In this Japanese Verbs Twenty one, of our Learn Japanese series, we will look at how to make suppositional statements and talk about times when certain events occurred.
For example, you want to say that if it were to rain tomorrow the game will be cancelled:
First, put the verb into its plain past:
to rain = ame ga furu = ame ga futta
Next add to shitara:
Supposing(if)it rains = ame ga futta to shitara
Finally add the rest of the words for your sentence:
If it rains tomorrow the game will be cancelled
Ashita
ame ga futta to shitara, shiai wa chuushi ni narimasu.
After the word list are a few examples:
next week = 来週 = らいしゅう belonging to = の Saturday = 土曜日 = どようび
Jill = ジル to come = 来る = くる I = 私 = わたし really = 本当に = ほんとうに
to worry = 困る = こまる rich = 金持ち = かねもち more = もっと
expensive = 高い = たかい car = 車 = くるま tomorrow = 明日 = あした
snow = 雪 = ゆき to fall = 降る = ふる
If Jill were to come next Saturday, I'd be worried.
来週の土曜日ジルが来たとしたら私は本当に困ります。
If I were to become rich, I would buy a more expensive car.
私は金持ちになったとしたらもっと高い車を買います。
Supposing it snows tomorrow, what shall we do?
明日雪が降ったとしたらどうしましょうか。
For example, you could say:
Even if he were to come today, I wouldn't be able to see him.
After the below word list are a few examples:
Today = 今日 = きょう to meet = 会う = あう French = フランスご
to study = 勉強する = べんきょうする work = 仕事 = しごと at = で
to be able to use = 使える = つかえる how much = いくら
full = いっぱい to become = なる
Even if he were to come today, I wouldn't be able to see him.
今日彼が来たとしても私は会うことができません。
Even if you studied French, you probably wouldn't be able to use it in your work.
あなたはフランスごを勉強したとしても仕事で使えないでしょう。
No matter how much she eats, she never gets full.
彼女はいくら食べてもいっぱいになりません。
For example, you want to say, "When I saw that, I was surprised."
After the word list are a few examples:
to fall = 倒れる = たおれる shirt(s) = シャツ to tear = 破れる = やぶれる that = それ
to hear = 聞く very = とても to be surprised = 驚く = おどろく to laugh = 笑う = わらう
His shirt tore when he fell.
彼は倒れたときシャツが破れました。
When I heard that, I was very surprised.
私はそれを聞いたときとても驚きました。
I laughed when I read that.
それを読んだとき笑いました。
Basic Japanese vocabulary for the below exercise.
It's written first in English, then kanji and finally hiragana:
Spanish = スペイン語 next week = 来年 = らいねん this year = 今年 = ことし
to marry = 結婚する = けっこんする very(really) = 本当に = ほんとうに
to be surprised= 驚く = おどろく Mr Suzuki= 鈴木さん = すずきさん with = と
to meet = 会った = あう this = これ to give = 渡す = わたす please = ください
tomorrow = 明日 = あした rain = 雨 = あめ to fall = 降る = ふる
match = 試合 = しあい to cancell = 中止 = ちゅうし sick = 病気 = びょうき
was = だった work = 仕事 = しごと to be tired = 疲れる = つかれる
concert = コンサート to go and see = 見に行く = みにいく student = 学生 = がくせい
to be fat = 太る = ふとる England = イギリス to sleep = 寝る = ねる
always = いつも bed = ベッド
Try to translate English to Japanese for the below sentences, using the above list of words.
1. If you studied Spanish, we could go to Spain next year.
2. If Jill were to marry this year, I’d be very surprised.
3.If you should meet Mr Suzuki, please give him this.
4. Even if it rains tomorrow the game will not be cancelled
5. Even if I’m sick, I must go to work.
6. Even if I am tired, I will go to see the concert.
7. When I was ill, I didn’t go to work.
8. When I was a student, I was fat, wasn’t I?
9. When I went to England, I bought this.
10. When I sleep, I always sleep on a bed.
Once you have done it, click here to see how you did.
The only way to remember all this in Japanese Verbs Twenty one is to practice it on a regular basis.
The best way to do this is: