Dialogue

Vocabulary (Review)

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Lesson Transcript

Let's take a closer look at the conversation.
Do you remember how Mark asks,
Mark Lee: "Mr. Kobayashi, are you a student?"
リー マーク: こばやしさんは がくせいですか。 (Kobayashi-san wa gakusei desu ka.)
First is こばやしさん, "Mr. Kobayashi." こばやしさん.
This starts with Ken's family name こばやし, "Kobayashi." こばやし (slow version - breakdown by syllable). こばやし.
After this is さん, a polite suffix attached to a person's name. It translates as "Mr." in Ken's case. さ-ん(slow version - breakdown by syllable). さん.
Note: This suffix can be used with any gender.
Together, こばやしさん, "Mr. Kobayashi." こばやしさん.
After this is the particle, は, the topic-marking particle. は (slow version).は.
It marks "Mr. Kobayashi" as the topic of the sentence. Think of it like "as for" in the expression "as for Mr. Kobayashi."
Together, it's こばやしさんは, "as for Mr. Kobayashi." こばやしさんは. 
In Japanese, it's more common and polite to address a person by his or her name and polite suffix rather than directly with "you."
After this is, がくせい, "student." がくせい (slow version - breakdown by syllable). がくせい.
Next is です. Here, it's like the "are" in "are you." で-す (slow version - breakdown by syllable). です.
Last is the particle, か, the question-marking particle. か. か.
This particle turns the sentence into a question.
All together, it's こばやしさんはがくせいですか。This literally means "As for Mr. Kobayashi, student [you] are?" but it translates as "Mr. Kobayashi, are you a student?" こばやしさんはがくせいですか。
Let's take a closer look at the response.
Do you remember how Ken Kobayashi says,
"No, I'm not a student. I'm an investor."
いいえ、がくせいでは ありません。とうしかです。 (Iie, gakusei de wa arimasen. Tōshika desu.)
First is いいえ, meaning, "no." い-い-え (slow version - breakdown by syllable). いいえ.
It answers Mark's yes-or-no question, "Are you a student?" がくせいですか。
Next, Ken says,
がくせいでは ありません。"I'm not a student." がくせいではありません。
First is がくせい, "student." がくせい.
After this is ではありません. Here, it's like the "am not" in "I am not." It's a polite negative form of the linking verb. で-は-あ-り-ま-せ-ん (slow version - breakdown by syllable). ではありません.
Note: ではありません comes from the linking verb, だ, "to be." だ.
All together, it's がくせいではありません。This literally means "Student [I] am not," but it translates as "I'm not a student." がくせいではありません。
Note: the "I" is understood through context, as Ken is responding to the question.
Finally, Ken says,
とうしかです。"I'm an investor." とうしかです。
First is とうしか, "investor." とうしか (slow version - breakdown by syllable). とうしか.
After this is です. Here, it's like the "am" in "I am." です.
All together, it's とうしかです。This literally means "Investor [I] am," but it translates as "I'm an investor." とうしかです。
Note: the "I" is understood through context.
All together, いいえ、がくせいでは ありません。とうしかです。"No, I'm not a student. I'm an investor." いいえ、がくせいでは ありません。とうしかです。
The pattern is
いいえ、{occupation} ではありません。{actual occupation} です。
"No, I'm not {occupation}. I'm {actual occupation}."
いいえ、{occupation} ではありません。{actual occupation} です。
Imagine you're Emma Egawa, a student.
Ken asks you if you're an "investor."
Say
"No, I'm not an investor. I'm a student."
Ready?
えがわ エマ: いいえ、とうしかではありません。がくせいです。 (Iie, tōshika de wa arimasen. Gakusei desu.)
Emma Egawa: "No, I'm not an investor. I'm a student."
えがわ エマ: いいえ、とうしか ではありません。がくせいです。 (Iie, tōshika de wa arimasen. Gakusei desu.)

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