FOREIGN LANGUAGE 1

Japanese Language: Sounds and Writing

Systems

Hiragana
-​ A syllabary consisting 46 basic characters
-​ Used for writing native Japanese words,
grammatical elements and particles
-​ First writing system taught to Japanese
children

●​ The basic 46 characters represent sounds

such as "a," "ka," "sa," etc. By adding
diacritics (voiced and unvoiced marks) to
these basic characters and combining
them with "ya," "yu," and "yo," the total
number of sounds reaches 104.

Kanji
-​ Borrowed from Chinese
-​ A logographic writing system in Japanese

Katakana
-​ Which means “fragmentary kana”
-​ Characterized by short, straight strokes
and angular corners
-​ Used when writing down names of people,
and things that are not of Japanese origin
-​ Consist of 46 characters
-​ Primarily used for foreign loanwords,
onomatopoeia, technical terms, and
names of plants and animals
-​ Sharper and have a more angular
appearance compared to Hiragana

The Long Vowel Sound

-​ All long vowel sounds are denoted by a
simple dash (-)

Daily Expressions and Greetings

Good Morning Ohayou Gozaimasu

(from sunrise until about
10 in the morning)

Good Afternoon Konnichiwa (from 10 in

the morning until
sundown; also means
“hello”)

Good Evening Konbanwa

 can be used formally, even with strangers.
Good night Oyasumi Nasai
It conveys both thankfulness and regret,
Thank you very much Doumo Arigatou as seen when a cashier thanks a
Gozaimasu customer for their effort. Additionally,
sumimasen is used to attract attention,
You are welcome Dou Itashimashite
make requests politely, acknowledge
How are you? Ogenki desuka someone, or even close a conversation.
Despite its nuances, it is a fundamental
I’m fine Genki desu word for understanding Japanese
etiquette.
Excuse me Sumimasen

Please wait for a while Chotto matte kudasai Introducing Oneself in Japanese

Sorry, I am late Osoku natte sumimasen Four basic lines:

1.​ Hajimimashite
Congratulations Omedetou Gozaimasu
2.​ Watashi wa ______ desu
Happy Birthday Otanjoubi Omedetou 3.​ Watashi wa ___________ kara kimasu
Gozaimasu 4.​ Douzo Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu

Goodbye Sayounara
Hajimimashite
See you again Mata aimashou -​ Roots from the word “Hajimeru” which
means “to begin”
Take care Ki wo tsukete
Two Distinct Japanese culture whenever you
What is your name? Onamae wa nan desu
say “Watashi”
ka
●​ Bowing (ojigi)
How old are you? Nansai desu ka ●​ Pointing at your nose

What is it? Nan desu ka Numbers 1 to 99 in Japanese

Where is it? Doko desu ka
For Numbers 1 to 10:
Who is it? Dare desu ka
English Japanese
When is it? Itsu desu ka
One ichi
Why/Why is it? Doushite desu ka
Two ni
How is it? Dou desu ka
Three san
How much is it? Ikura desu ka
Four yon
Do you understand? Wakarimasu ka
Five go
I don’t understand Wakarimasen
Six roku
I am sorry Gomen nasai
Seven nana

Usage of Sumimasen Eight hachi

●​ The Japanese word sumimasen is deeply Nine kyuu
ingrained in Japanese culture and has
multiple meanings depending on the Ten juu
context. While often translated as "sorry,"
it also expresses gratitude, politeness,
and humility. Unlike gomennasai, which is
used for personal apologies, sumimasen
For Numbers 11 to 19:
Igirisu UK
The numbers 11 to 19 start with a 10
(JUU) and followed by the number at the right. Indo India

Example: Indoneshia Indonesia

●​ 11- juuichi Kankoku South Korea
●​ 12- juuni
Tai Thailand
For Numbers 20,30,40,50,60,70,80,90
​ Begin with the first number in the left then Chuugoku China
add a 10 which is juu Doitsu Germany

Example: Nihon Japan

●​ 20- nijuu
Furansu France
●​ 30- sanjuu
Burajiru Brazil
For Numbers 21 to 29, 31 to 39 and so on
​ Insert a 10 (juu) between the numbers Firipin Philippines

Example:
●​ 21- nijuuichi Subject Patterns
●​ 22- nijuuni
1.​ Subject wa N desu.

Telling One’s Age, nationality and Profession Example:

-​ Watashi wa Grace desu. (I am Grace).
Japanese English -​ Satou san wa kenkyuusha desu.
(Mr. Satou is a researcher)
Watashi I -​ Yamada san wa Nihonjin desu.
(Ms. Yamada is Japanese.)
Watashitachi We

Anata You Note:

​ ~san (Mr. or Ms.)
Ano Hito He, She, That Person ​ ~kun young boys)
​ ~chan (young girls)
Sensei Teacher
​ ~jin (national of)
Gakusei Student ​ ~sai (refers to age)

Kaishain Company Employee EXCEPTIONS WHEN TELLING ONE’S AGE

●​ 8- hassai
Ginkouin Bank Employee
●​ 28- nijuuhassai
Isha Medical Doctor ●​ 20- hatachi
●​ Numbers ending in 1- issai
Kenkyuusha Researcher

Enjinia Engineer
2.​ Subject wa N ja arimasen.
Daigaku University
Example:
Hai Yes -​ Watashi wa isha ja arimasen.
(I am not a doctor)
Iie No

Amerika USA
 3.​ Subject wa N desu ka.
Card ka-do

Example: Telephone Card terehon ka-do

-​ Yamada san wa Nihonjin desu ka.
(Is Ms. Yamada Japanese?) Pencil enpitsu

Ballpen bo-rupen
If answerable by YES or NO;
Mechanical Pencil sha-pu penshiru
(If Yes): Hai, subject wa N desu.
(If No): Iie, subject wa N ja arimasen. Key kagi

Watch, Clock tokei

4.​ The Particle MO
-​ Added after a topic or subject instead of Umbrella kasa
“wa” when the statement about the topic is
Bag kaban
the same in the previous statement
Cassette tape Kasetto te-pu
Example:
-​ Yamada san wa Nihonjin desu. Satou san Tape recorder Te-pu reko-da
mo Nihonjin desu ka.
Television terebi
(Ms. Yamada is Japanese. Is Ms. Satou
Japanese too?) Radio rajio

If answerable by YES or NO; Camera kamera

Computer kompyu-ta
(If Yes): Hai, Satou san mo Nihonjin desu.
(If No): Iie, Satou san wa Nihonjin ja arimasen. Car jidousha

Desk tsukue
Demonstrative Words Chair isu
-​ Words used to point at or refer to persons,
places or things/objects. Chocolate chokore-to

Demonstrative Pronouns: Kore, Sore, Are Coffee ko-hi

Demonstrative Adjectives: Kono, Sono, Ano Wallet saifu

What nan
This (thing here) kore

That (thing near you) sore 1.​ Use of Kore, Sore and Are
That (thing over there) are
Kore- near the speaker
Book hon Sore- near the listener
Are- far from both the speaker and the listener
Dictionary jisho
Example:
Magazine zasshi
-​ Kore wa hon desu. (This is a book.)
Newspaper shinbun -​ Sore wa hon desu. (That is a book.)
-​ Are wa hon desu. (That over there is a
Notebook no-to book.)

Pocket Notebook techou

Business card meishi

 2.​ Use of Kono, Sono and Ano
House, home uchi

Example: Telephone, telephone call denwa

​ Kono hon wa watashi no desu.
(This book is mine.) Shoes kutsu

Necktie nekutai
3.​ Sou desu / Sou ja arimasen
Wine wain
Hai, sou desu- affirmative response
Iie, sou ja arimasen- negative answer Tobacco, cigarette tabako

Counter uriba

Interrogative Words Basement chika

-​ Dare, Doko, Dochira
What floor -kai or -gai

Here (this place) koko Italy Itaria

There (place near you) soko Switzerland Suisu

That (place over there) asoko

1.​ Koko, Soko, Asoko / Kochira, Sochira,
Where (what place) doko Achira

This way kochira Koko, Soko, Asoko- referring to places

Kochira, Sochira, Achira- referring to directions
That way sochira

That way over there achira Example:

-​ Kyoushitsu wa koko desu.
Which way dochira (The classroom is this place.)
-​ Erebe-ta wa sochira desu.
Classroom kyoushitsu
(The elevator is that way.)
Dining hall, canteen shokudou
2.​ The Interrogative Word “DARE”
Office jimusho
Example:
Conference Room kaigishitsu
Q: Kore wa dare no hon desu ka. (Whose book is
Reception desk uketsuke this?)
A: Kore wa Yamada san no hon desu. (This is Mr.
Lobby robi Yamada’s book.)
Room heya
Note: DARE is replaced with YAMADA SAN.
Toilet, Restroom toire
3.​ The Interrogative Word “NAN”
Staircase kaidan
Example:
Elevator erebe-ta
Q: Kore wa nan no hon desu ka. (What kind of
Escalator esukare-ta book is this?)
A: Kore wa Nihongo no hon desu. (This is a
Church kyoukai Japanese/ Japanese language book.)
Country okuni

Company kaisha
 4.​ The Interrogative Word “DOKO” and ●​ 2,200- nisen nihyaku
“DOCHIRA” ●​ 2,222- nisen nihyaku nijuuni

Doko- where Exceptions:

Dochira- which direction ●​ 1000- sen
●​ 3000- sanzen
Example; ●​ 8000- hassen
Q: Otearai wa doko desu ka. (Where is the
restroom?) For numbers 10,000 to 99,999
A: Otearai wa asoko desu. (The restroom is over -​ Add -man after saying the number that
there.) occupies the TEN THOUSAND place.

​ “DOKO” or “DOCHIRA is also used to Example:

ask the name of a country, company, school or ●​ 20,000- niman
any place or organization a person belongs to. ●​ 22, 222- niman nisen nihyaku nijuuni
“NAN” (what) cannot be used.
For numbers 100,000 to 999,999
Q: Anata no gakkou wa doko desu ka. (What is -​ Add -man after the numbers that occupy
the name of your school?) the HUNDRED THOUSAND and TEN
A: Watashi no gakkou wa Batangasu Daigaku THOUSAND places.
desu. (My school is University of Batangas.)
Example:
Subject wa doko no N desu ka. ●​ 200,000- nijuuman
●​ 222,222- nijuuniman nisen nihyaku nijuuni
Example:
Q: Kore wa doko no kaban desu ka.
A: Kore wa AMERIKA no kaban desu. (The bag Asking and Telling Prices
is made in America.)
Subject wa ikura desu ka.

Numbers Higher Than 99 Example:

Q: Enpitsu wa ikura desu ka. (How much is the
For Numbers 100 to 999 pencil?)
-​ Add -hyaku after the number that A: Enpitsu wa gojuu en desu. (The pencil is 50
occupies the HUNDRED place. yen.)

Example: NOTE:
●​ 200- nihyaku ●​ en- Japanese currency
●​ 202- nihyaku ni ●​ doru- dollars
●​ 222- nihyaku nijuuni ●​ peso- pesos

Exceptions:
●​ 100- hyaku
●​ 300- sanbyaku (sambyaku)
●​ 600- roppyaku
●​ 800- happyaku

For numbers 1000 to 9,999

-​ Add -sen after the number that ocuupies
the THOUSAND place.

Example:
●​ 2,000- nisen