Basics of the Japanese Language

Lunch-time sessions at PCCBy Peter Missen

Session 4

Time

Recap of previous session

Any questions about the previous session?

Any significant numbers to share with the class?

Objectives for this session

Hours and minutes

a.m. and p.m.

Questions about time

Grammar

from/until particles

Days of the week

Months of the year

Time – hours and minutes

ji = hour 時fun/pun = minute 分

han = half 半 used for half past the hour

no quarter-to or quarter-past

a.m. and p.m.gozen = a.m.

午前 (2 kanji: noon + before)

gogo = p.m.

午後 (2 kanji: noon + after)

a.m. and p.m. come first in Japanese times.

Example times

gozen hachi ji (8 a.m.)

gozen juu ji yon juu go fun (10:45 a.m.)

gogo ku ji han. (9:30 p.m.)

shougo = midday 正午 (2 kanji: just + noon)

mayonaka = midnight 真夜中 (3 kanji: exact + night + middle)

Questions about time

ima nan ji desu ka.What time is it now?

今何時ですか。 ima = now

Spend a couple of minutes to make up your own time – round the class…

My made up time will be 5:55 p.m. so don’t pick that!

Grammar – from/until particles

kara = from から

made = until までFor example:watashi wa ku ji kara go ji made hatarakimasu.I work from 9 to 5.

私は九時から五時まで働きます。Hatarakimasu = polite form of verb to work

Days of the week – building blocks

you = day of the week 曜bi = day 日youbi = day of the week day 曜日getsu = moon 月ka = fire 火sui = water 水moku = wood 木kin = gold 金do = earth 土nichi = sun 日

Days of the week

getsuyoubi = Monday 月曜日kayoubi = Tuesday 火曜日suiyoubi = Wednesday 水曜日mokuyoubi = Thursday 木曜日kinyoubi = Friday 金曜日doyoubi = Saturday 土曜日nichiyoubi = Sunday 日曜日

Sentences with days of the week

kyou wa doyoubi desu.

Today is Saturday.

今日は土曜日です。

kyou = today(2 kanji: now + day)

Sentences with days of the week

kinou wa kinyoubi deshita.

Yesterday was Friday.

昨日は金曜日でした。

kinou = yesterday (2 kanji: last + day)

deshita = past tense of desu

Sentences with days of the week

ashita wa nichiyoubi desu.

Tomorrow is Sunday.

明日は日曜日です。

ashita = tomorrow (2 kanji: next + day)

Sentences with days of the week

ototoi wa mokuyoubi deshita.

The day before yesterday was Thursday.

一昨日は木曜日でした。

ototoi = day before yesterday

(3 kanji: one +last + day)

deshita = past tense of desu

Sentences with days of the week

asatte wa getsuyoubi desu.The day after tomorrow is Monday.

明後日は月曜日です。

asatte = the day after tomorrow (3 kanji: next + after + day)

Recap of words to represent days

The Japanese have a window of 5 days with specific words for them:

ototoi = the day before yesterdaykinou = yesterdaykyou = today ashita = tomorrowasatte = the day after tomorrow

Months of the year – building blocks

Very logical

Based on numbers 1 to 12

plus kanji for the moon

月 = gatsu

Months of the year

ichigatsu = January 一月

nigatsu = February 二月sangatsu = March 三月shigatsu = April 四月gogatsu = May 五月rokugatsu = June 六月

Months of the year

shichigatsu = July 七月

hachigatsu = August 八月

kugatsu = September 九月

juugatsu = October 十月

juuichigatsu = November 十一月

juunigatsu = December 十二月

Birthday

add when bday

Birthday

my bday is

Birthday

add 1 to 10 numbers

Homework

Nothing compulsory

Suggestion– Work on the days of the week

Any questions

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