Genki Grammar

Question 1

Do not use particle に with (1) time expressions relative to present moment, such as today or tomorrow, (2) intervals, such as every day, and (3) “when”

Answer 1

あした来ます
まいばんテレビを見ます
いつ行きますか

Question 2

Words where お is optional in front

Answer 2

お酒　(おさけ)
お金　(おかね)
お風呂　(おふろ)
お祭り　(おまつり)
the o adds smoothness & nuance of social refinement

Question 3

Describing physical attributes:
[person] は [body part] が [adj]

Answer 3

Info only

Question 4

わかりません
Say this if you don’t know the answer but should’ve thought about it.

Answer 4

知(し)りません
Would be rude in this context, implying your ignorance is none of the inquirer’s business.

Question 5

Speaking informal: drop the だ at the end

Answer 5

unless following up with ね or よ

Question 6

〜がとくい　です

Answer 6

good at/comfortable with
[when describing one’s skills]

Question 7

〜がにがて　です

Answer 7

bad at/uncomfortable with
[describing one’s lack of skill]

Question 8

作文　(さくぶん)

Answer 8

essay, composition

Question 9

試験　(しけん)

Answer 9

exam

Question 10

メール

Answer 10

e-mail

Question 11

病気　(びょうき)

Answer 11

sickness, illness

Question 12

薬　(くすり)

Answer 12

medicine

Question 13

今度　(こんど)

Answer 13

near future

Question 14

先月　(せんげつ)

Answer 14

去年　(きょねん)

Question 15

some い-adjectives

Answer 15

青い、赤い、黒い、白い
寂しい　(さびしい)
若い　(わかい)

Question 16

A と B と　どちら／どっちの方が[property]

Answer 16

Comparing 2 items
“Between A and B, which is more…”
Can get rid of の方 too.
どっち is more colloquial.

Question 17

A と B と C/Category X の中で[question word]がいちばん[property]

Answer 17

Comparing 3 or more items
Question words: だれ、どれ、何、いつ、どこ
どれ is preferred with lists of items
なに is preferred with category/group name
(の方&どっち are NOT used!)

Question 18

Replace noun/adjective with の if it’s clear what you’re referring to, to avoid repetition

Answer 18

“…one”
の mainly refers to things not people

の for people is limited to describing them with のは first, and then naming that person with です
e.g. あそこで歌っているのは田中さんです

Question 19

Replace noun with の for sense of “mine” or “yours”

Answer 19

e.g. わたしの[かばん]です
e.g. アメリカの車の方が日本の[車]より大きいです。

Question 20

verb (short, present) + つまり　です

Answer 20

I intend to…
Verb can be positive or negative

Question 21

Adj + なる

Answer 21

い-adj —> use く　なる
な-adj —> use に　なる
noun —> use に　なる

Question 22

〜[stem]たい　と思っています

Answer 22

have wanted to
(your wish is one you have entertained for some time)

Question 23

〜[stem]たがっている

Answer 23

replaces たい
describes your observation that somebody wants to do something
e.g. メアリーさんはきものをきたがっています
Derived from たがる (I think that she wants to, bc of the way she’s behaving)

Question 24

〜たり〜たりする/しました

Answer 24

verb (short, past) + り , verb (short, past) + り　
do such things as this and that
- the actions are listed as examples

Another use:
おどったり、おんがくをきいたりするのがすきです

Question 25

verb (short, past) + ことがある

Answer 25

have the experience of… ヨーロッパに行ったことがありますか？ Have you ever been to Europe? Answer: はい、あります

Question 26

は in negative sentences

Answer 26

More natural than を or が テレビを見ますか？ A:いいえ、テレビは見ません コーヒーが好きですか？ A: いいえ、コーヒーは好きじゃないです Rule of thumb is that negative JP sentences tend to have at least one は phrase は can also follow particles like で & に 英語では話したくない 東京には行ったことがありません Genki 1 pg. 262

Question 27

だけ

Answer 27

Add to numbers/counters to talk about having just that many items だけ suggests that you can live with that few though the number admittedly could have been higher 1つだけしつもんがある その人にいっかいだけ会ったことがあります しか means “only” in the sense that you do not have enough of

Question 28

夢　(ゆめ)

Answer 28

2 meanings: 1. sleeping dreams - use 見る 2. aspirations - 持っている or ある

Question 29

には

Answer 29

Describes a place in terms of things that are found there. 東京にはデパートがたくさんあります 東京にデパートがたくさんあります Both mean “There are many department stores in Tokyo” but there’s a subtle difference. The first sentence answers questions like “what is Tokyo like? “ The second sentence answers questions like “where do you find many department stores?”

Question 30

〜んです

Answer 30

makes sentences an explanation short form + んです な-adjective & noun: なんです also used a lot with question words どうしたんですか　what happened? (bc you look like crap) どうしてなんですか　whyy will see the more formal のです in writing informal: んですか = の んです = んだ

Question 31

〜すぎる

Answer 31

too much Verb stem + すぎる (conjugated like ru-verb] い & な-adj: drop those and add すぎる この町(まち)はしずかすぎる This town is too quiet. Used when something is beyond normal or proper, suggesting you don’t welcome it. For positive things, use とても or すごく Can also use as a noun: すぎ 食べすぎです

Question 32

食べなさすぎる

Answer 32

Eat too little

Question 33

〜ほうがいい

Answer 33

it is better (for you) to do… (really should/should not) Verb (short, past, affirmative) + … Verb (short, present, negative) + …

Question 34

〜ので

Answer 34

because (Similar to から in rules) ので is usually used with short form but can use ます to be super polite Use な in between if ので follows な-adj or noun Use ので if the first sentence before it is valid, acceptable, believed by the listener. If there is uncertainty, use から

Question 35

〜なければいけません／なきゃいけません Shorten to: 〜なきゃ 〜なくちゃ 〜ないと

Answer 35

must/have to Short negative stem + なきゃ Many variations - just pick one Can also use the substitute なりません for いけません

Question 36

〜でしょうか

Answer 36

でしょう = probably Asking with it adds tentativeness and politeness, implying you think the listener has a better-informed opinion でしょうか follows short form predicates (affirmative or negative, present or past), and directly follows after nouns/な-adj without the だ 食べるでしょう - probably eat 飲まないでしょう - probably not drink 寒いでしょう - probably cold 東京でしょう - probably Tokyo 肉が食べれるでしょう - can probably eat meat

Question 37

〜でしょ

Answer 37

…right? (same rules as でしょう) casual, rising intonation

Question 38

何(なん)の薬(くすり)ですか？

Answer 38

What kind of medicine?

Question 39

Generally use やる and できる when referring to musical instruments

Answer 39

何(なに)か楽器(がっき)ができますか Can you play any instruments?