Learn to describe past events in Japanese
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| Do you know how to describe past events in Japanese? |
| You'll learn how in just a moment. |
| Hi, my name is Emiri, and this is Three Step Japanese by JapanesePod101.com. |
| In this lesson, you'll learn how to describe past events through a quick conversation. |
| Let's look at the dialogue. |
| As you listen, pay attention to how they describe their past experiences |
| 小さいとき いっしょに きょうとへ 行きましたね｡ |
| Chiisai toki issho ni Kyouto e ikimashita ne. |
| はい｡ あのとき､はじめて､きょうとへ 行きました｡ あれは 何さいのときでしたか？ |
| Hai. Ano toki, hajimete, Kyouto e ikimashita. Are wa nan sai no toki deshita ka? |
| 9さいでしたよ｡ さくらが ほんとうに きれいでしたね｡ |
| Kyuu sai deshita yo. Sakura ga hontou ni kirei deshita ne. |
| はい｡ すばらしかったです｡ |
| Hai. Subarashikatta desu. |
| じゃ､あした､きょうとへ 行きましょう｡ もうすぐ さくらが さきますから｡ |
| Ja, ashita, Kyouto e ikimashou. Mousugu sakura ga sakimasu kara. |
| きょうと？わたしは いいです｡ |
| Kyouto? Watashi wa ii desu. |
| だめだめ｡行きますよ！ |
| Dame dame. Ikimasu yo! |
| Let's break it down. |
| 小さいとき いっしょに きょうとへ 行きましたね｡ |
| Chiisai toki issho ni Kyouto e ikimashita ne. |
| "When you were little, we went to Kyoto together, right?" |
| はい｡ あのとき､ はじめて､ きょうとへ 行きました｡ あれは 何さいのときでしたか？ |
| Hai. Ano toki, hajimete, Kyouto e ikimashita. Are wa nan sai no toki deshita ka? |
| "Yes. That was my first time going to Kyoto. How old was I then?" |
| 9さいでしたよ｡ |
| Kyuu sai deshita yo. |
| "You were nine years old." |
| Next is our focus for the lesson. |
| さくらが ほんとうに きれいでしたね｡ |
| First is the noun phrase, さくらが (sakura ga), meaning "the cherry blossoms." さくらが. |
| Next is the adverb, ほんとうに (hontou ni), meaning "really." ほんとうに (slow version - breakdown by syllable). ほんとうに. |
| After that is the adjective きれい (kirei). "beautiful." きれい (slow version - breakdown by syllable). きれい. |
| Then でした (deshita). "were." でした (slow version - breakdown by syllable). でした. |
| The verb でした (deshita) comes from the dictionary form です (desu), meaning "to be." |
| Together, it’s きれいでした (kirei deshita). "were beautiful." きれいでした. |
| Finally is the particle, ね (ne), which is a sentence-ending particle that adds a nuance similar to "isn't it?" ね (slow version - breakdown by syllable). ね. |
| All together, it’s さくらが ほんとうに きれいでしたね｡ (sakura ga hontou ni kirei deshita ne). "The cherry blossoms were really beautiful, weren't they?" さくらが ほんとうに きれいでしたね｡ |
| はい｡ すばらしかったです｡ |
| Hai. Subarashikatta desu. |
| "Yes, it was wonderful." |
| じゃ､あした､きょうとへ 行きましょう｡ もうすぐ さくらが さきますから｡ |
| Ja, ashita, Kyouto e ikimashou. Mousugu sakura ga sakimasu kara. |
| "Well then, let’s go to Kyoto tomorrow. The cherry blossoms will bloom soon." |
| きょうと？わたしは いいです｡ |
| Kyouto? Watashi wa ii desu. |
| "Kyoto? I think I’ll pass." |
| だめだめ｡行きますよ！ |
| Dame dame. Ikimasu yo! |
| "No, no! We’re going!" |
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