Let's learn Japanese ~Lesson 6: Grammar (3)~

Lesson 6: Grammar (3)

Hi everyone! Here's another lesson introducing some more grammar to all of you. It won't be too much, because I am too lazy to explain all that much right now. Actually I really badly want to watch some more episodes of Naruto Shippuuden, but I'm forcing myself to do something remotely useful before that. (Anyway, prepare yourself! I'll probably use some by Naruto influenced example sentences.) Alright then, let's get started!

そうです／そうじゃありません

The word　そうis often used to answer a question that need to be answered either affirmative or negative. はい、そうです。is the affirmative answer.  いいえ、そうじゃありません。is the negative answer.　違います　（ちがいます）can also be used as a negative answer.

Example sentences

その本はカカシ先生のですか？                   Is that master Kakashi's book?

...はい、そうです。                                         ...Yes, it is.

あれはナルトの靴（くつ）ですか？                        Are those Naruto's shoes?

...いいえ、そうじゃありません。                              ...No, they aren't.

これはサクラの冊子ですか？                         Is that Sakura's magazine?

...いいえ、違います。                                      ...No, it isn't.

S1か、S2か

Using this structure, you ask the listener to choose between alternatives, S1 or S2. With this kind of question neither はい nor いいえ can be used to answer.  

Example sentences

これは「本」ですか、「冊子」ですか？                             Is this a "book"  or a "magazine"?

...冊子です。                                                                               ...It's a magazine.

それは「苦無（くない）」ですか、「手裏剣（しゅりけん）」ですか？ 

...苦無です。

Is that a "kunai" or a "shuriken"?

...It's a kunai.

ここ／そこ／あそこ／こちら／そちら／あちら

These demonstratives work pretty much the same as これ、それ andあれ which were discussed before. ここ、そこ and あそこ don't refer to items, but to places. ここ is the place where the speaker is, そこ is the place where the listener is and あそこ is the place far from both the speaker and the listener.

こちら、そちら and あちら are demonstratives that refer to directions, but they can also be used to refer to one's position, in which case they are politer than ここ、そこ and あそこ. こちら is used to refer to a place remotely close, そちら for a place a bit further away and あちらfor a place even farther away.

N1はN2 (place)です

Using this sentence pattern, you can explain where a place is.

Example sentences

トイレはあそこです。                                                  The toilet is over there.

会議室（かいぎしつ）は２階です。                          The conference room is on the second floor.

ツナデ姫（ひめ）は事務所（じむしょ）です。       Lady Tsunade is in the office.

どこ／どちら

どこmeans "where" and どちらmeans " which direction". Both can be used to ask the location of something or someone. When asking directions to a place it's advised to use どちら, because people will actually point you to the direction, instead of just telling you where it is.

example sentences

ツナデ姫のじむしょはどこですか？                            Where is the office of Lady Tsunade?

...あそこです。                                                                  ...It's over there.

一楽ラーメンはどちらですか？                   Where is Ichiraku Ramen?

...そちらです。                                                          It's in that direction.

どこand どちら are also used to ask the name of a country, company, school or other place or organization one belongs to. You cannot use なん.

example sentence

ナルトの国はどこですか？                     What country is Naruto from?

...木ノ葉です。                                          He's from Konoha.

（いいえ、火の国です。木ノ葉は街です。No, it's the Land of Fire. Konoha is the city.）

Alright, that's all for today grammar! Next time we'll start with verb!

Homework:

I have a bunch of words for you to learn!

ここ                                                                    Here, this place

そこ                                                                    There, that place near you

あそこ                                                                There, that place over there

どこ                                                                    Where, what place

こちら                                                                This way, this place

そちら                                                                That way, that place near you

あちら                                                                That way, that place over there

どちら                                                                 Which way, where

きょうしつ                    教室                     classroom

しょくどう                    食堂                     dining hall, canteen

じむしょ                          事務所               office

かいぎしつ                     会議室                conference room, assembly room

うけつけ                          受付                    reception desk

ロビー                                                          lobby

へや                                    部屋                   room

トイレ                                                           toilet, rest room

かいだん                          階段                     staircase

エレベーター                                               elevator, lift

エスカレーター                                           escalator

くに                                    国                          land, country

かいしゃ                          会社                        company

いえ                                    家                          house

まち                                    町／街                  city, town

でんわ                               電話                     telephone

くつ                                    靴                          shoes

たばこ                                                             tabacco, cigarette

ひ                                       火                          fire

うりば                                売り場                 department, counter (in a department store)

ちか                                    地下                     basement

‐かい                             ‐階                        -th floor

なんがい                          何階                       what floor

Extras (just because I used those)

くない　　                     苦無                       not really a knife, but maybe a dagger or something. Please google if you don't know.

しゅりけん                    手裏剣                    a throwing star

ひめ                                    姫                        princess, a lady of noble birth

いちらくらーめん    一楽ラーメン            the fictional noodle shop that's regularly visited by Naruto

このは                            木ノ葉                   the fictional city where Naruto lives in. Also, a leaf of a tree               

Then, I already said I'm lazy, so there's so sentences to translate this time! Please try to make some yourself. Just tell where everything in your room is. And if it is what you think it is. Have yourself make a choice between two things.