Learn Japanese Grammar in 25 Minutes - ALL the Basics You Need

Summary

This video script offers an absolute beginner's guide to Japanese grammar through an engaging series of lessons. It covers basic sentence patterns, such as 'A is B', and introduces the concept of turning statements into questions by adding 'ka'. The script also explores causative and volitional words, indicating the distance of objects relative to the speaker, and teaches polite conversational phrases like 'sumimasen' for 'excuse me' and 'I'm sorry'. Additionally, it provides practical phrases for asking for items and services, and explains the formation of negative sentences in different levels of politeness. The lessons aim to equip viewers with the tools to speak real Japanese from their first lesson, encouraging them to sign up for further learning at japanesepod101.com.

Takeaways

• 📚 The video series aims to teach basic Japanese grammar patterns and phrases for absolute beginners.
• 🔊 It emphasizes the use of audio and visual cues to make learning easy to follow.
• 👋 The script introduces the common greeting 'Nice to meet you,' which can be used with anyone for the first time.
• 🔑 The first sentence pattern taught is 'A is B,' which is fundamental in Japanese grammar.
• 🌐 The script provides examples of how to use the 'A is B' pattern with names and occupations.
• ❓ It teaches how to form questions in Japanese by adding 'ka' to the end of a statement.
• 📌 The script explains the use of 'hai' for affirmation and 'chi mas' for negation in Japanese.
• 📍 It covers the use of 'kosovo' words to indicate the subject's location relative to the speaker and listener.
• ⏰ The lesson includes how to ask for the time and the correct pronunciation of the hours in Japanese.
• 📍 The script teaches how to ask about locations using 'doko' and provides examples like 'Where is the study abroad office?'
• 🙏 It introduces 'sumimasen' as a versatile phrase for both 'excuse me' and 'I'm sorry.'
• 🛒 The video explains 'onegai shimasu' for requesting items or services politely.
• 🚫 The script covers three ways to form negative sentences in Japanese: 'dewa arimasen,' 'ja,' and 'nai.'
• 📝 It also explains how to convert noun sentences into their polite past tense form.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video series?

The main focus of the video series is to teach basic Japanese grammar patterns and phrases to absolute beginners through easy-to-follow audio and visual cues.

What is the first sentence pattern taught in the lesson?

The first sentence pattern taught is 'A is B', which is used to express identity or possession, such as 'I am Jessie' or 'She is Jennifer'.

How can the 'A is B' pattern be modified to include a name without using 'watashi'?

The 'A is B' pattern can be modified by simply stating one's name followed by 'desu', for example, 'Ken desu' to mean 'I am Ken'.

What is the purpose of adding 'ka' to the end of a statement in Japanese?

Adding 'ka' to the end of a statement in Japanese turns it into a question, allowing the speaker to inquire about the subject of the statement.

What does the word 'hai' mean in Japanese?

'Hai' in Japanese means 'yes' or 'it is so', and it is used to affirm a statement or respond to a question.

What is the meaning of 'chi mas' in Japanese and how is it used?

'Chi mas' means 'no' or 'that is different' in Japanese, and it is used to disagree with a statement or indicate that something is incorrect.

What are 'kosovado' words and how do they function in Japanese?

'Kosovado' words are demonstrative words in Japanese that indicate the distance of the object or person being referred to in relation to the speaker and listener, such as 'kore' (this), 'sore' (that), and 'are' (that over there).

How do you ask for the time in Japanese?

To ask for the time in Japanese, one can say 'ima nanji desu ka', which translates to 'What time is it now?'.

What is the polite way to say 'I am not' in Japanese?

The polite way to say 'I am not' in Japanese is 'dewa arimasen', which can be shortened to 'ja arimasen' for a more casual tone.

How can you ask for something in Japanese?

To ask for something in Japanese, you can use the phrase 'Onegaishimasu' followed by the item you want, such as 'menu onegaishimasu' for 'Can I get a menu, please?'.

What is the casual version of 'arimasen' used to form negative sentences in Japanese?

The casual version of 'arimasen' used to form negative sentences in Japanese is 'nai', which is attached at the end of a sentence to indicate negation.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Japanese Grammar for Absolute Beginners

This paragraph introduces a video series designed for absolute beginners in learning Japanese grammar. It outlines the content of the first lesson, which includes basic grammar patterns and phrases, and emphasizes the use of audio and visual cues to facilitate learning. The script covers the essential 'A is B' sentence pattern, providing examples with names and occupations, and demonstrates how to transform a statement into a question by adding 'ka' at the end. This segment also introduces the phrase 'Nice to meet you' and its usage in meeting new people.

05:14

🗣️ Understanding Affirmation and Negation in Japanese

This paragraph delves into the Japanese words for affirmation and negation, focusing on 'hai' (yes) and 'chi mas' (no). It explains the literal meanings and usage contexts of these words, highlighting their importance in conveying agreement or disagreement. The script also introduces 'koso-do' words, which are demonstrative words indicating the subject of conversation. It explains the categories of 'this', 'that', and 'that over there', and their respective uses in different contexts, as well as the question word 'dore', which is similar to 'which' or 'which one' in English.

10:15

🕰️ Learning to Ask About Time and Locations in Japanese

This section of the script introduces the phrases for asking about the time and location in Japanese. It explains the formal and casual ways to inquire about the current time, using 'ima nanji desu ka' and the more casual 'imananji'. The script also covers the irregular pronunciation of certain hours and how to express them in Japanese. Moving on to locations, the paragraph discusses the use of 'koso-do' words to indicate places and provides examples of how to ask for the location of specific objects or places, such as the study abroad office or a bathroom.

15:16

📍 Exploring Prefixes and Apologies in Japanese

The script continues with an exploration of prefixes in Japanese that indicate the proximity of objects or people to the speaker and listener. It explains the prefixes 'ko', 'so', 'a', and 'do', and their meanings in relation to distance. The paragraph also teaches the phrase 'sumimasen', which serves as both 'excuse me' and 'I'm sorry', and demonstrates its usage in different scenarios. Additionally, it introduces the phrase 'onegaishimasu' for requesting items or services, and explains its formation and application.

20:18

🚫 Negative Forms and Polite Past Tense in Japanese

This paragraph focuses on the formation of negative sentences and the polite past tense in Japanese. It presents three ways to express negation: 'dewa arimasen', 'ja arimasen', and 'nai desu'. The script also covers the transition of noun sentences into their polite past form, illustrating the change from 'desu' to 'deshita'. Examples are given to show how to express past prices or historical figures in a polite manner. The paragraph concludes with a reminder of the importance of using the correct formality level when speaking or writing in Japanese.

Keywords

💡Japanese Grammar

Japanese Grammar refers to the structural rules governing the composition of sentences, phrases, and words in the Japanese language. In the video, it is the central theme as the series aims to teach absolute beginners the fundamental patterns and phrases. For instance, the script introduces 'A is B' as a basic sentence pattern, which is essential for constructing statements in Japanese.

💡Watashi

Watashi is a common Japanese pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me'. It is used in the script to demonstrate the 'A is B' sentence structure, where 'watashi' is 'A', and the speaker's name or another noun can be 'B'. This keyword is crucial for learners to express their identity in Japanese conversations.

💡Causality

Causality in the script refers to the use of certain words that indicate the reason or cause for something. It is related to the theme of the video as it introduces 'kosovo words' which are used to explain the context or reason for a statement. For example, the script mentions 'kore', 'sore', and 'are' as demonstrative words that can imply causality by indicating the proximity of the subject to the speaker or listener.

💡Question Formation

Question Formation in Japanese involves turning a statement into a question by adding specific particles or words. The script teaches how to form questions by adding 'ka' to a statement, which is a key concept for learners to engage in inquiries and conversations. An example from the script is turning 'kore wa misu desu' (this is water) into 'kore wa nani desu ka' (what is this?).

💡Copula

The copula in Japanese is the word 'desu', which is used to link the subject and predicate in a sentence, similar to 'is' in English. The script explains its use in forming statements and questions, such as 'kore wa misu desu' for stating 'this is water' and modifying it to form a question.

💡Politeness Levels

Politeness Levels in Japanese are crucial for expressing respect and formality in speech. The script discusses different ways to express negation with varying levels of politeness, such as 'dewa arimasen', 'ja', and 'nai'. Understanding these levels is essential for learners to communicate appropriately in different social contexts.

💡Kosovo Words

Kosovo words, as introduced in the script, are demonstrative words indicating the proximity of an object or person to the speaker. They include 'kore' (this), 'sore' (that), 'are' (that over there), and 'dore' (which one). These words are essential for learners to accurately describe the location or identity of items in conversation.

💡Sumimasen

Sumimasen is a versatile Japanese phrase that can mean both 'excuse me' and 'I'm sorry'. The script highlights its dual use, making it an important keyword for learners to master as it allows for polite interruption and apology. For example, 'Sumimasen' can be used to get someone's attention or to apologize for a mistake.

💡Onegai shimasu

Onegai shimasu is a polite Japanese phrase used when making requests, similar to 'please' in English. The script explains its use in asking for tangible items like a menu or water, as well as intangible services, such as asking someone to take an order. It is a key phrase for learners to make polite requests in various situations.

💡Negative Form

The Negative Form in Japanese is used to express the absence or negation of a state or action. The script explains different ways to form negatives, such as 'dewa arimasen', 'ja', and 'nai', which are important for learners to express refusal or denial politely. For example, 'Udonwa 300-en deshita' (The udon was 300 yen) can be negated as 'Udonwa 300-en ja arimasen' (The udon was not 300 yen).

💡Polite Past Tense

The Polite Past Tense in Japanese is used to describe actions or states that have been completed in a respectful manner. The script demonstrates how to change the non-past form 'desu' to the past form 'deshita', which is crucial for learners to recount past events politely. An example from the script is 'Udonwa 300-en deshita' (The udon was 300 yen).

Highlights

Introduction to the video series for learning basic Japanese grammar patterns and phrases.

Teaching the important sentence pattern 'A is B' in Japanese with examples.

Explanation of how to form questions in Japanese by adding 'ka' to the end of a statement.

Use of 'hai' for affirmation and 'chi mas' for negation in Japanese conversation.

Introduction to kosovado words indicating the topic and distance in Japanese.

Explanation of different kosovado words for 'this', 'that', and 'which one'.

Learning how to ask for the time in Japanese with 'ima nanji desu ka'.

Irregular pronunciation of certain numbers when used to denote time.

Asking for locations using 'doko desu ka' and other kosovado words.

Learning the phrase 'sumimasen' for both 'excuse me' and 'I'm sorry'.

Instruction on how to ask for items or services politely using 'Onegaishimasu'.

Understanding the negative forms 'ja arimasen', 'arimasen', and 'nai' in Japanese.

Formation of polite past tense for noun sentences in Japanese.

Significance of the difference between 'desu' and 'deshita' in tense and formality.

Invitation to subscribe for more Japanese lessons and a free lifetime account at japanesepod101.com.

Transcripts

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welcome to learn japanese grammar

absolute beginner

in this video series you'll learn basic

japanese grammar patterns and phrases

through easy to follow audio and visual

cues

here's what we'll cover in this lesson

[Music]

ready

let's get started

can we hear it a little bit slower

great and one more time at natural speed

and this means nice to meet you right

you can use this with anyone you meet

for the first time right and that would

be the first thing you say

must

in this lesson you'll learn a very

important sentence pattern your first

sentence pattern in japanese

yes okay so the pattern is a is b that

is the meaning in english for example i

am jessie you are now me she is jennifer

we have a which is the item being talked

about and then we have b

which is what we identify it as so in

japanese how would we say a is b

one more time

let's break it down so we have a

followed by wa

and then b followed by this

okay so the pattern one more time

so where we have a and b we can start

inserting different words to make

sentences yes watashi

means i and kaori is her name kaori so

we just put both of those into the a is

b structure

and

or my name is kaori you can leave of

watashi

and simply say your name plus this

so for example if your name is ken you

can say either

watashi

or simply

to say i'm ken

okay so up until now we've been using

names to complete this

pattern but we can insert other nouns

right yes for example in place of b you

can also say your job

which means i am a pilot can we hear the

same phrase a little more slowly

and once again at natural speed

okay great

ready

let's get started

in this lesson you'll learn how to make

a question which is very easy yes you'll

be surprised

you learned how to make an a is b

sentence

is water so altogether this means this

is water

korewa

misudes so this is just a regular

statement you're just stating a fact

right right

now what if we want to ask a question

say you have a glass of clear liquid in

front of you and you want to know is

this water for all you know it could be

7up or something else

well to turn a statement into a question

add cut to the end just one sound

let's try it so the sentence

is this water

so sitting in front of you is a plate of

something that looks like cookies

if you know they are sweets you can say

but say for example if you don't know

what they are and want to ask if they

are sweets you can say

are these sweets

remember all you need to do is add cut

to a statement to make it a question

that's it

what's the first word

hai yes and

so this

which literally means it is so

that's right hey that's an easy word to

remember it is so so

this

that's one word that's probably the word

you use the most hi so this

hi so this

that's wrong

right chi mas also means no

if you were to translate it into english

but really literally it means that is

different oh yeah or that is wrong it's

different that's not the case so

basically it's like saying no someone is

wrong about something or like a proposed

option or something is incorrect and

it's the opposite let's give an example

naomi sensei

is that a diamond no it's not

you see it's really no but it's

basically that's different it's

different it's not a diamond it's

something else something different

ready

let's get started

in this lesson we're looking at causal

adult words so how do we explain what

they are then well kosovo words are

words that indicate what you're talking

about in japanese there are three main

categories this

that and that over there and one

category for questions

so this is kore and that is sore so when

it comes to kosovado words remember that

words that start with ko indicate

something or someone close by

this

words that start with salt indicate

something or someone a little further

away sore

there are some others though too aren't

there yes like are ade also means that

but it's used to refer to something far

away from both the speaker and the

listener so it's over there right

and dore

now coso are the words that start with

do are always the question words they're

like wh words in english so dore means

which or which one let's go over those

cosuado words again

this one soda that one near you are that

one over there

which one

are

all right let's break that down first

word is correct this what the topic

marking particle nang what this the

copula

the question marking particle

what is this right

all right we have this but what if i

wanted to talk about that

you mean that one over there i mean that

thing that's right there within your

reach that would be so that for you sore

means that close to the person you're

speaking to and how about that thing

that's way over there at it

so you're not sure if what i'm holding

in my hand now is medicine so you would

ask me

is that medicine and then i would say

which means yes this is medicine

so

nami sensei what is this

and what is that the one right in front

of you

and what is that one over there are

nandeska

koreva nandeska

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ready

let's get started

what time is it

let's break it down

now

what time is it now

i think this is the most common

expression to ask the time that's right

and this is pretty formal in the sense

that you say ima at the beginning you

say now because when you ask the time

you usually mean right now right so

you can omit ima and it'll still have

the same the same meaning

what time is it same thing right right

and of course in a casual situation you

can drop deska and say nanji and you

know it's funny in that case personally

from personal experience when you're

speaking casually you tend to add the

ima at the beginning

so it would become imananji right and

that's the phrase you hear the most at

least when you're speaking casually

desk

let's do the time let's learn all of the

hours all right so what's one o'clock

it's easy

two o'clock niji

three o'clock

sanji

four o'clock yoji

five o'clock koji

six o'clock lokuji

10 o'clock juji

11 o'clock to

there we go now you can count all of the

hours but you have to be careful about

four o'clock nine o'clock and seven

o'clock the pronunciation is bit

irregular irregular okay so let's go

over them again what's four o'clock yoji

okay i see what you're saying so

normally the number four is young

but when it's four o'clock it becomes

yo

i see so the young becomes yo and you

can't say

either ah that's right because another

way of saying for is

she right and you can't say she doesn't

make any sense no one will know what

time you're talking about

so what's the problem with seven o'clock

i think people usually say

in the conversation but at the train

station or airport you might hear nanaji

nine o'clock

it's not qg ah

nine is normally q

q

but nine o'clock

it becomes ku kuji all right so let's

practice some polite conversation

what time is it now

it's four o'clock use this

and in a casual situation what time is

it

it's four o'clock yoji

ready

let's get started

so what's our grammar point today

asking the location

where is the study abroad office let's

break it down dude

study abroad office what topic marking

particle

where

this the copula

the question marking particle

where's the study abroad office

so now me where's the bathroom and do

you want me to say it in japanese okay

where's the bathroom

all right that's fine nami sensei but

sometimes it's you're in the dark right

you need to find out the lights are or

else you're gonna stay in the dark ah

light in japanese is denki denki it also

means electricity right

so nami sensei where are the lights

where are the lights but you know before

we turn the lights on we need to get

into the room

you know i don't have the key do you

know where it is where's the key kagi is

key

where's the key

toy

in this lesson we'll be looking at

kosovado

words are words that indicate what you

are talking about words like this and

that are some examples now the reason we

call them kosovado words is because they

all start with either ko

a

this prefix tells us the location or the

object's distance relative to the

speaker the first one is

ko the prefix cult means near the

speaker the next one is

the prefix so means close to the

listener but a bit far from the speaker

the next one is

a

the prefix up means at a distance from

the speaker and the listener

and the last one is

now this one doesn't refer to a location

but instead is used for question words

remember these prefixes and their

meanings

now let's move on to the cosolado words

that describe places the word for here

is

so

over there this word talks about a

farther distance from both the speaker

and the listener

good now let's hear an example

watashiba

this means i'm here

ready

let's get started

okay in this lesson you'll learn how to

say excuse me and i'm sorry the best

part is you only have to learn one

phrase for both that's right there is

one phrase that covers both of these

meanings that makes it easy and that

word is now me

sumimasen

and one more time regular speed

sumimasen

so this sumimasen has two meanings

excuse me and i'm sorry

so the first meaning of sumimasen excuse

me is used to get the attention of

somebody so that means you can use it to

call out to a stranger or a waiter at a

restaurant things like that

excuse me like that so that's the first

meaning of sumimasen

the second meaning again is i'm sorry

ah

which is oh i'm sorry this is really

useful if you make some kind of mistake

it can all be handled with sumimasen

please remember this phrase

sumimasen

in this lesson you'll learn how to ask

for something in japanese

there is one phrase you'll learn for

that in this lesson

onegaishimasu on its own you can think

of it as meaning please yes as in menu

please water please and so on okay so

naomi what's the formation

very simple

just say the item you want and add

oneega

so that's item plus

exactly

literally menu please in more natural

english we'd say can i get a menu

and the next one

can i get some water

now a menu and water are both physical

objects so you can use this

oneegaishimasu for actual tangible

things but you can also use it for not

so tangible things ah

like a service right

is order and onegaishimasu is like

please so literally it's like saying

order please you may think it means

something like can i have my order

please but what it really means is can

you take my order please

so you're asking them to do something

yes quite handy this

ready

let's get started

i am not larry

all right what's the key point here ja

arima sen the negative form of this so

the negative of this is

which is the first way to say a negative

form there's three ways what's the

second way nami sensei

arimasen and all we did here was get

that dewa from dewa arimasen and shorten

it into ja and what's the third way

and this is no less polite it's also

polite but you just got the arimasen and

you turned it into night and

nigh is the casual version of arimasen

but we attach this at the end so it

remains polite so you could use it to

anybody all right and all of these

expressions are polite are there any

real differences in the way that you use

them nami sensei i would say deva

arimasen is the most polite expression

do you ever you find yourself using it

in speaking not much how about in

writing

writing i use it a lot

okay nami sensei so let's be a little

negative here hi translate all my

sentences into negative

watashi

watashi

and those are three ways of saying i'm

not dirty in the same level of

politeness

i'm

let's have a look at noun sentences and

putting them in their polite past form

this sentence the udon was 300 yen is a

noun sentence and it's in the past form

the polite past form so if we were just

going to say the udon is 300 yen it

would be udonwa

okay so putting it in the past tense

what changes is the deaths on the end it

becomes desta this is pretty simple so

for example if we were going to say um

one dollar is 100 yen we would say

but uh was there a time i think when one

dollar was worth a lot more yen

360 yen okay so how would we say the

dollar was worth 360 yen was being past

tense

okay so you can hear there that the

deaths is becoming dashed to indicate

past tense and this is polite past tense

all right let's look at just a couple

more noun sentences in the polite past

form

kennedy uh you mean jfk

yeah yeah i guess so yeah so jfk was an

american hi since he has already passed

away i used desktop okay so if you were

talking about president bush you would

say

america

so i think you probably get the picture

now it's just the difference between des

and desta that's all that changes in the

sentence if you're indicating non-past

or past because non-past is this and

past is desta

udon

desta

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[Music]

you