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Minna no Nihongo, lesson 22

Lesson 22:

Lesson 22 of Minna no Nihongo, “Describing people and things”, teaches 6 grammar patterns, including , , , and 22 words. Here is every word with romaji and English, the grammar explained with examples, and 47 example sentences.

Updated

Grammar

Describing a noun with a verb

To say which person or thing you mean, put a verb in the plain form straight before the noun, the way an adjective goes before it: きのう みた えいが (the film I saw yesterday), めがねを かけて いる ひと (the person wearing glasses). The plain form can be present, past, negative or 〜て いる, but never a ます form. The noun with its description then works like any noun in the sentence.

  • Kinou mita eiga wa omoshirokatta desu. The film I saw yesterday was interesting.
  • Megane o kakete iru hito wa dare desu ka. Who's the person wearing glasses?
  • Wan-san wa koubebyouin de hataraite iru isha desu. Mr. Wang is a doctor who works at Kobe Hospital.

Who did it: が inside the description

Inside a describing clause, the person who does the action takes が, not は: わたしが かった ほん (the book I bought). は belongs to the whole sentence: これは わたしが かった ほんです (this is the book I bought).

  • Kore wa Miraa-san ga totta shashin desu. This is a photo Mr. Miller took.
  • Miraa-san ga sunde iru uchi wa eki kara chikai desu. The house Mr. Miller lives in is near the station.
  • Koko wa watashi ga umareta machi desu. This is the town I was born in.

Time, plans and errands

A dictionary form before じかん (time), やくそく (an arrangement) or ようじ (something you have to do) says what it is for: あさごはんを たべる じかんが ありません (I have no time to eat breakfast).

  • Asagohan o taberu jikan ga arimasen. I have no time to eat breakfast.
  • Kyou wa tomodachi to eiga o miru yakusoku ga arimasu. Today I've arranged to see a film with a friend.
  • Shiyakusho e iku youji ga arimasu. I have to go to the city office.

Putting on clothes

Japanese has a verb for each part of the body. きます is for the top half or the whole body (a shirt, a coat), はきます for the feet and legs (shoes, trousers), かぶります for the head (a hat) and かけます for glasses. 〜て います says what someone is wearing now: あかい セーターを きて いる ひと (the person in the red sweater). The opposite of all of them is ぬぎます (take off).

  • Karina-san wa kyou aoi kooto o kite imasu. Karina's wearing a blue coat today.
  • Miraa-san wa atarashii kutsu o haite imasu. Mr. Miller's wearing new shoes.
  • Tereeza-chan wa shiroi boushi o kabutte imasu. Teresa's wearing a white hat.

What kind would you like?

どんな asks what kind. The answer often describes the noun with a clause or an adjective: えきから ちかい アパートが いいです (I'd like one near the station), わしつが ある アパートが いいです (one with a Japanese-style room).

  • Donna apaato ga ii desu ka. What kind of flat would you like?
  • Eki kara chikai apaato ga ii desu. I'd like one near the station.
  • Washitsu ga aru apaato ga ii desu. I'd like a flat with a Japanese-style room.

Congratulations

おめでとう ございます congratulates someone, often after what you're celebrating: たんじょうび おめでとう ございます (happy birthday). With friends, おめでとう alone is enough.

  • Tanjoubi omedetou gozaimasu. Happy birthday!
  • Gokekkon omedetou gozaimasu. Congratulations on your wedding!

Vocabulary: 22 words

Verbs

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
kimasu put on, wear (a shirt, coat, sweater)シャツを きます. It sounds like きます (come), but its plain forms are きる, きない and きた.
hakimasu put on, wear (shoes, trousers, a skirt)For anything you put your feet or legs into: くつを はきます.
kaburimasu put on, wear (a hat)ぼうしを かぶります.
kakemasu put on, wear (glasses)めがねを かけます. The same verb as でんわを かけます (make a phone call, lesson 7).
umaremasu be bornWhere you were born takes で: わたしは おおさかで うまれました.

Clothes

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
kooto coat
seetaa sweater, jumper
suutsu suit
boushi hat, cap
megane glasses

Flats and homes

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
apaato flat, apartment
yachin rent
dainingukitchin kitchen with a dining area
washitsu Japanese-style room (with a tatami floor)
oshiire Japanese-style cupboard (where futons are kept)
futon futon, Japanese beddingLaid out on the floor at night and put away in the おしいれ in the morning.
fudousanya estate agent's (where you find a flat)

Phrases and other words

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
kochira this one (polite for これ)Shop staff use it: こちらは いかがですか (how about this one?). Also "this way" (lesson 3).
omedetou gozaimasu Congratulations!たんじょうび おめでとう ございます (happy birthday).
uun Hmm… (thinking it over)
pari Paris
banri no choujou the Great Wall of China

Example sentences

  • Shatsu o kimasu. I put on a shirt.
  • Kutsu o hakimasu. I put on my shoes.
  • Boushi o kaburimasu. I put on a hat.
  • Megane o kakemasu. I put on my glasses.
  • Kaisha e suutsu o kite ikimasu. I wear a suit to work.
  • Karina-san wa kyou aoi kooto o kite imasu. Karina's wearing a blue coat today.
  • Miraa-san wa atarashii kutsu o haite imasu. Mr. Miller's wearing new shoes.
  • Tereeza-chan wa shiroi boushi o kabutte imasu. Teresa's wearing a white hat.
  • Watashi wa oosaka de umaremashita. I was born in Osaka.
  • Itsu umaremashita ka. When were you born?
  • Senkyuuhyakukyuujuuhachinen ni umaremashita. I was born in 1998.
  • Megane o kakete iru hito wa dare desu ka. Who's the person wearing glasses?
  • Miraa-san desu. That's Mr. Miller.
  • Akai seetaa o kite iru hito wa dare desu ka. Who's the person in the red sweater?
  • Karina-san desu. Fujidaigaku no gakusei desu. That's Karina. She's a student at Fuji University.
  • Kore wa kinou watashi ga katta hon desu. This is the book I bought yesterday.
  • Kore wa Miraa-san ga totta shashin desu. This is a photo Mr. Miller took.
  • Karina-san ga kaita e wa dore desu ka. Which is the picture Karina drew?
  • Ano ookii e desu. That big one.
  • Miraa-san ga sunde iru uchi wa eki kara chikai desu. The house Mr. Miller lives in is near the station.
  • Koko wa watashi ga umareta machi desu. This is the town I was born in.
  • Kinou mita eiga wa omoshirokatta desu. The film I saw yesterday was interesting.
  • Kore wa haha ga tsukutta ryouri desu. This is a dish my mother made.
  • Wan-san wa koubebyouin de hataraite iru isha desu. Mr. Wang is a doctor who works at Kobe Hospital.
  • Asoko de shinbun o yonde iru hito o shitte imasu ka. Do you know the person reading a newspaper over there?
  • Watashi ga yoku iku mise wa kono chikaku desu. The shop I often go to is near here.
  • Kinou atta hito wa Miraa-san no tomodachi desu. The person I met yesterday is a friend of Mr. Miller's.
  • Wasureta mono wa arimasen ka. Haven't you forgotten anything?
  • Ichiban ikitai kuni wa doko desu ka. Which country do you most want to go to?
  • Furansu desu. Pari e ikitai desu. France. I'd like to go to Paris.
  • Banri no choujou o mitai desu. I'd like to see the Great Wall of China.
  • Asagohan o taberu jikan ga arimasen. I have no time to eat breakfast.
  • Kyou wa tomodachi to eiga o miru yakusoku ga arimasu. Today I've arranged to see a film with a friend.
  • Shiyakusho e iku youji ga arimasu. I have to go to the city office.
  • Shinbun o yomu jikan ga arimasu ka. Do you have time to read a newspaper?
  • Iie, isogashikute, yomu jikan ga arimasen. No, I'm too busy. I have no time to read one.
  • Donna apaato ga ii desu ka. What kind of flat would you like?
  • Eki kara chikai apaato ga ii desu. I'd like one near the station.
  • Washitsu ga aru apaato ga ii desu. I'd like a flat with a Japanese-style room.
  • Yachin wa ikura desu ka. How much is the rent?
  • Hachimanen desu. It's 80,000 yen.
  • Kochira wa ikaga desu ka. How about this one?
  • Uun, chotto takai desu ne. Hmm, it's a bit expensive.
  • Kono apaato wa dainingukitchin to washitsu ga arimasu. This flat has a kitchen-diner and a Japanese-style room.
  • Futon wa oshiire ni iremasu. Futons go in the cupboard.
  • Tanjoubi omedetou gozaimasu. Happy birthday!
  • Gokekkon omedetou gozaimasu. Congratulations on your wedding!

Conversations to practise

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

  • What kind of flat would you like?You're at an estate agent's, looking for a flat.
  • Who's the person wearing glasses?At a party, you ask Mr. Matsumoto about the other guests.
  • I've got plansMr. Santos invites you to dinner after work.

Practise lesson 22

Flashcards, spelling with kana tiles, sentence building and conversations. Free to start: lessons 1 and 2 need no sign-up, 3 to 5 a free account, and lesson 6 onwards Premium.

Start lesson 22