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Onamae wa(nan desu ka)?
What is your name.
To ask someone’s name in Japanese you simply say
Onamae wa?
The answer will be: __________name________desu.
COUNTING IN NIHONGO (JAPANESE)
Learning how to count to 99 in Japanese is a relatively simple task once you have learned how to
count to ten. Here are the numbers from 1-10 with their kanji.
NUMBER
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
JAPANESE
ichi
ni
san
shi (yon)
go
roku
shichi (nana)
hachi
kyuu (ku)
juu
KANJI
一
二
三
四
五
六
七
八
九
十
Don’t worry. Sensei is a highly trained and experienced professional; pay attention and this will be
painless.
Larger numbers are made by combining the numbers above.
order correctly.
Numbers from 11-19 are formed by adding onto ten (juu).
10 + 1= 11 juu + ichi = juu ichi
10 + 2= 12 juu + ni = juu ni
10 + 3= 13 juu + san = juu san
10 + 4= 14 juu + shi = juu shi / yon
10 + 5= 15 juu + go = juu go
10 + 6= 16 juu + roku = juu roku
10 + 7= 17 juu + sichi = juu shichi /nana
10 + 8= 18 juu + hachi = juu hachi
十一
十二
十三
十四
十五
十六
十七
十八
The only trick is remembering the
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10 + 9= 19 juu + kyuu = juu kyuu / ku
十九
NANSAI DESU KA
How old are you?
Let’s use the numbers above to talk about age and your year in school.
introduction that you will do in front of class.
This will be part of a self-
To ask somebody’s age you need to say Nan sai desu ka.
Nan is a variation of nani or
‘what’ in English.
Sai
means ‘years old.’ There is a more polite form, if you feel you need to
be a bit more formal. It is Ikutsu desu ka.
To answer the question you say the number that corresponds to your age and add sai desu.
EX: Juu yon sai desu. I’m fourteen years old.
Juu go sai desu.
I’m fifteen years old.
If the number before sai is a 1 or an 8, The pronunciation changes slightly.
EX: Juu hassai desu. I’m eighteen years old.
Yon juu issai desu. I’m 41.
Ask ten classmates their name and age.
Name
1
2
3
4
5
6.
7.
8.
Age
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10.
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Nan nen sei desu ka?
What grade are you in?
Before learning to talk to people about their grade in school.
the Japanese education system.
Let’s read a bit about
Japanese Schools
Japanese schools up to Junior High School are almost exclusively public (less than 5%
are privately owned and run). Until Junior High School, students study at the school in
whose catchment area their home is located. However, senior high schools have
overlapping catchment areas: this means that there is competition among schools for
the best pupils in a particular area, and among pupils for places at the best schools.
Over one-quarter of senior high schools are private, indicating the extent of the
competition in the higher levels Japanese schooling: parents will pay substantial
amounts for their children's educations.
While the general improvement of education and standard of living for the Japanese
population as a whole has resulted in some of the highest standards of education in the
world, some claim that the attendant stresses have lead to an increase in psychological
problems among children (although we are not aware of any published figures to
support this). Also, the improved diet of many Japanese, coupled with a reduction in
child labor (traditionally assisting relatives on farms or smallholdings in rural areas)
and changes in social habits has lead to an increase in obesity amongst Japanese
schoolchildren. However, this phenomenon is well-known in most developed
countries, not just in Japan, and seems less pronounced than in the West.
For some time it has been accepted that a Japanese student's life is largely decided by
the their university entrance exam: that is, entrance to the right university can lead to a
well-paid job with one of the larger Japanese companies. However, increasing
competition amongst schools means that this pressure is extending further back and
many now claim that a person's future is largely decided by the age of twelve or
fifteen with entry to the right junior high school. What effect the current economic
recession and restructuring will have on this system remains to be seen.
Kindergarten (Yochien)
Although optional education, in 2000 the number of new entrants to kindergarten was
over 63% of the number of new entrants to Primary or Junior School - indicating that
well over half of all Japanese children start their education earlier than required by the
state. The Japanese government aims to increase the availability of kindergartens, in
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part to allow mothers to work if they need or want to. The trend to earlier and earlier
education is increasing with special subjects for kindergarten students including
English. However, the fact that the number of children graduating from kindergarten
and from junior school has declined by one-quarter over the past ten years indicates
the scale of the demographic challenge facing Japan in the near future.
Elementary School (Shogakkou)
For six years from age six to twelve, this is the first stage of compulsory education for
Japanese children. Almost all Japanese children enter at this stage, although an
increasing number have already experienced kindergarten. Uniforms are standard in
Japan, so the small children with bright yellow baseball hats, bright yellow umbrellas,
bright yellow raincoats, etc. walking in long lines around Japanese towns are all
Elementary School children. Regularly seen as a large flock walking in pairs holding
hands or smaller clusters trading pokemon cards.
Junior High School (Chugakkou)
From twelve to fifteen years old, this is a hugely important phase in the upbringing of
the Japanese child. Results at Junior High School can determine entry to a good
Senior High School and hence to a good university and career. At this point children
usually stay late at school, busy with various clubs and activities as well as studies at a
Juku (see below).
Senior High School (Koukou; koutougakkou)
The peak of pressure for the student in the Japanese school system from 15 to 18 years
old, entry to senior high school is by an entrance exam. Preparation for the exam itself,
of course, is usually through attending a good Juku (see below). To get a place at the
best university means that a student really needs to go to the right senior high school,
so the entrance exam can have a major impact on the future career of Japanese
students. As the number of private schools increases (at present over one-quarter of
senior high schools are private) and pressure to perform well increases, education ends
up costing parents more and more. This pressure is slowly diffusing down the chain as
entry to the best senior high schools is increasingly affected by the junior high school
attended. Although not compulsory in Japan, over 90% of all children attend Senior
High School.
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To ask about what grade someone is in you need to use the question Nan nen sei desu
ka.
Chuugakkou=
middle school
To answer use one of the following.
9th grade
10th grade
11th grade
Chuugakkou san nen sei desu.
Koukou ichi nen sei desu.
Koukou ni nen sei desu.
12th grade
Koukou san nen sei desu.
Koukou= high
school
Denwa bangou wa nan desu ka
(What’s your phone number)
Phone Calls in Japan
Most public phones (koushuu denwa) take coins (at least a 10 yen coin) and telephone cards. Only
designated pay phones allow international calls (kokusai denwa). All calls are charged by the minute.
Telephone cards can be purchased in almost all convenience stores, kiosks at train stations and
vending machines. The cards are sold in 500 yen and 1000 yen units. Telephone cards can be
customized. Some companies even use them as marketing tools. Some cards are very valuable, and
cost a fortune. Many people collect telephone cards just like postage stamps are collected.
Telephone Number: A telephone number consists of the three parts, for example, (03) 2815-1311.
The first part is the area code (03 is Tokyo's), and the second and last part are the user's number.
Each number is usually read separately, linking the parts with the particle "no." In telephone
numbers 0 is often pronounced as "zero," 4 as "yon" and 7 as "nana" to reduce confusion.
The most essential phrase is "moshi moshi." It is used by the caller when connected. It is also used
when one can't hear the other person well, or to confirm if the other person is still on the line.
Although some people say "moshi moshi" to answer the phone, "hai" is used more often in business.
If the other person speaks too fast, or you couldn't catch what he/she said, say "Yukkuri
onegaishimasu (Please speak slowly)" or "Mou ichido onegaishimasu (Please say it again)."
"Onegaishimasu" is a useful phrase when making a request.
Practice this simple dialogue with five classmates
Q: Denwa bangou wa nan desu ka?
A: Go go hachi no yon ichi nana san
namae
denwa bangou
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DOKO NO KATA DESU KA?
Where are you from?
You might want to ask or be asked is where a person is from.
questions:
For this you need to learn these
Q: Doko no kata desu ka? どこのかたですか。
A: Amerika kara kimashita. アメリカから来ました。
Q: Nani jin desu ka? 何人ですか。
A: Amerikajin desu. アメリカ人です。
Where are you from?
I am from America.
What is your nationality?
I’m an American.
It is not uncommon for a Japanese to assume that a foreigner who is not Asian is American.
Therefore you may be asked the following question when introducing yourself.
Q: Amerika-jin desu ka? アメリカ人ですか。
A: Hai Amerika-jin desu. はい、アメリカ人です。
or
A: Iie, American-jin ja nai desu. いいえ、アメリカ人じゃないです。
Kanada-jin desu.
カナダ人です。
Are you American?
Yes, I am American.
No, I’m not American.
I’m Canadian.
Here is a short list of some other nationalities. Note that in Japanese words for nationality are
formed by simply adding jin to the name of the country.
Country name in English
Country name in Japanese
Nationality
England
Ireland
Igirisu
Airurando
Igirisu-jin
Airurando-jin
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Australia
Germany
France
Mexico
China
Korea
Japan
Oosutoraria
Doitsu
Furansu
Mekishiko
Chuugoku
Kankoku
Nihon
Oosutoraria-jin
Doitsu-jin
Furansu-jin
Mekishiko-jin
Chuugoku-jin
Kankoku-jin
Nihon-jin
All of the above country names except three are usually written in katakana. Can you guess which
three are written in kanji?
The sentences you have been using thus far are based on a very simple pattern in Japanese
A は B です。
A wa B desu
Which means A is B.
Write the English equivalent of the following sentences.
1. Watashi wa Jon desu.
2. Sensei wa ni juu go sai desu.
________________________________
________________________________
3. Tetsuo san wa chuugakkou san nen sei desu.
________________________________
4. Denwa bangou wa 558-4173 desu.
________________________________
5. Tanaka san wa nihon-jin desu.
________________________________
Write the questions that will get you the above statements as answers.
1._____________________________________________________________
2._____________________________________________________________
3._____________________________________________________________
4._____________________________________________________________
5._____________________________________________________________
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せいかく
Personality
There are several ways to ask someone about their personality.
_______ san wa donna hito desu
ka?
_______ san wa donna seikaku desu
ka?
Your answer would be
Watashi wa ______________________desu.
Look at the following list of personality words and choose one that best describes you. Then talk to
your classmates about their personality.
Personality vocab
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
にほんご
おとなしい
にぎやか
あかるい
くらい
まじめ
やさしい
のんびり
しっかりしている
ローマ字
Otonashii
nigiyaka
Akarui
Kurai
Majime
Yasashii
nonbiri
shikkarishiteiru
えいご
Quiet, reserved
Lively
Bright
Dark, gloomy
Serious
Kind
Relaxed; easygoing
Level-headed
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
よくばり
うそつき
なまけもの
わがまま
ぜいたく
こうふく
ふこう
Yokubari
Usotsuki
Namakemono
Wagamama
zeitaku
koufuku
Fukou
Greedy
Dishonest
Lazy
Selfish
Extravagant
Happy
Unhappy
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15
16
17
18
19
20
私について
どうとくてき
しょうじき
かんぜんしゅぎしゃ
はずかしがりや
たんき
まえむき
しんぱいしょう
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Doutokuteki
Shoujiki
Kanzenshugisha
Hazukashigariya
Tanki
Maemuki
shinpaishou
Moral
Honest
Perfectionist
Shy
Short tempered
Optimistic
Worry wart
Ask your classmates about their personality.
name
personality
Write five sentences about your classmates using the A wa B desu pattern,
1
2
3
4
5
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--がすきですか
---ga suki desu ka
Do you like________?
To ask somebody if they like something you need the pattern --がすき
ですか(---ga suki desu ka)。To answer you can say
はい、すきです 。 Hai, suki desu
or
いいえ、すきじゃないです。IIe, suki ja nai desu
or
まあまあです。
Maamaa desu
To simply say that you like something you say _______がすきです(___ga
su ki desu)。
You can say だいすき (dai suki) about something (or someone) you love.
EXAMPLES
テニスがすきですか。
Tenisu ga suki desu ka
いいえ、すきじゃないです。
Iie, suki ja nai desu
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
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Ask your classmates if they like these things.
item
1
やきゅう yakyuu
2
ケーキ keeki
3
チョコレート
chokoreeto
4
オレンジ・ジュース
orenji juusu
5
rap (ラップ）rappu
6
rock（ロック）rokku
7
fish (さかな）sakana
8
ピザ piza
9
アニメ anime
10
フットボール
futtobooru
answer
Tell what your classmates said by using the pattern
A さんは_______がすきです。
name
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KAMOKU (SUBJECTS) -
SUUGAKU (MATH)
EIGO/KOKUGO (LA)
NIHONGO (JAPANESE)
SHAKAI (SOCIAL STUDIES)
BIJUTSU (ART)
SEIBUTSU (BIOLOGY)
TAIIKU (PHYS. ED.)
ONGAKU (MUSIC)
KAGAKU(SCIENCE)
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You will give a brief self introduction to the whole class.
be sure to practice it a lot.
You will need to memorize it, so
You will need to say the following:
Hajimemashite
Watashi no namae wa ________________desu.
desu.
(age)
_age_________sai
_____ (year in school)______________desu.
Watashi wa _____personality_____________desu.
_______thing you like_________________ga suki desu.
(if you are
ambitious add to (and) between two or three things you like)
Douzo yoroshiku
頑張ってください。（がんばってください）
You will be graded on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories
clarity of voice
pronunciation
memorization
proper body language