Japanese for English speakers Supermarket · Lesson 3

Change mind

Suggest alternatives with ...より (... yori, rather than) and accept with でもいいです (... is also fine). Practice indirect ませんか offers.

Conversation

  1. Shelladonna Shelladonna

    熱いですね

    atsui desu ne

    It's so hot

  2. Kyle Kyle

    冷たいお茶を飲みませんか？

    tsumetai ocha wo nomimasen ka?

    Shall we get something to drink?

    Tip: <nomimasu> = to drink <[verb] + masenka> = shall I, shall we do something? To use this structure take away the "masu" ending and replace it with "masenka". <tabemasu> = to eat. <tabemasenka> = shall we eat?

  3. Shelladonna Shelladonna

    飲み物より、かき氷を食べませんか？

    nomimono yori, kakigōri o tabemasen ka?

    More than a drink, shall we eat some shaved ice?

    Tip: <yori> = rather than

  4. Kyle Kyle

    うん、かき氷でもいいですよ

    un, kakigōri demo ī desu yo

    Ok, shaved ice is good too

    Tip: <...demo ī desu> = ... is fine too

Common questions

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

What does AよりB mean for suggestions?

'Rather than A, B' — Aより、Bを食べませんか = 'rather than A, shall we eat B?'.

What does でもいいです mean?

'... is also fine / I'm OK with ...' — soft acceptance of an alternative: かき氷でもいいです = 'shaved ice is fine too'.

How do you offer something with ませんか?

Verb negative + か: 飲みませんか = 'won't you drink (with me)?' = 'shall we get a drink?'.

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.

Next lesson in Supermarket -na ending adjectives →