Japanese Self-Studying Updates (Lessons 28 and 29)

By Vanessa Kay @blushinggeek

Konnichiwa minna-san! 

Did you have a blast weekend? Well, I think I did, *wink. Remember last week I told you guys about quitting Japanese and then changed my mind? So I had the whole weekend to ponder about that thought and I feel ashamed. I can’t believe that idea came to mind! My reason for learning Japanese is purely selfish, really. It’s not for a professional gain but personal…I wanna watch anime without the English subtitle. Since it’s purely personal, I think learning this language fast, well, that could be great, but let’s be honest here, with the schedule I am in, I can’t possibly do that in a year, let alone six months! So, I am determined to do this lesson as long as it will take me, or should I say, as long as Misa-sensei continue to make a video tutorial in Youtube, *wink. And since it’s now settled, you can expect an indefinite amount of posts for my weekly updates, *wink.

So last week, I learned about the difference between ageru, kureru and morau, as well as how to say haven’t done yet, and for this week, I’m doing something exciting! I’m doing two lessons for this week, which are lessons 28 and 29. For lesson 28, I’m learning the TARI form which is used for actions you did, will do, or do in a list. And lesson 29, for can’t or must not do, which is forbidding someone to do something. In addition to that, Misa-sensei also shared how to say your New Year resolutions ‘coz apparently, lesson 28 was recorded just after the New Year. Yay!

And again, this is not an attempt to create a tutorial but just sharing what I’ve learn from Misa-sensei’s Grammar Lessons for Absolute Beginners in Youtube. You can see what I’ve been learning from Lessons 1-27 here.

Click on the lesson number to read the whole update.

LESSON 28: TARI Form

shinnen => New Year
houfu => one’s goal, ambitionTo make a New Year’s resolution
=> Shinnen no houfu( wo) kimeru <informal>
=> Shinnen no houfu wo kimemasu <formal>
(lit. to decide on ~)I haven’t made a New Year’s resolution yet
=> Shinnen no houfu (wo) kimeteiru <informal>
=> Shinnen no houfu wo kimeteimasu <formal>

I already made a New Year’s resolution
=> Mou shinnen no houfu (wo) kimeta <informal>
=> Mou shinnen no houfu wo kimemashita <formal>

Your New Year’s resolution form:
My New Year’s resolution is to <verb> koto desu
=> Shinnen no houfu wa <verb> koto desu

Ex: My New Year’s resolution is to lose weight
=> Shinnen no houfu wa yaseru koto desu

okane wo tameru => to save money
My New Year’s resolution is to save money
=> Shinnen no houfu (wa) okane (wo) tameru koto (desu)

My New Year’s resolution is to study Japanese more
=> Shinnen no houfu (wa) motto nihongo (wo) benkyou suru koto desu

What is your New Year’s resolution?
=> Minna no shinnen no houfu (wa) nan desu ka?

undou suru => to exercise
biyouin => hairdresser
kamigata => haircut
niau => to look good (in ~)
Misa looks good in hat, isn’t she?
=> Misa wa boushi ga niau ne? <informal>
=> Misa wa boushi ga niau desu ne? <formal>

When you want to compliment someone while they’re wearing it right now or they’re looking good right not, you use:
look(ing) good (in ~)
=> niatte(i)ru <informal>
=> niatteimasu <formal>

You look good in that hat
=> Sono boushi, niattei()ru <informal>
=> Sono boushi, niatteimasu <formal>

Did you know? When girls get a haircut, they usually expects a compliment.

That haircut looks good on you
=> Sono kamigata, niatte(i)ru <informal>
=> Sono kamigata, niatteimasu <formal>
Your new haircut looks good on you
=> Atarashii kamigata, niatte(i)ru <informal>
=> Atarashii kamigata, niatteimasu <formal>

Did you know? In Japan, when a girl cuts her hair short or a lot, people generally think that she was turned down or got rejected by the person she liked.

furareru => to be rejected, to be dumped
Got dumped by the person she liked
=> Sukina hito ni furareta <informal>
=> Sukina hito ni furaremashita <formal>
Got dumped by boyfriend
=> Kareshi ni furareta <informal>
=> Kareshi ni furaremashita <formal>

Did you know? Cutting hair symbolizes broken heart in Japan

heartbreak => shitsuren

Review: Past Tense

(to study) benkyou suru => benkyou shita <informal past tense>, benkyou shimashita <formal past tense>
I studied Japanese
=> Nihongo (wo) benkyou shita <informal>
=> Nihongo wo benkyou shimashita <formal>
nisen => 2000
sen => thousand
juuroku => 16
nen => counter for years old
I studied Japanese in 2016
=> Nisen juuroku nen (ni) nihongo (wo) benkyou shita <informal>
=> Nisen juuroku nen ni nihongo wo benkyou shimashita <formal>

(to go) iku => itta <informal past tense>, ikimashita <formal past tense>
Want to Japan
=> Nihon (ni) itta <informal>
=> Nihon ni ikimashita <formal>

mitsukeru => to find
mitsukeru => mitsuketa <informal past tense>, mitsukemashita <formal past tense>
found a job
=> Shigoto (wo) mitsuketa <informal>
=> Shigoto wo mitsukemashita <formal>

(to make) tsukuru => tsukutta <informal past tense>, tsukurimashita <formal past tense>
Made a friend
=> Tomodachi (ga) tsukuta <informal>
=> Tomodachi ga tsukurimashita <formal>

(~ga) dekiru => can do, ~ gets done (usually used with: is made or is done)
Ex: Cookies are made (ready/done)
=> Kuukii (ga) dekita <informal>
=> Kukkii ga dekimashita <formal>
dekiru => dekita <informal past tense>, dekimashita <formal past tense>
Made a friend
=> Tomodachi (ga) dekita <informal>
=> Tomodachi (ga) dekimashita <formal>

When listing things that is done, will do or we do in Japanese, they use a special form and then connects them.

Ex: In 2016, I did this and this and this and so on.

In English, you just use “and“. When combining things, it’s different in Japanese. It depends whether it’s a noun or an adjective or a verb, you have to conjugate them kind of differently.

Multiple verbs/actions:

Ex: Today, I’ll study Japanese, hang out with friends, and have dinner with my family
=> Kyou wa nihongo wo benkyou shitari, tomodachi to asondari, kazoku to bangohan wo tabetari shimasu
Explanations:
benkyou shita, asonda, tabeta <informal past tense> + ri
= ri is added to list multiple things you do/did/will do
(lit. I will do this tari, this dari, this tari and so on)

to => and
noun A to noun B
= A and B
Ex: dogs and cats
=> inu to neku
apples and oranges
=> ringo to orenji
To particle is only use between nouns and you can’t use it to connect verbs or actions.

Even if we are using the informal past tense in the list verbs, it doesn’t mean it’s done or it’s in a past tense but only means, study AND hangout AND eat.

The shimasu at the end tells you the tense used of the whole sentence

<verb (informal past tense ta)> + ri, ~tari, ~tari, ~tari…. + suru
= do ~, do~, do~, do~ and so on

When using tari, you always have to put suru at the end and then you can conjugate it in many ways.

Ex: do this, do this, do this and so on <formally>
=> ~tari, ~tari, ~tari shimasu
do this, do this, do this and so on <informally>
=> ~tari, ~tari, ~tari suru

for past tense => shita <informal> or shimashita <formal>
for negation => shinai <informal> or shimasen <formal>
for want to do => shitari

Tari form kind of implies that you’ve done more than “that” thus having so on at the end.

Did you know? Japanese likes to leave things not so clear / indirect / mysterious so they the tari form most of the time.

When using tari form, you cannot use it with masu:
kitta + ri => CORRECT
kirimashita + ri => WRONG!

I got a haircut, ate ramen, saw a movie (and so on)
=> Kami (wo) kittari, ramen (wo) tabetari, eiga (wo) mitari shita <informal>
=> Kami wo kittari, ramen wo tabetari, eiga wo mitari shimashita <formal>

Heads up! The good thing about tari form is that you don’t need to list things in order.

But if you can’t be bother telling all the things you did / will do, you can mention one action and then still use the tari form. It just simply means that you did this and so on.

Ex: I ate ramen and so on
=> Ramen (wo) tabetari shita <informal>
=> Ramen wo tabetari shimashita <formal>

oomisoka => New Year’s eve
kurisumasu ibu => Christmas eve
hanabi => fireworks (comes from hana = flower and hi->bi = fire)

For to chat, you can use the verb hanasu but there’s also other verb which means to chat which is shaberu. For this verb, you can also use it as to talk, but it’s mostly use for to chat alone.

for to chat, you can use either of the two:

  • shaberu (exception)
  • oshaberi suru

On New Year’s eve, I went to a party, saw fireworks, chatted with friends (and so on)
=> Oomisoka ni paateii ni ittari, hanabi (wo) mitari, tomodachi to shabetta shita <informal>
=> Oomisoka ni paateii ni ittari, hanabi wo mitari, tomodachi to shabetta shimashita <formal>

Tomorrow, I will read a book, do my homework, play a game (and so on)
=> Ashita (wa) hon (wo) yondari, shukudai (wo) shitari, geemu shitari suru <informal>
=> Ashita wa hon wo yondari, shukudai wo shitari, geemu shitari shimasu <formal>

In Japan, I want to eat sushi, climb Mt. Fuji, take lots of pictures and so on
=> Nihon de sushi (wo) tabetari, Fuji-san ni nobottari, takusan shashin (wo) tottari shitai <informal>
=> Nihon de sushi wo tabetari, Fuji-san ni nobottari, takusan shashin wo tottari shitai desu <formal>

noboru => to climb
~ ni noboru
= to climb ~

Q: What do you wanna do this year?
=> Kotoshi (wa) nani (ga) shitai? <informal>
=> Kotoshi wa nani ga shitai desu ka? <formal>

A: This year, I want to go to Japan, read lots of manga and so on
=> Kotoshi (wa) Nihon ni ittari, takusan manga (wo) yondari shitai <informal>
=> Kotoshi wa Nihon ni ittari, takusan manga wo yondari shitai desu <formal>

New vocabularies learned from this lesson:

  • shinnen => New Year
  • houfu => one’s goal, ambition
  • okane wo tameru => to save money
  • undou suru => to exercise
  • biyouin => hairdresser
  • kamigata => haircut
  • niau => to look good (in ~)
  • furareru => to be rejected, to be dumped
  • heartbreak => shitsuren
  • mitsukeru => to find
  • (~ga) dekiru => can do, ~ gets done (usually used with: is made or is done)
  • nen => counter for years old
  • ringo => apple
  • orenji => orange
  • bi => fire
  • shaberu or osaberi suru => to chat
  • noboru => to climb

LESSON 29: Can’t / Must Not <Forbidding>

dame => no good / you can’t (as in “don’t”)

Ex: Can I come in?
=> Haittemo ii? <informal>
=> Haittemo ii desu ka? <formal>

Don’t come in / No, you can’t come in!
=> Haiccha dame!

It’s a bit different from the naide from Lesson #25
= don’t do ~
Some people use them both interchangeably

How to do the forbidding form? <Informal>

  • Change them into the TE form
  • Change te into cha (de into ja)
  • Add dame after the cha (or ja)

~ cha (~ja) dame <informal>
You can add desu at the end to make it a bit formal but still friendly or soft.

Formal forbidding form:

  • Change into the TE form
  • Add wa ikemasen

~te (~de) wa ikemasen <formal>

Ex: You are not allowed to enter
=> Haiite wa ikemasen

This form is too formal / too official so it doesn’t sound soft. So lots of people prefer to use the naide form. But it’s used depends on the situation.

(to eat) taberu => tabete
Can I eat?
=> Tabetemo ii? <informal>
=> Tabetemo ii desu ka? <formal>
You can’t eat / don’t it
=> Tabecha dame <informal>
=> Tabete wa ikemasen <formal>

tabecha dame vs tabenaide

  • tabecha dame means “you can’t eat it” <not permitting>
  • while tabenaide means “don’t eat it” <requesting>

(to look, see, watch) miru => mite
You can’t look!
=> Micha dame! <informal>
=> Mite wa kimasen <formal>

(to sleep) neru => nete
You can’t sleep / You’re not allowed to sleep!
=> Necha dame! <informal>
=> Nete wa ikemasen <formal>

deru => has so many meanings:

  • to leave
  • to come out
  • to appear (like on a show or stage)
  • to answer the phone (denwa ni deru) or not answer (denwa ni denai)

to go outside
=> Soto ni deru
You can say soto ni iku, but they don’t usually use or say it.

taifuu => typhoon
deru => dete
Don’t / You can’t go outside because typhoon is coming
=> Taifuu (ga) kuru kara soto ni decha dame <informal>
=> Taifuu ga kuru kara soto ni dete wa ikemasen <formal>

(to say, tell) iu => itte
You can’t say / tell it to anyone
=> Darenimo iccha dame <informal>
=> Darenimo itte wa ikemasen <formal>

(to go) iku => itte
You can’t go there alone
=> Hitori de asoko ni iccha dame <informal>
=> Hitori de asoki ni itte wa ikemasen <formal>

You can swap hitori de and asoko ni because the order doesn’t matter as long as the verb is place at the end.

(to drink) nomu => nonde
You’re not allowed / you can’t drink
=> Osake wo nonja dame <informal>
=> Osake wo nonde wa ikemasen <formal>
nijuusai => 20 years old

Heads up! Older generations prefer “nijissai” especially in writing.

nijuu => 20
sai => counter for years old
miman => less than (but not including)
People under 20 cannot / not allowed to drink alcohol
=> Nijuusai miman no hito (wa) osake (wo) nonja dame <informal>
=> Nijuusai miman no hito wa osake wo nande wa ikemasen <formal>

Did you know? In Japan, people under 20 is not allowed to drink and smoke.

(to breathe in) suu => sutte
You’re not allowed / you can’t smoke here
=>Koko de tabako (wo) succha dame <informal>
=> Koko de tabako wo sutte wa ikemasen <formal>

(to forget) wasureru => wasurete
You can’t forget to lock the door
=> Doa ni kagi (wo) kakeru no wa wasurecha dame <informal>
=> Doa ni kagi wo kakeru no wa wasurete wa ikemasen <formal>

For to lock, you can also use:

  • kagi wo shimeru (lit. to close the key)

hashiru => to run (exception)
hashiru => hashitte
You can’t / not allowed to run in the corridor
=> Rouka wo hashiccha dame <informal>
=> Rouka wo hashitte wa ikemasen <formal>

<place> wo hashiru
= to run in <place>

Did you know? In Japan, you’re not allowed to make a phone call inside the train.

Kakeru can be used a lot of ways:

  • to lock => kagi wo kakeru
  • to call => denwa wo kakeru
  • to hang a coat => kooto wo kakeru
  • to wear glasses => megane wo kakeru

denwa wo kakeru => denwa wo kakete
In Japan, you can’t make a phone call on the train
=> Nihon (wa) densha de denwa (wo) kakecha dame <informal>
=> Nihon wa denshaw de denwa wo kakete wa ikemasen <formal>

or you can say

=> Nihon no densha de denwa (wo) kakecha dame <informal>
=> Nihon no densha de denwa wo kakete wa ikemasen <formal>

New vocabularies learned from this lesson:

  • dame => no good / you can’t (as in “don’t”)
  • deru => to leave, to come out, to appear, to answer the phone
  • taifuu => typhoon
  • nijuu => 20
  • sai => counter for years old
  • miman => less than (but not including)
  • hashiru => to run
  • kooto => coat
  • megane => glasses (eye)

So that’s it for this week!

For  the earlier lessons, you can refer to my previous updates for lessons 1-27. If you want to study Japanese language as well, I am highly recommending Misa-sensei’s youtube tutorial for Japanese Grammar Lessons for Absolute Beginners. Jaa mata ne!

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