Minna No Nihongo Lesson 4 Grammar
1. 今 – 時 – 分です
To express time, the counter suffixes 時 (o’clock) and 分 (minutes) are used. The number are put before them. 分 is read ふん after 2, 5, 7 or 9 and ぶん after 1, 3, 4, 6, 8 or 10. 1, 6, 8 and 10 are read いっ, ろっ, はっ, じゅっ(じっ) before ぶん. (See Appendices ΙΙ.)
The interrogative なん is used with a counter suffix to ask a question concerning number or amounts. Therefore, the word なんじ (or sometimes なんぶん) is used to ask the time.
今 (いま) 何時 (なんじ) ですか。
… 7時 (じ) 10分 (ぶん) です。
What time is it now?
… It’s seven ten.
[Note] は marks the topic of a sentence, which you learned in Lesson 1. A geographical location can also be used as the topic as can be it seen in.ニューヨークは 今 何時ですか。
…午前 (ごぜん) 4時です。
In New York what time is it now?
… It’s 4 a.m.
2. V ます
- A verb with ます works as a predicate.
- ます makes a sentence polite
わたしは 毎日 (まいにち) 勉強します。
I study every day.
3. V ます, Vません, Vました, Vませんでした
- ます is used when a sentence expresses a habitual thing or a truth. It is also used when a sentence expresses a thing that will occur in the future. The negative form and the forms in the past tense are shown in the table below.
non-past (future/present) | past | |
affirmative | (おき)ます | (おき)ました |
negative | (おき)ません | (おき)ませんでした |
毎朝 (まいあさ) 6時におきます。 I get up at six every morning.
あした 6時におきます。 I’ll get up at six tomorrow morning.
けさ 6時におきました。 I got up at six this morning.
- Question forms of verb sentences are made in the same way as those of noun sentence; i.e., the word order remains the same and か is added to the end of the sentence.
In answering such questions, the verbs in the questions are repeated.
そうです or そうじゃありません cannot be used.
きのう 勉強しましたか。 Did you study yesterday?
… はい、勉強しました。 … Yes, I did.
… いいえ、勉強しませんでした。 … No, I didn’t.
毎朝 何時に 起きますか。 What time do you get up every morning?
…6時に 起きます。 … I get up at six.
4. N (time) に V
When a verb denotes a momentary action or movement, the time when it occurs is marked with the particle に, に is added when the noun before it uses a numeral. It can also be added to the days of a week, though it is not essential. When the noun does not use a numeral, に is not added.
6時半に 起きます。 I get up at six thirty.
7月2日に 日本へ 来ました。 I came to Japan on July 2nd. (L.5)
日曜日 [に] 奈良へ 行きます。 I’m going to Nara on Sunday. (L.5)
きのう 勉強しました。 I studied yesterday.
5. N1 から N2 まで
- から indicates the starting time or place, and まで indicates the finishing time or place.
9 時から 5時まで 働きます。
I work from nine to five.
大阪から 東京まで 3時間かかります。
It takes three hours from Osaka to Tokyo. (L.11)
- から and まで are not always used together.
9時から 働きます。 I work from nine.
- ∼から, ∼まで, ∼から, ∼まで is sometimes used with です added directly after either.
銀行は 9時から 3時までです。 The bank is open from nine to three.
昼休みは 12時からです。 Lunchtime starts at twelve.
6. N1 と N2
The particle と connects two nouns in coordinated relation.
銀行 (ぎんこう) の休み (やすみ) は 土曜日 と 日曜日。
The bank is closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
7. S ね
ね is attached to the end of a sentence to add feeling to what the speaker says. It shows the speaker’s sympathy ỏ the speaker’s expectation that the listener will agree. In the latter usage, it is often used to confirm something.
毎日 10時ごろまで 勉強します。 I study till about ten every day.
… 大変ですね。 … That must be hard.
山田さんの電話番号は 871の 6813です。
Mr.Yamada’s telephone number is 871-6813.
… 871の 6813ですね。
… 871-6813, right?
.