月: 2026年6月

Japanese learning (A3 S24): Benefactive expressions, someone did something for me, the subject is not that person but “I”; Watashi wa [Someone] ni [Verb Clause]+te Moraimashita.

We have already learned three giving/receiving verbs; Ageru, Morau, and Kureru. So far the sentence constructions using these verbs are about giving and receiving an object.

1. [ I ]wa [ Someone ]ni [ Object ]o Agemasu.  — I will be a giver

2. [ I ]wa [ Someone ]ni [ Object ]o Moraimashita. — I was a receiver

3. [ Someone ]wa [ I ]ni [ Object ]o Kuremashita. — I was a receiver, but the subject is the giver

It’s apart from the point, but did you notice that the sentence 1 is in future tense, 2 and 3 are in past tense? In the sentence 1, action “giving” will be done by me. Therefore, “I” can say what I will do in the future as an expression of will. But in the sentence 2 and 3, “giving” will be done by someone other than “I”. You can’t be perfectly sure what other people will do in the future, even if you are expecting that someone will give you something. In order to make the examples good to be practical, those 2 and 3 are using past tense. If someone gave you something in the past, it’s a sure thing so that you can express other people’s action that is “gave me”.

Anyway, the sentences 1 to 3 are expressing doing a favor by giving an object. Then, how can we express doing a favor by doing an action? The exercises A3, A4, and A5 introduce the sentence constructions that express doing a favor by doing an action. Today, we are learning one of the three, “[V-te]+Morau” as shown below;

– Watashi wa Satou-san ni Shukudai no Kotae o Misete Moraimashita.

(I was shown the answers of homework by Sato-san.)

– Watashi wa Suzuki-san ni Kyouto e Tsurete Itte Moraimashita.

(I was taken to Kyoto by Suzuki-san.)

– Watashi wa Takahashi-san ni Hikkoshi o Tetsudatte Moraimashita.

(I was helped for my moving by Takahashi-san.)

This post was written with reference to the exercise A3 on Section24 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”

Japanese learning (A2 S24): Which to use as the Subject Marker, “-wa” or “-ga”, learning through one of Giving/Receiving Verbs “Kureru/Kuremasu”.

The sentence construction that we learned in A1 S24 was as follows;

1. Satou-san wa Watashi ni Chokore’eto o Kuremashita. (Sato-san gave me a chocolate.)

This expression is uttered in the following situations;

<1> Both speaker and listener know who Sato-san is.

<2> The intention of this utterance is that the speaker wants the listener to know what Sato-san gave to the speaker.

Because of <1>, the particle “wa” is used as subject marker, as you see “Satou-san wa”.

Because of <2>, it is obvious that the receiver is the speaker, therefore “Watashi ni” can be omitted in this situation. Then the sentence 1 could be;

1’. Satou-san wa Chokore’eto o Kuremashita. (Sato-san gave a chocolate.)

Before introducing today’s sentences, here is a new word;

Nori（海苔）: Noun; Dried Seaweed, its shape is rectangular like sheet of paper. Usually used to wrap Sushi and Riceball.

Now, the following is the today’s sentences;

2. Kore wa Kankoku no Nori desu. Kim-san ga Kuremashita.

(This is Nori of Korea. Kim-san gave (this to me).)

If we make the two sentences of 2 a sentence like 1’, then we will get;

2’ Kim-san ga Nori o Kuremashita. (Kim-san gave Nori (to me).)

Comparing 1’ and 2’, you will find that the subject markers are different between two sentences. This is important issue. In order to think about this issue, let us stick to the sentences 2, because it is a kind of identical to what A2 S24 shows. The sentences 2 consists of two sentences, the first one is;

2-1 Kore wa Kankoku no Nori desu.

=> [Subject] [Predicate] = [Kore] wa [Kankoku no Nori] desu.

In this sentence, the particle “wa” is used as the subject marker.

– “Kore” is what the speaker and the listener are looking at.

– The purpose to utter this sentence is to tell the predicate.

For these two reasons, not “ga” but “wa” is used to indicate the subject as “Kore wa”.

The second sentence is;

2-2 Kim-san ga Kuremashita.

– “Kim-san” is what the speaker knows, but the listener doesn’t know.

– The purpose to utter this sentence is to tell who is the subject.

For these two reasons, not “wa” but “ga” is used to indicate the subject as “Kim-san ga”.

It is important to know that “ga” is used for the subject when the purpose of the sentence is to identify what/who the subject is. In order to know the difference between “wa” and “ga” as the subject markers, practice and remember the following conversation;

A : Sore wa Nandesuka. (What is it?)

B : Kore wa Nihon no Ocha desu. (This is Japanese Tea.)

A : Dare ga Kuremashitaka. (Who gave it to you?)

B : Satou-san ga Kuremashita. (Sato-san gave this to me.)

This post was written with reference to the exercise A2 on Section24 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”

Japanese learning (A1 S24): One of Giving/Receiving Verbs when the Subject is other than “I”; [Someone1] wa [Someone2] ni [Object] o Kuremashita.

As to giving/receiving verbs, we have already learned “Ageru/Agemasu” and “Morau/Moraimasu” in the section 7. Now we are learning another giving/receiving verb, which is “Kureru/Kuremasu”. In fact, there is one thing that “Kureru” is different from “Ageru” and “Morau”.

1. Watashi wa Satou-san ni Chokore’eto o Agemasu. (I will give Sato-san a chocolate.)

2. Watashi wa Satou-san ni Chokore’eto o Moraimashita. (I received a chocolate from Sato-san.)

3. Satou-san wa Watashi ni Chokore’eto o Kuremashita. (Sato-san gave me a chocolate.)

Look at the subjects of 1, 2, and 3. For the verbs “Ageru” and “Morau”, the subjects are “Watashi” which means “I” in English. On the other, for “Kureru”, the subject is “Satou-san” which is not “Watashi”. At the beginning of second language learning, it is better to use sentences whose subject is “Watashi (I)” because “Subject Watashi” increases authenticity for the learner. Since the verb “Kureru” takes a subject that is not Watashi but other people, it should be learned in a little later stage than “Ageru” and “Morau”. Note that there may be a person who say “Watashi wa Kuremasu” in some region. But this is not standard Japanese. When you give something to someone, you need to say “Watashi wa Daredare ni Naninani o Agemasu” (Daredare= someone, Naninani= something).

The followings are examples of sentences using “Kureru/Kuremasu”

4. Satou-san wa Watashi ni Hon o Kuremashita. (Sato-san gave me a book.)

5. Suzuki-san wa Watashi ni Ringo o Kuremashita. (Suzuki-san gave me an apple.)

In 1 through 5, “<person> ni <object> o” is used in common. Put in your mind this so that you can use giving/receiving verbs. But do not think the words order is always “<person> ni <object> o”. Sometimes Japanese say “<object> o <person> ni”.

4′. Satou-san wa Hon o Watashi ni Kuremashita. (Sato-san gave a book to me.)

5′. Suzuki-san wa Ringo o Watashi ni Kuremashita. (Suzuki-san gave an apple to me.)

Change of words order is likely, because not words order but function of particles is decisive for the meaning of a sentence in Japanese.

This post was written with reference to the exercise A1 on Section24 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”

Japanese Learning(S23): Difference between {[A]toki,[B].} and {[A]to, [B].}

In the section 23, you learned two types of sentence constructions;

A1

[Conditional Clause A]+toki, [Main Clause].

Exmaple: Douro o Wataru toki, Kuruma ni Ki o Tsukemasu. (When crossing a road, I pay attention to cars.)

A4

[Conditional Clause A]+to, [Main Clause].

Example: Douro o Wataru to, Kombini ga Arimasu. (If you corss the road, you will find a convinience store.)

Is the difference between the two clear to you?

(1) Freedom about Main clause

{[A]+toki,[B].}

— When A is happening, someone does B. The “someone” has freedom to do B to some extent. “Some extent” means that B is limited to be what an ordinary people usually do. If B is what an ordinary people usually don’t, different expression needs to be used. But it is not what we are focusing on now. 

– Example: Uchi ni Kaeru toki, Osake o Kaimasu. (When I am on my way home, I will buy Sake.)

There is a freedom about what you buy on your way home. Someone wants to buy Alcohol, another person packages of ready-made food for night meal.

{[A]+to, [B].}

— When A has happened, then B happens, or B is caused as the result of A. A tends to be a hypothetical condition, but once A has happened, there is not much freedom about occurrence of B.

– Example: Uchi ni Kaeru to, Mazu Doa no Kagi o Akemasu. (When I get home, I open the door key first.)

– Example: Ame ga Furu to, Undou-kai wa Chuushi desu. (If it rains, the sports event will be cancelled.)

(2) Time sequence of the conditional clause and the main clause.

{[A]+toki,[B].}

— While A is happening, B happens.

Exmaple: Douro o Wataru toki, Kuruma ni Ki o Tsukemasu. (When crossing a road, I pay attention to cars.)

During crossing the road, you pay attention to cars.

{[A]+to, [B].}

 — Once A has happened, and then B is caused.

Exmaple: Douro o Wataru to, Shoutengai ni Tsukimasu. (When you have crossed the road, you get to the shopping mall.)

When you got to the shopping mall, your action crossing the road has already ended.

<Quiz>

Choose “toki” or “to”. The answers will be shown tomorrow.

(1) Terebi o Miru { toki or to }, Megane o Kakemasu.

(2) Terebi o Miru { toki or to }, Iroirona Nyu’usu ga Wakarimasu.

(3) Ano Singou de Hidari ni Magaru { toki or to }, Yuubinkyoku ga arimasu.

(4) Eki ni Tsuita { toki or to }, Tanaka-san ni Aimashita.

This post was written with reference to the Section23 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”

Japanese learning (A4 S23): If a thing in Conditional Clause happens, the thing in Main Clause will happen: [Conditional Clause] to, [Main Clause].

Let us learn one of conjunctive particle “-to,”. At first, what is the difference between a conjunctive particle and a conjunction?

[ Dependent Clause ] + < Conjunctive Particle >, [ Main Clause ].

[ Sentence1 ]. <Conjunction>, [ Sentence2 ].

A conjunctive particle is attached to the end of a dependent clause, so that the main clause of a sentence can be placed after the dependent clause. The particle “to” has already introduces as a case particle as below;

– Tomodachi to Ryokou ni Ikimasu. (I am going to travel with my friend.)　— A3 S5

– Ashitano Tenki wa Yoku naranai to Omoimasu. (I don’t think weather gets good tomorrow.) — A1-3 S21

But now what we are learning is “-to,” which is a conjunctive particle. Look at the following examples;

1. Okane o Ireru to, Kippu ga Dete Kimasu. (Putting your money in, a ticket is coming out.)

2. Kono Botan o Osu to, Heya ga Akaruku Narimasu. (Pushing this button, the room gets brighter.)

3. Migi e Magaru to, Pan-ya ga Arimasu. (Turn right, then you will find a bakery.)

These sentences have the construction of;

[Clause A] + to, [Clause B].

When A happens, and then B is caused by A. In the cases of sentences 1 and 2, the machines are designed to make Action A cause Action B. Taking the action A is hypothetical, but once A happens, B will almost certainly occur. Therefore, Clause B must end assertively.

Good : Natsu ni Naru to, Atsuku Narimasu. (When summer comes, it gets hot.)

Bad : Natsu ni Naru to, Isshoni Umi e Ikimashou. (WRONG: Come summer, go to the sea together.)

A sentence using the conjunctive particle “to” should not end with expressions of will, invitation, command and so on.

This post was written with reference to the exercise A4 on Section23 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”

Japanese learning (A3 S23): Conditional Clause similar to “When-Clause” that are combination of I-Adjectives, Na-Adjectives, and Noun with “Toki”: [I-adj+i/Na-adj+na/Noun+no] toki, [Main Clause].

We have learned some conditional clauses in which a verb clause is placed in front of “toki” at A1 and A2 of the section 23. Verbs are in Dictionary form and Nai-form in A1, and verbs are in Dictionary form and Ta-form. The examples are;

– Douro o Wataru toki, Kuruma ni Ki o Tsukemasu. (When I cross a road, I pay attention to cars) — V-dic+toki,

– Nihongo ga Wakaranai toki, Sumaho de Shirabemasu. (When I don’t understand Japanese, I check it using my smartphone.) — V-nai+toki,

– Nihon ni Kita toki, Mada Ie ga Arimasendeshita. (When I arrived at Japan, I still didn’t have a house to live.) — V-ta+toki

In the construction of conditional clause with “toki,” “toki” seems to be a kind of conjunctive particle because the dependent clause ends with “toki,” as below;

[conditional clause] + toki, [Main clause].

But “toki” is a noun, because “toki” means “time”. Therefore, the verb needs to be Dictionary form, Nai-form, or Ta-form so that the verb can be placed in front of a noun (in this case, “toki” ).

Now, given that “toki” is a noun, how about putting a conditional clause whose predicate is a Noun, an I-adjective, and a Na-adjective?

1. Atsui toki, Eakon o Tsukemasu. (When it is hot, I turn the air-conditioner on.)

2. Genkina toki, Undou shimasu. (When I feel energetic, I do exercise.)

3. Tesuto no toki, Gambarimasu. (During the examination, I try my best.)

Remember the basics how to modify a noun by an I-adjective, a Na-adjective, and another noun.

[Stem of I-adjective]+ i + [Noun] — 1; Atsu + i + toki

[Stem of Na-adjective]+ na + [Noun] — 2; Genki + na + toki

[Noun1] + no + [Noun2] — 3; Testo + no + toki

This post was written with reference to the exercise A3 on Section23 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”

NHK Anchor called Te-form “Tegata” which should be “Tekei”

Last night I was going to fall asleep in the bed at around 11p.m. At that time, I was leaving my radio on. I was feeling like I was listening to the news at 11 o’clock, but I don’t remember what I heard from the radio speaker. Soon after the news program ended, the late-night program started at 11:05, which was “Rajio Shinyabin” on NHK AM. The male radio anchor started the program with mentioning there were a lot of words that ended with “te”. Since I was about to sleep, I don’t remember exactly what he said, but words with “te” were used to describe order of two actions, conditions while the action, and cause/reason. And he added that Japanese teachers were making much effort to teach those words with “te” with calling them “Tegata”.

I am not sure how many Japanese teachers were listening to NHK AM radio in late night at 11, but I am sure that almost all Japanese teacher who listened to it must have shouted “That’s ‘Tekei’!”          

Perhaps the radio anchor was not saying what he thought himself, but reading what a broadcast writer wrote on paper. It seems like the writer researched well about “words with ‘te'”, because mentioning several functions of “te” like him was not what an ordinary Japanese could think of. 

What is called “Te-form” by Japanese teachers and learners is written in Japanese as “テ形/て形/てけい”. Spelling is “てけい/Tekei”, but the pronunciation is “てけえ/Teke’e”. So for the word “て形” , the Kanji “形” is read as “けい/kei” which is one of On-pronunciations. If you read the Kanji “形” as “がた/gata”, it is one of Kun-pronunciations. Since a Kanji has several patterns of pronunciations of On- and Kun-pronunciations, it is difficult even for Japanese to use the right one. Actually there is a word “Tegata” in Japanese and it’s Kanji is “手形” which doesn’t has to do with Japanese grammar. Since the Kanji “形” is used for conjugation patterns like “終止形”,”連体形”, and “連用形”, and all these “形” is pronounced as “kei”.

Someone might have pointed out to NHK saying it’s not Tegata but Tekei. But I don’t know if the collection was aired in the program or not (the program continued until 5 a.m.!) because I soon turned off the radio, and fell asleep.

Visited a Day-Service Facility for my Mother Today

I took my mother to a day service facility today. Actually, the place was the second one, I mean, last week we visited another day service facility. The purpose of visiting two places is to compare the two so that we can choose the better one. Before getting there at 2 p.m., we had a little late lunch in a Rahmen restaurant. Mine was Soy-sauce Rahmen with pork slice on top. My mother’s was a half Rahmen as the photo below. We visited the facility, got some guidance of the facility, looked around the rooms and the activity of the afternoon, and said good-bye to the people there. When we came back our home, I asked my mother which of the two day-service facilities she likes. She said that she had already forgot the facility we visited last week, so she couldn’t compare the two.

I have started saving up for my funeral expenses

Most of people in my neighborhood save up money for their own funeral expenses well before the last day in this world. There are two major funeral companies in this region, competing to get customers who could sign up such savings. Let me call them A and B. My father had paid for his own funeral to the company A, while he was still alive. After the funeral of my father, my mother started to pay monthly likewise. Her course was 36-Man’en(approximately 2,300USD), by paying 3000JPY every month, 120 times. She has already paid 70 times. Recently the company A said to me that they wanted to confirm her condition and to give her a birthday present. And today, one of their employees came to my home. I thought it was a good chance for me to start payment for my own funeral. Because I was satisfied with the service they provided in my father’s funeral, and it was a little nuisance that the company B made phone calls to me often.

I signed today the 24-Man’en course, which is way cheaper than my mother’s. I just thought my funeral would not cost so much because very few people will come to my funeral. My payment is 2000JPY, 120times. It continues ten years. I hope my funeral will happen after my payment has finished, but future is unknown. When it comes to predicting future, we Japanese think that “A devil will laugh at me”.