| Let's look at how this pattern is constructed. |
| Do you remember how the character said, |
| That machine is a dishwasher, right? Please teach me how to use it. |
| あのきかいは しょっきあらいきですよね｡あのきかいの つかい方を おしえてください｡ (Ano kikai wa shokkiaraiki desu yo ne. Ano kikai no tsukai-kata o oshiete kudasai.) |
| あのきかいは しょっきあらいきですよね｡あのきかいの つかい方を おしえてください｡ (Ano kikai wa shokkiaraiki desu yo ne. Ano kikai no tsukai-kata o oshiete kudasai.) |
| This sentence follows the pattern here. |
| This pattern is the structure that all of our examples will follow. |
| Vます stem + 方 + を おしえてください (V-masu stem + kata + o oshiete kudasai) |
| Please teach me [how to verb] |
| This pattern is used when asking someone politely to teach you how to do something. You start with the ます-stem of a verb, which is the part before ます. Then you add 方 (kata), which means “way” or “method.” This creates a noun meaning “the way of [verb].” Then add を おしえてください, which means “please teach me.” So the whole pattern means “please teach me how to [verb].” |
| Let’s see how the line from the dialogue follows this pattern. |
| あのきかいの つかい方を おしえてください。 |
| In this sentence: |
| あの means “that” (over there), showing which machine is being talked about. |
| きかい means “machine.” Together, あのきかい means “that machine.” |
| の shows possession, so あのきかいの means “that machine’s.” |
| つかい方 follows the pattern. The verb is つかいます (tsukaimasu), which means “to use.” The ます-stem is つかい, and when we add 方, we get つかい方, meaning “how to use.” |
| を おしえてください means “please teach me.” The を marks つかい方 as the object. |
| So, あのきかいの つかい方を おしえてください。 means “Please teach me how to use it.” |
| Another useful sentence pattern is |
| Vます stem + 方 + を ならいたいです |
| V-masu stem + kata + o naraitai desu |
| I want to learn [how to verb] |
| For example, in the dialogue we have: |
| りょうりの つくり方を ならいたいです。 |
| “I want to learn how to cook.” |
| In this sentence: |
| つくり方 follows the pattern. The verb is つくる (tsukuru), which means “to make” or “to cook.” The ます-stem is つくり, and when we add 方 (かた), we get つくり方, meaning “how to cook” or “how to make.” |
| ならいたいです means “want to learn.” |
| So, りょうりの つくり方を ならいたいです。 means “I want to learn how to cook.” |
| Now let's look at some speaking examples. |
| おはしの つかい方を おしえてください｡ (O-hashi no tsukaikata o oshiete kudasai.) |
| Please teach me how to use chopsticks. |
| Can you see how the pattern applies here? |
| Let's break it down: |
| Here, おはし (o-hashi) means “chopsticks.” The particle の (no) shows a possessive or descriptive relationship, so おはしの (o-hashi no) means “of chopsticks.” |
| Next is つかい方 (tsukaikata). The verb is つかいます (tsukaimasu), which means “to use.” To follow the pattern, we take the ます-stem, which is つかい (tsukai), and attach 方 (kata), meaning “way” or “method.” So つかい方 (tsukaikata) means “how to use.” |
| Together, おはしの つかい方 (o-hashi no tsukaikata) means “how to use chopsticks.” |
| The rest of the sentence is を おしえてください (o oshiete kudasai), the fixed part of the pattern meaning “please teach me.” |
| Here's another example |
| このりょうりの 食べ方を おしえてください｡ (Kono ryōri no tabekata o oshiete kudasai.) |
| Please teach me how to eat this dish. |
| このりょうりの 食べ方を おしえてください｡ (Kono ryōri no tabekata o oshiete kudasai.) |
| Please teach me how to eat this dish. |
| Let's try one more, |
| このかんじの 書き方を ならいたいです。 (Kono kanji no kakikata o naraitai desu.) |
| I want to learn how to write this kanji. |
| このかんじの 書き方を ならいたいです。 (Kono kanji no kakikata o naraitai desu.) |
| I want to learn how to write this kanji. |
| Another one. |
| このかんじの 読み方を ならいたいです。 (Kono kanji no yomikata o naraitai desu.) |
| I want to learn how to read this kanji. |
| このかんじの 読み方を ならいたいです。 (Kono kanji no yomikata o naraitai desu.) |
| I want to learn how to read this kanji. |
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