Basics of the

Japanese Language

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 yesterday

kinou = yesterday
kyou = today
ashita = tomorrow
asatte = 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