Unit 4: いっしょにいきませんか

1. Key Phrases

いらっしゃい (Irasshai)

• Meaning: "Welcome!" / "Come in."
• Usage: This is a welcoming phrase used in two main contexts:
  1. At Home: A host says いらっしゃい to a guest who has just arrived at their home. It's a warm and friendly greeting.
  2. In a Business: Shopkeepers, restaurant staff, etc., say いらっしゃい or the more formal いらっしゃいませ (irasshaimase) to greet customers entering their establishment.
• Example Dialogue (at a friend's house):
  • Guest: (Knocks on door) ごめんください。 (Gomen kudasai. - Excuse me, is anyone home?)
  • Host: (Opens door) あ、ミラーさん、いらっしゃい。どうぞ、あがってください。(A, Miraa-san, irasshai. Douzo, agatte kudasai. - Oh, Mr. Miller, welcome! Please, come on up/in.)

そろそろ失礼します (Soro soro shitsurei shimasu)

• Meaning: "It's about time I was leaving." / "I should be going soon."
• Breakdown:
  • そろそろ (soro soro): An adverb meaning "soon," "gradually," or "it's about time."
  • 失礼します (shitsurei shimasu): Literally "I am doing a rude thing." It's a very common and polite phrase used to excuse oneself when leaving a place, entering a professor's office, or interrupting someone.
• Usage: This is a polite way to signal your intention to leave a social gathering, such as a party or a visit to someone's house. It prepares the host for your departure without being abrupt.
• Example Dialogue (at the end of a party):
  • Guest: もう１０時ですね。そろそろ失礼します。(Mou juu-ji desu ne. Soro soro shitsurei shimasu. - It's already 10 o'clock, isn't it? I should be going soon.)
  • Host: そうですか。じゃあ、また遊びに来てくださいね。(Sou desu ka. Jaa, mata asobi ni kite kudasai ne. - Is that so? Well then, please come and visit again.)
  • Guest: はい、ありがとうございました。(Hai, arigatou gozaimashita. - Yes, thank you for everything.)

2. Grammar: Invitations & Suggestions

These two grammar patterns are fundamental for making and responding to invitations.

〜ませんか (masen ka) - The Polite Invitation

• Meaning: "Won't you...?" / "Would you like to...?" / "How about we...?"
• Function: This is the standard, polite way to invite someone to do an activity with you. Because it's a negative question, it feels less demanding than a direct command and gives the listener an easy way to decline if they wish.
• Formation:
  1. Take the ます (masu) form of a verb.
  2. Drop the ます.
  3. Add ませんか (masen ka).

    Verb (ます-form)   ->   Verb (stem) + ませんか
    いき(ます) (ikimasu) ->   いきませんか (ikimasen ka)
    たべ(ます) (tabemasu) ->   たべませんか (tabemasen ka)
    み(ます) (mimasu)   ->   みませんか (mimasen ka)

• Example Sentences:
  • いっしょに京都へ行きませんか。
    • Issho ni Kyouto e ikimasen ka.
    • Won't you go to Kyoto with me? / How about we go to Kyoto together?
  • 日曜日、えいがを見ませんか。
    • Nichiyoubi, eiga o mimasen ka.
    • Would you like to see a movie on Sunday?
  • お茶を飲みませんか。
    • Ocha o nomimasen ka.
    • How about a cup of tea?

〜ましょう (mashou) - The "Let's" Suggestion

• Meaning: "Let's..."
• Function: This pattern has two primary uses:
  1. Making a Suggestion: When you proactively suggest an activity to a group you are part of. It's more of a positive assertion than an invitation.
  2. Accepting an Invitation: It is the most common and enthusiastic way to accept an invitation made with 〜ませんか.
• Formation:
  1. Take the ます (masu) form of a verb.
  2. Drop the ます.
  3. Add ましょう (mashou).

    Verb (ます-form)   ->   Verb (stem) + ましょう
    いき(ます) (ikimasu) ->   いきましょう (ikimashou)
    やすみ(ます) (yasumimasu) -> やすみましょう (yasumimashou)
    はじめ(ます) (hajimemasu) -> はじめましょう (hajimemashou)

• Example Sentences (as a suggestion):

  • ちょっと休みましょう。
    • Chotto yasumimashou.
    • Let's take a little break.
  • 昼ご飯を食べに行きましょう。
    • Hirugohan o tabe ni ikimashou.
    • Let's go eat lunch.

• Example Dialogue (accepting an invitation):

  • A: いっしょにビールを飲みませんか。 (Issho ni biiru o nomimasen ka. - Won't you have a beer with me?)
  • B: ええ、飲みましょう。 (Ee, nomimashou. - Yes, let's!)

3. Grammar: Giving & Receiving

These verbs are crucial for talking about exchanges. The correct verb depends on the perspective (who is the subject of the sentence).

あげます (agemasu) - To Give

• Structure: Giver は/が Receiver に Object を あげます。
• Explanation:
  • This verb is used when the speaker (or a third party) gives something to someone else.
  • The Giver is the subject, marked with は (wa) or が (ga). If the giver is "I" (私), it is often omitted.
  • The Receiver is marked with the particle に (ni).
  • The Object being given is marked with を (o).
• Important Rule: Use あげます when giving outwards from your perspective or your in-group. Do NOT use it for items given to you.
• Example Sentences:
  • 私は山田さんに花をあげました。
    • Watashi wa Yamada-san ni hana o agemashita.
    • I gave flowers to Mr. Yamada.
  • 佐藤さんは木村さんにプレゼントをあげます。
    • Satou-san wa Kimura-san ni purezento o agemasu.
    • Ms. Sato will give a present to Ms. Kimura.
  • (私は) 友だちにCDをあげました。
    • (Watashi wa) Tomodachi ni shiidii o agemashita.
    • I gave a CD to my friend.

もらいます (moraimasu) - To Receive

• Structure: Receiver は/が Giver に/から Object を もらいます。
• Explanation:
  • This verb is used when the subject receives something from someone else.
  • The Receiver is the subject, marked with は (wa) or が (ga).
  • The Giver (the source of the item) is marked with に (ni) or から (kara). Both are correct, but に is more common when receiving from a person.
  • The Object being received is marked with を (o).
• Usage: The perspective is that of the person getting the item.
• Example Sentences:
  • 私は山田さんに花をもらいました。
    • Watashi wa Yamada-san ni hana o moraimashita.
    • I received flowers from Mr. Yamada.
  • ミラーさんは会社から時計をもらいました。
    • Miraa-san wa kaisha kara tokei o moraimashita.
    • Mr. Miller received a watch from the company. (Here から is more natural as the source is an organization).
  • 誰にそのネクタイをもらいましたか。
    • Dare ni sono nekutai o moraimashita ka.
    • Who did you receive that tie from?

Perspective Shift: あげます vs. もらいます

The same event can be described using either verb, just by changing the subject and perspective.

• Event: Tanaka gives flowers to Yamada.
  • Tanaka's Perspective (Giver):
    • 田中さんは山田さんに花をあげました。
    • Tanaka-san wa Yamada-san ni hana o agemashita.
    • (Mr. Tanaka gave flowers to Mr. Yamada.)
  • Yamada's Perspective (Receiver):
    • 山田さんは田中さんに花をもらいました。
    • Yamada-san wa Tanaka-san ni hana o moraimashita.
    • (Mr. Yamada received flowers from Mr. Tanaka.)

4. Adjectives (形容詞 - keiyoushi)

Japanese has two main types of adjectives. They have different rules for conjugation and for modifying nouns.

い-形容詞 (i-keiyoushi) - i-adjectives

• Identification: These adjectives end with the hiragana い (i) in their dictionary (plain) form.

• Usage:

  1. Modifying a Noun: Place the i-adjective directly before the noun. No particle is needed.
     • 大きい (ookii) + 犬 (inu) -> 大きい犬 (ookii inu) - a big dog
     • おもしろい (omoshiroi) + えいが (eiga) -> おもしろいえいが (omoshiroi eiga) - an interesting movie
  2. As a Predicate (ending a sentence): Simply add です (desu) for politeness.
     • このかばんは高いです。 (Kono kaban wa takai desu. - This bag is expensive.)

• Conjugation (Present Tense):

  • Affirmative: Adjective + です
  • Negative: Drop the final い and add くないです (kunai desu).

• Conjugation Table:

IMPORTANT EXCEPTION: The adjective いい (ii) is irregular. Its negative form is based on its older form, よい (yoi). Therefore, the negative is よくないです (yokunai desu), not いくないです.

な-形容詞 (na-keiyoushi) - na-adjectives

• Identification: These are adjectives that do not end in い. (Note: Some, like きれい - kirei, do end in い but are still na-adjectives. These must be memorized.)

• Usage:

  1. Modifying a Noun: Place the na-adjective before the noun and connect them with the particle な (na).
     • しずか (shizuka) + 町 (machi) -> しずか**な**町 (shizuka na machi) - a quiet town
     • きれい (kirei) + 花 (hana) -> きれい**な**花 (kirei na hana) - a beautiful flower
  2. As a Predicate (ending a sentence): Add です (desu) directly. The な is NOT used.
     • この町はしずかです。 (Kono machi wa shizuka desu. - This town is quiet.)

• Conjugation (Present Tense):

  • Na-adjectives conjugate like nouns.
  • Affirmative: Adjective + です
  • Negative: Adjective + じゃありません (ja arimasen) (or the more formal ではありません - dewa arimasen).

• Conjugation Table: