Japanese for English speakers Sports · Lesson 3

Open sentences

Soften your justifications by trailing off with から — これだけですから (because I only have these few things). Plus 大丈夫 (daijōbu, it's fine) for reassurance.

Conversation

  1. Meera Meera

    荷物は多いですね

    nimotsu wa ōi desu ne

    You have got a lot of luggage

    Tip: <nimotsu> = luggage, baggage <ōi> = a lot, many ("i" adjective)

  2. Meera Meera

    手伝いましょうか？

    tetsudaimashō ka?

    Shall I help you?

    Tip: <tetsudaimasu> = to help Note: how short this sentence is. There is no subject, as in Japanese saying "I / me" and similar words is not common, and there is no "you". The structure of the verb, combined with the context, is clear enough to who is going to help whom.

  3. Rocky Rocky

    だ、だ、だいじょうぶです。

    da-da-daijōbu desu.

    I-i-it's fine

    Tip: <daijōbu> = fine, ok ("na" adjective)

  4. Rocky Rocky

    こ、こ、これだけですから

    ko-ko-kore dake desu kara

    I-I-I only have these few things

Common questions

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

What does 大丈夫 mean?

'It's fine / OK / alright' — a versatile reassurance used as a question ('are you OK?') or answer ('I'm fine').

Why end a sentence with から?

To imply a reason without finishing the thought — softer and more polite than fully spelling it out: 'because of this... (you understand the rest)'.

What does 手伝います mean?

'To help' — used in offers: 手伝いましょうか = 'shall I help you?'.

Test yourself

Pick the English translation for each line from this lesson. Wrong answers are pulled from other Japanese lessons.

4 quick questions on what you just heard.

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