Wasabi

Last time, you learned how to express desires like “テレビが欲しい (I want a TV),” and “テレビが見たい (I want to watch TV).” Now, you know how to say what you want to do. Then, if you would like to say “I intend to buy a TV,” what should it be? In this lesson, you will tackle how to express volition.

Last time, you learned how to express judgments like “漢字は難しそうです (Kanji looks difficult),” and “漢字は難しいようです (It seems that Kanji is difficult).” Then, what if you would like to say that you want to learn Japanese? In this lesson, you will learn how to express your desire.

Last time, you learned how to express various levels of certainty, e.g. スマートフォンは便利 かもしれない・なはずだ・に違いない (Smartphones may / should / must be useful). There are still other types of sentence patterns to express your judgement, e.g. “Smartphones look useful,” and “I heard that smartphones are useful.” This is what you will learn in this lesson.

You have started a new section called “modality.” This is a grammatical term which you can simply consider to mean “the speaker’s feelings.” For example, you will learn how to express certainty, judgments, volition, commands, requests, obligation, etc. In this lesson, you will tackle how to express various levels of certainty.

Last time, you learned how to express comparison, e.g. “田中さんは玉ねぎより芋を食べます (Tanaka-san eats potatoes more than onions).” Then, if you would like to say, “Tanaka-san eats ONLY potatoes,” what should you say? In this lessons, we will delve deeply into the world of numbers and amounts.

Last time, you learned how to express quotations and definitions, e.g. “ボブは日本語が上手と聞いた (I heard that Bob is good at Japanese).” However, if you would like to say “I heard that Bob speaks Japanese better than John,” what should you do? In this lesson, you will learn how to express comparison.

This year, Hanami is difficult due to the pandemic, but do you have any good experiences doing Hanami during previous years? Would you like to do Hanami in Japan someday?

Last time, you learned how to use 行く and 来る as helping verbs like 学校まで走しっていきます (I will run and go to school). Now, you can express motion of subjects, motion of objects, and a time flow. Then, if you would like to say “I heard that you would run and go to school,” what should you say? In this lesson, you will tackle how to express quotation.

Are there any flowers in full bloom where you live right now? Why not use this opportunity to share a picture and find out what that flower means in Japanese!

Last time, you learned how to express giving and receiving, e.g. 田中さんが日本語を教しえてくれた (Tanaka-san taught [me] Japanese). By using the helping verb: てくれる, you can express your gratitude. In Japanese, helping verbs have an important role. In this lesson, you will learn other key helping verbs.

Last time, you learned how the causative form works like 子供に勉強をさせる ([I] will make my child study). In passive and causative sentences, you have to pay attention to people’s positions such as doers and direction-givers. In this lesson, you will tackle one of the concepts unique to Japanese: receiving and giving. This is also involved with people’s positions.

Today’s featured word is 花霞（hanagasusmi）which means cherry blossom haze. When the cherry blossom is in full bloom and many trees stand close together, the flowers look like a white-pink mist when looked at from far away.

Last time, you learned how to make passive sentences: 観光客に道を聞かれました (I was asked the way by a tourist). The particle に works to indicate the doer in this context. In other words, subjects and doers are different in passive sentences. In this lesson, you will tackle a similar structure: causative sentences.

Last time, you learned how to express potential like “日本語を話せる (I can speak Japanese)” and “漢字を書くことができる (I can write kanji).” In Japanese, you can express various things by conjugating verbs. Here, you will learn another form: the Japanese passive form.

Today’s featured word is 梅（ume）which means Japanese plum blossom. Plum blossoms bloom long before Sakura in late February and early March. They are less popular, but there are many variants blooming all over Japan right now!

Last time, you learned how to express change in Japanese, e.g. “先生になる: I will become a teacher,” and “子供を先生にする: I will make my child a teacher”. Furthermore, there may be times when you want to say “I can become a teacher.” In this lesson, you will learn how to express potential.

In this section, you will learn several key sentence patterns such as Japanese potential, passive, and causative form. We express various things by conjugating verbs. Since you have already completed Japanese basic grammar, all you need to do is to memorize conjugation patterns. Here, you will learn how to express change.