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| INTRODUCTION |
| Natsuko: おはようベルリン。ナツコです。(Ohayō Berurin. Natsuko desu.) |
| Peter: Peter here and we are back with another lesson. |
| Natsuko: Yes, again. |
| Peter: Again. Who is here with us today? |
| Natsuko: タケ (Take) is here again. |
| Peter: Two days in a row. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: タケさん、今日元気ですか。(Take-san, kyō genki desu ka.) |
| Take: もちろん、元気いっぱいです。(Mochiron, genki ippai desu.) |
| Peter: いいですね。(Ii desu ne.) |
| Natsuko: いいですね。(Ii desu ne.) |
| Take: ナツコは？(Natsuko wa?) |
| Natsuko: 今日も元気ですよ。ピーターは？(Kyō mo genki desu yo. Pītā wa?) |
| Peter: 相変わらず絶好調です。(Aikawarazu zekkōchō desu.) Today we have another great lesson for you plus don’t forget to stop by japanesepod101.com for the accompanying PDF, the informal track and the accompanying PDF plus the kanji close up. |
| Natsuko: A lot of information there. You got to check it out. |
| Peter: You got to check it out and you have to leave us a post. |
| Natsuko: Oh yes, definitely. |
| Peter: Yes okay, without further adieu, let’s get into today’s conversation. Here we go. |
| DIALOGUE |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 夏子、夏子。 |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : あ…。 |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 今日は何をしますか。(Kyō wa nani o shimasu ka.) |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : そうですね。ちょっと用事があります。(Sō desu ne. Chotto yōji ga arimasu.) |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 明日は暇ですか。(Ashita wa hima desu ka.) |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : そうですね。明日もちょっと用事があります。(Sō desu ne. Ashita mo chotto yōji ga arimasu.) |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 水曜日は一緒に歌舞伎を見ませんか。(Sui-yōbi wa issho ni Kabuki o mimasen ka.) |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : そうですね。水曜日も用事があります。(Sō desu ne. Sui-yōbi mo yōji ga arimasu.) |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 木曜日は一緒に台湾料理を食べませんか。(Moku-yōbi wa issho ni Taiwan ryōri o tabemasen ka.) |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : 木曜日はちょっと忙しいですね。ちょっと用事があります。(Moku-yōbi wa chotto isogashii desu ne. Chotto yōji ga arimasu.) |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 金曜日は時間がありますか。(Kin-yōbi wa jikan ga arimasu ka.) |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : また用事です。(Mata yōji desu.) |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 土曜日は？(Do-yōbi wa?) |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : ちょっとですね。(Chotto desu ne.) |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 日曜日は？(Nichi-yōbi wa?) |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : 用事です。(Yōji desu.) |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 来週、来月、来年は？(Raishū, raigetsu, rainen wa?) |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : 難しいですね。(Muzukashii desu ne.) |
| （携帯の着信音）（Keitai no chakushin’on.） |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : はい。夏子ですけど。今日ですか。今日は大丈夫です。(Hai. Natsuko desu kedo. Kyō desu ka. Kyō wa daijōbu desu.) |
| 明日も明後日も明々後日も大丈夫ですよ。暇です。(Ashita mo asatte mo shiasatte mo daijōbu desu yo. Hima desu.) |
| 六時半でいいですよ。じゃ、また後で。(Roku-ji han de ii desu yo. Ja, mata ato de.) |
| 武也 (Takeya) : えー！用事は！？(Ē! Yōji wa!?) |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : これが私の用事です。(Kore ga watashi no yōji desu.) |
| Peter: もう一度お願いします。ゆっくりお願いします。(Mō ichi-do onegai shimasu. Yukkuri onegai shimasu.) |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 夏子、夏子。 |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : あ…。 |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 今日は何をしますか。(Kyō wa nani o shimasu ka.) |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : そうですね。ちょっと用事があります。(Sō desu ne. Chotto yōji ga arimasu.) |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 明日は暇ですか。(Ashita wa hima desu ka.) |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : そうですね。明日もちょっと用事があります。(Sō desu ne. Ashita mo chotto yōji ga arimasu.) |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 水曜日は一緒に歌舞伎を見ませんか。(Sui-yōbi wa issho ni Kabuki o mimasen ka.) |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : そうですね。水曜日も用事があります。(Sō desu ne. Sui-yōbi mo yōji ga arimasu.) |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 木曜日は一緒に台湾料理を食べませんか。(Moku-yōbi wa issho ni Taiwan ryōri o tabemasen ka.) |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : 木曜日はちょっと忙しいですね。ちょっと用事があります。(Moku-yōbi wa chotto isogashii desu ne. Chotto yōji ga arimasu.) |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 金曜日は時間がありますか。(Kin-yōbi wa jikan ga arimasu ka.) |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : また用事です。(Mata yōji desu.) |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 土曜日は？(Do-yōbi wa?) |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : ちょっとですね。(Chotto desu ne.) |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 日曜日は？(Nichi-yōbi wa?) |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : 用事です。(Yōji desu.) |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 来週、来月、来年は？(Raishū, raigetsu, rainen wa?) |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : 難しいですね。(Muzukashii desu ne.) |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : はい。夏子ですけど。今日ですか。今日は大丈夫です。(Hai. Natsuko desu kedo. Kyō desu ka. Kyō wa daijōbu desu.) |
| 明日も明後日も明々後日も大丈夫ですよ。暇です。(Ashita mo asatte mo shiasatte mo daijōbu desu yo. Hima desu.) |
| 六時半でいいですよ。じゃ、また後で。(Roku-ji han de ii desu yo. Ja, mata ato de.) |
| 武也 (Takeya) : えー！用事は！？(Ē! Yōji wa!?) |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : これが私の用事です。(Kore ga watashi no yōji desu.) |
| Peter: You guys are good! |
| Natsuko: Thank you! I hope people understand that it’s acting! I’m not this rude!! |
| Peter: Natsuko, we all know! You are so sweet. |
| Natsuko: Thank you. You are laughing. |
| Peter: A little be. Ah, like that. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: Thank you to you, Take. Very nice! |
| Takeya: 大丈夫だった？(Daijōbu datta?) |
| Peter: Perfect! You know the routine. Here we go. |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 夏子、夏子。(Natsuko, Natsuko.) |
| TAKEYA: Natsuko, Natsuko. |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : あ…。 |
| NATSUKO: Ah... |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 今日は何をしますか。(Kyō wa nani o shimasu ka.) |
| TAKEYA: What will you do today? |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : そうですね。ちょっと用事があります。(Sō desu ne. Chotto yōji ga arimasu.) |
| NATSUKO: Umm, I have a little business to attend to. |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 明日は暇ですか。(Ashita wa hima desu ka.) |
| TAKEYA: Are you free tomorrow? |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : そうですね。明日もちょっと用事があります。(Sō desu ne. Ashita mo chotto yōji ga arimasu.) |
| NATSUKO: Umm, tomorrow also, I have a little business to attend to. |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 水曜日は一緒に歌舞伎を見ませんか。(Sui-yōbi wa issho ni Kabuki o mimasen ka.) |
| TAKEYA: Wednesday, shall we go to see Kabuki together? |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : そうですね。水曜日も用事があります。(Sō desu ne. Sui-yōbi mo yōji ga arimasu.) |
| NATSUKO: Umm, Wednesday, too. I have a little business to attend to. |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 木曜日は一緒に台湾料理を食べませんか。(Moku-yōbi wa issho ni Taiwan ryōri o tabemasen ka.) |
| TAKEYA: Thursday, shall we eat Taiwanese food together? |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : 木曜日はちょっと忙しいですね。ちょっと用事があります。(Moku-yōbi wa chotto isogashii desu ne. Chotto yōji ga arimasu.) |
| NATSUKO: I'm a little busy Thursday. I have a little business to attend to. |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 金曜日は時間がありますか。(Kin-yōbi wa jikan ga arimasu ka.) |
| TAKEYA: Friday, do you have time Friday? |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : また用事です。(Mata yōji desu.) |
| NATSUKO: Business to attend to, again. |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 土曜日は？(Do-yōbi wa?) |
| TAKEYA: Saturday? |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : ちょっとですね。(Chotto desu ne.) |
| NATSUKO: A little… |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 日曜日は？(Nichi-yōbi wa?) |
| TAKEYA: Sunday? |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : 用事です。(Yōji desu.) |
| NATSUKO: Business to attend to. |
| 武也 (Takeya) : 来週、来月、来年は？(Raishū, raigetsu, rainen wa?) |
| TAKEYA: Next week? Next month? Next year? |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : 難しいですね。(Muzukashii desu ne.) |
| NATSUKO: It’s a little difficult. |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : はい。夏子ですけど。今日ですか。(Hai. Natsuko desu kedo. Kyō desu ka?.) |
| NATSUKO: Hi, Natsuko here. Today? |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : 今日は大丈夫です。(Kyō wa daijōbu desu.) |
| NATSUKO: Today is fine. |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : 明日も明後日も明々後日も大丈夫ですよ。(Ashita mo asatte mo shiasatte mo daijōbu desu yo.) |
| NATSUKO: Tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, the day after the day after tomorrow, it’s all OK. |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : 暇です。(Hima desu.) |
| NATSUKO: I’m free. |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : 六時半でいいですよ。(Roku-ji han de ii desu yo.) |
| NATSUKO: 6:30. |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : じゃ、また後で。(Ja, mata ato de.) |
| NATSUKO: OK, see you later. |
| 武也 (Takeya) : えー！用事は！？((Ē! Yōji wa!?) |
| TAKEYA: Hah? What about your business? |
| 夏子 (Natsuko) : これが私の用事です。(Kore ga watashi no yōji desu.) |
| NATSUKO: That is my business to attend to. |
| VOCAB AND PHRASE USAGE |
| Peter: Okay, Natsuko. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: Let’s get into some vocabulary. |
| Natsuko: All right. |
| Peter: So what do we have first on the agenda? |
| Natsuko: Oh this is an important word. 用事 (yōji) |
| Peter: And what does this mean? |
| Natsuko: Business to attend to or something to do. |
| Peter: Okay, break it down. |
| Natsuko: (slow)ようじ (yōji) |
| Peter: And one time fast. |
| Natsuko: 用事 (yōji) |
| Peter: Now for everybody out there, this is one word you want to remember. This word is so versatile for getting out of sticky situations. |
| Natsuko: I guess so. |
| Peter: Oh Natsuko, we know so. Okay, let’s give you a little bit of background about this word. It means, one more time, Natsuko. |
| Natsuko: Business to attend to or more generally like something to do. |
| Peter: Yeah, something to do. Now when speaking Japanese, some people tend to be very vague. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: What’s the word for vague? |
| Natsuko: 曖昧 (aimai) |
| Peter: Break it down. |
| Natsuko: (slow)あいまい (aimai) |
| Peter: And one time fast. |
| Natsuko: 曖昧 (aimai) |
| Peter: Yes, so many people are very 曖昧 (aimai). Now we can’t guarantee you 100% success but it does come in quite handy. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: Now what was the phrase we used? Actually what was the phrase you used to get out of all the situations? |
| Natsuko: 用事があります。(Yōji ga arimasu.) |
| Peter: Have something to do. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: And I don’t know if you picked up on the dialogue but when Natsuko, whenever she used this phrase I have something to do, the person asking never followed up with what are you doing? |
| Natsuko: Right. |
| Peter: Right? |
| Natsuko: Right. Did you notice? |
| Peter: We hope you noticed and if you didn’t, please pay attention because one of the most amazing things is, you can just say to somebody. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: ナツコ、お願いします。(Natsuko, onegai shimasu.) |
| Natsuko: 用事があります。(Yōji ga arimasu.) |
| Peter: And most people will be content with just to know that you have something to do. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: They won’t follow it up. What are you doing? |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: What time? When are you finished? Just kind of oh, okay you have something to do. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: It’s amazing. Oh for me, it’s amazing. |
| Natsuko: Okay. |
| Peter: I especially love to use this at school. |
| Natsuko: How did you use it? |
| Peter: Whenever I need to study at home "I break out the 用事があります (yōji ga arimasu.)" |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: You know, let’s do a few conversations. |
| Natsuko: Okay. |
| Peter: Okay, we are going to give you the Japanese version and then we will give you the extended version of how it might be in the western world. |
| Natsuko: Oh okay. |
| Peter: Okay. |
| Natsuko: Okay. |
| Peter: So Natsuko, you can play the role of the teacher and I will play the role of the student. |
| Natsuko: Okay. |
| Peter: Okay. |
| Natsuko: あ、ピーター、明日の授業は来ますか。(A, Pītā, ashita no jugyō wa kimasu ka.) |
| Peter: 明日はちょっと用事があります。(Ashita wa chotto yōji ga arimasu.) |
| Natsuko: ああ、そうですか。来週は？(Ā, sō desu ka. Raishū wa?) |
| Peter: 来週は大丈夫です。(Raishū wa daijōbu desu.) |
| Natsuko: そうですか、じゃあまた来週。(Sō desu ka, jā mata raishū.) |
| Peter: Okay, so can we run that back, Natsuko? |
| Natsuko: あ、ピーター、明日の授業は来ますか。(A, Pītā, ashita no jugyō wa kimasu ka.) |
| Peter: Peter, will you come to class tomorrow? |
| Natsuko: 明日はちょっと用事があります。(Ashita wa chotto yōji ga arimasu.) |
| Peter: Tomorrow, I have something to do. |
| Natsuko: ああ、そう。来週は？(Ā, sō. Raishū wa?) |
| Peter: I see. What about next week? |
| Natsuko: 来週は大丈夫です。(Raishū wa daijōbu desu.) |
| Peter: Next week is okay. |
| Natsuko: そうですか、じゃあまた来週。(Sō desu ka, jā mata raishū.) |
| Peter: I see. See you next week. Okay, now for some shocking reason, this – I have something to do, kind of works. |
| Natsuko: It did work in this case, yes. |
| Peter: Yeah, normally let’s try the conversation in English. |
| Natsuko: Oh Peter, will you attend the class tomorrow? |
| Peter: Tomorrow I have something to do, professor. |
| Natsuko: Oh, what thing? |
| Peter: Yes. Yes umm… |
| Natsuko: So 用事 (yōji) is kind of a magical word for excuses. |
| Peter: There it is, Natsuko. Magical, this is like you know in monopoly, they get out of jail free. |
| Natsuko: Yes, yes. |
| Peter: It’s kind of like that. |
| Natsuko: Well sometimes, it doesn’t work. Please remind me of that. |
| Peter: Okay, yes, yes. It doesn’t work for every situation but most of them… |
| Natsuko: Yes, right. |
| Peter: Okay, so again this is very, very important. Get out of jail free word. On to the next word, what do we have? |
| Natsuko: 歌舞伎 (kabuki) |
| Peter: Okay, and what’s this? |
| Natsuko: Kabuki, it’s the traditional play in Japan. |
| Peter: Yes. |
| Natsuko: It’s really interesting. |
| Peter: Very interesting. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: Break it down. |
| Natsuko: (slow)かぶき (kabuki) |
| Peter: And one time fast. |
| Natsuko: 歌舞伎 (kabuki) |
| Peter: Good. Next up, what do we have? |
| Natsuko: 来週 (raishū), 来月 (raigetsu), 来年 (rainen). Umm far away. |
| Peter: Yeah, I think タケ (Take) was really trying his best. |
| Natsuko: I feel sorry for him. |
| Peter: You know, that’s one line I never used. |
| Natsuko: What? |
| Peter: Next week, next month, next year. |
| Natsuko: Right. Normally people don't ask that way. |
| Peter: But that was classic, classic. Okay, now can you give it to us one more time? Please notice something similar about all these words. Okay. |
| Natsuko: 来週、来月、来年 (raishū, raigetsu, rainen) |
| Peter: Next week, next month and next year. It’s the same principle in English. We take “next” and put it in front of “week.” |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: Month or year. It’s the same in Japanese. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: And what is that prefix we use? |
| Natsuko: 来 (rai) |
| Peter: Break it down. |
| Natsuko: (slow)らい (rai) |
| Peter: And one time fast. |
| Natsuko: 来 (rai) |
| Peter: Right. Don’t copy my pronunciation. Now that you have these, it’s going to be very, very useful. You can talk about pretty much anything. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: Okay, next up we have. |
| Natsuko: 台湾料理 (Taiwan ryōri) |
| Peter: And this is |
| Natsuko: Taiwanese. |
| Peter: Taiwanese food. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: Break it down. |
| Natsuko: (slow)たいわんりょうり (Taiwan ryōri) |
| Peter: And one time fast. |
| Natsuko: 台湾料理 (Taiwan ryōri) |
Lesson focus |
|---|
| Peter: Okay, and last we have today’s point which is |
| Natsuko: 時間があります (jikan ga arimasu) |
| Peter: Okay, and this is |
| Natsuko: Have time. |
| Peter: Yes, so in the dialogue we said. |
| Natsuko: 時間がありますか。(Jikan ga arimasu ka.) |
| Peter: Which is |
| Natsuko: Do you have time? |
| Peter: Yes, and this is a very, very polite and a very, very nice way to ask someone if they are free. |
| Natsuko: Oh yes. |
| Peter: You know we have another way which is |
| Natsuko: 暇ですか。(Hima desu ka.) |
| Peter: 時間がありますか。(Jikan ga arimasu ka.) It’s a little, umm more sophisticated it seems. |
| Natsuko: Yes, yes, yes, right. |
| Peter: Right? |
| Natsuko: Right. |
| Peter: It kind of hedges your bets. Oh I really wasn’t asking if you were free. I was just asking if you have time. |
| Natsuko: Yes, oh I see. |
| Peter: Or you know, it could be dangerous. Your boss could ask 時間がありますか (jikan ga arimasu ka) and so not whether you are free or not but whether you’d be working on Saturday? |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: So this one is something you definitely want to try out. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: Now before we go, there is one more point that we want to look at. Now as the dialogue started to flow, you used a very unique sentence and the sentence was ちょっとですね。(Chotto desu ne.) |
| Natsuko: Oh yes. |
| Peter: And if we are going to make this into English, it would be it’s a little bit, which is kind of hard to get the nuance. |
| Natsuko: I see. |
| Peter: But in the conversation, it was clear that it was your way of refusing or turning down something. |
| Natsuko: Yes, yes. |
| Peter: Now can you tell us a little bit about this? |
| Natsuko: Okay, well the literal meaning of ちょっと (chotto) is little but in this context, it’s used as a way to soften the refusal. |
| Peter: Yes, letting them down is easy. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: And remember, it’s the context. You know if someone offers you some food and you say ちょっと (chotto) it’s not a refusal. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: You are going to get a little bit of it. |
| Natsuko: Yes, yes, right. |
| Peter: But in this context, it’s combined with 用事 (yōji) and あります (arimasu) or we had another one ちょっと忙しい (chotto isogashii) |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: It means a little bit and rather than refusing someone directly… |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: I am busy, say well, I am a little busy. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: And the nuance of I am not free now is understood. It softens it and it makes it much, much politer. |
| Natsuko: Right. |
Outro |
| Peter: Okay, that’s going to do it. |
| Natsuko: Okay. また明日ね。(Mata ashita ne.) |
| Peter: See you tomorrow. |
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