Tuesday 24 August 2010

夏 - なつ - Natsu - Summer.

Think of Summer in Japan and the following things come to mind. Festivals, Fireworks and Cicada. So lets take a look at a few Summer time associated Japanese words:

Cicada
Cicada, otherwise know in Japanese has - せみ - Semi.
Not only are these insects relatively large, they are also very, very noisy. The noise is deafening and their constant drone which sounds like 'Si si si si si' is none stop day and night. The nearest we have in the UK to the sound of cicada's is that of crickets, but imagine the sound of crickets but a 100 times louder that is kind of like the sound of cicada. Now Japanese children love to catch cicada and you will often see Japanese children in the parks or countryside with nets.  
An example sentence:
子供は網で蝉を捕まえた。
こどもはあみでせみをつかまえた。
Kodomo wa ami de semi wo tsukamaeta.
Children caught cicadas with a net.

Yukata
Yukata or in Japanese 浴衣 - ゆかた - Yukata
Yukata are a light cotton kimono which is often worn in the summer, especially when attending a fireworks display or a festival. Yukata's are often given in Japanese style hotels, and at Onsen (Hot Springs)
An example sentence:
浴衣を履きましょう。
ゆかたをはきましょう。
Yukata wo hakimashou.
Let's wear Yukata.


Fireworks
Fireworks, in Japanese: 花火 - はなび - Hanabi.
The Japanese love their fireworks. Nearly every town and city will have a firework display at least once during the summer. It is like a mini festival in itself, with lots of stores selling sweets and food and various other goods. friends, lovers, families with children all gathering together and sitting down ready to watch the fireworks. There will be women, children and men dressed in yukata. Then eventually the fireworks display will start and there will be plenty of 'Oooohs' and 'Aaaaahs' with typical Japanese words being spoken to one another such has 'Sugoi' and 'Kirei'
An example sentence:
空は花火で光ります。
そらははなびでひかります。
Sora wa hanabi de hikarimasu.
The fireworks light up the sky.

Festivals
Another common sight in Japan during the summer are festivals. The Japanese for festival is: 祭り - まつり - Matsuri.
The festivals can range from a school festival, a local village or town festival or to more larger festivals such as Obon. There are festivals held through out the year in Japan but during the summer there seems to be a festival at least once every week being held somewhere or another.
An example sentence:
私は祭りを楽しかった。
わたしはまつりをたのしかった。
Watashi wa matsuri wo tanoshikatta.
I enjoyed the festival.

Tuesday 17 August 2010

Genie In The House



魔神: ありがとう。
私: Eeeeh! あなたはだれですか。
魔神: 私は魔神です。
私: 魔神。
魔神: はい。
私: すごい、私は願いがありますか。
魔神: はい。 でも、私には秘密がある。
私: 何。
魔神: 私には秘密がある。
私: 何。
魔神: あなたは私のちんちん擦るしました。Wah ha ha ha!
私: Aaaaaaargh!

まじん: ありがとう。
わたし: Eeeeh! あなたはだれですか。
まじん: わたしはまじんです。
わたし: まじん。
まじん: はい。
わたし: すごい、わたしはねがいがありますか。
まじん: はい、でも、わたしにはひみつがある。
わたし: なに。
まじん: わたしにはひみつがある。
わたし: なに。
まじん: あなたはわたしのちんちんこするしました。Wah ha ha ha!
わたし: Aaaaaaargh!

Majin: Arigatou.
Watshi: Eeeeh!. anata wa dare desu ka?
Majin: Watashi wa majin desu.
Watshi: Majin?
Majin: Hai.
Watshi: Sugoi, watashi wa negai ga arimasu ka?
Majin: Hai, demo, watashi ni wa himitsu ga aru.
Watshi: Nani?
Majin: Watshi ni wa himitsu ga aru.
Watashi: Nani?
Majin: Anata wa watashi no chinchin kosuru shimashita. Wah ha ha ha!
Watashi: Aaaaaaargh!

Genie: Thank you.
Me: Eeeeh! Who are you?
Genie: I am a Genie.
Me: A Genie?
Genie: Yes.
Me: Amazing. Do I have a wish?
Genie: Yes, but, I have a secret.
Me: What?
Genie: I have a secret.
Me: What?
Genie: You rubbed my penis. Wah ha ha ha!
Me: Aaaaaaargh!


わたし
Watashi = Me / I / Myself

魔神
まじん
Mejin = Genie.

願い
ねがい
Negai = Wish.

秘密
ひみつ
Himitsu = Secret.


なに
Nani = What.

擦る
こする
Kosuru = Rub

ちんちん
Chinchin = Penis (slang word)

Monday 9 August 2010

Every Day Saturday #7 Okaerinasai.

In the last everyday Saturday we learnt that when we return home we say:
Tadaima - ただいま - I'm Back
The reply to tadaima is:
Okaerinasai - お帰りなさい - おかえりなさい - Welcome home

A simple sentence:

関口さん: "ただいま"
Mr Sekiguchi: "Tadaima"
関口さん: "お帰りなさい"
Mrs Sekiguchi: "Okaerinasai"

Thursday 5 August 2010

朝飯前 - あさめしまえ - Asameshimae - A Piece of cake. 


This is the raw unedited version of the video, which, I have found out is going to be used by a Japanese teaching channel on YouTube.

簡単 - かんたん - Kantan - Easy

朝飯前 - あさめしまえ - Asameshimae - Piece of cake.
                                Easy as pie.
                                No sweat. 
                                A cinch.

Hiragana Lesson #2 (ひらがなの授業第二)



か - Ka.
き - Ki.
く - Ku.
け - Ke.
こ - Ko.

あい - 愛 - Ai - Love.
え - 絵 - E - Picture.
こ - 子 - Ko - Child.
あき - 秋 - Aki - Autumn.
あお - 青 - Ao - Blue / Green.
こい - 鯉 - Koi - Koi Carp.

Monday 2 August 2010

Body Parts. Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.

My daughter singing 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes' in Japanese.



Atama, Kata, Hiza, Ashi.
Hiza, Ashi.
Hiza, Ashi.
Atama, Kata, Hiza, Ashi.
Me to Mimi to Kuchi, to Hana.
Atama, Kata, Hiza, Ashi.
Hiza, Ashi.

あたま、かた、ひざ、あし。
ひざ、あし。
ひざ、あし。
あたま、かた、ひざ、あし。
めとみみとくちとはな。
あたま、かた、ひざ、あし。
ひざ、あし。

頭、肩、膝、足。
膝、足。
膝、足。
頭、肩、膝、足。
膝、足。
目と耳と口と鼻。
頭、肩、膝、足。
膝、足。

頭 - あたま - Atama - Head
肩 - かた - Kata - Shoulder
膝 - ひざ - Hiza - Knee
足 - あし - Ashi - Foot (Leg)
目 - め - Me - Eye
耳 - みみ - Mimi - Ear
口 - くち - Kuchi - Mouth
鼻 - はな - Hana - Nose

Particles # 1

Japanese particles are similar to the English 'to,' 'of' 'from.' etc. But when you are learning Japanese it is hard to know which particle to use and where. Again, there are many different particles in Japanese, but I will only cover a few of those that I know and will not go into too much detail.....But where do I start? I guess it is best to start with the particle WA は As you may notice the particle for wa is written with the Hiragana for ha and not actually わ 'wa' It is just one of those strange Japanese things, which I cannot explain.

Wa は has several usages but it's basic function is to set off a topic. Examples being:

明日日曜日です。Ashita wa nichi-youbi desu. As for tomorrow, it's Sunday (Tomorrow is Sunday)

わたしステイブです。Watshi wa steiibu desu. As for me, I am Steve (I am Steve / my name is Steve)

Wa can also be used in the following construction Noun + wa Noun + ga. Wa indicates a topic, which is the first noun, about which an aspect or quality (the second noun) is explained. e.g.:

ながいですZou wa hana ga nagai desu. The Elephant, its nose is long. (Elephants have long noses / The elephant has a long nose)

Ga が Normally indicates the subject of the sentence. Examples are:

あそこにわたしの車ありますか。Asoko ni watashi no kuruma ga arimasu ka. Is my car over there?

あそこに銀行あります。Asoko ni ginkou ga arimaus. There's a bank over there.

降っている。Yuki ga futte iru. It is snowing. 

Ka か is the particle used as a question marker and comes at the end of a sentence. e.g.:

お元気ですO-genki desu ka. Are you well?

これはだれの傘ですKore wa dare no kasa ka. Whose umbrella is this?

映画を見にいきませんEiga o mi ni ikimasen ka. How about going to see a film? (movie?)

No の is used between two nouns to indicate that the first possesses or is modifying the second. It can also indicate position or location.

これは関口さん傘です。kore wa Sekiguchi-san no kasa desu. This is Mr. Sekiguchi's umbrella.

それが田中さん車です。Kore ga Yamada-san no kuruma desu. That is Mr Tanaka's car.

山田さんは英語先生です。Yamada-san wa Eigo no sensei desu. Mrs Yamada is a teacher of English.

上,いす下,学校前,この建物後ろ。Tsukue no ue, isu no shita, gakkou no mae, kono tatemono no ushiro. On top of the desk, under the chair, in front of the school, behind this building.

O を indicates the object of an action, indicates the direct object of a passive verb and is also used with verbs indicating wishes or desires.

関口さんは手紙書いているSekiguchi-san wa tegami o kaite iru. Mr. Sekiguchi is writing a letter.

彼女は犬に手噛まれた。Kanojo wa inu ni te o kamareta. She had her hand bitten by a dog.

コーヒー飲みたいんですKoohii o nomitai n desu. I want to drink coffee.

Ni に in it's basic form indicates 'in, at, on and to.' Example sentences are:

新聞は机の上あります。Shinbun wa tsukue no ue ni arimasu. The newspaper is on the desk.

田中さんは東京住んでいますTanaka-san wa Toukyou ni sunde imasu. Mr. Tanaka lives in Tokyo.

月曜日大阪へ行きますGetsuyoubi ni Oosaka e ikimasu. I'm going to Osaka on Monday.

日本行きたい。Nihon ni ikitai. I want to go to Japan.

Yo よ Urges a course of action, indicates a request or a command, a statement of certainty and even a scolding or contempt.

あの展覧会へ行ってみましょうAno tenran-kai e itte mimsahou yo. (Come on) let's go to that exhibition.

私の家にも来て下さいWatashi no ie ni mo kite kudasai yo. Come to my house, too.

今日は金曜日ですKyou wa kinyoubi desu yo. Today is Friday, (You know)

だめですDame desu yo. Stop it.

E へ This indicates a direction or a goal, or a destination to which one is moving towards or as arrived at. It also indicates the recipient of an action.

いつ京都行きますかItsu Kyouto e ikimasu ka. When are you going to Kyoto?

この電車は六時に東京駅到着しました。Kono densha wa rokuji ni Toukyou eki e touchaku shimashita. This train arrived at Tokyo station at six o'clock.

夕方関口さん電話をかけたが,いなかった。Yuugata Sekiguchi-san e denwa o kaketa ga, inakatta. I telephoned Mr. Sekiguchi this evening, but he was not there.

関口さんの電話があったのは何時でしたか。Sekiguchi-san e no denwa ga atte no wa nan-ji desu ka. What time did that phone call come from Mr Sekiguchi?

De で Indicates the location of an action, a means or implement 'by, with', materials used and the reason for something. e.g.:

私は,図書館本を読んでいます。Watashi wa, tosho-kan de hon wo yonde imasu. I am reading a book in the library.

私は日本へ飛行機きました。Watashi wa Nihon e hikouki de kimashita. I came to Japan by aeroplane.

このケーキは,卵と砂糖作ります。Kono keeki wa, tomago to satou de tsukurimasu. This cake is made of (with) eggs and sugar.

台風電車が止まった。Taifuu de densha ga tomatta. The train stopped on account of the typhoon.

To と As a few meanings but here we will just concentrate on one and that is the one that follows nouns and indicates such meanings as 'and' and 'with and sets of names.

田中さん山田さんは日本人です。Tanaka-san to Yamada-san wa Nihon-jin desu. Mr. Tanaka and Mrs Yamada are Japanese.

りんごみかんどちらが好きですか。Ringo to mikan to dochira ga suki desu ka? Which do you like more, apples or mandarin oranges?

明日この問題について,先生話すつもりです。Ashita kono mondai ni tsuite, sensei to hanasu tsumori desu. Tomorrow I intend to discuss this problem with my teacher (doctor, lawyer, etc).

Ne ね Sometimes pronounced Nee ねえ indicates emotion or feelings of admiration, agreement with another person, softens a request and indicates a variance of opinion.

きれいな花Kirei na hana nee. What a pretty flower!

本当にそうですHontou ni sou desu ne. That is so true.

必ず手紙を下さいKanarazu tegami o kudasai ne. Be sure to write me a letter.

そうですかSou desu ka ne. You think so?

Made まで Indicates a time limit or a place to which an action extends (often paired with 'kara から' ) Also when at the end of a sentence it can mean something along the lines of "That is all"

このデパートは,土曜日と日曜日は八時までです。Kono depaato wa, doyoubi to nichiyoubi wa hachi-ji made desu. This department store is open until eight o'clock on Saturdays and Sundays.

ここから京都まで何時間かかりますか。Koko kara Kyouto made nan-jikan kakarimasu ka. How long does it take to get from here to Kyoto.

今日はここまでKyou wa koko made. That is all for today.

Kara から Indicates the time or place at which something begins. When used trailingly at the end of a sentence it indicates a warning to the listener. e.g.:

銀行は九時から開いています。Ginkou wa ku-ji kara aite imasu. The banks open from nine o'clock.

見学はここから出発します。Kengaku ha koko kara shuppatsu shimasu. The Tour (of a museum, town, etc.) starts from here.

新聞をすみからすみまで読んだ。Shinbun o sumi kara sumi made yonda. I read the newspaper from beginning to end.

勉強しないと試験に合格できないから...... Benkyou shinai to shiken ni goukaku dekini kara...... If you don't study, you won't be able to pass the exam (so you better study).