あJLPT Japanese

N5 · Grammar

Grammar Lesson 7: Tools, Languages, Giving and Receiving

Grammar Notes: Lesson 7

Tools, Languages, Giving and Receiving

In this lesson, you will say what you use to do something, ask how to express a word in another language, describe giving and receiving, and say whether an action is already complete.

Before You Start: Three Uses of で

Description

You have already used で for transportation in Lesson 5 and for the place of an action in Lesson 6. This lesson adds a third use: the tool or means used to perform an action.

Examples

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JapaneseHiraganaRomajiEnglish Meaning
バスで学校へ行きます。ばすでがっこうへいきます。Basu de gakkō e ikimasu.I go to school by bus.
学校で日本語を勉強します。がっこうでにほんごをべんきょうします。Gakkō de Nihon-go o benkyō shimasu.I study Japanese at school.
パソコンでレポートを書きます。ぱそこんでれぽーとをかきます。Pasokon de repōto o kakimasu.I write a report on a computer.

Usage Notes

  • Ask what comes before で: transportation, an action place, or a tool or means.
  • The verb and the situation show which meaning で has.

[Tool / Means] で Vます

Description

Put で after the tool, device, material, or other means used to carry out an action.

Examples

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JapaneseHiraganaRomajiEnglish Meaning
箸でごはんを食べます。はしでごはんをたべます。Hashi de gohan o tabemasu.I eat a meal with chopsticks.
パソコンでメールを書きます。ぱそこんでめーるをかきます。Pasokon de mēru o kakimasu.I write an email on a computer.
はさみで紙を切ります。はさみでかみをきります。Hasami de kami o kirimasu.I cut paper with scissors.

Usage Notes

  • The tool comes before で, while the object directly affected by the action comes before を.
  • A language can also be the means of communication: 日本語でレポートを書きます means “write a report in Japanese.”

"[Word / Sentence]" は [Language] で何ですか

Description

Use this pattern to ask how to say a word or short expression in another language. The expression being discussed is marked by は, and the target language is followed by で.

Examples

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JapaneseHiraganaRomajiEnglish Meaning
「ありがとう」は英語で何ですか。「ありがとう」はえいごでなんですか。“Arigatō” wa Ei-go de nan desu ka.What is ありがとう in English?
「Thank you」です。「さんきゅー」です。“Thank you” desu.It is “Thank you.”
「Thank you」は日本語で何ですか。「さんきゅー」はにほんごでなんですか。“Thank you” wa Nihon-go de nan desu ka.What is “Thank you” in Japanese?
「ありがとう」です。「ありがとう」です。“Arigatō” desu.It is ありがとう.

Usage Notes

  • Read 何 as なん before です: 何ですか is nan desu ka.
  • Treat the quoted word or expression as the topic of the sentence.
  • Use this pattern for short expressions. It is not yet a pattern for translating long passages.

[Person] に [Object] を あげます / 貸します / 教えます

Description

Use に to mark the recipient when the subject gives an object, lends something, or teaches information to another person.

Examples

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JapaneseHiraganaRomajiEnglish Meaning
私は木村さんに花をあげました。わたしはきむらさんにはなをあげました。Watashi wa Kimura-san ni hana o agemashita.I gave flowers to Ms. Kimura.
私は友達に本を貸します。わたしはともだちにほんをかします。Watashi wa tomodachi ni hon o kashimasu.I lend a book to a friend.
田中先生はマリーさんに日本語を教えます。たなかせんせいはまりーさんににほんごをおしえます。Tanaka-sensei wa Marī-san ni Nihon-go o oshiemasu.Mr. Tanaka teaches Japanese to Marie.

Usage Notes

  • The person before に receives the object or information.
  • Keep the direction clear: the subject is the giver, lender, or teacher.
  • Do not use あげます to describe another person giving something to you. At this stage, express that event from the receiver’s viewpoint with もらいます.

[Person] に / から [Object] を もらいます / 借ります / 習います

Description

Use に or から to mark the person from whom the subject receives an object, borrows something, or learns information. The subject is the receiver.

Examples

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JapaneseHiraganaRomajiEnglish Meaning
私は山田さんにプレゼントをもらいました。わたしはやまださんにぷれぜんとをもらいました。Watashi wa Yamada-san ni purezento o moraimashita.I received a present from Mr. Yamada.
私は友達から本を借りました。わたしはともだちからほんをかりました。Watashi wa tomodachi kara hon o karimashita.I borrowed a book from a friend.
私は先生に日本語を習います。わたしはせんせいににほんごをならいます。Watashi wa sensei ni Nihon-go o naraimasu.I learn Japanese from a teacher.
銀行からお金を借りました。ぎんこうからおかねをかりました。Ginkō kara o-kane o karimashita.I borrowed money from a bank.

Usage Notes

  • With a person, both に and から can mark the source. から makes the “from” direction especially clear.
  • Use から, not に, when the source is an organization such as a bank, school, or company.
  • Compare the viewpoints: 私は友達に本を貸します focuses on lending; 私は友達から本を借ります focuses on borrowing.

もう Vましたか

Description

Use もう with the polite past form to ask whether an expected action is already complete. Answer with もう Vました when it is complete, or まだです when it is not complete yet.

Examples

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JapaneseHiraganaRomajiEnglish Meaning
もう荷物を送りましたか。<br>はい、もう送りました。もうにもつをおくりましたか。<br>はい、もうおくりました。Mō nimotsu o okurimashita ka.<br>Hai, mō okurimashita.Have you sent the parcel yet?<br>Yes, I have already sent it.
もう昼ごはんを食べましたか。<br>いいえ、まだです。もうひるごはんをたべましたか。<br>いいえ、まだです。Mō hirugohan o tabemashita ka.<br>Iie, mada desu.Have you eaten lunch yet?<br>No, not yet.
もうメールを書きましたか。<br>いいえ、まだです。これから書きます。もうめーるをかきましたか。<br>いいえ、まだです。これからかきます。Mō mēru o kakimashita ka.<br>Iie, mada desu. Korekara kakimasu.Have you written the email yet?<br>No, not yet. I will write it now.

Usage Notes

  • もう means “already” in this pattern; まだです means “not yet.”
  • Do not answer もう Vましたか with Vませんでした when you mean “not yet.” Vませんでした describes something that was not done in a past period.
  • The longer form まだ Vていません is taught later. For now, use the complete beginner response いいえ、まだです.

Practical Conversation: Preparing New Year’s Cards

This original conversation reviews familiar action sentences while adding the new meanings of で and に, plus もう and まだ.

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SpeakerJapaneseHiraganaRomajiEnglish Meaning
A年賀状を書きますか。ねんがじょうをかきますか。Nengajō o kakimasu ka.Will you write New Year’s cards?
Bはい、パソコンで書きます。はい、ぱそこんでかきます。Hai, pasokon de kakimasu.Yes, I will write them on a computer.
Aだれに送りますか。だれにおくりますか。Dare ni okurimasu ka.Who will you send them to?
B家族と友達に送ります。かぞくとともだちにおくります。Kazoku to tomodachi ni okurimasu.I will send them to my family and friends.
Aもう書きましたか。もうかきましたか。Mō kakimashita ka.Have you written them yet?
Bいいえ、まだです。これから書きます。いいえ、まだです。これからかきます。Iie, mada desu. Korekara kakimasu.No, not yet. I will write them now.