Useful Japanese Words

Let's look at another useful Japanese word, demo, which has a multitude of meanings. One of its meanings is "any."

Add it to the end of a word normally used in questions, like doko and it can then mean "anywhere." Particles like ga and o are then usually dropped.

doko demo ii desu.

Anywhere is okay.

After the word list are a few examples:

Tokyo = 東京　= とうきょう　sushi restaurant = すし屋　= すしや　where = どこ　

that kind of thing = そんなこと　who = 誰　= だれ　to know = 知る　= しる　

child = 子供　= こども　can = できる

You can find a sushi restaurant anywhere in Tokyo.　

     東京ではすし屋はどこにでもありますよ。

Anyone knows such a thing.

     そんなことは誰でも知っていますよ。

Even a child can do that..　

     子供でもそんなことはできますよ。

Use it along with tatoe and it can also give the idea of "even if ..." or "even ..." or "however much … "

After the word list are a few examples:

Dislike = 嫌い　= きらい　円 yen = えん　waste = 無駄　= むだ　

to teach = 教える　= おしえる

person　= 人　=ひと　which kind of = どんなに　skillful = 上手　= じょうず　

exam = 試験　= しけん　to pass = 合格　= ごうかく　a fool = 麦価　= ばっか　

money = 金　to earn = 設ける　= もうける　method = 方法　= ほうほう　

to know = 知る　= しる

Even if you don't like it, you must do it.　

     たとえ嫌いでもそれをしなければなりません。

Even

Don’t throw away even one yen.　

      たとえ一円でも無駄にしてはいけません。

However much ...

Every teacher, however well they teach, must pass the test.

     教える人はたとえどんなに教えるのが上手でも試験に合格しなければなりません。

Even Though ...

Even though she was a fool, she knew how to make money.　

      彼女は麦価でも金を設ける方法は知っていました。    

Can also be used to invite someone to do something

After the word list are a few examples:

hiking = ハイキング　next = 次　= つぎ　Sunday= 日曜日　= にちようび　

to meet = 会う  =  あう　cake = ケーキ　how about = いかが

How about going hiking?　

     ハイキングにでも行きませんか。

Let’s meet next Sunday, shall we?　

     次の日曜日にでも会いましょう。

 How about some cake?　

      ケーキでもいかがですか。

To negate a statement with these phrases, you use wake de wa arimasen, along with ... demo.

                      

Dare demo dekimasu. Anyone can do it.

Dare demo dekiru wake de wa arimasen. It's not the case that anyone can do it.

After the word list are a few examples:

Who = 誰　= だれ　Yokohama = 横浜　= よこはま　convienience store = コンビニ

anywhere　= どこにでも　that kind of thing = そんなこと

Anyone can do it.

　   誰でもできます。

It's not the case that anyone can do it.　

     誰でもできるわけではありません。

It's not the case that you can find a Convenience store anywhere in Yokohama.

     横浜でコンビニはどこにでもわけではありませんよ。

Everyone knows such a thing.　

     そんなことは誰でも知っていますよ。

It's not the case that everyone knows such a thing.

      そんなことは誰でも知っているわけではありませんよ。

Practice

Basic Japanese vocabulary for the below exercise.

It's written first in English, then kanji and finally hiragana:

English = イギリス　pub = パブ 　guitar = ギター　to play = 弾く　= ひく　

to pay a ransome = 身代金を払う　= みだいきんをはらう  to like = すき　that = それ　

to have = 持つ　= もつ　player = 選手　= せんしゅ　skillful = 上手　= じょうず　

practice = 練習　= れんしゅう　TV personality = 芸能人　= げいのうじん　

money = 金　= かね　a little = 少ない　= すくない　a walk = 散歩　= さんぽ　

next = 次 = つぎ　saturday = 土曜日　= どようび　to swim = 泳ぐ　= およぐ　

coffee = コーヒー　London = ロンドン　policeman = 警察官　= けいさつかん　

yesterday = 昨日　= きのう　夜　evening = よる　movie = 映画　えいが

Once you have done it, click here to see how you did.

Now, do it again and again until you are perfect and fast.

The only way to remember all this in the Useful Japanese Word, demo, is to practice it on a regular basis.

The best way to do this is:

1. Come back to this page regularly and check yourself on the above 13 Japanese phrases.
2. Write an example of each of the tenses in a small note book, so as to practice them when you have nothing to do, like waiting for a bus.
3. Learn Japanese kanji by also writing the above kanji in a separate notebook and practicing these on a regular basis too.
   

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