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Basic Japanese Cheat Sheet

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Basic Japanese Cheat Sheet Basic Japanese Formal Verbs Informal Verbs Verb Usages WA - Topic Marker Written with hiragana “ha”, but pronounced “wa” ・Marks a limited amount or extent of something. (”not more than”) だけ ・Used with できる (and other potential-form verbs) to mean “as ~ as possible” Present/Future Tense + ます Present/Future Tense + ば + なければ は ・Marks the topic of a sentence. (non-grammatical relationship) DAKE Past Tense + ました Past Tense If... + と If not... + ないと ・Contrasts one option or thing against others. (A vs. B, C, D) いちじかん だけ まって くだ さ い 。 できる だけ はやく かいて くだ さ い 。 かける だけ かいて くだ さ い 。 Progressive Tense + います Progressive Tense + いる + ら + なかったら ・Used when elaborating on things already known to the listener. Please wait for just one hour. Please write it as quickly as you can. Please write as much as you can. DOUBLE MEANING Negative Present/Future + ません Negative Present/Future + ない + ないと いけない くる ま は わたし が うんてん しました。 たなかさん は おかね を もっています。 Must/have to... Marks a firm extent/limit (usually one which presents a problem for the speaker). Negative Past Tense + ませんでした Negative Past Tense + なかった + なければ ならない As for the car, I was the one who drove it. Mr. Tanaka has money. (he is rich) ・ しか ・Emphasizes the negation of anything beyond the extent/limit. Command Form + くだ さ い Command Form + から SHIKA (U-Verbs) GA - Subject Marker Therefore, しか is always is used with a negative verb form. + なさい する → しろ After... + ら せんえん しか もっていません。 しゃしん で しか みた こと が ない。 あなた に しか できない。 Usually considered rude! (RU-Verbs) + くる こい ろ → + あとで が ・Marks the subject of a verb. (grammatical relationship) I haven’t but one thousand yen. I’ve never seen it except in pictures. Only you can do it. Negative Command + ないでください Negative Command + ないで Before... + まえに ・Distinguishes one option or thing from others. (A vs. ???) + な Because... + から／ので ・Used when adding new things/information to a conversation. ・Marks a degree or extent of something. (not small) Potential Form (U-Verbs) + ます Potential Form (U-Verbs) + る In order to... + ために ・Used when describing specific things with adjectives. ほど ・Marks an approximate number or length of time. = can/ able to (RU-Verbs) (RU-Verbs) Marks the greater element in a negative comparison. (”not as ~ as”) + られます + られる While... (at the same time) + ながら ・Marks objects of potential-form verbs. (can/able to) HODO ・ する→ できます くる → こられます する→ できる くる → これる Even if/when... + も ・(Used as an conjunction [between phrases]) : “..., but...” or “even though ..., ...” そのくるま は このくるま ほど はやくないです。 はら が いたく なった ほど わらいました。 (permissible) That car is not as fast as this car. I laughed so hard that my stomach became painful. Want to... + DOUBLE MEANING Want to... + May... たいです たい + も + いい にほんご が すこし はなせます。 たなかさん が おかね を もっています。 Don’t want to... + たくないです Don’t want to... + たくない Try to... to attempt & check the result + みる (I) can speak Japanese a little. Mr. Tanaka has the money. (with him now) Marks the lesser element in a positive comparison. (”more than”) Let’s... + ましょう Let’s... to make an effort + とする ・ WA vs. GA (Detailed Article) - http://nihonshock.com/waga より “From ~” (when closing a private letter) ・ Shall we.../Shall I ~ for you? + ましょうか ・ Shall we.../Shall I ~ for you? + か Must not... + はいけない YORI ・ Passive Form (U-Verbs) + Passive Form (U-Verbs) + To do in advance... + れます れる おく O - Object Marker Written with hiragana “wo”, but the “w” sound is very faint. その くるま は この くるま より はやい です。 = to be ~ed (RU-Verbs) + られます (RU-Verbs) + られる To do too much... + すぎる That car is faster than this car. する→ されます くる → こられます する→ される くる → こられる To do... and so on. + り + する ・Marks the object of a verb. を ・Marks a possibility or suggestion. Causative Form (U-Verbs) + せます Causative Form (U-Verbs) + せる To (irreversibly) do... + しまう ・With verbs of motion, shows where the motion occurs. ・Turns interrogative words into any~ words. = to allow/force (RU-Verbs) (RU-Verbs) Combination Verb でも someone to ~ + させます + させる + VERB 2 くつ を かいました。 そら を とぶ じぶん の こと を はなす。 DEMO ・(Used as an conjunction [before a phrase]) : “even so/but/however, ...” する→ させます くる → こさせます する→ させる くる → こさせる Chaining Phrases + PHRASE 2 (I) bought shoes. To fly (in) the sky To talk about (things of ) one’s self. おちゃ でも のみましょうか。 いつでも でんわ して くだ さ い 。 Shall we drink some tea or something? Please call me anytime. Conjugating Verbs Hiragana NI - The “Aiming” Particle Marks an approximate or negotiable degree, amount, or length of time. U-VERB RU-VERB する くる U-VERB TE/TA ENDINGS あ か が さ ざ た だ な は ば ぱ ま や ら わ ・Marks an indirect object (the person/thing an action is done for/directed toward) ・ Always use these endings. Always に (speaker feels that the stated number/extent is a fair and/or reasonable estimate) A KA GA SA ZA TA DA NA HA BA PA MA YA RA WA ・Marks a destination, direction or specific place for an action.(to/at) くらい はな. さ たべ. Ｘ し こ Final Kana of Verb KURAI Alternate form: ぐらい ・Marks a specific point in time (ie. Monday / 3pm / 1972 / July) ・ はな. し たべ. Ｘ し き う, つ, る → って った い き ぎ し じ ち ぢ に ひ び ぴ み り かんじ を じゅっかい ぐらい かく と わすれない よ。 はな. す たべ. る する くる I KI GI SHI JI CHI JI NI HI BI PI MI RI ・Marks a period of time that something repeats in. (ie. twice a week) If you write a kanji about 10 times, you won’t forget it. ぶ, む, ぬ → んで んだ はな. せ たべ. れ すれ くれ ・Marks direct objects for: なる (to become), あう (to meet), のる (to ride) く → いて いた う く ぐ す ず つ づ ぬ ふ ぶ ぷ む ゆ る ん はな. そ う たべ. よ う しよう こよう U KU GU SU ZU TSU ZU NU FU BU PU MU YU RU N かのじょ に ほん を あげた。 どようび に こうえん に いきましょう。いちにち に コーヒー を にはい のむ。 ・Means “only”, or “to the exclusion of other things” ぐ いで いだ (I) gave her a book. Let’s go to the park on Saturday. (I) drink 2 cups of coffee a day. ばかり Shift final sound たべ. て して きて → ・Informally, can be pronounced ばっかり / ばっか / ばっかし for emphasis. according to え け げ せ ぜ て で ね へ べ ぺ め れ BAKARI Hiragana chart. たべ. た した きた す → して した E KE GE SE ZE TE DE NE HE BE PE ME RE TO - The “Glue” Particle When quoting, と can become って (informal) あの きょうしつ は おんなのこ ばかり います。 かれ の いうこと は うそ ばっかり だ。 いく (to go) in TE/TA-form becomes いって/いった That classroom has nothing but girls in it. Everything he says is a lie. EXCEPTIONS → お こ ご そ ぞ と ど の ほ ぼ ぽ も よ ろ を ・Marks a person that an action is done with. The ending for verbs ending in is: O KO GO SO ZO TO DO NO HO BO PO MO YO RO WO と → う わ ・Links nouns to create a complete “and” group. ・Marks a starting place or time. ともだち から ききました。 いる (to need), はいる (to enter), しる (to know), きる (to cut) ・Marks quoted speech or phrasal objects: おもう (to think), かく (to write) I heard about it from a friend. U-VERBS Katakana から ・Marks a source of information. (THAT LOOK LIKE RU-VERBS) ・Shows a natural/predictable “if-then” relationship between clauses. さいふ を わすれた から はらえない。 かえる (to go home), すべる (to slide), ける (to kick) KARA ・Marks a reason when used after . ア カ ガ サ ザ タ ダ ナ ハ バ パ マ ヤ ラ ワ ・Marks onomatopoeic words. (words that mimic sounds) I can’t pay because I forgot my wallet. A KA GA SA ZA TA DA NA HA BA PA MA YA RA WA “And” group Phrasal object Forms of である (to be) Caution! かいぎ は いちじ から さんじ まで です。 ボス と じょうし と けんか しました。 いす が こわれた と おもいます。 こそこそ と はなす ・Marks an ending place or time. イ キ ギ シ ジ チ ヂ ニ ヒ ビ ピ ミ リ the meeting is from 1 o’clock until 3 o’clock. FORMAL INFORMAL SO N (I) had an argument with (my) boss and manager. (I) think the chair broke. to speak in whispers まで ・When followed by に, I KI GI SHI JI CHI JI NI HI BI PI MI RI means “by/before” あした までに レポート を かいて くだ さ い 。 Present Tense MADE Please write the report by tomorrow. です だ ウ ク グ ス ズ ツ ヅ ヌ フ ブ プ ム ユ ル ン DE - The “Enabling” Particle Past Tense でした だった ソ ン U KU GU SU ZU TSU ZU NU FU BU PU MU YU RU N Marks a place, area, or length of time inside which something occurs. ほうが Comparison Give/Receive Probable でしょう だろう で ・ TSU SHI Superior/Outsider Negative Present Tense ではありません じゃな い エ ヶ ゲ セ ゼ テ デ ネ ヘ ベ ペ メ レ ・Marks a method, tool or circumstance under which something happens. ・ Marks the greater element in a positive comparison E KE GE SE ZE TE DE NE HE BE PE ME RE Negative Past Tense ではありませんでした じゃな かった ・Marks a material or substance; composition.
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