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SELF-INTRODUCTION (JIKO SHOUKAI)
Japanese regularly employs set expressions, and this topic is no exception.
As with everything else, you can introduce yourself with varying degrees of formality. To play safe, everything here that is not quoted from manga will be in polite form.
Hajimemashite.
Chirlind desu. Nijuuissai desu.
San-nensei de, senmon wa bijutsu desu.
Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
Glad to meet you.
I am Chirlind. I am 21 years old.
I am a junior and my course is Fine Arts.
May we have a good relationship in the future.
SENTENCE PATTERNS (BUNKEI)
A Japanese sentence can drop everything that is understood through context. That includes the grammatical subject, topic, and direct object, leaving only the verb/adjective. In other cases, sentences simply trail off, leaving the conclusion to be implied. One better keep track of who's doing what or else it can really get confusing.
Only the verbs/adjectives, the essentials have been included in most patterns here, however, the sample sentences often contain many other details. Aside from analytical ability, mastery of verb/adjective inflections is a must.
Taking off from self-introduction, we will begin grammar with the A WA B DESU pattern.
| VOCABULARY (GOI) | |||||
| People | People & Work | Specialization | |||
|
watashi
ano hito -San otoko no hito otoko no ko onna no hito onna no ko dansei josei kodomo |
I
he / she Mr.- / Ms.- / Mrs.- man boy woman girl male female child |
shigoto
gakusei ryuugakusei sensei kyoushi kaisha-in ginkou-in ten-in enjinia isha ha isha bengoshi kangofu hisho yakusha senshu gaido kashu haiyuu joyuu manga-ka |
job / work
student exchange student teacher teacher company employee bank employee salesclerk engineer doctor dentist lawyer nurse secretary interpreter athlete tour guide singer actor actress cartoonist |
koosu
senmon senkou seijigaku keizai keiei kougaku suugaku kagaku butsurigaku kenchiku igaku hougaku shakaigaku jinruigaku shinrigaku rekishi gengogaku bungaku tetsugaku ongaku bijutsu |
course
course major / specialization political science economics management engineering mathematics chemistry physics architecture medicine law social science anthropology psychology history linguistics literature philosophy music fine arts |
| Countries | Counting (Chinese) | Counting Age (-SAI) | |||
|
Nihon
Chuugoku Kankoku Eikoku* Amerika Doitsu Oranda Supein Buraziru Indo Indoneshia Firipin Tai Betonamu |
Japan
China Korea UK* USA Germany Netherlands Spain Brazil India Indonesia Philippines Thailand Vietnam |
kazu
ichi ni san yon, shi, yo go roku shichi, nana hachi kyuu juu |
numbers
1 2 3 4* 5 6 7 8 9 10 |
ISSai
ni-sai san-sai yon-sai go-sai roku-sai nana-sai HASSai kyuu-sai JISSai juuISSai juuni-sai HATACHI sanJISSai nan-sai / o-ikutsu |
1 year old
2 years old 3 years old 4 years old 5 years old 6 years old 7 years old 8 years old 9 years old 10 years old 11 years old 12 years old 20 years old 30 years old how old? |
To refer to a PERSON of a country add -JIN to the country name.
To refer to the LANGUAGE, add -GO instead.
*Englishman == IGIRISU-jin; English language == EIgo
To refer to scholastic YEAR LEVEL, add -NENSEI to the number.
*4th year / senior == YO-nensei
PRACTICE (RENSHUU)
Translation
1. A: Are you Mr. Endou.
B: No, I am not Mr. Endou. I am Mr. Tsuchida.
2. A: Are you a student?
B: Yes, that is so.
3. A: Is he Mrs. Tanaka?
B: I do not know.
4. A: (Is this) Nippan Trading?
B: No, wrong number. (No, it's different.)
5. A: Are you a Chinese?
B: Yes, that's right.
Role Play
Introduce yourself as:
1. yourself
2. Fumio Yamada, Japanese, age 30, Japanese language professor.
3. Kyung-hee Kim, Korean, age 19, anthropology student, sophomore.
4. Allan Smith, American, age 23, salesman.
5. Stephen Chang, Chinese, age 21, exchange student.
Posted: 2001-04-01 (Sun)