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DESU

Desu is a grammatical form that can act like to be (You know - is, are, am...) in English in the sense of explaining who or what something / one is or equating one thing with another. Let's take a look:

わたし　は　日本語　が　はなせます。　そして、ドイツ語　が　読めます。

Watashi wa nihongo ga hanasemasu. soshite, doitsugo ga yomemasu..

I can speak Japanese and I can read German.

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But でも

But, a small word, but... There are other "buts" but demo is the most common. Learn this first and you can pick the others up later.

でも Demo - But

日本語　が　好き　でも、　フランス語　は　きらい　です。

Nihongo ga suki demo, furansugo wa kirai desu.

I like Japanese, but I hate French.

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Pronouns

Pronouns are not used nearly as much in Japanese as they are in English. Often the pronoun is used once and then after (until the topic shifts to someone else) the pronoun is dropped. Still they are very important!

I - わたし Watashi

WE - わたしたち Watashi tachi

YOU - あなた Anata

YOU - あなたたち Anata tachi

HE - かれ Kare

SHE - かのじょ Kanojo

THEY - かれら Kare ra

Notes: Another meaning of kare (he) is actually "boyfriend" and kanojo is "girlfriend"!

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Fillers - ええと

In English, we have our "um." in Japanese, they have their "eeto." This is the sound you make when you can't think of what to say, but want to say something!

何 の　動物 が　好き　です　か？
Nan no doubutsu ga suki desu ka?
What animal do you like?

ええと。。。　ねこ　が　すき。
Eeto... neko ga suki.
Um... I like cats.

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Particles intro

In Japanese, grammatical parts of the sentence are shown very clearly by "particles." These particles are placed after the word (or phrase) they modify. The best way to learn to use them is to memorize useful examples and say them!

は wa - overall topic particle - shows the main topic of the conversation

[NOTE: it is a hiragana ha but pronounced as "wa"]

あなた　は　やさしい。
Anata wa yasashii.
You are nice.
[Makes *you* the main topic]


が ga - the subject particle - sometimes the difference between wa and

ga are hard to tell. Sometimes they can be used interchangeably with only a slight change in

meaning. Don't worry about this now!

ねこ　が　へん。
Neko ga hen.
The cat is strange.
[Makes the *cat* the subject]


を o - The Direct Object Particle

本　を　よみました。
Hon o yomimashita.
(I) read a book.
[NOTE: it makes *book* the object. If we were to say *I* it would be watashi wa at the beginning.]


に ni - usually shows movement (to)

日本　に　いきましょう！
Nihon ni ikimashou!
Let's go to Japan!
[There is movement going to Japan]

or shows time (at)

６時　に　いきましょう！
Roku ji ni ikimashou!
Let's go at 6.

で de - Shows location (at, in)

日本　で　遊びましょう！
Nihon de asobimashou!
Let's play (have fun) in Japan!
[Notice there is no movement]

Labels: *\ Takeshi-Neko /*