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Minna no Nihongo, lesson 28

Lesson 28:

Lesson 28 of Minna no Nihongo, “While …ing, habits, and giving reasons with し”, teaches 6 grammar patterns, including , , , and 28 words. Here is every word with romaji and English, the grammar explained with examples, and 36 example sentences.

Updated

Grammar

While …ing

Drop ます and add ながら to say that one person does two things at once: おんがくを ききながら たべます (I eat while listening to music). The main action is the one at the end. It also works for things that go on over a long time: はたらきながら べんきょうして います (I'm studying while working).

  • Ongaku o kiki nagara gohan o tabemasu. I listen to music while I eat.
  • Koohii o nomi nagara shinbun o yomimasu. I read the paper over a coffee.
  • Hataraki nagara nihongo o benkyoushite imasu. I'm studying Japanese while working.

Something you do regularly

〜て います can also mean that you do something regularly, as a habit: まいあさ ジョギングを して います (I go jogging every morning). Words like まいあさ, いつも and たいてい make that clear.

  • Maiasa jogingu o shite imasu. I go jogging every morning.
  • Yoru, nihongo no gakkou ni kayotte imasu. I go to Japanese school in the evenings.
  • Yasumi no hi wa taitei uchi de hon o yonde imasu. On my days off I usually stay home and read.

…, and what's more …

し after a plain form lists points that add up to the same conclusion, often reasons: ねだんも やすいし、あじも いいし (it's cheap, and it tastes good too). Nouns and な-adjectives take だ before it: しずかだし. も often marks each point.

  • Kono mise wa nedan mo yasui shi, aji mo ii desu. This restaurant is cheap, and the food is good too.
  • Wattosensei wa yasashii shi, omoshiroi shi, ninki ga arimasu. Mr. Watt is kind and funny, so he's popular.
  • Kono machi wa shizuka da shi, eki mo chikai desu. This town is quiet, and the station's close too.

Giving reasons softly

A sentence can stop after the reasons and leave the conclusion unsaid: しゅっちょうも おおいし、しけんも あるし…… (with all my trips and an exam coming up…). It's a gentle way to say no or to explain a choice.

  • Shutchou mo ooi shi, shiken mo aru shi, ima wa isogashii desu. What with all my business trips and an exam coming up, I'm busy at the moment.
  • Doushite kono apaato ni shita ndesuka. Why did you choose this flat?
  • Hiroi shi, yachin mo yasui shi……. It's big, and the rent's cheap, and so on.

What's more, and so

それに adds one more point to what you've just said: かるいです。それに、やすいです (it's light; what's more, it's cheap). それで gives the result of it: あたまが いたかったんです。それで、かえりました (I had a headache, so I went home).

  • Kono kamera wa karui desu. Soreni, nedan mo yasui desu. This camera is light. What's more, it's cheap.
  • Atama ga itakatta ndesu. Sorede, hayaku kaerimashita. I had a headache. That's why I went home early.
  • Mainichi benkyoushite iru ndesuka. Erai desu ne. You study every day? Good for you.

How often

From most to least often: いつも (always), たいてい (usually), よく (often), ときどき (sometimes), and with a negative あまり (not often) and ぜんぜん (never).

  • Yasumi no hi wa taitei uchi de hon o yonde imasu. On my days off I usually stay home and read.
  • Densha no naka de shousetsu o yomimasu. I read novels on the train.
  • Yoru, dorama o mi nagara bangohan o tabemasu. In the evening I watch a drama over dinner.

Vocabulary: 28 words

Verbs

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
odorimasu dancePlain forms: おどる, おどらない, おどった.
kamimasu chew; biteガムを かみます (chew gum). Plain forms: かむ, かまない, かんだ.
erabimasu choosePlain forms: えらぶ, えらばない, えらんだ.
kayoimasu go to (regularly), attend, commuteWhere you go takes に: にほんごの がっこうに かよって います (I go to a Japanese school).
memoshimasu make a note, jot down

Adjectives

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
majime serious, hard-working (な-adjective)
nesshin keen, enthusiastic (な-adjective)
yasashii kind, gentleAlso "easy" (lesson 8), written with a different kanji (易しい).
erai admirable, greatWhat you say when someone does something hard: まいにち べんきょうして いるんですか。えらいですね.
choudo ii just right

People and things

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
shutchou business tripしゅっちょうします (go on a business trip) is lesson 17.
keiken experience
ninki popularityにんきが あります (be popular).
iro colour
aji taste, flavour
gamu chewing gum
nedan price
kyuuryou pay, salary
bangumi programme (on TV or radio)
dorama TV drama, series
shousetsu novel
kashu singer
musuko (my) son
musume (my) daughter
shourai the future

Phrases and other words

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
taitei usually, most of the time
soreni besides, what's more
sorede and so, that's why

Example sentences

  • Ongaku o kiki nagara gohan o tabemasu. I listen to music while I eat.
  • Koohii o nomi nagara shinbun o yomimasu. I read the paper over a coffee.
  • Hataraki nagara nihongo o benkyoushite imasu. I'm studying Japanese while working.
  • Utai nagara odorimasu. I sing as I dance.
  • Gamu o kami nagara untenshimasu. I chew gum while I drive.
  • Maiasa jogingu o shite imasu. I go jogging every morning.
  • Yoru, nihongo no gakkou ni kayotte imasu. I go to Japanese school in the evenings.
  • Yasumi no hi wa taitei uchi de hon o yonde imasu. On my days off I usually stay home and read.
  • Kono mise wa nedan mo yasui shi, aji mo ii desu. This restaurant is cheap, and the food is good too.
  • Shutchou mo ooi shi, shiken mo aru shi, ima wa isogashii desu. What with all my business trips and an exam coming up, I'm busy at the moment.
  • Wattosensei wa yasashii shi, omoshiroi shi, ninki ga arimasu. Mr. Watt is kind and funny, so he's popular.
  • Kono machi wa shizuka da shi, eki mo chikai desu. This town is quiet, and the station's close too.
  • Doushite kono apaato ni shita ndesuka. Why did you choose this flat?
  • Hiroi shi, yachin mo yasui shi……. It's big, and the rent's cheap, and so on.
  • Kono kamera wa karui desu. Soreni, nedan mo yasui desu. This camera is light. What's more, it's cheap.
  • Atama ga itakatta ndesu. Sorede, hayaku kaerimashita. I had a headache. That's why I went home early.
  • Paatii de minna to odorimashita. I danced with everyone at the party.
  • Suki na iro o erande kudasai. Please choose the colour you like.
  • Kaigi no jikan o memoshite kudasai. Please make a note of the meeting time.
  • Kare wa majime na hito desu. He's a hard-working person.
  • Kurasu no minna wa nesshin desu. Everyone in the class is keen.
  • Tonari no hito wa totemo yasashii desu. My neighbour is very kind.
  • Mainichi benkyoushite iru ndesuka. Erai desu ne. You study every day? Good for you.
  • Kono kutsu wa choudo ii desu. These shoes fit just right.
  • Kono arubaito wa keiken ga irimasu. This part-time job needs experience.
  • Kono bangumi wa wakai hito ni ninki ga arimasu. This programme is popular with young people.
  • Iro wa ii desu ga, chotto ookii desu. I like the colour, but it's a bit big.
  • Kono sushi wa aji ga ii desu ne. This sushi tastes wonderful.
  • Kyuuryou wa yasui desu ga, kaisha wa suki desu. The pay is low, but I like the company.
  • Yoru, dorama o mi nagara bangohan o tabemasu. In the evening I watch a drama over dinner.
  • Densha no naka de shousetsu o yomimasu. I read novels on the train.
  • Shourai, kashu ni naritai desu. In the future I'd like to be a singer.
  • Musuko wa daigaku ni kayotte imasu. My son is at university.
  • Musume wa piano ga hikemasu. My daughter can play the piano.
  • Shourai, nani o shitai desu ka. What would you like to do in the future?
  • Nihon no kaisha de hatarakitai desu. I'd like to work for a Japanese company.

Conversations to practise

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

  • Could you teach my son?Ms. Ito, your neighbour, asks you a favour.
  • Why this restaurant?You often have lunch at the same restaurant. Mr. Nakamura asks why.
  • How do you study?Ms. Watanabe asks how you find time to study Japanese.

Practise lesson 28

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 28