Neko Nihongo Open the app
EN

Minna no Nihongo, lesson 33

Lesson 33:

Lesson 33 of Minna no Nihongo, “Orders and signs: the imperative, 〜な, and what it says: 〜と かいて あります”, teaches 6 grammar patterns, including , , , and 30 words. Here is every word with romaji and English, the grammar explained with examples, and 37 example sentences.

Updated

Grammar

Orders: the imperative form

The imperative is a strong, blunt order. Group I verbs change the sound before ます to an e-sound: いそぎます → いそげ, がんばります → がんばれ. Group II verbs take ろ: にげます → にげろ. します → しろ, きます → こい. You'll hear it in emergencies, when cheering (がんばれ!), on road signs (とまれ) and from men talking to friends; don't use it to ask people for things.

  • Nigero! Run!
  • Ganbare! Come on! Go for it!
  • Isoge! Densha ga deru yo. Hurry! The train's leaving!

Don't!

な after a dictionary form is a strong "don't": ここで さわぐな (don't make a noise here), あきらめるな (don't give up). Like the imperative, it's for signs, emergencies and cheering.

  • Koko de sawagu na. Don't make a noise here.
  • Abunai! Sawaru na. Careful! Don't touch it!
  • Akirameru na! Don't give up!

It says …, it's read …

と quotes the words: あそこに とまれと かいて あります (it says "stop" over there). To ask, use なんと: あれは なんと かいて ありますか (what does that say?), あの かんじは なんと よみますか (how do you read that kanji?).

  • Asoko ni tomare to kaite arimasu. It says "stop" over there.
  • Are wa nan to kaite arimasu ka. What does that say?
  • Ano kanji wa nan to yomimasu ka. How do you read that kanji?

X means Y

To say what a word or sign means, put the meaning before と いう いみです: たちいりきんしは はいるなと いう いみです. To ask, use どういう いみですか (what does it mean?).

  • Kore wa douiu imi desu ka. What does this mean?
  • Tachiirikinshi wa hairu na to iu imi desu. たちいりきんし means "keep out".
  • Shiyouchuu wa ima tsukatte iru to iu imi desu. しようちゅう means someone is using it now.

He said that …

To pass on what someone said, put it in the plain form before と いって いました: たなかさんは あした こないと いって いました (Mr. Tanaka said he isn't coming tomorrow).

  • Tanaka-san wa ashita konai to itte imashita. Mr. Tanaka said he isn't coming tomorrow.
  • Miraa-san wa kaigi ni okureru to itte imashita. Mr. Miller said he'd be late for the meeting.

Could you tell him …?

To leave a message, put it in the plain form before と つたえて いただけませんか: ミラーさんに あした かいぎが あると つたえて いただけませんか. The person who gets the message takes に.

  • Miraa-san ni ashita kaigi ga aru to tsutaete itadakemasenka. Could you tell Mr. Miller there's a meeting tomorrow?
  • Dengon o onegaishimasu. Could I leave a message?
  • Matsumoto wa ima seki o hazushite imasu. Mr. Matsumoto is away from his desk at the moment.

Vocabulary: 30 words

Verbs

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
nigemasu run away, escape
sawagimasu make a noise, be rowdy
akiramemasu give up
nagemasu throw
mamorimasu keep, follow (a rule, a promise)きそくを まもります (follow the rules), やくそくを まもります (keep a promise).
agemasu raise, liftてを あげます (raise your hand). Also "give" (lesson 7).
sagemasu lower, turn down
tsutaemasu pass on (a message), tell
chuuishimasu be careful (of), watch out (for)What you watch out for takes に: くるまに ちゅういして ください.
hazushimasu take off, remove; be away (from your seat)A group I verb: はずす, はずさない, はずした. せきを はずして います (he's away from his desk).

Signs and things

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
seki seat; your deskWritten differently from せき (a cough, lesson 32).
booru ball
sentakuki washing machine
kisoku rule, regulation
iriguchi entrance, way in
deguchi exit, way out
hijouguchi emergency exit
tachiirikinshi No entry (on a sign)
shiyoukinshi Do not use, out of order (on a sign)
shiyouchuu In use, occupied (on a sign)
muryou free (of charge)
waribiki discount
nomihoudai all you can drink
imi meaning
rusu away, not at homeちちは いま るすです (my father is out).
dengon message (to pass on)

Phrases and other words

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
dame no good, not allowed (な-adjective)
douiu what kind of ~, what ~どういう いみですか (what does it mean?).
mou (not) any more, no longer (with a negative)もう じかんが ありません (there's no time left). Also "already" (lesson 7).
ato … more, … leftあと ごふん (five more minutes, five minutes left).

Example sentences

  • Nigero! Run!
  • Ganbare! Come on! Go for it!
  • Isoge! Densha ga deru yo. Hurry! The train's leaving!
  • Tomare. Stop.
  • Hayaku koi. Come here, quick!
  • Shizuka ni shiro! Be quiet!
  • Koko de sawagu na. Don't make a noise here.
  • Kono heya ni hairu na. Don't go into this room.
  • Abunai! Sawaru na. Careful! Don't touch it!
  • Akirameru na! Don't give up!
  • Asoko ni tomare to kaite arimasu. It says "stop" over there.
  • Are wa nan to kaite arimasu ka. What does that say?
  • Ano kanji wa nan to yomimasu ka. How do you read that kanji?
  • Tachiirikinshi wa hairu na to iu imi desu. たちいりきんし means "keep out".
  • Kore wa douiu imi desu ka. What does this mean?
  • Shiyouchuu wa ima tsukatte iru to iu imi desu. しようちゅう means someone is using it now.
  • Tanaka-san wa ashita konai to itte imashita. Mr. Tanaka said he isn't coming tomorrow.
  • Miraa-san wa kaigi ni okureru to itte imashita. Mr. Miller said he'd be late for the meeting.
  • Miraa-san ni ashita kaigi ga aru to tsutaete itadakemasenka. Could you tell Mr. Miller there's a meeting tomorrow?
  • Dengon o onegaishimasu. Could I leave a message?
  • Chichi wa ima rusu desu. My father is out at the moment.
  • Matsumoto wa ima seki o hazushite imasu. Mr. Matsumoto is away from his desk at the moment.
  • Kisoku o mamotte kudasai. Please follow the rules.
  • Booru o nagete kudasai. Please throw the ball.
  • Wakatta hito wa te o agete kudasai. If you understand, raise your hand.
  • Terebi no oto o sagete kudasai. Please turn the TV down.
  • Kuruma ni chuuishite kudasai. Watch out for cars.
  • Sentakuki ga kowarete imasu. The washing machine is broken.
  • Iriguchi de kutsu o nuide kudasai. Please take your shoes off at the entrance.
  • Deguchi wa achira desu. The exit is over there.
  • Hijouguchi wa doko desu ka. Where's the emergency exit?
  • Kodomo wa muryou desu. Children go free.
  • Gakusei wa waribiki ga arimasu. There's a discount for students.
  • Kono mise wa nomihoudai ga arimasu. This place does all-you-can-drink.
  • Koko de tabako o sutte wa dame desu. You can't smoke here.
  • Mou jikan ga arimasen. There's no time left.
  • Ato gofun de owarimasu. It finishes in five more minutes.

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 signYou're walking in the park with Mr. Miller and see a sign.
  • On the phoneYou phone Mr. Matsumoto at his office, but he isn't at his desk.
  • CheeringYou're watching your friend Thawaphon's football match with Karina.

Practise lesson 33

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 33