Useful Japanese Words

Let's look at a useful Japanese word that allows you express the idea that something used to happen or that it ought to happen.

Use mono, after a verb in the plain past.

You want to say that kids used to go to bed at a certain time, as a usual rule, in the past:

       To go to bed = Neru = Plain past = Neta

       Add mono = neta mono

     

After the word list are a few examples:

Kids = 子供 = こども 8 = 八 =  はち o'clock = 時 = じ by = まで 

to sleep = 寝る = ねる elementary school pupil = 小学生 =  しょうがくせい 

possessive particle = の when = とき = そと until dark = 暗くまで = くらくまで 

to play = 遊ぶ = あそぶ  every week = 毎週 = まいしゅう always =  = いつも 

to go fishing = つりに行く 

 Kids used to go to bed by 8.  

       子供は八時まで寝たものです。

When I was in elementary school, I used to play outside until it got dark.

         小学生のとき苦楽まで遊んだものです。

 I used to go fishing every week.

          毎週いつもつりに行ったものです。


Mono, coupled with the present tense, also gives the idea of "should/ought to ..."

Use mono, after a verb in the simple present.

You want to say that kids should go to bed at a certain time, as a social norm:

                  To go to bed = neru + mono = neru mono

                  Kids should go to bed = kodomo wa neru mono


After the word list are a few examples:

More = もっと teacher = 先生 = せんせい to respect = 敬う = うやまう 

to enter = 入る = はいる before = 前まえ to knock = ノックする 

 Kids should go to bed by 8. 

       子供は八時まで寝るものです。

You ought to be more respectful to your teacher.

      もっと先生を敬うものです。

You ought knock before you enter.

      入る前にノックするものです。


It can also express something you would like or wish

After the word list are a few examples:

Coffee = コーヒー one = いっぱい  to have (recive) = いただきたい 

alone = 一人で = ひとりで    to live = 暮らす くらす   fox = 狐 = きつね

to become = なる  to want to ... =  ...たい

 I'd like to have a cup of coffee

          コーヒーをいっぱいいただきたいものです。

 I would like to live alone.

          一人で暮らしたいものです。

I wish I were a fox. 

           狐になりたいものです。


Practice

Basic Japanese vocabulary for the below exercise.

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

Soccer team = そっかチーム to become popular = もて

that kind of = そんな important = 大切な = たいせつな 

opportunity = 機会 = きかい to deprive = うばう 

used to emphasise = なんか 

to lose = 負ける = ける to think = 思う = おもう 

adds regret = しまう movie = 映画 = to see = 見る = みる

English = イギリス to = へ to travel = 旅行をする = りょこうをする

people = 人々 ひびと foreigner = 外国人 = がいこくじん 

to speak = 話す = はなす dog = 犬 = いぬ evening = 夜 = よる 

to bark = 吠える = ほえる more = もっと 

Mr Suzuki = 鈴木さん = すずきさん to respect = 敬う = うやまう 

go home = 帰る = かえる before = 前に = まえに 

boss = 課長 = かちょう to inform = 知らせる = しらせる 

this evening = 今晩 = こんばん TV = テレビ 

problem = 問題 = もんだい time = 時期 

when the time comes = じきくれば natturally = 自然 = しぜんに 

to be solved = 解決される = かいけつされる 

to be expected = 見られる = みられる  USA = 米国 = べいこく 

trade = 貿易 = ぼうえき deficit = 赤字 = あかじ 

for a while = しばらく like this =このまま 

to continue = 続く = つづく to predict = 予想 =よそう


Try to translate English to Japanese for the below sentences, using the above list of words.

1.    You'd become popular if you were chosen for the soccer team.

2.    You can't take that important opportunity away from them.

3.   In spite of thinking that I can't lose to Peter, I did.

4.    I'd like to watch a movie.

5.   I’d like to make a trip to England. 

6.   People used to speak to strangers.

7.   Dogs shouldn’t bark at night. 

8.   You ought to be more respectful to Mr Suzuki. 

9.   You ought to tell your boss before you go home. 

10.  I would like to watch TV tnight. 

11  It is expected that the problem is something that will solve itself when the time comes.

12. It is predicted that the US trade deficit is something wnich

    will remain as it is for a while.


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 Useful Japanese Words 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 12 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.

Back to the Japanese words page