Modality (Speaker’s Feelings)

Japanese Grammar

How to Express Prohibition and Obligation: だめだ, いけない, and ならない

Must: なければいけない

Last time, you learned how to make commands and requests, e.g. “もっと勉べん強きょうしろ (Study more),” “もっと勉べん強きょうしてくれませんか (Could you please study more)?” Then, if you would like to say, “you have to study more,” what should you do? In this lesson, you will learn how to express obligation and prohibition. Explanation for How to Express Prohibition and […]

Japanese Grammar

How to Make Commands and Requests in Japanese

Can you...; くれない?

Last time, you learned how to make invitations and offers, e.g. “一緒いっしょに歌うたいませんか (Won’t you sing [a song] with me)?” and “一緒いっしょに歌うたいましょうか (Shall we sing [a song] together)?” Then, if you would like to say, ”Please sing a song,” what should you do? In this lesson, you will learn how to make commands and requests. Explanation […]

Japanese Grammar

How to Make Invitations and Offers: (よ)う, (よ)うか, and ない

Shall I: ようか?

Last time, you learned how to express volition like “日に本ほんで働はたらこうと思おもっています (I’m going to work in Japan),” and “日に本ほんで働はたらくつもりです (I intend to work in Japan).” Then, what if you would like to ask your friend to work in Japan with you? You can express it by utilizing what you have learned so far. In this lesson, […]

Japanese Grammar

How to Express Volition in Japanese: …(よ)う and つもりだ

Let's protect: 守ろう

Last time, you learned how to express desires like “テレビが欲ほしい (I want a TV),” and “テレビが見みたい (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 […]

Japanese Grammar

How to Express Desire: …たい, 欲しい, and …て欲しい

want to eat: 食べたい

Last time, you learned how to express judgments like “漢かん字じは難むずかしそうです (Kanji looks difficult),” and “漢かん字じは難むずかしいようです (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. Explanation for the Usages of …たい, 欲しい, and …て欲しい […]

Japanese Grammar

How to Express Judgments: そうだ, ようだ, みたいだ, and らしい

it looks: そうだ

Last time, you learned how to express various levels of certainty, e.g. スマートフォンは便べん利り かもしれない・なはずだ・に違ちがいない (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. Explanation […]

Japanese Grammar

How to Express Various Levels of Certainty in Japanese

Probably: だろう and でしょう

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. Explanation for the Usages […]

Japanese Grammar

How to Express Permission and Advice: …てもいい and …方がいい

You Can Eat: 食べてもいい

Last time, you learned how to express prohibition and obligation, e.g. “宿しゅく題だいを忘わすれてはいけない (You must not forget your homework),” and ”復ふく習しゅうをしないといけない (You have to review [it]).” Then, if you would like to say, “You don’t have to do your homework,” or “It’s better for you to do your homework,” what should you do? In this lesson, […]