YEAR 9 & 10 JAPANESE MINI PROJECT Tom Heath

おさかん (Osakan) CHARACTER EXPRESSIONS

Top 10 Useful Expressions “ どう したの “ – “what’s up/what happened?” dou shitano “ なんだ, これ ” – “what’s this?” nanda kore “ かまわないよ ” – “I don’t mind” kamawanaiyo “ よし ” – “Right…/Okay!” yoshi “ そうだな ” – “ Yeah, Right/Hmmm./I agree. soudana

Continued… “ そうなんだよ ” – “That’s right./Certainly ” sounandayo “ なにを いつで いるんだい ” – “What are you saying” nani o itte irunda “ しかたないな ” – “Oh well./ It can’t be helped” shikatanaina “ へんな ひとだな “ – “What a weirdo!/That person’s a bit ‘out there’ huh?! hen.na hitodana “ すみません ね ” – “Sorry about that./ Excuse me.” sumimasen ne

Cultural Notes SCHOOL EXPRESSIONS

にっちょく  “Nicchoku” is a duty-system. The student whose turn it is to for the day duty has their name written on the right-hand corner of the blackboard. Their jobs include writing the class journal for the day, cleaning the blackboard and locking up when the class moves from their classroom. Other duties, which differ according to class and school, include chairing the morning/hometime meeting and issuing he commands for student to stand/bow/sit down which are used in Japanese schools during the day’s lessons.

Break Time and Lessons  At junior high and high schools lessons are usually 50 minutes lone, with a 10 minute break between them. There are usually four lesson periods in the morning, and either 2 or 3 in the afternoon. Lunch break is about 45 minutes long.

ふとん  Houses in Japan are often furnished with both Japanese-style and Western-style rooms. “Futon” consists of a ‘shikibuton’ (mattress) and a ‘kakebuton’ (a bedcover, or quilt), both of which are kept in the closet when not used and taken out at bed-time every day.

おさかん (Osakan) CHARACTER GRAMMAR

Useful Structures  “ ～だ / ～でわ ない “ – “~is/~isn’t” ~da/~dewa nai  Examples:  “jinsei iroroida” (“life throws up all sorts)  “anataja naiyo (baka)!” (Not you, idiot!)  “ ～ない ” – “~isn’t ; ~don’t; ~can’t ; ~won’t” nai  Examples:  “arienai!” (Impossible!)  “ie kara dete konai no kamo shirenaiyo” (He might not come out of the house, you know)

 “ なければ ならない “ – “~must; ~have to” nakereba naranai  Examples:  “watashi, terebi minakereba naranaindesuyo” (I have to watch TV!)  “ ～しろ ” – “ do~!” shiro  Examples:  “hayaku okane o motte  “ ですよ ” – “I’m telling you; you know…” desuyo

 “~ ですんえ ” – “~isn’t it; aren’t you!” -desune  “~ でしょう ” － “~ain’t it?; ~don’t you reckon?” ~deshou  “ ～よ ” – “I’m telling you; you know; contrary to what you think” ~yo  “~ して わ いけない ” – “must not do~” ~shite wa ikenai  “ しますよ ” – “I’ll~!!; I’ll do~!!” shimasuyo