SUBJECT:

JAPANESE LANGUAGE

 

 

TOPIC:

Asking Preferences

 

 

SOURCE:

Association for Japanese-Language Teaching (1994) Japanese for Busy People I (Revised Edition) Lesson 16

 

 

DATE:   

10 Mar 2003

 

 

 

LESSON DIALOGUE

 

Mr. Hayashi invites Mr. Smith to go skiing.

 

Hayashi:

Do-yōbi ni Nikkō ni sukī ni ikimasu. Sumisu-san, issho ni ikimasen ka.

Sumisu:

Ii desu ne. Ikimashō. Nan de ikimasu ka.

Hayashi:

Densha de ikimasu. Tōkyō Eki de aimasen ka.

Sumisu:

Hai. Nan-ji ni aimashō ka.

Hayashi:

Asa no 7-ji ni Tōkyō Eki no kaisatsuguchi de aimashō.

Sumisu:

Hai, wakarimashita. Ja, do-yōbi ni.

 

Hayashi-san wa Sumisu-san to Nikkō ni sukī ni ikimasu. Do-yōbi no asa 7-ji ni Tōkyō Eki no kaisatsuguchi de Sumisu-san ni aimasu.

 

Translation

 

Hayashi:

I’m going to Nikko on Saturday to ski. Mr. Smith, wouldn’t you like to go with me?

Smith:

How nice! I’d love to go. How do we get there?

Hayashi:

We’ll go by train. Shall we meet at Tokyo station?

Smith:

All right. What time shall we meet?

Hayashi:

Let’s meet by the ticket gate in Tokyo station at 7:00 in the morning.

Smith:

Sure. That’s fine. Well, see you Saturday.

 

Mr. Hayashi is going skiing in Nikko with Mr. Smith. He is meeting Mr. Smith at 7:00 on Saturday morning by the ticket gate at Tokyo Station.

 

Vocabulary

 

sukī

ni

issho ni

aimashō ka

wakarimashita

skiing

to (particle)

together with

Shall we meet…

sure, certainly

 

GRAMMAR

 

1.                    verb –mashō

2.                    verb –mashō ka

3.                    verb –masen ka

 

Ø       Inviting and suggesting.

Verb –mashō is generally translatable as “let’s”, “we’ll,” “I’ll.”

Verb –mashō ka is used when you are inviting someone to decide a time, place, etc. for something.

Verb –masen ka is used to invite someone to do something. Appropriate replies are as follows.

 

Acceptance:

  1. Ee/Hai, verb –mashō. “Yes, let’s.”
  2. Ee/Hai, arigatō gozaimasu. “Yes, thank you.”
  3. Ee/Hai, zehi. “Yes, I’d love to.”

Refusal:

  1. Zannen desu ga, tsugō ga warui desu. “I’m sorry, I’m afraid it’s not convenient.”
  2. Arigatōgozaimasu. Demo (mō yomimashita). “Thank you. But (I’ve already read it).”
  3. Iie, kekkō desu. “No, thank you.”

 

Ø       Offering to do something

Verb mashō ka is used when offering to do something for someone.

Appropriate replies are as follows:

Acceptance: Hai, onegaishimasu. “Yes, please.”

Refusal: Iie, kekkō desu. “No, thank you.”

 

 

go

see

do

meet

V-masu

Ikimasu

Mimasu

Shimasu

Aimasu

V-mashō

Ikimashō

Mimashō

Shimashō

Aimashō

V-mashō ka

Ikimashō ka

Mimashō ka

Shimashō ka

Aimashō ka

V-masen ka

Ikimasen ka

Mimasen ka

Shimasen ka

Aimasen ka

 

 

NOTES

 

1.                    In SUKĪ NI IKIMASU, SUKĪ is a purpose, not a place. Therefore it takes the particle NI, not E.

2.                    In SUMISU-SAN, ISSHO NI IKIMASEN KA, SUMISU-SAN is simply being addressed by name, and hence is not the topic of the sentence. In this case, the name, or title usually comes at the beginning of the Japanese sentence.

3.                    Do-yōbi ni is short for Do-yōbi ni aimashō. “Let’s meet on Saturday.” Japanese often refer to the next meeting rather than saying “Goodbye.”

e.g. JA, MATA ASHITA.”Well then, (see you) again tomorrow.”

 

 

USEFUL VOCABULARY

 

ni

 

akachan

 

aimashō ka

issho ni

tsugō ga warui desu

tsugō

wakarimashita

zannen desu ga

zannenna

 

doraibu

haikingu

koppu

sampo o shimasu

sampo

sukī

supūn

umi

to (particle)

 

baby (other than speaker’s own)

 

shall we meet…

together with

(I) am unable

condition

sure, certainly

I’m sorry, but…

regrettable (-na adj)

 

driving/a drive

hiking

mug

take a walk

a walk

skiing

spoon

sea

 

 

KEY SENTENCES

 

1.                    Do-yōbi ni issho ni tenisu o shimasen ka. “Won’t you play tennis with me on Saturday?”

2.                    Issho ni shokuji ni ikimasen ka. “Won’t you go out for a meal with me?”

3.                    12-ji ni eki no mae de aimashō. “Let’s meet at 12:00 in front of the station.”

 

SHORT DIALOGUES

 

Japanese Dialogue 1

 

Sumisu:

Hayashi-san, sampo ni ikimasen ka.

Hayashi:

Ee, ikimashō.

Sumisu:

Kono chikaku ni ōkii kōen ga arimasu. Kōen ni ikimashō.

 

Translation

 

Smith:

Mr. Hayashi, wouldn’t you like to go for a walk?

Hayashi:

Yes, let’s go.

Smith:

There is a big park near here. Let’s go to the park.

 

Japanese Dialogue 2

 

Discussing what to give the Tanakas for their new baby.

Yamada:

Tanakasan no akachan ni nani o agemashō ka.

Howaito:

Supūn to koppu wa dō desu ka.

Yamada:

Ii desu ne. Ashita depāto de kaimasen ka.

Howaito:

Ee, sō shimashō.

 

Translation

 

Yamada:

What shall we give the Tanakas for their (new) baby?

White:

How about a spoon and a mug?

Yamada:

All right. Shall we buy them tomorrow at the department store?

White:

Yes. Let’s do that.