Self Introduction in Japanese

Lesson 1

Lesson 1 is all about Self Introduction. It is a basic sentence structure in Japanese Language. Japanese sentence structure is very different from English, but it’s not hard to master. You need to do is analyze and understand the pattern. The basic pattern in Japanese is ( Subject + Object + Verb) it is a language where the verb is at the end of the sentence. Examples: わたし は ごはん を たべます。 while English sentence structure is (Subject + Verb + Object) that the verb is always after the subject. Examples: I eat meal. This pattern is so very simple it is like in our English when we started to create a simple sentence. When we creating a sentence in Japanese language we need to do is memorize the vocabulary and knowing the particles when it will be used sometimes it's confusing because in higher level they have a different usage in particles. Note: The difference between は (ha)and わ (wa) because it is confused what particle we will used in the sentence. The は (ha) particles it is used in the sentence while わ (wa) particles it is used in verbal or oral. Be careful what particle we will used because it is very important in a sentence. Every usage particle has changes in a higher lesson. Here are explanation and examples of sentences with using Basic Pattern in Japanese Language.

Sentence Pattern : N1 は N2 です.

(1)は The particle は indicates that the word before it is the topic of the sentence. You select a noun you want to talk about. Add は to shows that it is the topic and give a statement about the topic.

Noun1 is a subject, it is used (Pronoun) like I, We, You, He, She, They and etc. The particle は is a marker subject. And Noun 2 is a predicate that gives information about the subject.This examples are name, age, status, nationality, occupation etc.

Example 1. わたし は ベン です. I am Ben.

(2)です Nouns used with です work as predicate. It is indicates judgement or assertion.And Also conveys that the speaker is being polite towards to the listener. It inflects to make the sentence complete and polite. And also when the sentence is future, present,negative, past or negative past.

Examples Present (is, are, am) I am a Japanese. わたし は にほんじん です。 Negative Present (is not, am not) I am not a Japanese. わたし は にほんじん では ありません / じゃありません。 Past (was, were) I was a Japanese. わたし は にほんじん でした。 Negative Past (was not, were not) I was not an American. わたし は アメリカじん では ありません / じゃありません でした。

Sentence Pattern :  N1 は N2 じゃ ありません/では ありません

じゃ ありません / では ありません it is the negative form of です. It is the form used in daily conversation. For a formal speech or writing, では ありません is used instead.

Let's say if you are not a single or not married. Just saying わたし は どくしん じゃ ありません OR わたし は けっこんして いません.

Sentence Pattern :  S か?

(1)The particle か It is used to express the speaker’s doubt, question, uncertainly, etc. A question is formed by simply adding かto the end of the sentence. A question ends with a rising intonation.

(2)Questions asking whether a statement is correct or not. As mentioned above, a sentence becomes a question when か is added to the end. The word order does not change. The question thus made asks whether a statement is correct or not. Depending on whether you agree with the statement or not, your answer to such a question begins with はい おr いいえ.

Examples 1. たなかさん は にほんじん ですか ...はい, にほんじん です. Is Mr. Tanaka is a Japanese? ...Yes he is. 2. アナ さん は せんせい です か ...いいえ, せんせい じゃ ありません. Is Ms. Ana a teacher? ...No, she is not.

(3)Questions with interrogatives An interrogative replaces the part of the sentence that covers what you want to ask about. The word does not change and ka is added at the end.

Examples 1. あのひと は だれ ですか Who is that person? 2. あなた は なんさい ですか How old are you?

Sentence Pattern : N も

mo (も) (also / too) も is added after a topic instead of は when the statement about the topic is the same as the previous topic.

Examples 1. マ-ク さん は せんせい です. デリク さん も せんせい です. Mr. Mark is a sensei. Mr. Dherick is also a teacher.

Sentence Pattern : N1 の N2

の is used to connect two nouns. N1 modifies N2. N1 is an organization or some kind of group for the examples Name of School, Company, Hospital and etc. And N2 is Position which is belongs to N1 for the examples student, trainee, teacher, employee and etc.

Examples 1. わたし は IBM の かいしゃいん です. I am employee of IBM. 2. マリア さん は Hokkaido の だいがく の せんせい です. Maria is a teacher of HOKKAIDO University.

Sentence Pattern : さん

さん is added to the name of the listener or a third person to show the speaker’s respect to the person. It should never be used with the speaker’s own name

Examples 1. あのひと は たなかさん です. That's Mr. Tanaka.

When referring directly to the listener, the word あなた (you) is not commonly used if you know the listener’s name. The listener’s family name followed by さん is usually used.

さん -used in name of person. Mr./Mrs./Ms./Miss (ex. Mr. Ben, Mrs. Rowena, Ms. Jane and etc.) ちゃん girl child name / younger girl (ex. Maria chan) くん boy child name / younger boy (ex. Niko kun)

Related Articles: List of Japanese Sentence Structure
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