Japanese Grammar
Third Dialogue

Let's look at the Japanese grammar concerning the third of our dialogues, along with the Japanese kanji and kana.

The Japanese translation of each of the Japanese words will give you a better understanding of the Japanese language.

I will not repeat the definitions of words we have already defined in any of the  previous Japanese grammar pages.


ところで、私の名前はハーリーワトサンです。
ハーリーを呼んでください。

Tokoro de ところで means "By the way."

Namae 名前 means "name."

Yonde 呼んで is a form of the verb yobu, which means "to name."

This "de" form or in other verbs, the "te" form turns, in this case, a verb into a request. As you met in the previous dialogue, it does have different meanings. Remember "o-ai dekite," where it had a different meaning?

Kudasai ください means "please" and makes the "te" form more polite.


A Note On Verbs

Verbs don't change much in Japanese. There are just a few simple rules.

It is said that there are basically three types of verb:

irregular; the verbs that end in "u" and those that end in "ru."

Forms of verb

Plain               simple past    "te"           polite 

                                                       present/past

There are only two irregular verbs:

Kuru                kita              kite          kimasu/kimashita

Suru                shita            shite         shimasu/shimashita

Verbs that end in "ru:"

Miru                 mita             mite         mimasu/mimashita

Taberu             tabeta          tabete      tabemasu/tabemashita

Verbs that end in "u:"

Katsu               katta            katte       kachimasu/kachimashita

Yomu               yonda            yonde      yomimasu/yomimashita

Modoru            modotta        modotte     modorimasu/...mashita

Beware of the "u" form, they are not supposed to be irregular. However, the way they change in the simple past and "te" form is sometimes not what you would expect.


A Note On Verbs

Verbs don't change much in Japanese. There are just a few simple rules.

It is said that there are basically three types of verb:

irregular; the verbs that end in "u" and those that end in "ru."


Forms of verb

Plain   simple past   "te"       polite 

                                       present/past


There are only two irregular verbs:

Kuru   kita            kite        kimasu/kimashita


Suru   shita          shite     shimasu/shimashita


Verbs that end in "ru:"

Miru   mita            mite     mimasu/mimashita


Taberu  tabeta     tabete  tabemasu/tabemashita


Verbs that end in "u:"

Katsu   katta       katte     kachimasu/kachimashita


Yomu   yonda        yonde   yomimasu/yomimashita


Modoru  modotta  modotte  modorimasu/...mashita


Beware of the "u" form, they are not supposed to be irregular. However, the way they change in the simple past and "te" form is sometimes not what you would expect.


どうぞよろしく。

Douzo どうぞ means "please" and can be used in most all of the scenarios you might use it in English.

Yoroshiku よろしく gives the idea of "regards" or "feelings" towards someone.

Douzou yoroshiku どうぞよろしく is one of these stock Japanese phrases you can use and means "pleased to meet you."


この旅行はどこに行きますか?

Doko どこ means "where."

The particle ni . Here it can be translated as "in."

The -masu form of the verb iku 行きます, which means "to go."


とてもいいところだそうです。

いつまで滞在しますか?

Totemo とても means "very."

Notice the da . This is the familiar present tense of desu. It is used in the middle of polite sentences too.

Sou そう. Another use of Sou. This time it indicates reported speech and can be translated as "I hear..."

Itsu いつ means "when."

Made まで means "until."


いつ日本に帰りますか?

Itsu いつ means "when."

Nihon 日本 means "Japan."

kaerimasu 帰ります is the polite form of kaeru, which means to return.


レイク デイストリクの後で、

ロンドンに帰えてもう二日間過ごします。

No ato de の後で means "after."

Mou もう means "another."

Futsu ka kan 二日間 means "a period of two days." Notice the other readings for and 日.

Sugoshimasu 過ごします is the polite form of sugosu, which means to "spend."


それから飛行機で東京に帰ります。

Sore kara それから means "after that."

Hi kou ki 飛行機 means "airplane."

Tou kyou 東京 means "Tokyo."

Ganbatte kudasai 頑張って下さい means "Do your best!"


Remember to practice writing the kanji you have met so far and add them to your notebook for further practice when you have nothing to do.

You should be getting quite good at basic Japanese now, as well as knowing a fair amount of words in Japanese.

Well done! Stick at it and you'll be perfect before you know it.

頑張って下さい。


Let's take a look at the final section of our basic Japanese dialogue. When you feel you are ready, click here.