Speak Japanese Today. Taeko Kamiya
kisha desu.
That person is a reporter.
2. Ka is a question marker. Ka at the end of a sentence turns it into a question.
EXAMPLE: あの記者は誰ですか。
Ano kisha wa dare desu ka?
Who is that reporter?
3. NOUN (A) + no + NOUN (B): NOUN (B) of NOUN (A)
[NOUN (A) + no] modifies NOUN (B).
EXAMPLE: 朝日新聞の記者
Asahi Shinbun no kisha
a reporter for the Asahi Newspaper
4. In general, Japanese nouns do not have plural forms and there are no articles. Therefore, English words such as “a,” “the,” “some,” and “any,” are not translated.
5. The subject is often omitted in Japanese.
DIALOGUE
Study the dialogue below. Practice until you no longer need to refer to the Japanese half.
| Carter : | こんばんは。あの人は誰ですか。 |
| Konbanwa. Ano hito wa1 dare desu ka2? | |
| Good evening. Who is that person? (lit., As for that person, who is she?) | |
| Satō : | 戸田さんです。あの人は朝日新聞の記者です。 |
| Toda-san desu. Ano hito wa Asahi Shinbun no3 kisha desu. | |
| It's Miss Toda. She is a4 reporter for the Asahi Newspaper. |
| Satō : | 戸田さん、こちらはアメリカのカーターさんです。 |
| Toda-san, kochira wa Amerika no Kātā-san desu. | |
| Miss Toda, this is Mr. Carter of America. | |
| カーターさん、こちらは朝日新聞社の戸田さんです。 | |
| Kātā-san, kochira wa Asahi Shinbun no Toda-san desu. | |
| Mr. Carter, this is Miss Toda of the Asahi Newspaper. | |
| Toda : | はじめまして。戸田です。 |
| Hajimemashite. Toda desu. | |
| How do you do? I5 am Toda. | |
| どうぞよろしく。 | |
| Dōzo yoroshīku. | |
| Glad to meet you. | |
| Carter : | はじめまして。カーターです。 |
| Hajimemashite. Kātā desu. | |
| How do you do? I am Carter. | |
| どうぞよろしく。 | |
| Dōzo yoroshiku. | |
| Pleased to meet you. |
ADDITIONAL WORDS
Study these new words and clearly pronounce them aloud. Then proceed to the exercises.
| 医者 | isha | doctor |
| 看護師 | kangoshi | nurse |
| 会社員 | kaisha-in | company employee |
| 作家 | sakka | writer |
| 先生 | sensei | teacher |
| おはようございます。 | Ohayō gozaimasu. | Good morning. |
| こんにちは。 | Konnichiwa. | Good day/afternoon. |
| おやすみなさい。 | O-yasumi-nasai. | Good night. |
| さようなら/さよなら。 | Sayonara/Sayonara. | Goodbye. |
| お元気ですか。 | O-genki desu ka? | How are you?/ Are you well? |
| お元気ですか。 | Hai, genki desu. | Yes. I'm fine. |
| ね | o- | (an honorific prefix used when referring to others) |
| 兀気 | genki | healthy; fine |
| 失礼します/しました。 | Shitsurei shimasu/ shimashita.1 | Excuse me for being/ having been impolite. |
| 失礼 | shitsurei | being impolite |
| いただきます。 | Itadakimasu.2 | I will receive/have. |
| ごちそうさまでした。 | Gochiso-sama deshita.3 | It was delicious. |
1 Shitsurei shimasu 失礼します is said when leaving the table while others are still eating, when entering other people's rooms, or when walking in front of others. Shitsurei shimashita 失礼しました is said when returning to the room you left in the middle of a meeting or meal, or after bumping into someone.
2 An expression of gratitude, Itadakimasu いたたさます is said when receiving a gift or the like, or before eating or drinking.
3 Gochisō-sama deshita しちそうさまでした, also an expression of gratitude, is said after having finished eating or drinking.
EXERCISES
A. Practice saying the following sentences in Japanese. Repeat the