JA Connection logo. Lesson 2: Basic Vocabulary and Phrases - I

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Practice saying the words and phrases below using your pronunciation skills from Lesson 1. Try to memorize as many of the words as possible in preparation for the next lesson.

Pronouns

I Watakushi, Watashi
We Watashi-tachi
You (singular) Anata
You (plural) Anata-tachi
She Kanojo
He Kare
They Karera-tachi

Verbs

Below are some verbs that we can start with. Only the base form of the verb is listed at this time. Basic verb conjugation will be covered in the next lesson.

To go iku
To come kuru
To do suru
To be able dekiru
To speak hanasu
To read yomu
To write kaku
To buy kau
To have aru

Adjectives

Beautiful kirei
Handsome utsukushi
Big oki
Small chisai
Tall takai
Short hikui
Thick (Flat objects) atsui
Thin (Flat objects) usui
Thick (Long objects) futoi
Thin (Long objects) hosoi

Nouns

Pen pen
Pencil enpitsu
Paper kami
Book hon
Magazine zasshi
Newspaper shimbun
Store mise

Miscellaneous

Yes hai
No iie
Name namae
It is desu
Isn't it? desu ne?
What nani (or nan)
Very totemo
Not very anmari

Unlike English which has "this" and "that", Japanese has three levels of proximity. There are also two grammatical types (pronouns and adnouns) just as in English however, the words change depending on their grammatical role.

As Pronouns
This kore
That sore
That (over there) are
Which dore

As Adnouns
This kono
That sono
That (over there) ano
Which dono

Examples:
This book = Kono hon
Which book = Dono hon

Greetings

Good morning. Ohayou gozaimasu.
Good afternoon. Konnichiwa.
Good evening. Kombanwa.
Good night. (going to sleep) Oyasuminasai.
Nice to meet you. Hajimemashite.
My name is _____. Watashi-no namae wa _____ desu.
How are you? Ogenki desu ka?

Note:
"Ogenki desu ka?" is usually used with someone you have met before but have not seen for a while.




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