In this lesson, I will introduce you how to describe "someone", "not anyone", "somewhere", and "not anywhere" in Japanese.

さとうさん　が　だれか　と　はなしています。

Mr. Sato is talking to someone.

あそこ　に　だれか　いますか。

Is there anyone over there?

いいえ、だれも　いません。

No, there is not anyone.

きょう　だれか　と　あいました　か。

Did you see anyone today?

いいえ、だれにも　あいませんでした。

No, I did not see anyone.

なつやすみ　は　どこか　へ　いく　つもり　です。

I am planning to go somewhere on summer vacation.

きのう　どこか　へ　いきました　か。

Did you go anywhere yesterday?

いいえ、どこへも　いきませんでした。

No, I did not go anywhere.

*These expressions are made up of the question words だれ and どこ plus か and も.

References:

How to say "something" and "anything"

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/How-to-say-something-and-anything-eo1h9r

How to Describe the Future Intention or Plan

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/How-to-Describe-the-Future-Intention-or-Plan-eo7p7v

Particles "wo", "de", "ni", and "he"

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/Particles-wo--de--ni--and-he-en1dme

There is X

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/There-is-X-en68s2

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/yuyaman1986

In Japanese, you use the word なる to indicate the change of adjective status.

In this sense, なる means "become" or "get"

さいきん　さむく　なりました。

It has become cold recently.

*さいきん means "recently"

*さむい→さむく

ビッグマック　が　たかく　なりました。

Bigmac got expensive.

*たかい→たかく

わたし　の　ちち　は　げんきに　なりました。

My father became healthy.

*げんき→げんきに

にほんご　の　べんきょう　が　すきに　なりました。

I have become to like studying Japanese.

*すき→すきに

*For い-adjectives, the final い is replaced with く to connect with なる

*For な-adjectives, you need to add に to connect with なる

*Please be careful not to apply a な-adjective conjugation rule to an い-adjective.

Reference:

Adjectives

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/Adjectives-en9o8v

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/yuyaman1986

You need to use verbs in the present forms followed by the word つもり to describe your future intention or plan.

きょう　マクドナルド　に　いく　つもり　です。

I am planning to go to MacDonald's today.

* いく is a verb in plain forms, which means "go". つもり follows a verb in plain forms, いく.

* You cannot use polite forms with つもり. Thus, きょう　マクドナルド　に　いきます　つもり　です。is grammatically incorrect.

きょう　としょかん　で　にほんご　の　べんきょう　を　する　つもり　です。

I am planning to study Japanese at the library today.

きょう　は　おさけ　を　のまない　つもり　です。

I am not planning to drink alcohol today.

*のまない is a negative plain form of のむ, which means "drink"

References:

Introduction to Plain Forms

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/Introduction-to-Plain-Forms-enp0g3

Actual Conversations Using Plain Forms

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/Actual-Conversations-Using-Plain-Forms-enqrpc

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/yuyaman1986

When a noun is modified by an adjective, and when it is clear what you are referring to, you can use the particle の(no) to replace the thing to avoid repetition.

In this case, の is used like "one" in English.

わたし　は　しろい　iPhone　を　もっています。すずきさん　は　くろい　の　を　もっています。

I have a white iPhone. Mr. Suzuki has a black one.

* In the second sentence, iPhone is replaced with の since it is clear that I am talking about iPhone.

この　ラーメン　おいしい　です　ね。

This ramen noodle is tasty, isn't it?

はい、でも　わたし　は　もうすこし　からい　の　が　すき　です。

Yes, but I like a bit more spicy one better.

* ラーメン is replaced with の

おかし　が　たくさん　あります。すきな　の　を　もって　いって　ください。

There are lots of snacks. Please take the one you like.

* おかし is replaced with の

これは　さとうさん　の　とけい　です　か。

Is this Mr. Sato's watch?

はい、それ　は　さとうさん　の　です。

Yes, it is Mr. Sato's.

* You can also use  の to show the thing is owned by a person such as "mine" or "yours"

* In this case, の is used to show the watch is owned by Mr. Sato.

References: 

Noun A "no" Noun B

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/Noun-A-no-Noun-B-emo577

Sentence-ending particle "ne" and "yo"

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/Sentence-ending-particle-ne-and-yo-emureo

Adjectives

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/Adjectives-en9o8v

The Purpose of Movement + go

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/The-Purpose-of-Movement--go-eno23j

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/yuyaman1986

In this lesson, I will introduce you how to describe the comparison more than two items in Japanese.

You need to use the word "いちばん", which means "the best" in English to compare more than two items.

クラス　のなかで　だれ　が　いちばん　せがたかい　です　か。

Who is the tallest in the class?

さとうさん　が　いちばん　せがたかい　です。

Mr. Sato is the tallest.

*せがたかい means "tall"

*のなかで means "among" or "in"

マクドナルド　のなかで　なに　が　いちばん　すき　です　か。

What do you like the best among McDonald's menu?

ビッグマック　が　いちばん　すき　です。

I like a Bigmac the best.

ビッグマック　と　チーズバーガー　と　てりやきバーガー　のなかで　なに　が　いちばん　すき　です　か。

Among a Bigmac, a Cheeseburger, and a Teriyakiburger, what do you like the best?

ビッグマック　が　いちばん　すき　です。

I like a Bigmac the best.

にほん　のなかで　どこ　が　いちばん　かんこう　で　にんき　です　か。

In Japan, where is the most popular for sightseeing?

きょうと　が　いちばん　にんきだと　おもいます。

References:

Comparison between Two Items

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/Comparison-between-Two-Items-eo3tpc

Describing a Person's Feature

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/Describing-a-Persons-Feature-ennovs

How to say "I think that" in Japanese

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/How-to-say-I-think-that-in-Japanese-ens5gf

The Particle "to"

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/The-Particle-to-en8953

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/yuyaman1986

In this lesson, I will introduce you how to compare A and B using adjectives in Japanese.

A　のほうが　B　より　adjective　です。or  

B　より　A　のほうが　adjective　です。

A is more adjective than B.

If you want to ask a question comparing two items, you can say,

A　と　B、どちらのほうが　adjective　です　か。

Which is more adjective, A or B?

アメリカ　のほうが　にほん　より　おおきい　です。or

にほん　より　アメリカ　のほうが　おおきい　です。

The United States is bigger than Japan.

* "big" has been changed to "bigger" in English, but in Japanese おおきい(big) remains おおきい(big) when it is used to compare.

ビッグマック　のほうが　チーズバーガー　より　たかい　です。or

チーズバーガー　より　ビッグマック　のほうが　たかい　です。

A Bigmac is more expensive than a Cheeseburger.

きょうと　のほうが　とうきょう　より　きれい　です。 or

とうきょう　より　きょうと　のほうが　きれい　です。

Kyoto is more beautiful than Tokyo.

ビッグマック　のほうが　チーズバーガー　より　すき　です。or

チーズバーガー　より　ビッグマック　のほうが　すき　です。

I like a Bigmac better than a Cheeseburger.

にほん　と　アメリカ、どちらのほうが　おおきい　です　か。

Which is bigger, Japan or the US?

アメリカ　です。

The US.

ビッグマック　と　チーズバーガー、どちらのほうが　すき　です　か。

Which do you like better, a Bigmac or a Cheeseburger?

ビッグマック　です。

I like a Bigmac better.

References:

Adjectives

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/Adjectives-en9o8v

X likes Y / X dislikes Y

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/X-likes-Y--X-dislikes-Y-encubj

Comparison More than Two Items

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/Comparison-More-than-Two-Items-eo53ai

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/yuyaman1986

In this lesson, I will introduce you how to describe a present perfect tense in Japanese.

Affirmative:

きのう　ハンバーガー　を　たべました。

I ate a hamburger yesterday.

もう、ハンバーガー　を　たべました。

I have already eaten a hamburger.

*もう means "already" 

Negative:

きのう　ハンバーガー　を　たべませんでした。

I did not eat a hamburger yesterday.

まだ、ハンバーガー　を　たべていません。

I have not eaten a hamburger yet.

*ていません is a negative expression of ています

References:

Te-forms

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/Te-forms-enfaqj

The Expressions of Te-forms

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/The-Expressions-of-Te-forms-engt2g

Progressive Form

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/Progressive-Form-enjvbc

Result of a Change

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/Result-of-a-Change-enlf3o

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/yuyaman1986

In this lesson, I will introduce you how to modify nouns using a progressive form of verbs.

あそこ　で　ハンバーガー　を　たべている　ひと　は　さとうさん　です。

The person who are eating a hamburger over there is Mr. Sato.

* ひと means a person

*たべている is a plain form of progressive forms, which means "eating"

*You cannot use polite form of たべている, which is たべています to modify nouns.

あそこ　に　すわっている　ひと　は　さとうさん　です。

The person who are sitting over there is Mr. Sato.

あそこ　で　すずきさん　と　はなしている　ひと　は　だれ　です　か。

Who is that person talking to Mr. Suzuki over there?

Noun Modification Using Adjectives

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/Noun-Modification-Using-Adjectives-enb76j

Progressive Form

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/Progressive-Form-enjvbc

X is Y

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/X-is-Y-emkiua

Introduction of Question Sentences

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/Introduction-of-Question-Sentences-emmh81

How do you say "here" , "there", "over there", "where", "who", and "whose"?

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/How-do-you-say-here---there--over-there--where--who--and-whose-emqsho

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/yuyaman1986

In this lesson, I will introduce you how to say "something" and "anything" in Japanese.

なにか is used for positive statements and questions, which means "something" and "anything".

なにも + negative expression is used for negative statements, which means "not...anything".

なにか　が　ゆか　に　おちています。

Something is on the floor.

さとうさん　は　なにか　たべています。

Mr. Sato is eating something.

あそこ　に　なにか　が　あります。

There is something over there.

きょう　なにか　たべましたか。

Did you eat anything today?

いいえ、なにも　たべませんでした。

No, I did not eat anything.

Reference:

Result of a Change

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/Result-of-a-Change-enlf3o

How to say "someone" and "somewhere"

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/How-to-say-someone-and-somewhere-eo8ius

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/yuyaman1986

In this lesson, I introduce the difference between the particle は(wa)and が(ga).

つき　は　きれいだ。

つき　が　きれいだ。

*つき means a moon

*きれい means beautiful

For つき　は　きれいだ。it explains a moon in generalities.

For つき　が　きれいだ。the situation would be I am looking at a moon with my wife.

*は is used for an old information.

*が is used for a new information.

むかしむかし、あるむら　に　おじいさん　と　おばあさん　が　すんで　いました。

あるひ、おじいさん　は　やま　へ　しばかり　に、

おばあさん　は　かわ　へ　せんたく　に　いきました。

Once upon a time, an old man and an old woman lived in a small village.

One day the old man went to the mountain to gather firewood and the old woman went to the river to wash clothes.

*が for a new information is translated into "a" or "an" in English

*は for an old information is translated into "the" in English.

Reference:

日本人のための日本語文法入門 (Introduction of Japanese Grammar for Japanese)

https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B01M8GUXYE/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

All 9 Case Particles

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/All-9-Case-Particles-eprp9v

The Particle "wa"

https://anchor.fm/yuya-sato/episodes/The-Particle-wa-en50i0

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/yuyaman1986