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Vocabulary (Review)

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Lesson Transcript

Welcome to Can-Do Japanese by JapanesePod101.com.
In this lesson, you’ll learn how to ask about well-being in Japanese.
For example, "How are you?" is
げんきですか。
Megumi Sasaki is in the office breakroom.
She greets Yoshi Nakamura, a colleague, and asks about his well-being.
Before you listen to the conversation, let's preview some of its key components.
げんき
"well"
げんき (enunciated)
げんき
Listen to the conversation and focus on the question.
Ready?
げんきですか。(Genki desu ka.)
はい、げんきです。(Hai, genki desu.)
Once more with the English translation.
げんきですか。(Genki desu ka.)
"How are you?"
はい、げんきです。(Hai, genki desu.)
"Yes, I'm well."
Let's break down the conversation.
First, do you remember how Megumi asks,
"How are you?”
げんきですか。(Genki desu ka.)
First is げんき "well," in this context. げ-γ‚“-き. げんき。
After this is です。 In this case, it's like the "are" in "are [you]." で-す. です。
Last is か, the question-marking particle. It turns the sentence into a question. か。
All together, it's げんきですか。 This literally means "Well are [you]?" But it translates as "How are [you]?" げんきですか.
The word for "you" is understood from context, as this is a two-person conversation.
In Japanese, it's more common to avoid the word for "you," when it's clear from context, as it sounds too direct.
Let’s take a closer look at the response.
Do you remember how Yoshi says,
"Yes. I'm well."
はい、げんきです。
"Yes, I’m well." はい、げんきです。
First is はい, "yes." は-い (enunciated). はい。
This answers Megumi's yes-or-no question, "Are you well?" げんきですか.
The second part of the response should be familiar based on the question.
げんきです. "I'm well." げんきです。
First is げんき, "well." げんき。
After this is です. In this case, it’s like the "am" in "[I] am." です。
Note, "I" is understood from context, as the speaker is answering the question, and therefore omitted.
All together, it's はい、げんきです. "Yes, I'm well."
はい、げんきです。
You just learned the polite expression げんきですか, How are [you]?
In very casual situations, such as with a close friend or family, you can use the informal way to ask, β€œHow are you?” げんき?
Notice the rising intonation. げんき?
The meaning is the same as the polite version, げんきですか。How are [you]? However, ですか。is omitted.
As this form is appropriate for very casual situations, if you are unsure, it’s best to use the polite form, げんきですか。especially when starting out in Japanese.
To respond in the informal way of asking, β€œHow are you?” げんき?
You can simply say, げんき, β€œ[I’m] fine. げんき.
Note, the difference in intonation from the question.
So an informal conversation among friends could sound like this:
γ’γ‚“γοΌŸβ€[You] good?”
げんき。”[I’m] Good.”
Note, Japanese native speakers are more likely to ask about each other’s well-being when they haven’t seen each other for a while.
Let's look at some more examples.
Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers.
げんきですか。
はい、げんきです。
げんきですか。
"How are you?"
はい、げんきです。
"Yes, I'm well."
ささきさん、げんきですか。
まあまあです。
ささきさん、げんきですか。
"How are you, Mr. Sasaki?"
まあまあです。
"I'm so-so."
γ’γ‚“γοΌŸ
げんき。
γ’γ‚“γοΌŸ
"How are you?"
げんき。
"I'm well."
げんきですか。
げんきです。ささきさんは?
げんきですか。
"How are you?"
げんきです。ささきさんは?
"I'm well. And you?"
Did you notice how the last speaker added,
ささきさんは?
げんきです。ささきさんは?
"[I’m] fine. And you?"
ささきさんは? "And you?” ささきさんは?
First is Megumi's family name in Japanese. ささき. さ-さ-き. ささき.
After this is さん, a polite suffix attached to a person's name. さ-γ‚“. さん.
It can be used with any gender. In Megumi's case, it translates as "Ms."
Together, ささきさん. Ms. Sasaki. ささきさん。
Note, the suffix さん can be used with any gender, so in the case of Jun Sasaki, ささきさん translates as Mr. Sasaki. Remember this point. You’ll need it later.
Finally, は the topic-marking particle. は。
Think of it like "as for" in the expression "as for you."
Together, it's ささきさんは? This literally means "as for Ms. Sasaki?" but it translates as "And you?" ささきさんは?
Notice Ms. Sasaki's name is used instead of the word "you." In Japanese, it’s more common to address a person by their name and polite suffix than directly with "you."
The pattern is NAMEは?
Note, that this is a shortened form of the sentence, ささきさんは げんきですか。which literally means "As for Ms. Sasaki, well are [you]", but it translates as "How are you, Ms. Sasaki?"
In the shortened form, げんきですか is omitted as it can be understood from context.
Let's review the key vocabulary.
まあまあ. So-so. まあまあ. まあまあ.
Let's review.
Respond to the prompts by speaking aloud. Then repeat after the native speakers, focusing on pronunciation.
Ready?
Do you remember how to say "well?”
げんき.
げんき.
And the question-marking particle?
か.
か.
Do you remember how Megumi asks, "How are [you]?"
げんきですか。
げんきですか。
Do you remember how to say β€œyes?”
はい。
はい。
And how Yoshi Nakamura says,
"Yes, I'm well.”
はい、げんきです。
はい、げんきです。
Do you remember how to say "so-so"?
まあまあ.
まあまあ.
And how to say Megumi's family name, Sasaki, in Japanese?
ささき.
ささき.
Do you remember how to say Ms. Sasaki?
ささきさん。
ささきさん。
Let's practice.
Imagine you're Megumi's co-worker, Yoshi Nakamura.
Ask Megumi, β€œHow are you?" in polite Japanese.
Ready?
げんきですか。
まあまあです。
Listen to the question again and repeat.
げんきですか。
げんきですか。
Let's try another.
Imagine you're the Sasaki family's Japanese teacher, Tomoko Tanaka.
Ask Jun, "How are you, Mr. Sasaki."
Ready?
ささきさん、げんきですか。
はい、げんきです。
Listen to the question again and repeat.
ささきさん、げんきですか。
ささきさん、げんきですか。
Let’s try one more.
Imagine you're Sakura Suzuki, Haruto’s classmate.
Ask Haruto, β€œHow are you?” using informal Japanese.
Ready?
げんき?
げんき。
Listen to the question again and repeat.
γ’γ‚“γοΌŸ
γ’γ‚“γοΌŸ
In English, the question "How are you," is used every day to ask about someone’s well-being. In Japanese, however, the question げんきですか。”Are you well?” tends to be used when people have not met for some time.
The nuance is "How are you (since the last time we met)?" There is no set time frame for how much time needs to pass, but a good rule of thumb is at least a few days.
You will also encounter a more polite version of げんきですか which is γŠγ’γ‚“γγ§γ™γ‹γ€‚
Simply attach the polite prefix お to げんきですか。
This tends to be used when a significant amount of time has passed since the last encounter or with people of higher social status.
A correct and common response to γŠγ’γ‚“γγ§γ™γ‹γ€‚ is げんきです。A common mistake by Japanese learners is to include the prefix お- in the response. Avoid this common mistake.
Well done! This is the end of the lesson and the Can Ask About Well-Being unit of this course.
Remember, these Can Do lessons are about learning practical language skills.
What's next?
Show us what you can do.
When you're ready, take your assessment.
You can take it again and again, so try anytime you like.
Our teachers will assess it, and give you your results.
Keep practicing β€” and move on to the next lesson!

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