· Expressing time
Ø for a.m. and p.m. we use ごぜん / gozen andごご / gogo , both placed before the hour:
ごぜん はち じ gozen hachi ji – 8 a.m. (morning)
ごご はち じ gogo hachi ji – 8 p.m. (evening)
Ø for “half past”, we useはん / han
ご じ はん go ji han – half past 5
Ø to approximate time we use ごろ / goro
ろく じ ごろ roku ji goro – about 6
はち じ 二じゅっぷん ごろ hachi ji ni ju pun goro – about 20 past 8
Ø for “past” and “to”, we use すぎ / sughi andまえ / mae
はち じ すぎ hachi ji sughi – 8 past
三 じ じゅっぷん まえ san ji ju pun mae – 10 minutes to 3
· The て/ te form of verbs
- it is attached to verbs
- it may have several values in the sentence
- next to some first group verbs, “Te” becomes voiced and is pronounced “De”
a coordination
はち じ に うちを でて、バス で がっこう へ いきます
Hachi ji ni uchi wo dete. Basu de gakko e ikimasu
I leave home at 8 and take the bus to school.
b manner, instrument
はし を つかって 、ごはん を たべます
Hashi wo tasukatte , gohan wo tabemasu
I’m eating using hashi.
c Actions taking place one after another
しんぶん を よんで から、ラジオ を ききます
Shinbun wo yonde kara, radio wo kikimasu
I’m reading the newspaper, and then I listen to the radio.
d cause, reason
かぜ を ひて、がっこう を やすみました
Kaze wo hite , gakko wo yasumimashita
I missed school because I’d caught a cold.
Examples:
Basic Form Present Te Form Translation
1st group verbs
aruku arukimasu aruite to walk
asobu asobimasu asonde to have fun, to play
au aimasu atte to meet
tomaru tomarimasu tomatte to stop
yomu yomimasu yonde to read
okuru okurimasu okutte to send
utau utaimasu utatte to sing
nomu nomimasu nonde to drink
2nd group verbs
kangaeru kangaemasu kangaete to think
miru mimasu mite to watch
taberu tabemasu tabete to eat
neru nemasu nete to sleep
oshieru oshiemasu oshiete to teach
3rd group verbs
suru shimasu shite to do
kuru kimasu kite to come
Kaite kudasai – Write (down), please! Matte kudasai – Wait, please!