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Minna no Nihongo, lesson 31

Lesson 31:

Lesson 31 of Minna no Nihongo, “Let's: the volitional form, and plans with つもり and よてい”, teaches 6 grammar patterns, including , , , and 30 words. Here is every word with romaji and English, the grammar explained with examples, and 33 example sentences.

Updated

Grammar

The volitional form

The volitional form is the plain form of 〜ましょう. Group I verbs change the last sound before ます to an o-sound and add う: のみます → のもう, いきます → いこう, まちます → まとう. Group II verbs take よう: たべます → たべよう, みます → みよう. します → しよう, きます → こよう.

  • Isshoni nomou. Let's have a drink together.
  • Ashita wa hayaku okiyou. I'll get up early tomorrow.
  • Mata koyou ne. Let's come again, shall we?

Let's, shall we? (casual)

Between friends and family the volitional form is "let's": こどもと どうぶつえんへ いこう (let's take the children to the zoo). With か it's "shall we?" or "shall I?": ちょっと きゅうけいしようか.

  • Kodomo to doubutsuen e ikou. Let's take the children to the zoo.
  • Chotto kyuukeishiyou ka. Shall we take a short break?
  • Isshoni nomou. Let's have a drink together.

I'm thinking of doing

The volitional form + と おもって います says what you're thinking of doing, a plan that has been on your mind for a while: らいねん にほんへ りゅうがくしようと おもって います. 〜と おもいます is a decision made just now.

  • Rainen nihon e ryuugakushiyou to omotte imasu. I'm thinking of going to Japan to study next year.
  • Natsuyasumi wa nani o shiyou to omotte imasu ka. What are you thinking of doing in the summer holidays?
  • Hokkaidou e ikou to omotte imasu. I'm thinking of going to Hokkaido.

I intend to

つもり after a dictionary form is what you have firmly decided to do: しけんを うける つもりです (I intend to take the exam). After a ない-form it's what you've decided not to do.

  • Raigetsu shiken o ukeru tsumori desu. I intend to take the exam next month.
  • Kondo no shuumatsu wa doko e mo ikanai tsumori desu. I'm not planning to go anywhere this weekend.
  • Sotsugyoushite mo, nihon ni nokoru tsumori desu. Even after I graduate, I intend to stay in Japan.

It's planned, it's due to

よてい (lesson 30) after a dictionary form or a noun + の is a plan or schedule, often one that isn't only up to you: ひこうきは じゅうじに つく よていです (the plane is due to arrive at ten).

  • Hikouki wa juuji ni tsuku yotei desu. The plane is due to arrive at ten.
  • Raishuu, honsha de kaigi no yotei desu. There's a meeting planned at head office next week.
  • Rainen, oosaka no shiten e iku yotei desu. I'm due to move to the Osaka branch next year.

All the time

ずっと before a verb means "all the time, the whole time": きのうは ずっと うちに いました. Before an adjective it's "by far" (lesson 12): ずっと たかい.

  • Kinou wa zutto uchi ni imashita. I was at home all day yesterday.
  • Maiasa jogingu o tsuzukete imasu. I've kept up jogging every morning.
  • Sakubun wa mada kaite imasen. I haven't written the essay yet.

Vocabulary: 30 words

Verbs

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
hajimemasu start, begin (something)じゅぎょうを はじめます (start the class).
tsuzukemasu continue, keep on (doing)
mitsukemasu find
ukemasu take (an exam, an interview)しけんを うけます (take an exam).
moushikomimasu apply, sign up (for)What you apply for takes に: しけんに もうしこみます.
kyuukeishimasu take a break, have a rest
sotsugyoushimasu graduate (from)だいがくを そつぎょうします (graduate from university).
atsumarimasu gather, get togetherひとが あつまります (people gather). あつめます (lesson 18) is collecting things.
nokorimasu stay behind; be left (over)かいしゃに のこります (stay on at work), ケーキが のこって います (there's some cake left).
yasumi o torimasu take time off

Places, events and things

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
renkyuu a long weekend, several days off in a row
sakubun essay, composition
happyou presentation, talk
tenrankai exhibition
kekkonshiki wedding
honsha head office
shiten branch (of a company, a bank)
kyoukai church
daigakuin graduate school
doubutsuen zoo
onsen hot springJapan has thousands of them, often in small mountain towns.
mura village
eigakan cinema
tokai big city
shizen nature

Phrases and other words

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
utsukushii beautifulA little more formal than きれい.
iya unpleasant, horrible; not wanting to (な-adjective)
jiyuuni freely, as you like
zutto all the time, the whole timeきのうは ずっと うちに いました (I was at home all day yesterday). Also "by far" (lesson 12).
ki ga tsukimasu notice, realiseWhat you notice takes に: わすれものに きが つきました.

Example sentences

  • Isshoni nomou. Let's have a drink together.
  • Ashita wa hayaku okiyou. I'll get up early tomorrow.
  • Chotto kyuukeishiyou ka. Shall we take a short break?
  • Mata koyou ne. Let's come again, shall we?
  • Kodomo to doubutsuen e ikou. Let's take the children to the zoo.
  • Rainen nihon e ryuugakushiyou to omotte imasu. I'm thinking of going to Japan to study next year.
  • Natsuyasumi wa nani o shiyou to omotte imasu ka. What are you thinking of doing in the summer holidays?
  • Hokkaidou e ikou to omotte imasu. I'm thinking of going to Hokkaido.
  • Raishuu yasumi o totte, onsen e ikou to omotte imasu. I'm thinking of taking some time off next week and going to a hot spring.
  • Raigetsu shiken o ukeru tsumori desu. I intend to take the exam next month.
  • Kondo no shuumatsu wa doko e mo ikanai tsumori desu. I'm not planning to go anywhere this weekend.
  • Sotsugyoushite mo, nihon ni nokoru tsumori desu. Even after I graduate, I intend to stay in Japan.
  • Raishuu, honsha de kaigi no yotei desu. There's a meeting planned at head office next week.
  • Hikouki wa juuji ni tsuku yotei desu. The plane is due to arrive at ten.
  • Rainen, oosaka no shiten e iku yotei desu. I'm due to move to the Osaka branch next year.
  • Sakubun wa mada kaite imasen. I haven't written the essay yet.
  • Kuji kara jugyou o hajimemasu. We'll start the class at nine.
  • Maiasa jogingu o tsuzukete imasu. I've kept up jogging every morning.
  • Eki no chikaku ni ii apaato o mitsukemashita. I've found a nice flat near the station.
  • Rainen daigakuin no shiken o ukemasu. Next year I'm taking the graduate school exam.
  • Kinou shiken ni moushikomimashita. I applied for the exam yesterday.
  • Rainen no sangatsu ni daigaku o sotsugyoushimasu. I graduate from university next March.
  • Ichiji ni eki no mae ni atsumatte kudasai. Please meet in front of the station at one.
  • Keeki ga sukoshi nokotte imasu. There's a little cake left.
  • Raigetsu tomodachi no kekkonshiki ga arimasu. My friend's wedding is next month.
  • Bijutsukan de shashin no tenrankai o yatte imasu. There's a photo exhibition on at the art museum.
  • Ashita kurasu de happyou ga arimasu. I have a presentation in class tomorrow.
  • Watashi wa tokai yori shizen ga ooi tokoro ga suki desu. I prefer places with lots of nature to the big city.
  • Kono mura no keshiki wa utsukushii desu. The scenery in this village is beautiful.
  • Ame no hi wa iya desu ne. Rainy days are horrible, aren't they?
  • Kono heya wa jiyuuni tsukatte kudasai. Please use this room as you like.
  • Kinou wa zutto uchi ni imashita. I was at home all day yesterday.
  • Eki de wasuremono ni ki ga tsukimashita. At the station, I realised I'd left something behind.

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 long weekendYour colleague Mr. Yamada asks about your plans for the long weekend.
  • Next yearYour teacher, Mr. Watt, asks about your plans for next year.
  • A breakYou and your friend Thawaphon have been studying together all morning.

Practise lesson 31

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 31