Honorific prefix

March 27, 2011 by 1 Comment

One of the most common prefixes is 御. It has a few readings depending on which noun it is being combined with.

Reading GO

The reading ご (GO) applies when the prefix stands with a noun which is read using its Chinese reading (Onyomi).

Kanji Furigana Romaji Translation
御飯 ごはん gohan rice, meal

Reading O

The reading お (O) applies when the prefix stand in front of a noun which is read using its Japanese reading (Kunyomi).

Kanji Furigana Romaji Translation
お寿司 おすし osushi sushi
お湯 おゆ oyu hot water
お水 おみず omizu water
お金 おかね okane money
お箸 おはし ohashi chopsticks
お菓子 おかし okashi confectionary, sweet
お腹 おなか onaka belly

Reading MI

The reading み (MI) is rare and applies for words that are related to shinto or the emperor. It sometimes also is used to make words sound more poetic.

 

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Particle も (mo)

March 21, 2011 by 6 Comments

This particle is used to express “too” or “as well”. It always is related to the precedent noun. In case that the noun is followed by the particles が (ga) or は (ha) these are replaced by も (mo). In case that the precedent noun is followed by the particles に (ni) or で (de) the particle も (mo) is attached to the precedent particle.

Example 1:

私も日本人です。

わたしもにほんじんです。

watashi mo nihonjin desu.

I am Japanese too.

Example 2:

日本でもお天気がいいです。

にほんでもおてんきがいいです。

nihon demo otenki ga ii desu.

The weather in Japan is good too.

Example 3:

私は東京にも行きます。

わたしはとうきょうにもいきます。

watashi wa toukyou nimo ikimasu.

I will also go to Tokyo.

 

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Particle の (no)

March 21, 2011 by 3 Comments

This particle is used to construct genetive and expresses possession or a relation between two nouns. This also works for multiple relations as shown in the example sentence. The main noun always comes last.

Example:

私の友達の本です。

わたしのともだちのほんです。

watashi no tomodachi no hon desu.

This is my friend’s book.

 

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Ordinal numbers using the Chinese system

March 21, 2011 by 1 Comment

When using the Chinese system for ordinal numbers 番目 (banme) is added at the end of the Onyomi reading of the basic number. Alternatively the Japanese system can also be used for the first nine numbers.

一番目 – ichibanme – the first

二番目 – nibanme – the second

三番目 – sanbanme – the third

四番目 – yonbanme – the fourth

五番目 – gobanme – the fifth

六番目 – rokubanme – the sixth

七番目 – nanabanme – the seventh

八番目 – hachibanme – the eighth

九番目 – kyuubanme – the ninth

十番目 – juubanme – the tenth

百番目 – hyakubanme – the hundredth

千番目 – senbanme – the tousandth

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Ordinal numbers using the Japanese system

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Ordinal numbers using the Japanese system

March 21, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Japanese basic numbers become ordinal numbers simple by adding a 目 (me) at their end. The Japanese system only goes until nine. The Chinese system can also be used and it goes beyond the first nine numbers.

一つ目 – hitotsume – the first

二つ目 – futatsume – the second

三つ目 – mittsume – the third

四つ目 – yottsume – the fourth

五つ目 – itsutsume – the fifth

六つ目 – muttsume – the sixth

七つ目 – nanatsume – the seventh

八つ目 – yattsume – the eighth

九つ目 – kokonotsume – the nineth

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Ordinal number using the Chinese system

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