NIHONGO, the foreign language you will learn this semester, is actually made up

of two parts. These are NIHON and GO.

NIHON is the Japanese for Japan while GO is a suffix added after the name of a
country to mean the “language of” that
country. Thus, NIHONGO
is “language of Japan” or “Japanese Language”.
For Japanese language learners who are just at the beginning level, knowing the
right form of address is essential. I am referring
to how one is supposed to address or call the teacher and vice-versa.
Teachers of Japanese are usually called “SENSEI”. Sensei is a Japanese word
which translates in English to, you guess it right, teacher.
And yes, that’s how I would like to be called by my students.
Now, what about you Nihongo students? How should I address you or how should
your classmates address you? Well, you have
probably heard of
~KUN and ~CHAN, especially if you are an anime follower. ~KUN is used when calling a
young boy while ~CHAN is for addressing
a young girl. But, because you
are no longer kids, that means it’s inappropriate to use either ~KUN or ~CHAN when
calling one of you.
So, what do I or we use? It’s ~SAN. This is the preferred form of address in our
case.. ~SAN is a suffix that is equivalent in English to Mr. or
Ms. Use or add ~SAN after one’s surname
.
Similar to how one introduces himself/herself in English or in Filipino, self-introduction in
Japanese may be simple if basic expressions and information are used.
In our case, there are only four (4) basic lines which you need to understand and
be familiar with. These lines are :
(1) HAJIMEMASHITE,
(2) WATASHI WA ___ DESU.,
(3) WATASHI WA ___ KARA KIMASU, and
(4) DOUZO YOROSHIKU ONEGAISHIMASU.
Let's find out what each of these lines means.
HAJIMEMASHITE is used to begin the introduction. It roots from the
verb, HAJIMERU, which means "to begin". When one says HAJIMEMASHITE, it's as if
he/she is saying, "I am meeting you for the first time, nice to meet you". However, some
translate the greeting as "HOW DO YOU DO".
 "WATASHI WA ___ DESU" is a sentence that will help you say what your name
is. WATASHI , which begins the sentence, is the Japanese for "I" while, DESU, which
ends the sentence, acts as the copula verb/ linking verb. DESU is equivalent to the present
tense form of the verb to be (am, is and are) and to the future tense form (will be). The
use of “DESU” makes the sentence complete and polite, hence, formal.
’WA” is a particle; it does not have an English translation but it has a very important
use in sentence construction. Particularly, it is a subject marker particle. ‘WA’ is always
placed after the subject of the sentence.
Finally, as for the blank, that is where you say / write your name. In saying your
name, it is important to remember to always begin with your surname.
So, when I say (or write) “WATASHI WA DELGADO, MARY GRACE DESU", I mean
to say ,” I am Mary Grace Delgado” in English.
"WATASHI WA ____ KARA KIMASU" is another sentence. You may use it to say
where you come from. Again, WATASHI is "I" and WA is the subject marker particle.
What about the two other words? KIMASU , just like DESU, is also verb. It is equivalent
in English to the verb "COME". KARA , just like WA, is also a particle. But unlike WA,
KARA has an English translation and it is the preposition "FROM". Thus, "WATASHI WA
TAAL KARA KIMASU" in English is "I COME FROM TAAL".

Finally, we end the introduction with "DOUZO YOROSHIKU

ONEGAISHIMASU". This line means "I am pleased to meet you".
By the way, please be reminded of the importance of observing Japanese culture.
Since you are learning Nihongo, you cannot not learn also about Japanese culture since
language is part of culture. And there are two distinct Japanese cultures which I hope you
will also observe. These are the BOWING (ojigi) and the POINTING AT YOUR
NOSE whenever you say "Watashi.
Module 1 Lesson 3
The following are just some of the useful daily expressions / greetings in English
and the Japanese translation for each.
Good Morning Ohayou Gozaimasu
* used from sunrise until about 10 in the morning
Good Afternoon Konnichiwa
* used from 10 in the morning until sundown
; also means “hello”
Good evening Konbanwa.
Good night Oyasumi Nasai.
Thank you very much Doumo Arigatou Gozaimasu.
 You are welcome. Dou itashimashite.
How are you? Ogenki desuka.
I’m fine. Genki desu.
Excuse me. Sumimasen.
Please wait for a while. Chotto matte kudasai.
Sorry, I am late. Osoku natte sumimasen.
Congratulations! Omedetou Gozaimasu.
Happy Birthday Otanjoubi Omedetou Gozaimasu.
Goodbye. Sayounara
* used when you will not see the other person
for quite a while
See you again. Mata aimashou.
Take care. Ki wo tsukete.
What is your name? Onamae wa nan desuka.
How old are you? Nansai desuka.
What is it? Nan desuka.
Where is it ? Doko desuka.
Who is it? Dare desuka.
When is it ? Itsu desuka.
Why/Why is it? Doushite desuka.
How is it? Dou desuka.
How much is it? Ikura desuka.
Do you understand? Wakarimasu ka.
I don’t understand. Wakarimasen.
I am sorry. Gomen nasai.

A common expression among the Japanese is "sumimasen". In the previous page,

you learned that "sumimasen" basically means "Excuse me.". In some instances,
however, "sumimasen" may mean something else.. Find out other meanings of this
expression in the following article :

SUMIMASEN
 If you are familiar with Japanese drama, or Jdorama as it is usually called among
the fans, you will have encountered the word "sumimasen" countless times. This is a very
interesting word and it is something that is more deeply ingrained in Japanese culture, for
it can mean different things, depending on how it is used. It is one of the first words learned
by students of the Japanese language because it is taught early on, and is a word that is
commonly used in various situations. However, it is only when one is already immersed
in Japanese culture and tradition that the subtle meanings of sumimasen in different
contexts become clear.

Politeness and courtesy

For the Japanese, even the smallest of favors contribute to forming mutual
responsibilities and debts among the members of society. Public appearance and debt
are top priority for the Japanese, and they usually adopt a humble position. Their
interactions with other people put them in "debt" in various settings. This is clearly
linguistically reflected in this particular word: sumimasen. Saying sumimasen is a way of
acknowledging one's indebtedness to other people. It is said not because the Japanese
are always apologetic. For them, sumimasen is a more polite way of saying thank you, as
English speakers would normally utter.

Usage of sumimasen

Sumimasen is a formal and sincere way of apologizing. It can be used when

offering an apology to anyone, even to strangers. The Japanese use gomennasai, which
also means (I'm) sorry, when apologizing to someone they know personally, like family
and close friends.
Sumimasen can also be a thank you as well as an apology. Although difficult to
fully describe in English, the closest thing is a mixed feeling of thankfulness and regret.
Let us say that you are paying for something at a convenience store that costs 210 yen
and you gave the clerk 300 yen. The clerk asks you if you have 10 yen instead and you
look around your bag for the exact change. The clerk appreciates your effort to look for
the 10 yen and pay the exact amount, so she says sumimasen. She is saying that rather
than arigatou, which means thank you, for her gratitude to you is deeper.
The word can be used in making a request. The closest equivalents in English for
this would be "could you please," "do you mind" or "excuse me."
One of the words which is common among Japanese when they want to attract
attention is to say, "Konnichiwa," or "Ano" but these words are usually used among
acquaintances. The Japanese will say sumimasen as a polite way to get the attention of
a stranger. It can also be used as a conversation closer, in a way that shows regret in
leaving the company of someone. Sumimasen can also mean okay or yes, when used in
a situation where someone who is quite busy takes the time to acknowledge that a person
is waiting to be served.
Confusing as it is, sumimasen is one word that you should include in your list of
basic Japanese words to learn.
Numbers in Japanese
To learn numbers in Japanese, one has to start by learning the numbers one (1)
to ten (10).
One ichi
Two ni
Three san
Four yon, yo, shi
Five go
Six roku
Seven nana, shichi
Eight hachi
Nine kyuu, ku
Ten juu

Yes, if you want to learn numbers in Japanese, the first thing you have to do is to
familiarize yourself with the numbers one ( 1 ) to ten ( 10 ). So
please do memorize them.
The numbers one (ichi) to ten (juu) are the same numbers you will need to be able
to say in Japanese numbers higher than 10. For this lesson, though, we
shall focus first on the two-digit numbers. That is, the numbers eleven (11) up to
ninety-nine (99). To do that, just follow / do the following techniques :
The numbers 11 to 19 start with a 10 (JUU) and followed by the number at the
right. Hence, 11 is actually a 10 and a 1 (JUUICHI), 12 is a 10 and a 2
(JUUNI) so forth and so on.
To say in Japanese the numbers 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90, begin with the
first number (that is, the number at the left. In the case of 20, it is 2
while in the case of 30, it is 3.) After this, add a 10 (JUU). Hence, 20 is
a 2 and 10 ( NIJUU ), 30 is a 3 and a 10 ( SANJUU ) etc.
Finally, for two-digit numbers such as 21 to 29, 31 to 39 etc., insert a 10 (JUU)
between the numbers. Hence, 21 is a 2, a 10 and a 1 (
NIJUUICHI), 24 is a 2, a 10 and a 4 (NIJUUYON ) etc.

Telling One's Age, Nationality and Profession in Japanese

 JAPANESE TRANSLATION IN
NGLISH
RO-MAJI
I WATASHI
We WATASHITACHI
You ANATA
He, She, That Person ANO HITO
Teacher SENSEI
Student GAKUSEI
Company Employee KAISHAIN
Bank Employee GINKOUIN
Medical Doctor ISHA
Researcher KENKYUUSHA
Engineer ENJINIA
University DAIGAKU
Yes HAI
No IIE
USA AMERIKA
UK IGIRISU
India INDO
Indonesia INDONESHIA
South Korea KANKOKU
Thailand TAI
China CHUUGOKU
Germany DOITSU
Japan NIHON
France FURANSU
Brazil BURAJIRU
Philippines FIRIPIN

Learning Nihongo is made easy because of patterns which you follow. These
patterns are supposed to guide you in order to correctly
write your sentences in Japanese.
In this lesson, the following are the sentence patterns.
1. Subject wa N desu.
In this sentence pattern, the subject of the sentence is a person (noun or
pronoun). The subject is followed by the subject marker particle “wa”.
“Desu”, the copula, functions as the verb in the sentence and is equivalent
to Am, IS or ARE, depending on the subject of the
sentence. The use of “desu” makes the sentence
complete, hence, polite.
 N tells something about the subject. In this module, the N may be the
subject’s name, age, nationality or profession.

Example : 1.1 Watashi wa Grace desu. (I am Grace.)

SUBJECT N (name of SUBJECT)

1.2 1.2 Satou san wa kenkyuusha desu. (Mr. Satou is a

researcher.)
SUBJECT N (profession of SUBJECT)

1.3 Yamada san wa Nihonjin desu.(Ms. Yamada is

Japanese. )
SUBJECT N (nationality of SUBJECT)

Again, SAN is equivalent to or Ms. It is added after a name of a person.

Thus, Mr. Tanaka in English is Tanakasan in Japanese.
However, different suffixes are added when addressing young boys and
girls. These suffixes are KUN for boys and CHAN for girls.
•
o
▪
▪ JIN is another suffix added after the name of a country to mean “national of”. Thus,
American in English is Amerikajin in Japanese.
▪ SAI, also a suffix, refers to age. It is added after the number that represents the age of a
person. Thus, if a person is 17 years old, say 17 in Japanese (as learned in the
previous lesson, Information #3) and add SAI. 17 years old is JUUNANASAI.
▪ If one’s age is 8 or ends in 8 (18 years, 28 years old etc), this is an exception. Instead of
saying HACHISAI, 8 years old is HASSAI, 28 years old is NIJUUHASSAI etc.
▪ To ask for one’s age, “NANSAI DESU KA.” is used.
Example : Anata wa nansai desu ka. (How old are you?)
Watashi wa juunanasai desu. (I am 17 years old.)

2.Subject wa N ja arimasen.
• JA ARIMASEN is the present/ future negative form of “desu”. Thus,
it is equivalent to “am not”, “is not”, “are not” and “will not be”.
• JA ARIMASEN is the form used in daily conversation. It may
be DEWA ARIMASEN in formal speech or writing.
 Example : Watashi wa isha ja arimasen. ( I am not a doctor.)

3. Subject wa N desu ka.

• KA is a question marker. It is added at the end of a declarative
sentence to form a question. Thus, KA after Subject wa N desu forms an
interrogative statement.
Example : Yamadasan wa Nihonjin desu. (Ms. Yamada
is Japanese.)
Yamadasan wa Nihonjin desu ka. (Is Ms. Yamada
Japanese ? )

• “Subject wa N desu ka” is answerable by either a YES (HAI) or a

NO (IIE). Here are several ways of constructing your answer.
Example : Yamadasan wa Nihonjin desu ka. (Is Ms. Yamada
Japanese?)

Answer : If YES, say ( write ) : Hai, + Subject wa N desu.

(Hai, Yamadasan wa Nihonjin
desu.)

Or Hai, + N desu.
(Hai, Nihonjin desu.)

IMPORTANT : Both answers mean “Yes, Ms. Yamada is Japanese.

If your answer is NO, say (write) : Iie, + Subject wa N ja arimasen.

(Iie, Yamadasan wa Nihonjin ja
arimasen.)
Or Iie, + N ja arimasen.
(Iie, Nihonjin ja arimasen.)
IMPORTANT : Both answers mean “No, Ms. Yamada is not Japanese.

4. The Particle MO
 • The particle MO is added after a topic / subject instead of (read as wa)
when the statement ( predicate) about the topic is the same as
the predicate in the previous statement.
• The particle MO is equivalent to “too” or “also”.

Example : Yamadasan wa Nihonjin desu. ( Ms. Yamada is

Japanese.)
Satousan mo ( ) Nihonjin desu. ( Ms. Satou is also
Japanese.)

If the particle MO () is used to ask a question, the following answer

patterns are observed :
Example : Yamadasan wa Nihonjin desu. (Ms. Yamada is Japanese.)
Satousan mo Nihonjin desu ka. (Is Ms. Satou Japanese too?
)
If YES : Hai, Satousan mo Nihonjin desu.
If NO : Iie, Satousan wa Nihonjin ja arimasen.

5. N1 (no) N2
NO is a particle. It is used to connect two words to form the possessive.
Hence, if “Yamada san” is Mr. or Ms. Yamada, “Yamada san no “ is /Ms.
Yamada’s.

Example : IMC shain ( employee of IMC or IMC’s employee)

Batangasu Daigaku gakusei ( student of UB or UB’s
student)