Adding Ten-Ten Marks to Japanese Syllables

What are "ten-ten" marks, and what do can we do with them? A "ten-ten" mark is basically a single quotation symbol and is added to certain Japanese syllables to make new syllables that sound different. It makes voiced syllables gutteral. We can add "ten-ten" marks to the k, s, t, and h lines of the Japanese syllabary changin the syllables into their gutteral equivalents. An example would be when we place a "ten ten" mark after a voiced k it becomes its' gutteralized g. In other words, ka, ki, ku, ke, ko becomes ga, gi, gu, ge, go.

か、き、く、け、こ becomes が、ぎ、ぐ、げ、ご

か + " =  が or  ga
き + " =  ぎ or  gi
く + "  =  ぐ or  gu
け + " =  げ or  ge
こ + " =  ご or  go

In the same manner adding a "ten-ten" mark to
sa, shi, su, se or so will turn them into their gutteralized versions ie. za, zhi (ji), zu, ze, zo etc.

さ、し、す、せ、そ becomes ざ、 じ、 ず、ぜ、ぞ

さ + " = ざ or za
し + " = じ or zhi (ji)
す + " = ず or zu
せ + " = ぜ or ze
そ + " = ぞ or zo

We can also add them to the ta line of syllables so that ta, chi, tsu, te, to becomes da, ji, zu, de, and do.
た、ち、つ、て、と becomes だ、ぢ、づ, で、ど

た + " = だ or da
ち + " = ぢ or ji (dzi)
つ + " = づ or zu (dzu)
て + " = で or de
と + " = ど or do

Lastly, the ha, hi, fu, he, ho line of the syllabary has two ways into which they can change. 1. Adding a "ten-ten" mark to the ha line of the syllabary makes them ba, bi ,bu ,be ,bo. 2. Adding a small degree symbol to the ha line makes each one turn into yet new syllables, they turn into pa, pi, pu, pe, po.

は、ひ、ふ、へ、ほ becomes ば、び、ぶ、べ、ぼ, and ぱ、ぴ、ぷ、ぺ、ぽ

は + " = ば or  ba
ひ + " = び or  bi
ふ + " = ぶ or  bu
へ + " = べ or  be
ほ + " = ぼ or  bo
 
and
 
は + °= ぱ or  pa
ひ + °= ぴ or  pi
ふ + °= ぷ or  pu
へ + °= ぺ or  pe
ほ + °= ぽ or  po

The words for Honey and Bee in Japanese

Continuing with our subject on insects (bugs) - I want to talk a little today on two Japanese words that are basically one and the same word - The words for Bee and the word for Honey are basically one word made up of two kanji that when put in reverse say the same thing - Let me show you what I mean -

Honey - Hachimitsu ( 蜂蜜 )
Bee - Mitsubachi ( 蜜蜂 )

Let us take the words apart - In Japanese the word for Honey is made up of the two parts HACHI + MITSU so that

Honey = HACHI + MITSU 蜂 + 蜜

and the word for Bee is made up of the same two parts with an H being replaced by a B
so that

Bee = MITSU + BACHI 蜜 + 蜂

CLICK HERE to go to some pages that I have made before explaining the grammar of why the H has hardened into its B form - Actually in this case it is the HA syllable which has transformed into its BA equivalent form

Remember that HA は

with the ten ten marks becomes BA ば, and the HA syllable in its next transformation with the degree symbol becomes ぱ, or PA.

There is an natural order it seems as IPA diagrams and charts will show us. These syllable transformations are not singulary a Japanese linguistical feature - This sort of syllable transformation appears in other languages also - Therefore remember this order of Japanese syllable transformation for the HA ( は )syllable -

は (HA)--> ば(BA), and ぱ(PA)

so in the case of the words for Honey and Bee, In Japanese Bee is the word Honey backwards and Honey is the word for Bee backwards. I thought I might share this because it makes Japanese a fun language to learn, it also shows that Japanese isn't too complicated and within reach of any person who seeks earnestly to become fluent in it.

Next time we will take a closer look at the kanji for ant and bee to see what kind of similiarities we may find to help us on our quest towards Better Japanese

Here are some more links for you on the double consonant linguistical feature as found in today's study.

www.scribd.com/doc/4065824/Japanese-Pronunciaton-Guide

hubpages.com/hub/Japanese-Double-Consonants

zimbio.com/member/brettkun/articles/2981667/Japanese+Double+Consonants
Ganbatte ne!
Do Your Best!
Makurasuki

A Snack in Japan

When I hear the word, "snack", I think of things you can eat, or snack on. In Japan the word snack has an altogether different meaning. If you were to say, "snack" to a Japanese person, they would think you were talking about the local bar, where you have a chance to get to know everyone's names. In Japan,  a snack, or スナック  is a night club, or a bar. It is not a Dorito, or a Frito, peanuts or popcorn. A snack bar is a place where you can maintain a personal tab, so you can drink now, and pay later. You can even buy your own personal bottle of whiskey or brandy (although at a much heftier price than buying it yourself), keep it at the bar, and drink from it everytime you go to the bar. Once you buy your bottle though, you are as good as in the club.

Snack - スナック - night club or bar in Japan

Japanese Grammar - Putting Verbs in Base TA

Japanese grammar Lesson:
Japanese Verbs in Base TA

The shortest distance between you and you speaking in Japanese isn't very far. The fastest way to learn and start conversing in the Japanese is to memorize words and then understand how to put verbs into bases.

Japanese Verbs : Verb bases – Putting Japanese verbs into the TA –form (た-form)

The ability to put Japanese verbs into the various bases quickly without pause is a qualitysought out for in fluency and acquisition. Becoming a competent and capable Japanese conversationalist takes time and commitment.

Of all the Japanese verb Bases (I, II, III, IV , V, TA-た, and TE-て) the TA - た form ranks high in usage as one of the top three most used bases for verbs only after TE-てand Base III or root form. I am focusing on it now in order to prepare you for the quick, powerful grammar secrets that employ Base TA - た verbs. Knowing these secrets will catapult your Japanese speaking ability through the roof. I’ll be discussing Japanese grammar rules that use Japanese verbs in Base TA - た.

One of the main things you should know about the TA - た form of a verb is that it is used to put verbs into past tense plain form. A verb in base TA - た form is equivalent to English’s have done or past tense perfect. The TA - た form of a verb has evolved from the classical form tari.

**** How to put a Japanese verb into Base TA ****

1. Vowel Stemmed verbs (i.e. ichidan verbs IRU, or ERU ending verbs -える.)
        a. to put a verb into the TA-た form when the verb has a vowel stem simply add TA - た

We start with the Base III of verbs or the dictionary form of five Japanese verbs

1. kanjiru - 感じる
2. oboeru - 覚える
3. kangaeru - 考える
4. deru - 出る
5. iru - 居る

In Base II or stem form (or extensor form) for these five Japanese verbs will be -

1. kanji - 感じ
2. oboe - 覚え
3. kangae - 考え
4. de - 出
5. i - 居

Base TA for five Japanese verbs

TA - た ending verbs are past tense.

1. kanjita - 感じた - felt
2. oboeta - 覚えた - remebered
3. kangaeta - 考えた thought of
4. deta - 出た left
5. ita- 居た was

Meaning transformation of five Japanese Verbs:

1. To feel becomes to have felt.
kanjiru 感じる becomes kanjita 感じた

2. To remember becomes to have remembered.
oboeru 覚える becomes oboeta 覚えた

3. To think becomes to have thought.
kangaeru 考える becomes kangaeta 考えた

4. To leave becomes to have left.
deru 出るbecomes deta 出た

5. To be becomes to have been. (was, were)
iru 居る becomes ita 居た

Try putting your favorite verb ending in iru or eru into the TA form today and get your Nihongo study going!

If you want more information on how you can use memory and the laws of attraction to master any language the please see
Master Memory

As Always,
Ganbatte ne!
Do your best!
Makurasuki

Looking for more ways to be successful in all that you do including mastering a language?
QMPOWER

More interesting plug and play Japanese grammar

Verb (Base V) + to suru – Try to Verb


With the above Japanese grammar construction you can make sentences that express the desire to try.

First put verbs into base V then add + to suru

Japanese verbs –

1. damasu – to deceive

2. iku – v. to go
3. magaru – to turn ( a corner, while driving etc.)

damaso^ to shimashita – they tried to pull a fast one on me
iko^ to shita – try or attempt to go
magaro^ to shita – tried to turn

do^ryoku suru – to put forth effort, to try


Towards Better Japanese
Ganbatte ne!
Do Your Best!
Makurasuki

Japanese Grammar Practice for fun

Japanese Grammar Plug and Play
Japanese Lesson #89– Verb (Base I) + ZU NI IRARENAI (Verb + ず に いられない)
(I can’t help but verb)

Today’s Japanese grammar lesson makes use of verbs in Base I. Verbs put into base I always end with the syllable, A (あ) (Pronounced aw as in awful, or awesome). We could think of verbs in Base I as links to negative states or conditions in verbs. Verbs in Base I are usually followed by the word NAI ( ない)- Nai is comparable to the English word not. For example, in English, we say that we can do something or we can not do something, or we say that we will do something, or, will not do something.

- As verbs in Base III tend toward affirmative, verb in Base I tend toward the negative -

The verb to be able to, or, DEKIRU (できる) in base III is positive affirmative, while DEKINAI, which is DEKIRU in Base I + nai is not positive nor affirmative, but negative. Base I forms are like linkage for putting words in their not positive, not affirmative conditions.

DEKINAI (できない) is to CAN’T as
DEKIRU (できる) is to CAN.

SHINAI (しない) is to WON’T DO as
SURU (する) is to WILL DO.

In order to put verbs into bases, it’s necessary to understand the difference between Ichidan 一段verbs ( vowel stemmed verbs) and Yo^dan ようだん or Godan verbs (consonant stemmed verbs). I was taught that there exists three types of verbs but these types are unrelated to the three types of English verbs. In English, the three types of verbs are passive, active and forms of the copula- to be. In Japanese you have kami ichidan katsuyo verbs, godan katsuyo verbs and irregular verbs.


Examples:

1. KANASHIKATTA NODE NAKAZU NI IRARENAI -
悲しかったので泣かずにいられない
I was so sad, I couldn’t help but cry.

NAKU ( 泣く)– v. to cry
in Base I – NAKA ( 泣か)
NAKA + ZU + NI IRARENAI 泣かずにいられない

2. GAMAN DEKINAKUNATTA NODE KAERAZU NI IRARENAI –
我慢できなくなったので帰らずにいられない
Things got so bad, I couldn’t take it anymore. I couldn’t help but go back home.

KAERU ( 帰る)– v. to return home, to go back
in Base I, KAERA ( 帰ら)
KAERA + ZU NI IRARENAI 帰らずにいられない

3. TAIHEN BYO^KI NI NATTA NODE, HAKIDASAZU NI IRARENAI –
大変病気になったので吐き出さずにいられない
I got so sick I couldn’t help but throw-up.

HAKIDASU (吐き出す) – v. to throw up, vomit, spit out
in Base I, HAKIDASA (吐き出さ)
HAKIDASA+ ZU NI IRARENAI 吐き出さずにいられない

4. KIITE ITA ONGAKU WA SUGOKU OMOSHIROKATTA NODE, ODORAZU NI IRARENAI –
聞いていた音楽は凄く面白かったので躍らずにいられない
The music was we were listening to was so good, I couldn’t help but dance.

ODORU ( 躍る)– v. To dance
in Base I, ODORA (躍ら)
ODORA + ZU NI IRARENAI 躍らずにいられない


These examples are extreme to show that you can make up any type of sentence you want using the grammar practice constructions and it will benefit your Japanese language skills immensely useful. There you have it! Another plug and play grammar principle you can use to add to your arsenal of Japanese language weaponry, which, depending on you, can take you yet another step towards better Japanese.

As Always,
Ganbatte Ne! 頑張ってね!
Do Your Best!
Makurasuki マクラスキー


http://squidoo.com/ichinisan
learn to count in Japanese

http://squidoo.com/ghettogrammar
some quick Japanese grammar

http://eikaiwa.blogspot.com
Reverse English learning for Japanese Speakers

http://saketalkie.blogspot.com candid discussions on all sorts of Japanese topics especially how to speak Japanese

http://japanetics.blogspot.com
study Japanese with the help of you- Super Japanese accelerated language learning 3 cubed

for other language speakers that want to learn Japanese, try the following

http://italianjapanese.blogspot.com
or
http://spanishjapanese.blogspot.com

or
http://russianjapanese.blogspot.com



Towards Better Japanese
Ganbatte ne!
Do Your Best!
Makurasuki

Command Form - Nasai

Basic Japanese Grammar Crash Course
Accelerated Japanese Mastery
Base II + NASAI なさい – Lesser command form
To boss people around, or tell people what to do, commanding them in Japanese, you will need to know this Japanese Grammar construction:

Verb (base II) + NASAI なさい - Do verb! Command form.

Examples:

Suwarinasai! 坐りなさい!
“Take your seat!”
Suwaru 座る - v. to sit down
suwaru 座るin base II is suwari 坐り
suwari 坐り + nasai  なさい = suwarinasai 坐りなさい Sit!

Shukudai o shinasai! 宿題をしなさい
“Do your homework!”
suruする – v. to do
suru in base II = shi し
shi し + nasai なさい = shinasai しなさい “DO IT!”


Ikinasai!
“Go!”
iku 行く– v . to go
iku in base II is iki 行き
iki 行き + nasai  なさい = ikinasai 行きなさい “GO!”

Plug in your favorite Japanese verbs into this Japanese Grammar Construction and start making your own cool sentences then test them on your Japanese friends.

As always,
Ganbatte Ne! 頑張ってね
Do Your Best!
Makurasuki まくらすき

http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/tABO

Japanese seafood discussion

Since carp and shark are two items of the sea that the Japanese don't have a habit of making into sushi, I will discuss them first then extrapolate on couple of thoughts concerning sushi. The word koi is more oftened used to indicate love, or the act of falling in love more than it is used to mean Koi or Carp.

Same* - shark *(Not pronounced as in English but with long ah as in saw and meh as used in the word men.)

The following items, usually taken from the sea, are occasionally used as sushi.

Kurage - jellyfish

Unagi - Unagi is Eel, or snakes of the sea. The fish with no real fins more similar to a snake than a fish. and the best I have ever had and came away saying, "Boy that sure was tasty Unagi." I thought Unagi particularly well prepared in the quaint town of Isahaya, which isabout a forty five minute drive away from Nagasaki. Nagasaki and the surrounding area is reknown for its excellently prepared eel. The unagi used as sushi is always cooked and is white meat that with a hint of brown.

Uni - taste like poo-poo of the sea until you acquire a taste for it. I love it. It is rather expensive, because it is a pain in the behind to get.

Tako - in Japanese is the word for kite, the flight wielding one or it can mean an octopus. Tako is pronounced like taco, a favorite Mexican food that even the Japanese know.

A lot of people have pre-conceived notions concerning the sushi. They seem to think of stinky, rotten raw fish that has been dead for a month. And anybody who thinks of sushi in this way couldn't be thinking of it in a worse manner. The look and taste of well prepared sushi by iron chefs in my opinion can be compared to lustrousand precious jewels. Served on a plate, arranged like art and appearing like rubies, saphires and diamonds.

Another myth about sushi is that the octopus sushi is served raw. This is not the case. It shoud be stated at the gate that is very rare to eat octopus raw. I myself having the privalege only twice out of about 300 eatings to try raw octopus. Raw octopus is not boiled. The octopus westerners traditionally associate with the sushi turns a light shade of purple because it is boiled. I grant you permission to safely approach octopus sushi with a smile and a glad heart, knowing that it is boiled. To reiterate, octopus used as sushi is boiled, and its good. Don't knock it before you try it. Or give it to Mikey he'll like it... he likes everything.

If sushi didn't have such a bad image, that more people could enjoy it's truly redeeming qualities. Just thinking about sushi and talking about it in this lense makes my mouth water,... try it and see. It is the images, stigmata and the English words we use to describe sushi that block our minds preventing us from ever attempting to try such delicious and delectably marvelous jewels. I must admit raw octopus was nasty when I tried it and don't recommend it, but it needs to be stated again to reverse the damage we westerners have of sushi in general to remember that the octopus served as sushi is purple because it is boiled. It is not raw as is usually typified in the prejudices of western thought.

kazu no ko - this is the yellow, and crunchy roe of the herring fish. There never seems to be a lack of kazu no ko although it is one of the few sushi items that won't make my mouth water just thinking about. In other words I never developed a keen taste for kazunoko nor is it one of my favorites.

Natto - This is one of my personal favoites. It is a breakfast food worth mentioning. Although it is a live moving creatue it has the potential to become one. Natto is fermented soy beans served with hot mustard served in a styrofoam cup. Served with mustard it is a great morning food. Just make sure to add all the tare that comes with it and add the mustard mix it up, it looks a little grody but it is worth every mouth full. At only ¥103 (one hundred and three yen), it is the most economical breakfast food readily available to those living in Japan. Natto is a budget minded food. You can buy it in family packs of three for even less money. Natto with its tare sauce(not the heavy soy sauce but the lighter and salty sweet tare(sauce)I grew to love the stuff. mmm oishii... This is occasionally used in sushi and is known as nattozushi.

The following are usually not used as sushi.

Mentaiko - Better than chile picante hot sauce on your rice. This stuff could burn a hole in your tongue but it makes plain rice so tasty, even more than ... I like it as a breakfast food on my bowl of rice in the morning, it is quite expensive but to me is always well worth its weight in gold. It usually comes in a pack of 3 sacks for around ¥900-1300 or $10-$12 U.S. dollars.

As far as I know the following items are usually never part of the sushi menu but are worth mentioning in this lense that began as a discussion on how Godzilla got It's name.

Shita - meaning tongue and implying cow tongue, not human tongue. The human tongue is more oftened known as a bero. (Watch the pronunciation of the ro in bero.)

kimo (pronounced like chemo in chemothreapy) - is otherwise known as reebah or liver rather than the anatomical kind.

Stay tuned for a future lense devoted to the foods of yaki-niku and o-konomiyaki. As always, Do Your Best! Ganbatte Ne! Makurasuki Sensei.

Towards Better Japanese
Ganbatte ne!
Do Your Best!
Makurasuki

jidohanbaiki - the japanese vending machine

Jidohanbaiki are Japanese vending machines. There are many, many different types of these machines in daily use in Japan. My experiences with vending machines have come mainly from staying in hotels in the US. From a vending machine in the U.S., I can usually get a variety of soft drinks, gum, candy, or chips. In Japan, the sky is the limit as to what is sold in a vending machine. I have seen batteries, flowers, umbrellas, ice cream, ramen, toys, energy drinks, beer, cigarettes, rice, bait for fishing, cameras, videos, and even rhinoceros beetles all sold from a vending machine or jidohanbaiki.

Let's learn the word for vending machine in Japanese.
The word for vending machine in Japanese is jidohanbaiki 自動販売機.

Let's break that word down and see what it really means-

自動 
jido - self operating or automated

販売
hanbai - sell, to sell

機

ki - a machine

Put it all together and you have an automatic selling machine or vending machine, and I can tell you, Japan has some strange ones.

The JPPGG System For Learning Japanese is now Japanese Grammar Plug and Play so JGPP

If you are studying Japanese right now, and are desirous to improve your speaking ability, then this article is for you. In this article, I am going to share with you my Japanese learning method called, JPPGG or Japanese Plug and Play Ghetto Grammar.

The benefit of using this system is that while you are building up your vocabulary you will be given the power to create exciting sentences which serve to reinforce the retention of your vocabulary and significantly increase your Japanese speaking ability. The only thing holding you back, is the amount of vocabulary that you yourself commit to learn, and memorize.

Towards the bottom of the article, I give 10 commonly used Japanese grammar constructions that you can manipulate to 'drill and kill' your way towards better Japanese. All you have to do is plug in your favorite verb, and play.

Plug and play style of learning Japanese is a lot of fun. When first learning Japanese it seemed like an insurmountable task because Japanese is such a different language from my own (English). So I took everything I was given to learn with and purposefully made it interesting in any way possible. I wouldn't practice this way in front of everybody, but when I was alone or with a good friend, I always had a good time making interesting word combinations.

One word which delighted me, no matter what sentence I used it in, was the word onara suru or "to fart". Knowing that single word made the dull process of learning boring grammar fun. Instead of yawning during study time, learning Japanese and Japanese grammar became exciting because each new grammar meant new and funny sentences that I could create, make and test on the Japanese people themselves. And let me tell you, I would be making funny sentences all year long. This is what eventually was the real determining factor, that helped me get better at Japanese.

For example, from the constructions below you could say, "I eat beans in order to fart." - onara suru tame ni mame o taberu - This type of sentence makes me laugh; its fun and helpful to my Japanese language learning. I mean the verb, to go, is fun and all, but other verbs, like fart, burp, burp, belch, squeak or whatever other interesting words I find make sentences that make sense, are useful and really come to life. All the tediousness of second language learning fades away. I hoot and laugh just contemplating the potential meanings of the new, clever sentences I can construct.

But seriously, there was a time that I would do whatever it took to improve my Japanese. Using my JPPGG in this extraordinary way certainly helped me achieve my Japanese language ability and Japanese language goals. I now boast a vocabulary of over 7000 words using my plug and play system or JPPGG.

Below are just 10 Japanese grammar principles for you to start plugging your vocabulary into. I will give more in later articles, but for now here are 10 really basic ones. These construction all use verbs in their plain form or Base (III).

If you aren't familiar yet with these terms, Base (III) verbs are your every day action verbs taken straight from a dictionary. They have yet to be conjugated or altered in any way. To use the JPPGG, just pick and choose some Japanese verbs that you know or look them up as you like, then plug them into one or all of the 10 constructions below and start making your own unique Japanese sentences, for use in typical Japanese conversations.

*If you are serious about learning Japanese, I recommend getting a dictionary. If you are unsure which kind to buy, I recommend dictionaries from Sanseido Press.

There are basically two types of dictionaries. The Wa-Ei (Japanese to English) dictionary, or, the Ei-Wa (English to Japanese) dictionary. Larger dictionaries that contain both the Ei-Wa and Wa-Ei in a single volume are also available. The average Wa-Ei dictionary costs around US $14.

Also called plain form verbs, base (III) verbs always ends by itself or in some sort of u vowel ending syllable cluster like, u, ku, gu, su, zu, tsu, tzu, bu, fu, mu, nu, yu, etc. Feel free to plug any verb that you like into these JPPGG constructions. Using 'off the wall' verbs like skate boarding, surfing, frying, laying, squatting, will help you retain the essential Japanese grammar longer over time in your long term memory. In this way your vocabulary will have time to develop without being stagnated by your grammar ability. I guarantee that you will not only have fun making Japanese sentences, but you wll also remember your vocabulary words faster, and retain them longer.

Don't feel obligated to use common verbs. Instead, think of some neat, obscure verb that you would like to use then look it up in the dictionary and go for it! Be a rebel! I dare you to get out of that old school mentality and utilize some word like, onara suru (v. to fart). Nobody will ever know what you are saying unless you take it outside and use it on somebody but hey, even the great Tennoheika, or Emporer himself has occasions where he will honorifically fart.

**Preliminary one point ghetto advice from a plug and play master **
- wa is the particle that I have always defined as , "As for ~" where ~ is anything at all, even nothing. Although there is not always an exact equivalent for a Japanese word to some words in English, I have found that thinking of the Japanese word, 'koto' as "the thing of ~". So koto ga and koto wa together, its meaning does sound weird to the ears of a gaijin (foreigner), as tripped out as any English we have ever heard might be, but you learn to accept these kinds of differences between languages because we know that a little disregard for proper sounds will help with our eventual improvement in our Japanese speaking ability.

As of yet I have found no better way of describing these Japanese words in English, and they seem to be sufficient interpretations in the situations in which they were used. Again, although they might at first sound a little awkward, we overlook the formalities for our long range goals of Japanese language mastery, and we get over it. Koto wa or koto ga could roughly be translated as "As for the thing of~ ".


1. Verb(base III) koto ga, koto wa - the thing of verb, the thing of verbing

2. Verb(base III) tame ni - in order to verb

3. Verb(base III) mae ni - before I verb, before verbing.

4. Verb(base III) koto ga arimasu - Sometimes I verb

5. Verb(base III) koto ga yoku arimasu - I do a lot of verb or I often verb.

6. Verb(base III) koto ga amari arimasu - I don't often verb, I rarely verb.

7. Verb(base III) koto ga dekimasu - I am able to verb, I can verb

8. Verb(base III) deshou - I will probably verb, or the verb will probably happen, or it might verb.

9. Verb(base III) koto ni suru - decide to verb, I resolved within myself to verb, I have chosen to verb, etc.
10. Verb(base III) hou ga ii desu - Its better to verb, or you should verb

11. Verb(base III) yo(u) ni - so that verb, like verbing, in similitude of verbing

In the old days, when the grammar-translation methods of foreign language teaching were king, my JPPGG and other similar methods were known as, substitution drills. I prefer to call this way of studying Japanese JPPGG, or, Japanese Plug and Play Ghetto Grammar. Instead of substituting, we plug and instead of drilling, we play. I prefer playing to drilling any day. Hopefully by now you understand the idea behind JPPGG and that my goal in creating this language learning system is to help you get better at Japanese in less time than it would take traditionally.

I'm big on multitasking and didn't want to see young Japanese language learners held back by the amount of vocabulary they know. Instead, my hope was that while the Japanese language learners learn more and more vocabulary (nouns, verbs, adjectives, expressions, salutations, adverbs, particles etc.)

The amount of grammar knowledge they have wouldn't prevent them from being able to say at least some simple sentences. Once they understand how the constructions of the grammar principles are made, they can then make altogether new sentences, drilling home Japanese into the fibers of their being making them capable Japanese conversationalists.

The system works no matter what the name you substitute and drill or you plug and play new words into the grammar constructions as you learn them. Go ahead, drill and kill your way, or should I say, plug and play your way towards better Japanese, I dare you.

As always do your best!
Ganbatte Ne!
Makurasuki

Words for I or me in Japanese

Japanese words for self

Watakushi 私 is the universal polite Japanese word represting one's self or "me". Watakushi 私 is seldom heard in conversations except the stately diplomatic kind of speeches, banquets and dinners.

Washi -わし is used by older, much older men as an abbreviated form of watakushi

Ore - pronounced like a mix between 'oh Ray', and 'oh day', is used by younger and older men who are tough, and sometimes mean and nasty, or just tough. Any cool male can used this word for me.

Watashi (even atashi)- used by feminine people to signify "me".

Boku 僕 (ぼく)- Me for boys

Ware 我- I, me for the samurai, or Emporers etc.

Watakushi tachi 私たち - Us

Warera 我ら われら - Us (more honorific ort old style)

Waga 我が (Old style)- my

Jibun Jishin 自分自信 - myself

all the above + NO (の) = my. or ours

Towards Better Japanese
Ganbatte ne!
Do Your Best!
Makurasuki

kiroku

kiroku -n. record(s)
-ki record(s)
Re-biki - Leviticus or the record of re-bi (Levites)

Towards Better Japanese
Ganbatte ne!
Do Your Best!
Makurasuki

Quick Japanese Grammar - Isahaya Dialect

In the city of Isahaya, which is a very hilly place, Kyushu in Nagasaki Prefecture in Japan becomes exciting for young people that are seeking things to do. Stay clear of the keisatsu by always riding your bike with a light after dark, then you can have lots of fun there.

Here is a dialectical Japanese grammar principle that I only heard in Isahaya, Japan

A super polite dialectical Japanese command form

nasai --> nshyai

So basically any verb in Base II + nasai Japanese Command form will suffice for this easy to convert Isahaya dialect.

Examples

1. ASOBI NI KINASAI!* - ASOBI NI KINSHAI!
"Come over and hang out again!", or
"Please visit us again!", or literally
"come and play!"

2. TABETE MINASAI!** = TABETE MINSHAI!
"Just eat it and see!"

Methinks that irrashai is part of this ancient Japanese language style

ASOBI NI OIDE* -
Tabete Goran nasai**

Towards Better Japanese
Ganbatte ne!
Do Your Best!
Makurasuki

The Useful Japanese Word Ki

Ki or, 気,  is a very useful Japanese word. It has many meanings, but since there are many situations where this word is used, it would be beneficial for any Japanese language learner to get acquainted with it.

Ki 気 is the Japanese word for air; atmosphere; flavor; heart; mind; spirit; feelings; humor; an intention; mind; will. When used in conjunction with other verbs, this little word really starts becoming useful. I recommend studying this little word by looking it up in your Japanese dictionary, and noting some of its' uses. The following examples should get you started.

1. ki ni iru 気に入る- to take a liking to something
2. ki ga kawaru 気が変わる - to change your mind
3. ki ga sumu 気が済む - feel settled with something
4. ki ga nakunaru 気が無くなる - don't feel like it anymore
5. ki ni kakeru 気にかける- worried about something
6. ki ni naru 気になる- to be anxious about something
7. ki o tsukeru 気を付ける - to be careful with something

Useful Japanese Adverbs That Intesify Other Japanese Words or Phrases

These Japanese words (mostly adverbs) help intesify or heat up other Japanese words and phrases. Learn these useful Japanese intesifiers.

1.  本当に -
Honto ni - Really

2.  非常に -
Hijo^ ni - Extremely

3.  凄く -
Sugoku - greatly, awfully (very)

4.  とっても-
Tottemo - very

5.  大変-
Taihen - awful (rough, hard)

6. どんなに -
Donna ni... - how...

7.  必ず-
Kanarazu - absolutely

Let's for example say we saw a very pretty woman, and your friend asks you, "How pretty was she...?
In Japanese he would ask you by saying -

Ano onna no hito wa donna ni kirei desu ka? - How pretty is that woman?

To which you could answer:

honto ni kirei desu - really pretty
hijo^ ni kirei desu - extremely pretty or
sugoku kirei desu - awfully pretty etc.

2 Japanese ireggular verbs and their usage

Suru and Kuru are irregular Japanese verbs so I thought I would show the conjugations of them through the 5 bases and base TE and TA. Here goes

Japanese 1 2 3 4 5 TE TA
Verb Bases _______________________________________________________________________________

suru する shi(し) shi(し) suru(する) sure(すれ) shiyo^(しよう) shite(して ) shita(した)

_____________________________________________________________________________________

kuru 来る ko(こ) ki(き) kuru(くる) kure(くれ) koyo^(こよう) kite(きて) kita(きた)

Japanese Grammar - Ka do ka - iffy statements

P.F. + Ka do^ ka - Whether or not...
Basic Japanese grammar plug and play for "Whether or not...p.f."

In Japan, I always would hear Do^ ka na when I questioned someone about something for which they were uncertain of... Like I might ask, "Do you think the Hanshin Tigers will win? A simple not too complicated question to which may be replied, "I'm not sure really", or "Heck if I know, I wonder who will win too." etc. So that we would have

Hanshin ga katsu to omou? - Do you think Hanshin will win?
Do^ ka na. - "Heck if I know" or "I wonder...who..." or "Ummm, thats a tough one."

So in our Japanese grammar construction for today we have P.F. + ka do^ ka Whether or not A, B. Where A and B could be verbs or adjectives in plain form. It is in plain form because it is actually two questions nested nearby one another. Do^ ka is a question in itself meaning, "How is it?" In Japan you will hear Do^ by itself when someone wants to know the state or condition of somebody or something. If I say do^ with a certain inquisitive inflection you would be saying, "How are you" etc.

P.F. + ka do^ ka - Whether or not

Plain form verbs -

iku ka do^ ka shirimasen - I don't know whether he is coming or not.

Whether or not you know something or do something ka do^ ka is the question doubled Japanese grammar. This Japanese grammar

Japanese Grammar Verbs in Base II + Hajimeru

Japanese Grammar – Fusing verbs to make new ones.
Verb(Base II) + Hajimeru – To begin to verb


You can usually make new Japanese words, verbs, or phrases by fusing two verbs together; The first verb in base II and the last verb conjugated normally. Let’s take some verbs and put them into base II then see what kind of new words, verbs and different Japanese phrases we can come up with.

1.Hatasu 果たす – to accomplish
2.settoku suru 説得する – to persuade
3.hiyakeru 日焼ける– to get sun burnt
4.kau 買う– to buy
5.umareru 生まれる– to give birth

Proceeding we will put these Japanese verbs into base II to form the extensor. As explained in previous lessons, base II extensor form for yo^dan verbs is made with the 2nd Japanese vowel i, pronounced ee. A verb in Base II will always end in the i vowel unless it is an chidan verb. Below, 1,2 and 4 are yo^dan verbs while 3 and 5 are ichidan verbs:

1.hatasu in base II = hatashi 果たし
2.settoku suru説得する is suru する in base II = shiし
3.hiyakeru日焼ける in base II = hiyake日焼け(In ichidan verbs, just drop the final ru)
4.kau 買う in base II = kai 買い (replace u with i)
5.umareru生まれる in base II = umare生まれ (ichidan)

Now we can proceed to make new verbs in Japanese to test on our Japanese friends, just to make sure that this makes sense. So we use the above Japanese grammar plug and Play construction Verb (base II) + hajimeru – to begin to verb, to make new Japanese words, verbs and phrases.

1.hatashi果たし + hajimeru始める= hatashihajimeru果たし始める – to begin to accomplish
2.settoku shi 説得し+ hajimeru 始める= settoku shihajimeru 説得し始める – to begin to persuade
3.hiyake日焼け+ hajimeru 始める = hiyakehajimeru日焼け始める – to begin to get sunburnt
4.kai 買い+ hajimeru始める = kaihajimeru買い始める – to begin to buy
5.umare 生まれ + hajimeru 始める = umarehajimeru 生まれ始める – to begin to be born

There you have the Japanese grammar plug and play for making new phrases in Japanese. Continue by plugging in your own verbs and making your own new sentences. As always, Ganbatte Ne! Do Your Best! Makurasuki まくらすき.

Japanese grammar practice for "after verbing"

Japanese Grammar Plug and Play - Three Ways of Saying,
"After Verb-ing" in Japanese.

There are three ways to form sentences that you can use when you want to say, "after verb-ing" in Japanese.

Here are the constructs:

I. Verb (base TE) + KARA
II. Verb (base TA) + ATO DE
III. Verb (base TA) + NOCHI NI

By themselves KARA, ATO DE, NOCHI NI all mean, after. All are similar to each other and are the equivalent for expressions relating to the English terms following or later, thereafter etc...

The first way to say that you will do something after doing something else in Japanese, is by using the kara bunpo (grammar):

I. Verb (Base TE ) + KARA = after verb-ing

Take verbs and put them into base TE-て.

Verbs ending in KU くbecome ITE いて.
Verbs ending in GU ぐbecome IDE いで.
Verbs ending in Uう, TSUつ, or RUる become TTEって
Verbs ending in BUぶ, MUむ, or NUぬ become NDEんで.

The verb suruするor verbs ending in SUす become SHITE して
After putting verbs into base TE, add + KARA (after) to complete the construction

1. HANASU 話す(v. to speak)

In Base TE-て the Japanese verb HANASU話す = HANASHITE話して
HANASHITE + KARA 話してから = after speaking , or after talking

CHOTTO HANASHITE KARA IKIMASHO^ ちょっと話してから往きましょう
Let's go after we talk a little.

2. YOMU読む (v. to read) -

In Base TE-て the Japanese verb YOMU読むbecomes - YONDE読んで
YONDE KARA 読んでから= after reading

HON O YONDE KARA NERU TO OMOIMASU. 本を読んでから寝ると思います.
I think I'll sleep after reading a book.

3. TABERU 食べる (v. to eat)

TABERU 食べるin Base TE-て becomes – TABETE 食べて
TABETE KARA食べてから= after eating
TABETE KARA SHUKUDAI O SURU. 食べてから宿題をする
After I eat, I'm going to do homework.

4. UNDO^ SURU 運動する(v. to exercise)

SURU するin Base TE-て becomes - SHITEして
SHITE KARA してから= after exercising

UNDO^ SHITE KARA SHAWA WO ABIRU. 運動をしてから
I’ll take a shower after doing my exercise.

II. Verb (base TA) + ATO DE - after verb'ing

The second way to say "after verb-ing" in Japanese is by using the following construct.

Verb (base TA) + ATO DE - after verb'ing

Take verbs and put them into base TA. (Base TA is the past tense form of Japanese verbs.)



For verbs ending in BU (ぶ), MU (む) or NU (ぬ),
The TA た form = NDA んだ
1. NOMU飲む (v. to drink)
NOMU 飲む in base TA -た is NONDA 飲んだ (past tense of drink or drank)
NONDA ATO DE飲んだ後で = after drinking

SAKE O NONDA ATO DE NEMUKUNATTA 酒を飲んだ後で眠くなった
I got sleepy after drinking sake.


III. verb ( base TA) + NOCHI NI - after verb'ing

The third way of saying "after verb-ing" in Japanese, is to substitute the word+particle NOCHI NI のちに or 後に, , for ATO DE あとでor 後で. ATO 後 and NOCHI 後 actually use the same kanji as you can see. This being the case you can use them interchangeably and the meanings will stay the same. As a general rule, you can use NOCHI with NI (different particle) any time you would use ATO DE.

NOCHI NI and ATO DE are interchangeable thus: NOCHI NI = ATO DE

Verb (base TA) + NOCHI NI - after verb'ing

1. SAKE O NONDA NOCHI NI IE NI KAETTA 酒を飲んだ後に家に帰えた
I went home after drinking some sake.

2. SAKE O NONDA NOCHI NI INU O SAMPO SHI NI ITTA 酒を飲んだ後に犬を散歩しに行った
After I drank some sake, I took the dog for a walk.

As you can see from these examples, there are two sides to every sentence. On one side is verb 1 that comes before transforming it into its TE or TA base, and verb 2 which occurs after KARA, ATO DE, NOCHI NI

- Verb 1 in base TE + KARA and Verb 2

- Verb 2 can be past, present, negative or positive, but Verb 1 must be in base TE.

I hope that you too can start-up some cool and interesting conversations using these Japanese plug and play grammar constructions. Test your creations out on your Japanese friends to see if they fly. If not revise and do it again. Plug and play is drill and kill for Japanese language learners of the 21st century. Good luck in all your Japanese learning endeavors.

As Always,
Ganbatte Ne! 頑張ってね
Do Your Best!
Makurasuki まくらすき.

How to really say please in Japanese - Japanese Phrases

Ghetto Grammar supplement #95
How to say good-bye in Japanese

There are many different ways to say goodbye in English. Same in Japanese, there are many different ways of saying sayo^nara. It’s strange because of all the expressions used by the Japanese, which could be considered equivalent ways of the saying the same thing, phrase matches etc., for the understanding communication that I am leaving now and will not see you for a while. That is to say goodbye;

I would do a literal translation of the phrase and compare with modern day terminology to determine a more equivalent terminology to express some same meaningful word. Sayo^nara has meaning of So long for a long time, or farewell for a couple of seasons. Sayo^nara is the ancient form and way of saying the so yu form of the a yu ko yu etc. Because A sayo^ de gozaimasu would be the super equivalent of the honorific form of the same phrase as above the In the time I have spent in Japan only on rare occasions(and I mean super rare occasions, {besides Karaoke of course}), have I ever heard the traditional term for goodbye, ‘sayonara’.

Sayo^nara differs from English’s goodbye in a direct translation also because sayo^ is to say “so” versus the English’s term good;The conditional subject marker “nara” has not changed its shape since around 600 A.D. (western reckoning). For nara is still nara of modern Japanese and still functions the same way. However the sayo^ part is much older and more traditionally Japnanese.

The words sayonara and goodbye both have a y in them. That in itself could be a coincidence but I think it proves that at some point in our languages past, but they have similiarities too.

I also remember being a kid in an American elementary school growing up in Southern California and pretending to be asian, I would pull my eyes to make them appear slanted and having the look of an oriental person I would go around saying A so, A so, A so. It wasn’t until I actually visited Japan, that I realized that somehow the phrase or nuance given from the words A so is actually meaningful in the same way as it is mocked. When the Japanese inquire, “A so …?”, they are implying , “Is that right?”, or, “. . . is that so?” It is a short abbreviated way of saying the complete phrase of , “A so^ desu ka? Desu ka is, as you know, is the question mark phrase ending form of the verb, to be, and so^ is of the form –(a yu) , (ko^ yu) , and (so^ yu ), where a – placement over there, ko^ is placement over here and so^ yu is placement there.

So the main point I’m trying to make is, and hopefully show some real life examples of how we say goodbye in both languages.
In English we might say something like the following to signal to another that we are leaving for now and may or may not see them at some point in the future:
Ways of saying – goodbye-- in English
Later dude!
See ya (spoken best when chewed, as in bubble-gum)
See ya later @lligator!
Late my Peeps!
Peace Out!!
Adios - We even say adios taken from the Spanish
If we were elegant we might periventure say
Adieux (…to you and you and you) with a French nasality but we are talking English here, and modern tech English at that. . .
So Long…
Farewell, old chap…
Hit the road! Jack! And don’t you come back no more no more no more
Till next time (…America) gross – Maury P.
Til’ we meet again…
Bye now…
B’ Bye because goodbye takes too long to say anyway.
You say Hello but I say b’bye
Later on Holmes depending on whether you are of latin or Spanish, Conquistadores, Azteca, or Mayan descent
I’m Outta’ here
I’m Splittin’
Tell ‘so and so’ I said hi!
If you all will excuse me, I surely must get going.
Thanks for your hospitality.
Cheerio
Come along now.
See you on the flipside…
Catcha tomorrow
Til den –
I Ketchup wif y’all later ,or, (on the flipside.)
Get outta here
Move it or lose it.
Good Bye

Instead of going back through this great list of ways to say good-bye in English I’m just going to throw out at you instead some similar types of ways to say sayo^nara In Japanese, because languages don’t grow from the alphabet or the symbolic transference of meaning to ink, or written forms of communication; but that it comes from the environment in which the communicators find themselves. So although very similar type ways of saying goodbye exist, they are only rough estimations, playing themselves like a tennis ball bounced from racket to racket, volleying to and fro acting as a feedback mechanism upon which colloquial speech thrives in real time with real meanings backing these distinct phrases and the words which compose them in both languages.

Ways of saying Sayo^nara in Japanese
1. ja ne!
2. ja mata!
3. ja mata ne!
4. Sore Dewa!
5. Go- Chiso Sama Deshita
6. Dewa Mata!
7. Kashikomarimashita
8. Hai Wakarimashita
9. Shitsurei Shimasu
10. Mata O- tanoshimi ni shite imasu
11. Gokuro^ sama deshita
12. Shitsurei Itashimasu
13. Ja mata kondo!
14. Ii desu
15. Kekko Desu
16. Sayo na
17. Kondo ne!
18. Sono toki ni ne!
19. H~~~~ai
20. Wakatta
21. Bow – lowering of the head and exiting
22. Osu
23. Heikai itashimasu
24. Sore ja!
25. Goo buy
26. Dete ike!
27. ii kara
28. ki o tsukete ne
29. buy buy

And that’s a rap, stay tuned for more crazy linguistics, as the world of languages shrinks around us merging as it may into one eventual world tongue.

As always,
Ganbatte Ne! Do your Best

Makurasuki Sensei
Brett McCluskey