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Minna no Nihongo, lesson 12

Lesson 12:

Lesson 12 of Minna no Nihongo, “How was it? The past, and comparing things”, teaches 7 grammar patterns, including , , , and 54 words. Here is every word with romaji and English, the grammar explained with examples, and 37 example sentences.

Updated

Grammar

Was: でした, じゃ ありませんでした

For the past of nouns and な-adjectives, change です to でした: あめでした (it rained), ひまでした (I was free). The past negative is じゃ ありませんでした: ひまじゃ ありませんでした.

  • Kinou wa ame deshita. It rained yesterday.
  • Totemo nigiyaka deshita. It was very lively.
  • Iie, hima ja arimasendeshita. No, I wasn't.

Was (い-adjectives): さむかったです

い-adjectives have their own past: drop い and add かったです (さむい → さむかったです). The past negative is くなかったです: さむくなかったです. いい becomes よかったです and よくなかったです.

  • Kinou wa samukatta desu. It was cold yesterday.
  • Totemo omoshirokatta desu. It was very interesting.
  • Iie, amari yokunakatta desu. No, it wasn't very good.

How was it?: どうでしたか

To ask about something that's over, use どうでしたか: りょこうは どうでしたか. Answer with an adjective in the past: たのしかったです.

  • Ryokou wa dou deshita ka. How was your trip?
  • Gionmatsuri wa dou deshita ka. How was the Gion Festival?
  • Tanoshikatta desu ga, totemo tsukaremashita. It was fun, but I'm very tired.

Than: より

To compare two things, put より after the one you compare with: でんしゃは バスより はやいです (the train is faster than the bus). The adjective doesn't change. ずっと makes the difference big: ずっと おおきいです.

  • Densha wa basu yori hayai desu. The train is faster than the bus.
  • Honkon wa shingapooru yori ookii desu. Hong Kong is bigger than Singapore.
  • Toukyou no hou ga zutto ookii desu. Tokyo is much bigger.

Which of two: どちらが

To ask which of two, list them with と and ask どちらが: サッカーと やきゅうと どちらが すきですか. Answer with の ほうが: サッカーの ほうが すきです. If it's the same for both, say どちらも.

  • Sakkaa to yakyuu to dochira ga suki desu ka. Which do you like better, football or baseball?
  • Sakkaa no hou ga suki desu. I like football better.
  • Dochira mo suki desu. I like both.

The most: いちばん

For three or more, say the group with で, then a question word with が: にほんの りょうりで なにが いちばん すきですか. Use だれ for people, どこ for places and いつ for times. いちばん before the adjective makes it the most: てんぷらが いちばん すきです.

  • Nihon no ryouri de nani ga ichiban suki desu ka. What's your favourite Japanese food?
  • Tenpura ga ichiban suki desu. I like tempura best.
  • Ichinen de itsu ga ichiban samui desu ka. When is the coldest time of year?

Coming home: ただいま

When you come home, say ただいま; whoever is there answers おかえりなさい. In a big crowd you might say すごい ひとですね.

  • Tadaima. I'm home.
  • Okaerinasai. Welcome home.
  • Waa, sugoi hito desu ne. Wow, what a crowd!

Vocabulary: 54 words

Adjectives

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
kantan easy, simpleA な-adjective: かんたんな りょうり (a simple dish).
chikai near, close
tooi far
hayai fast; earlyWritten 早い when it means early. はやく (lesson 9) comes from it.
osoi slow; late
ooi many, a lotComes after what there is a lot of: ひとが おおいです (there are a lot of people).
sukunai few, not many
atatakai warm
suzushii cool (weather)
amai sweet
karai hot, spicy
omoi heavy
karui light (not heavy)

Seasons and weather

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
kisetsu season
haru spring
natsu summer
aki autumn
fuyu winter
tenki weatherOften おてんき: いい おてんきですね (lesson 11).
ame rain
yuki snow
kumori cloudy weather
momiji autumn leaves, mapleAutumn is the season for もみじ, as spring is for さくら.

Japanese food

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
sukiyaki sukiyaki (beef and vegetables cooked at the table)
sashimi sashimi (raw fish)
sushi sushiOften おすし.
tenpura tempura (fried seafood and vegetables)
butaniku pork
toriniku chicken (meat)
gyuuniku beef
remon lemon

Places and events

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
hoteru hotel
kuukou airport
umi sea
sekai world
paatii party
matsuri festivalOften おまつり.
ikebana flower arranging

Comparing

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
dochira which (of two)Also the polite どこ (lesson 3).
dochiramo both
ichiban most, best (number one)Before an adjective: いちばん たかい (the most expensive).
zutto much (more), by farずっと たかい (much more expensive).
~yori than ~A は B より たかいです (A is more expensive than B).
~ no hou the ~ one (of two)Answers which of two: とうきょうの ほうが おおきいです (Tokyo is bigger).

Expressions

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
hajimete for the first time
tadaima I'm homeSaid as you come home. The answer is おかえりなさい.
okaerinasai welcome home
waa wow
sugoi hito desune what a crowd!
tsukaremashita I'm tired

Places in the book

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
gionmatsuri the Gion Festival (in Kyoto)
kyouto Kyoto
honkon Hong Kong
shingapooru Singapore

Example sentences

  • Kinou wa ame deshita. It rained yesterday.
  • Kinou wa hima deshita ka. Were you free yesterday?
  • Iie, hima ja arimasendeshita. No, I wasn't.
  • Shiken wa kantan deshita ka. Was the exam easy?
  • Iie, kantan ja arimasendeshita. Muzukashikatta desu. No, it wasn't. It was difficult.
  • Gionmatsuri wa dou deshita ka. How was the Gion Festival?
  • Totemo omoshirokatta desu. It was very interesting.
  • Totemo nigiyaka deshita. It was very lively.
  • Kinou wa samukatta desu. It was cold yesterday.
  • Tenki wa yokatta desu ka. Was the weather good?
  • Iie, amari yokunakatta desu. No, it wasn't very good.
  • Paatii wa tanoshikatta desu ka. Was the party fun?
  • Ee, totemo tanoshikatta desu. Yes, it was great fun.
  • Ryokou wa dou deshita ka. How was your trip?
  • Tanoshikatta desu ga, totemo tsukaremashita. It was fun, but I'm very tired.
  • Honkon wa shingapooru yori ookii desu. Hong Kong is bigger than Singapore.
  • Densha wa basu yori hayai desu. The train is faster than the bus.
  • Sakkaa to yakyuu to dochira ga suki desu ka. Which do you like better, football or baseball?
  • Sakkaa no hou ga suki desu. I like football better.
  • Dochira mo suki desu. I like both.
  • Toukyou to oosaka to dochira ga ookii desu ka. Which is bigger, Tokyo or Osaka?
  • Toukyou no hou ga zutto ookii desu. Tokyo is much bigger.
  • Nihon no ryouri de nani ga ichiban suki desu ka. What's your favourite Japanese food?
  • Tenpura ga ichiban suki desu. I like tempura best.
  • Ichinen de itsu ga ichiban samui desu ka. When is the coldest time of year?
  • Nigatsu ga ichiban samui desu. February is the coldest.
  • Kazoku de dare ga ichiban isogashii desu ka. Who's the busiest in your family?
  • Chichi ga ichiban isogashii desu. My father is the busiest.
  • Natsu wa atsui desu ga, aki wa suzushii desu. Summer is hot, but autumn is cool.
  • Kono kareeraisu wa totemo karai desu. This curry is very spicy.
  • Kono kaban wa omoi desu ne. This bag is heavy, isn't it?
  • Kuukou made tooi desu ka. Is it far to the airport?
  • Iie, chikai desu. Basu de nijuppun desu. No, it's close. Twenty minutes by bus.
  • Hajimete sukiyaki o tabemashita. I had sukiyaki for the first time.
  • Tadaima. I'm home.
  • Okaerinasai. Welcome home.
  • Waa, sugoi hito desu ne. Wow, what a crowd!

Conversations to practise

In the app you play one of the speakers and choose what to say, line by line, with natural Japanese voices.

  • The Gion FestivalYou're back from Kyoto, and the building manager is at the door.
  • Which do you like?At lunch, Ms. Sato asks what food you like.
  • How was Nara?Mr. Miller asks about your trip to Nara.

Practise lesson 12

Flashcards, spelling with kana tiles, sentence building and conversations. Free, no sign-up needed.

Start lesson 12