ka?

Who is this person?

B: Okaasan desu.

It is [my] mother.

A: Nannin Nihon e ikimasu ka?

How many people will go to Japan?

B: Sannin ikimasu.

Three people will go.

nin nannin dare ojiisan

person/people (used when counting) how many people who grandfather

obaasan grandmother otoosan Father okaasan Mother ojisan obasan Uncle aunt

oneesan elder sister imooto oniisan otooto kazoku onna otoko younger sister elder brother younger brother Family Woman Man