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Minna no Nihongo, lesson 32

Lesson 32:

Lesson 32 of Minna no Nihongo, “Advice with 〜た ほうが いいです, and guesses: でしょう, かも しれません”, teaches 6 grammar patterns, including , , , and 36 words. Here is every word with romaji and English, the grammar explained with examples, and 35 example sentences.

Updated

Grammar

You'd better

The た-form + ほうが いいです is advice: まいにち うんどうした ほうが いいです (you should exercise every day). It sounds firmer than 〜たら どうですか, so it's for friends, or when it really matters.

  • Mainichi undoushita hou ga ii desu. You should exercise every day.
  • Kaze no toki wa hayaku neta hou ga ii desu yo. When you have a cold, you'd better go to bed early.

You'd better not

With a ない-form it's advice not to do something: きょうは おふろに はいらない ほうが いいです. The ない-form stays as it is; there's no past tense here.

  • Kyou wa ofuro ni hairanai hou ga ii desu. You'd better not have a bath today.
  • Muri o shinai hou ga ii desu yo. You shouldn't overdo it.

Probably

でしょう after a plain form is a guess, like "probably": あしたは あめが ふるでしょう. A noun or な-adjective takes it without だ: あしたは くもりでしょう. With か it asks what the other person thinks: ごうかくするでしょうか (do you think he'll pass?).

  • Ashita wa ame ga furu deshou. It will probably rain tomorrow.
  • Ashita wa kumori deshou. Tomorrow will probably be cloudy.
  • Miraa-san wa shiken ni goukakusuru deshou ka. Do you think Mr. Miller will pass the exam?

Might

〜かも しれません is less sure than でしょう: something might be so. It follows a plain form, and a noun or な-adjective directly: インフルエンザかも しれません (it might be flu).

  • Yuugata kara yuki ga furu kamo shiremasen. It may snow this evening.
  • Seki ga demasu. Infuruenza kamo shiremasen. I've got a cough. It might be flu.
  • Moshikashitara, shiai ni makeru kamo shiremasen. We might possibly lose the match.

How sure are you?

きっと (I'm sure) goes well with でしょう, たぶん (probably) with でしょう too, and もしかしたら (perhaps, possibly) with かも しれません: ええ、きっと ごうかくするでしょう.

  • Ee, kitto goukakusuru deshou. Yes, I'm sure he'll pass.
  • Kare wa tabun konai deshou. He probably won't come.
  • Moshikashitara, shiai ni makeru kamo shiremasen. We might possibly lose the match.

Talking about the weather

The weather verbs say what happens by itself: ごごから はれました (it cleared up), あめが やみました (the rain stopped). With 〜て います they're how it is now: きょうは ずっと くもって います.

  • Ame ga yamimashita. The rain has stopped.
  • Gogo kara haremashita. It cleared up in the afternoon.
  • Kyou wa zutto kumotte imasu. It's been cloudy all day today.

Vocabulary: 36 words

Verbs

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
undoushimasu exercise, do sport
seikoushimasu succeed, be a success
shippaishimasu fail, go wrongWhat goes wrong takes に: りょうりに しっぱいしました.
goukakushimasu pass (an exam)The exam takes に: しけんに ごうかくします.
yamimasu stop (rain, snow)あめが やみました (the rain has stopped).
haremasu clear up, be sunny
kumorimasu cloud over, be cloudyくもり (lesson 12) is cloudy weather.
tsuzukimasu continue, go onつづきます is what goes on by itself (あつい ひが つづきます); つづけます (lesson 31) is keeping something going.
hiyashimasu cool, chillA group I verb: ひやす, ひやさない, ひやした.
komimasu be crowdedUsually こんで います (it's crowded).
sukimasu be empty, not be crowdedすいて います (it's quiet, there's room). Not すき (like).
demasu take part (in a match), attendThe event takes に: しあいに でます.
kaze o hikimasu catch a cold
muri o shimasu overdo it, push yourself too hard

Health, weather and things

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
yakedo burn (on the skin)やけどを します (get burnt).
kega injuryけがを します (get hurt).
seki coughせきが でます (have a cough).
infuruenza influenza, the flu
taiyou the sun
hoshi star
kaze windWritten differently from かぜ (a cold, lesson 17).
enjin engine
chiimu team
konya tonight
yuugata early evening
kenkou health
sutoresu stress

Phrases and other words

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
juubun enough, plenty (な-adjective)
okashii strange, not right; funny
urusai noisy
osoku late (at night)よる おそく まで (until late at night).
konnani this much, so (…)Also そんなに (lesson 21) and あんなに.
annani that much, so (…)
moshikashitara perhaps, possiblyOften with 〜かも しれません.
~kamo shiremasen may, mightAfter a plain form: ふるかも しれません. A noun or な-adjective takes it directly: かぜかも しれません.
sore wa ikemasen ne Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear that.

Example sentences

  • Mainichi undoushita hou ga ii desu. You should exercise every day.
  • Kaze no toki wa hayaku neta hou ga ii desu yo. When you have a cold, you'd better go to bed early.
  • Kyou wa ofuro ni hairanai hou ga ii desu. You'd better not have a bath today.
  • Muri o shinai hou ga ii desu yo. You shouldn't overdo it.
  • Ashita wa ame ga furu deshou. It will probably rain tomorrow.
  • Ashita wa kumori deshou. Tomorrow will probably be cloudy.
  • Miraa-san wa shiken ni goukakusuru deshou ka. Do you think Mr. Miller will pass the exam?
  • Ee, kitto goukakusuru deshou. Yes, I'm sure he'll pass.
  • Kare wa tabun konai deshou. He probably won't come.
  • Yuugata kara yuki ga furu kamo shiremasen. It may snow this evening.
  • Seki ga demasu. Infuruenza kamo shiremasen. I've got a cough. It might be flu.
  • Moshikashitara, shiai ni makeru kamo shiremasen. We might possibly lose the match.
  • Ame ga yamimashita. The rain has stopped.
  • Gogo kara haremashita. It cleared up in the afternoon.
  • Kyou wa zutto kumotte imasu. It's been cloudy all day today.
  • Atsui hi ga tsuzuite imasu. The hot weather is going on and on.
  • Biiru o reizouko de hiyashite okimasu. I'll chill the beer in the fridge.
  • Asa no densha wa konde imasu. The morning trains are crowded.
  • Hiru no densha wa suite imasu. The trains are quiet around midday.
  • Raishuu sakkaa no shiai ni demasu. I'm playing in a football match next week.
  • Kaze o hiite, netsu ga arimasu. I've caught a cold and have a temperature.
  • Muri o shinaide kudasai. Please don't overdo it.
  • Paatii wa seikoushimashita. The party was a success.
  • Keeki ni shippaishimashita. My cake went wrong.
  • Shiken ni goukakushimashita. I passed the exam.
  • Jikan wa juubun arimasu. There's plenty of time.
  • Enjin no oto ga okashii desu. The engine sounds strange.
  • Tonari no heya ga urusai desu. The next room is noisy.
  • Te ni yakedo o shimashita. I burnt my hand.
  • Sakkaa de ashi ni kega o shimashita. I hurt my leg playing football.
  • Konya wa hoshi ga yoku miemasu. You can see the stars well tonight.
  • Kyou wa kaze ga tsuyoi desu. It's very windy today.
  • Sutoresu wa karada ni yokunai desu. Stress isn't good for your health.
  • Konnani oishii keeki wa hajimete desu. I've never had such a delicious cake.
  • Sore wa ikemasen ne. Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear that.

Conversations to practise

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

  • At the doctor'sYou've had a cough since yesterday, so you go to see a doctor.
  • Tomorrow's weatherYou're going walking in the mountains with Mr. Miller tomorrow.
  • Too much workYour colleague Ms. Nakamura looks very tired.

Practise lesson 32

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 32