Unit3 - Subjective Questions

Katakana is one of the three writing systems in Japanese. It is a syllabary, meaning each character represents a syllable. Its primary uses include:

• Writing foreign words and names: This is the most common use. For example, 'Coffee' becomes コーヒー (kōhī), and 'America' becomes アメリカ (amerika).
• Onomatopoeia and sound effects: Katakana is often used to represent sounds, such as ドアをノックする (doa o nokku suru - 'to knock on the door') where ノック (nokku) is the sound of knocking.
• Emphasis or shouting: Similar to italics or bolding in English, Katakana can be used to emphasize words or indicate a shouted phrase, giving it a strong or urgent tone.
• Scientific and technical terms: Names of plants, animals, minerals, and some technical terms are often written in Katakana.

Example: 「パソコン」 (pasokon) for 'personal computer', which is a loanword from English.

The basic five Japanese vowels in Katakana are:

• ア (a)
• イ (i)
• ウ (u)
• エ (e)
• オ (o)

These fundamental vowel sounds are the building blocks of the Japanese syllabary. Most other Katakana characters are formed by combining one of these five vowels with a consonant. For example:

• Combining 'K' with the vowels forms the 'Ka-gyou' (カ行) row: カ (ka), キ (ki), ク (ku), ケ (ke), コ (ko).
• Similarly, 'S' with the vowels forms the 'Sa-gyou' (サ行) row: サ (sa), シ (shi), ス (su), セ (se), ソ (so).

This system means that each Katakana character (with some exceptions like ん /n/) represents a consonant-vowel syllable, making the pronunciation relatively straightforward.

The particle へ (pronounced 'e', despite being written with the 'he' character) indicates the direction or destination of a movement. It is always used with verbs of motion such as いきます (to go), きます (to come), and かえります (to return).

While the particle に (ni) can also indicate a destination, へ (e) places more emphasis on the direction or general path towards a place, rather than just the specific arrival point. However, in many contexts, they are interchangeable when indicating a destination.

Example Sentences:

1. がっこうへ いきます。 (Gakkō e ikimasu.)
   • Meaning: "I go to school."
2. とうきょうへ きます。 (Tōkyō e kimasu.)
   • Meaning: "(Someone) comes to Tokyo."

These three verbs all relate to movement, but their usage depends critically on the speaker's perspective and the direction of movement relative to the speaker or a reference point.

• いきます (ikimasu - to go):

  • Meaning: To go away from the speaker's current location to another place.
  • Context: Used when the destination is away from where the speaker currently is, or away from a perceived central point.
  • Example: わたしは あした とうきょうへ いきます。 (Watashi wa ashita Tōkyō e ikimasu.) - "I will go to Tokyo tomorrow." (Speaker is not in Tokyo).

• きます (kimasu - to come):

  • Meaning: To come towards the speaker's current location, or towards a specific location that the speaker considers as 'here'.
  • Context: Used when the movement is towards the speaker or a designated 'home'/'base' location.
  • Example: ともだちが うちへ きます。 (Tomodachi ga uchi e kimasu.) - "My friend will come to my house." (My house is the 'here' for the speaker).

• かえります (kaerimasu - to return/go home):

  • Meaning: To return to a previous location, typically one's home (うち - uchi) or hometown (ふるさと - furusato).
  • Context: Used specifically for returning to a place considered 'home' or a place one belongs to. It implies a sense of going back.
  • Example: まいにち ろくじに うちへ かえります。 (Mainichi rokuji ni uchi e kaerimasu.) - "I return home at 6 o'clock every day."

Here is an example of a simple daily routine:

1. ごぜんしちじに おきます。 (Gozen shichiji ni okimasu.)
   • Meaning: "I wake up at 7:00 AM."
2. ごぜんはちじに がっこうへ いきます。 (Gozen hachiji ni gakkō e ikimasu.)
   • Meaning: "I go to school at 8:00 AM."
3. ごごじゅうにじに ひるごはんを たべます。 (Gogo jūniji ni hirugohan o tabemasu.)
   • Meaning: "I eat lunch at 12:00 PM."
4. ごごごじに うちへ かえります。 (Gogo goji ni uchi e kaerimasu.)
   • Meaning: "I return home at 5:00 PM."

The particles から (kara) and まで (made) are used together to express a range, specifically 'from...to...'.

• から (kara) indicates the starting point (from).
• まで (made) indicates the ending point (to/until).

They can be used for both time and place:

• Usage for Time:

  • Explanation: Indicates the duration from a starting time to an ending time.
  • Example: わたしは ごぜんくじから ごごごじまで はたらきます。
    • (Watashi wa gozen kuji kara gogo goji made hatarakimasu.)
    • Meaning: "I work from 9 AM to 5 PM."

• Usage for Place:

  • Explanation: Indicates the distance or range from a starting location to an ending location.
  • Example: とうきょうから おおさかまで でんしゃで さんじかんかかります。
    • (Tōkyō kara Ōsaka made densha de sanjikan kakarimasu.)
    • Meaning: "It takes three hours by train from Tokyo to Osaka."

Here are the seven days of the week in Japanese:

• Monday: 月曜日 (げつようび - Getsuyōbi)
• Tuesday: 火曜日 (かようび - Kayōbi)
• Wednesday: 水曜日 (すいようび - Suiyōbi)
• Thursday: 木曜日 (もくようび - Mokuyōbi)
• Friday: 金曜日 (きんようび - Kin'yōbi)
• Saturday: 土曜日 (どようび - Doyōbi)
• Sunday: 日曜日 (にちようび - Nichiyōbi)

To express 'Today is Friday, May 12th' in Japanese:

Japanese: きょうは ごがつ じゅうににち きんようび です。

Romaji: Kyō wa Gogatsu Jūninichi Kin'yōbi desu.

• きょう (kyō) - Today
• ごがつ (gogatsu) - May
• じゅうににち (jūninichi) - 12th day
• きんようび (kin'yōbi) - Friday
• です (desu) - Is/am/are (polite copula)

Japanese counters (助数詞 - josūshi) are suffixes attached to numbers to count specific categories of objects, people, or events. Unlike English, where we simply say 'three books' or 'two cars', Japanese requires a specific counter for almost every type of noun. The purpose is to categorize and quantify items precisely.

Concept: When counting, a number is almost always followed by an appropriate counter. The choice of counter depends on the physical characteristics or nature of the item being counted.

Examples:

1. Counting people:

   • Counter: ～人 (～nin). (Note: For 1 and 2 people, special irregular readings are used: ひとり - hitori, ふたり - futari).
   • 'Three people': 三人 (さんにん - sannin).

2. Counting flat, thin objects (e.g., sheets of paper, shirts, tickets, plates):

   • Counter: ～枚 (～mai).
   • 'Two flat objects': 二枚 (にまい - nimai).

Japanese culture emphasizes humility and respect, especially when referring to oneself or one's own group versus others. This leads to a distinction in family vocabulary:

• Own Family Terms (内 - uchi): Used when referring to one's own family members to an outsider. These terms are often more humble or less formal.
• Other's Family Terms (外 - soto): Used when referring to someone else's family members, or when directly addressing one's own family members in a more polite way. These terms are generally more honorific.

Terms for 'Mother' and 'Father':

• Mother:

  • Own family: はは (haha)
  • Other's family / Direct address: おかあさん (okāsan)

• Father:

  • Own family: ちち (chichi)
  • Other's family / Direct address: おとうさん (otōsan)

Here are the English words written in Katakana, along with explanations of common sound changes:

1. Coffee: コーヒー (kōhī)

   • Explanation: English 'f' sound is often approximated with フ (fu) or フ + a small vowel, here represented by the 'h' sound in ヒ (hi). Long vowels are indicated by a long dash (ー).

2. Television: テレビ (terebi)

   • Explanation: Japanese does not have a distinct 'v' sound; it is usually approximated by the 'b' sound (ベ - be). The 'l' sound is also often approximated by the 'r' sound (レ - re).

3. America: アメリカ (amerika)

   • Explanation: Similar to 'television', the 'l' sound is approximated by 'r' (リ - ri). The 'ca' sound is rendered as カ (ka).

Here's how to ask if a train goes to 'Tokyo Station' and provide answers:

• Question: この でんしゃは とうきょうえきへ いきますか。

  • (Kono densha wa Tōkyō Eki e ikimasu ka?)
  • Meaning: "Does this train go to Tokyo Station?"

• Positive Answer: はい、いきます。

  • (Hai, ikimasu.)
  • Meaning: "Yes, it does."

• Negative Answer: いいえ、いきません。

  • (Iie, ikimasen.)
  • Meaning: "No, it doesn't."

Here are three sentences describing daily activities with specific times:

1. わたしは ごぜんしちじはん に おきます。

   • (Watashi wa gozen shichijihan ni okimasu.)
   • Meaning: "I wake up at 7:30 AM."

2. かれは ごごいちじに ひるごはんを たべます。

   • (Kare wa gogo ichiji ni hirugohan o tabemasu.)
   • Meaning: "He eats lunch at 1:00 PM."

3. かのじょは ごごくじはん に ねます。

   • (Kanojo wa gogo kujihan ni nemasu.)
   • Meaning: "She goes to sleep at 9:30 PM."

To say 'I work from 9 AM to 5 PM, Monday to Friday' in Japanese:

Japanese: わたしは ごぜんくじから ごごごじまで、げつようびから きんようびまで はたらきます。

Romaji: Watashi wa gozen kuji kara gogo goji made, getsuyōbi kara kin'yōbi made hatarakimasu.

• ごぜんくじから ごごごじまで (gozen kuji kara gogo goji made): "from 9 AM to 5 PM"
• げつようびから きんようびまで (getsuyōbi kara kin'yōbi made): "from Monday to Friday"
• はたらきます (hatarakimasu): "work"

Here are the appropriate responses:

• Question from friend: どこから きましたか。 (Doko kara kimashita ka?) - "Where did you come from?"

• Response for 'coming from the library': としょかんから きました。

  • (Toshokan kara kimashita.)
  • Meaning: "I came from the library."

• Response for 'I am returning home': うちへ かえります。

  • (Uchi e kaerimasu.)
  • Meaning: "I am returning home."

Here are the questions for asking about the day of the week and date:

1. What day of the week is it today?

   • Japanese: きょうは なにょうび ですか。
   • (Kyō wa naniyōbi desu ka?)

2. What date is it today?

   • Japanese: きょうは なんがつ なんにち ですか。
   • (Kyō wa nangatsu nannichi desu ka?)

Here are two Japanese counters apart from ～人 (～nin) and ～枚 (～mai):

1. ～本 (～hon / ～pon / ～bon):

   • Usage: Used for counting long, thin, cylindrical objects like pens, bottles, trees, umbrellas, or even film rolls and lines of something.
   • Example: ペンを さんぼん ください。
     • (Pen o sanbon kudasai.)
     • Meaning: "Please give me three pens."

2. ～個 (～ko):

   • Usage: A general-purpose counter for small, solid, or roughly spherical objects. It can be used for fruit, erasers, small toys, or when no other specific counter comes to mind.
   • Example: りんごを にこ かいました。
     • (Ringo o niko kaimashita.)
     • Meaning: "I bought two apples."

When introducing your younger brother to a friend:

• Introduction: こちらは わたしの おとうと の たろう です。
  • (Kochira wa watashi no otōto no Tarō desu.)
  • Meaning: "This is my younger brother, Taro."
  • (Note: 弟 (otōto) is the 'own family' term for younger brother.)

If your friend then asks about their own younger brother, they would typically use the more polite or 'other's family' term:

• Friend's term for younger brother: おとうとさん (otōto-san)
  • Meaning: "(Your) younger brother."
  • (Note: The 'san' suffix adds politeness.)
  • Alternatively, they might ask about 'ごきょうだい' (gokyōdai - siblings) in general.

Both に (ni) and へ (e/he) can indicate a destination or direction with verbs of motion, but they carry slightly different nuances:

• Particle に (ni):

  • Usage: に indicates a more specific point of arrival or exact destination. It often emphasizes the act of reaching a specific place or time. It is a very versatile particle used for many functions (time, direct object of existence, etc.).
  • When to choose: Use に when you want to clearly state the exact destination or the specific place you will arrive at.
  • Example: きのう、がっこう に いきました。
    • (Kinō, gakkō ni ikimashita.)
    • Meaning: "Yesterday, I went to school." (Emphasizes arriving at school.)

• Particle へ (e/he):

  • Usage: へ indicates the direction or general trajectory towards a destination. It places more emphasis on the movement itself and the path taken rather than the final point of arrival.
  • When to choose: Use へ when you want to emphasize the direction of travel or when the destination is less specific, or just a general area.
  • Example: らいしゅう、にほん へ いきます。
    • (Raishū, Nihon e ikimasu.)
    • Meaning: "Next week, I will go towards Japan." (Emphasizes going in the direction of Japan.)

Interchangeability: In many contexts where the destination is clear, に and へ are often interchangeable. However, に is generally preferred for very specific arrival points (e.g., 'to the station', 'to the office'), while へ can add a nuance of simply 'towards' a place.

Here is a description of a typical weekday morning routine:

1. まず、ごぜんしちじに おきます。

   • (Mazu, gozen shichiji ni okimasu.)
   • Meaning: "First, I wake up at 7:00 AM."

2. それから、ごぜんしちじはん に あさごはんを たべます。

   • (Sore kara, gozen shichijihan ni asagohan o tabemasu.)
   • Meaning: "After that, I eat breakfast at 7:30 AM."

3. ごぜんはちじに いえを でます。

   • (Gozen hachiji ni ie o demasu.)
   • Meaning: "At 8:00 AM, I leave home."

4. そして、ごぜんはちじはん に がっこうへ いきます。

   • (Soshite, gozen hachijihan ni gakkō e ikimasu.)
   • Meaning: "And then, I go to school at 8:30 AM."