Learn about expressing comparative
Now Playing: Lesson Audio
Get a breakdown of the dialogue and translations instantly with the Premium line-by-line Audio. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Get this lesson’s key vocab, their translations and pronunciations. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Unlock Lesson Notes and Transcripts for every single lesson. Sign Up for a Free Lifetime Account and Get 7 Days of Premium Access.
| INTRODUCTION |
| Yoshi: おはよう、オハイオ。ヨシです。(Ohayō, Ohaio. Yoshi desu.) |
| Jun: おはよう、オハイオ。ジュンです。(Ohayō, Ohaio. Jun desu.) |
| Peter: Peter here. All right, today is the first time we have Jun-san and Yoshi-san joining us for an episode. Welcome to the show guys. |
| Yoshi: Thank you. |
| Jun: よろしく。(Yoroshiku.) |
| Peter: ジュンさん、今日元気ですか。(Jun-san, kyō genki desu ka.) |
| Jun: 今日は本当に元気です。ヨシさんは？(Kyō wa hontō ni genki desu. Yoshi-san wa?) |
| Yoshi: 皆よりもっと元気です。ピーターさんは元気ですか。(Minna yori motto genki desu. Pītā-san wa genki desu ka.) |
| Peter: 私はヨシさんより元気ですよ。(Watashi wa Yoshi-san yori genki desu yo.) Very nice Yoshi-san. Reinforcing this week’s point. Yes, again today, we are talking about comparatives, comparatives and more comparatives. Yes, we can ask a good looking question. So Yoshi-san, how can we ask who is the best looking out of us three? |
| Yoshi: ３人の中で一番かっこいいのは誰ですか。(San-nin no naka de ichi-ban kakkoii no wa dare desu ka.) |
| Peter: It’s a good question. ジュンさん、答えお願いします。(Jun-san, kotae onegai shimasu.) |
| Jun: 一番かっこいいのはジュンです。(Ichi-ban kakkoii no wa Jun desu.) |
| Peter: ヨシさん、お願いします、答えお願いします。(Yoshi-san, onegai shimasu, kotae onegai shimasu.) |
| Yoshi: 一番かっこいいのはヨシです。ピーターさんはどう思いますか。(Ichi-ban kakkoii no wa Yoshi desu. Pītā-san wa dō omoimasu ka.) |
| Peter: Well Jun thinks he is the best looking. Yoshi thinks he is the best looking. I think it’s a tie between the both of you because you are both good looking. Okay, today’s lesson, here we go. |
| DIALOGUE |
| 先生 (sensei) : はい、皆さん、今日は地理の問題です。(Hai, mina-san, kyō wa chiri no mondai desu.) |
| 東京の一番高いビルは何ですか。(Tōkyō no ichi-ban takai biru wa nan desu ka.) |
| 生徒 (seito) : 新宿にある東京都庁です。(Shinjuku ni aru Tōkyō Tochō desu.) |
| 先生 (sensei) : いいえ、違います。東京タワーの方が高いです。(Iie, chigaimasu. Tōkyō Tawā no hō ga takai desu.) |
| 生徒 (seito) : えっ、しかし・・・(E, shikashi…) |
| 先生 (sensei) : フランスのエッフェル塔より９メートルも高いです。(Furansu no Efferu tō yori kyū-mētoru mo takai desu.) |
| 生徒 (seito) : しかし・・・(Shikashi…) |
| 先生 (sensei) : 更にエッフェル塔より軽いです。(Sara ni Efferu tō yori karui desu.) |
| 生徒 (seito) : しかし、東京タワーはビルではありません。(Shikashi, Tōkyō Tawā wa biru de wa arimasen.) |
| 先生 (sensei) : ええ・・・(Ee…) |
| 生徒 (seito) : 東京タワーは建物ですよ。(Tōkyō Tawā wa tatemono desu yo.) |
| 先生 (sensei) : 鋭いですね。先生は君たちを試したんだ。ハハハ。これで授業を終わります。(Surudoi desu ne. Sensei wa kimi-tachi o tameshita n da. Hahaha. Kore de jugyō o owarimasu.) |
| 生徒 (seito) : でも、まだ三十分ありますよ。(Demo, mada san-juppun arimasu yo.) |
| Yoshi: 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.) |
| 先生 (sensei) : はい、皆さん、今日は地理の問題です。(Hai, mina-san, kyō wa chiri no mondai desu.) |
| 東京の一番高いビルは何ですか。(Tōkyō no ichi-ban takai biru wa nan desu ka.) |
| 生徒 (seito) : 新宿にある東京都庁です。(Shinjuku ni aru Tōkyō Tochō desu.) |
| 先生 (sensei) : いいえ、違います。東京タワーの方が高いです。(Iie, chigaimasu. Tōkyō Tawā no hō ga takai desu.) |
| 生徒 (seito) : えっ、しかし・・・(E, shikashi…) |
| 先生 (sensei) : フランスのエッフェル塔より９メートルも高いです。(Furansu no Efferu tō yori kyū-mētoru mo takai desu.) |
| 生徒 (seito) : しかし・・・(Shikashi…) |
| 先生 (sensei) : 更にエッフェル塔より軽いです。(Sara ni Efferu tō yori karui desu.) |
| 生徒 (seito) : しかし、東京タワーはビルではありません。(Shikashi, Tōkyō Tawā wa biru de wa arimasen.) |
| 先生 (sensei) : ええ・・・(Ee…) |
| 生徒 (seito) : 東京タワーは建物ですよ。(Tōkyō Tawā wa tatemono desu yo.) |
| 先生 (sensei) : 鋭いですね。先生は君たちを試したんだ。ハハハ。これで授業を終わります。(Surudoi desu ne. Sensei wa kimi-tachi o tameshita n da. Hahaha. Kore de jugyō o owarimasu.) |
| 生徒 (seito) : でも、まだ三十分ありますよ。(Demo, mada san-juppun arimasu yo.) |
| Yoshi: 次はピーターさんの英語が入ります。(Tsugi wa Pītā-san no Eigo ga hairimasu.) |
| 先生 (sensei) : はい、皆さん、今日は地理の問題です。(Hai, mina-san, kyō wa chiri no mondai desu.) |
| PROFESSOR: Okay class, today's geography question. |
| 先生 (sensei) : 東京の一番高いビルは何ですか。(Tōkyō no ichi-ban takai biru wa nan desu ka.) |
| PROFESSOR: What is the tallest building in Tokyo? |
| 生徒 (seito) : 新宿にある東京都庁です。(Shinjuku ni aru Tōkyō Tochō desu.) |
| STUDENT: Shinjuku's Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. |
| 先生 (sensei) : いいえ、違います。(Iie, chigaimasu.) |
| PROFESSOR: No, you're wrong. |
| 先生 (sensei) : 東京タワーの方が高いです。(Tōkyō Tawā no hō ga takai desu.) |
| PROFESSOR: Tokyo Tower is taller. |
| 生徒 (seito) : えっ、しかし・・・(E, shikashi…) |
| STUDENT: But... |
| 先生 (sensei) : フランスのエッフェル塔より９メートルも高いです。(Furansu no Efferu tō yori kyū-mētoru mo takai desu.) |
| PROFESSOR: It is 9 meters taller than France's Eiffel Tower. |
| 生徒 (seito) : しかし・・・(Shikashi…) |
| STUDENT: But... |
| 先生 (sensei) : 更にエッフェル塔より軽いです。(Sara ni Efferu tō yori karui desu.) |
| PROFESSOR: Furthermore, it is lighter than the Eiffel Tower. |
| 生徒 (seito) : しかし、東京タワーはビルではありません。(Shikashi, Tōkyō Tawā wa biru de wa arimasen.) |
| STUDENT: But, Tokyo Tower is not a building. |
| 先生 (sensei) : ええ・・・(Ee…) |
| PROFESSOR: Huh? |
| 生徒 (seito) : 東京タワーは建物ですよ。(Tōkyō Tawā wa tatemono desu yo.) |
| STUDENT: Tokyo Tower is a structure. |
| 先生 (sensei) : 鋭いですね。(Surudoi desu ne.) |
| PROFESSOR: You're sharp, aren't you. |
| 先生 (sensei) : 先生は君たちを試したんだ。ハハハ。(Sensei wa kimi-tachi o tameshita n da. Hahaha.) |
| PROFESSOR: I was just testing you. Ha, ha, ha. |
| 先生 (sensei) : これで授業を終わります。(Kore de jugyō o owarimasu.) |
| PROFESSOR: Okay, class dismissed. |
| 生徒 (seito) : でも、まだ三十分ありますよ。(Demo, mada san-juppun arimasu yo.) |
| STUDENT: But, there is still 30 minutes left. |
| VOCAB AND PHRASE USAGE |
| Peter:Okay, back with vocab again and well, it pretty much looks like we are going to have to start doing introductions for vocab too because the vocab members change daily too. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: ナツコさん、よろしくお願いします。(Natsuko-san, yoroshiku onegai shimasu.) |
| Natsuko: よろしくお願いします。(Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.) |
| Peter: And Yoshi-san is here with us. |
| Yoshi: よろしくお願いします。(Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.) |
| Peter: Yes, its musical chairs for the vocab sections. It adds a little bit of spontaneity to it. Okay, first word, |
| Natsuko: 地理 (chiri) |
| Peter: Geography. |
| Natsuko: (slow)ちり (chiri) (natural speed)地理 (chiri) |
| Peter: And this word is made up of two characters and the first character is |
| Natsuko: 地 (chi) |
| Peter: Land, and the second character is |
| Natsuko: 理 (ri) |
| Peter: And this is logic. So logic of land, geography. Wow it’s been a while to sit on geography but through japanesepod101.com, this week my geographic knowledge of Japan has increased tenfold. Very, very interesting. Anybody out there, hello guys. |
| Yoshi: Hello. |
| Peter: Okay, next. |
| Natsuko: ビル (biru) |
| Peter: Building. |
| Natsuko: (slow)びる (biru) (natural speed)ビル (biru) |
| Peter: Now don’t confuse this with another word, which is, Yoshi-san |
| Yoshi: ビール (bīru) |
| Peter: Beer. Break it down. |
| Yoshi: (slow)びーる (bīru) (natural speed)ビール (bīru) |
| Peter: Now building has a short vowel while beer has the long vowel. Very easy to confuse, right Natsuko-san? |
| Natsuko: Yes, watch out the context. |
| Peter: Okay, yes. No one is going to order a building but yes. It’s nice to know. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: But I guess it could be confused like if someone’s – okay any way, next word. |
| Natsuko: 東京都庁 (Tōkyō Tochō) |
| Peter: Tokyo metropolitan government building. |
| Natsuko: (slow)とうきょうとちょう (Tōkyō Tochō) (natural speed)東京都庁 (Tōkyō Tochō) |
| Peter: Now this actually has a proper name. What’s the proper name? |
| Natsuko: 東京都庁舎 (Tōkyō Tochōsha) |
| Peter: But it is well known and commonly accepted that if you say it to someone, the first word that Natsuko-san gave us, which was |
| Natsuko: 東京都庁 (Tōkyō Tochō) |
| Peter: This is the well known name for this building. |
| Natsuko: Or maybe just 都庁 (Tochō). |
| Peter: Yes again abbreviations. Chop it down, chop it down, chop it down. Now this is the biggest building in Tokyo and they also have a free observation deck. Have you been there, Natsuko-san? |
| Natsuko: Yes, I think I went there once. |
| Peter: I believe it is the 61st floor, correct? |
| Natsuko: I am not sure. |
| Peter: Me either. Yoshi-san? |
| Yoshi: I haven’t been there. |
| Peter: We should go together. I will bring my wife. We will tell her we paid a lot of money but yeah it’s free. So highly recommended for dates. |
| Yoshi: Could you tell her to bring her friend? |
| Peter: Yoshi! |
| Yoshi: Please. |
| Peter: All right way off track here but yes this building and I heard you can see Mt. Fuji, Fuji-san from this place. |
| Natsuko: Yes, when you are lucky and the sky is clear. |
| Peter: Yeah, so clear sky. So if it’s on a clear day, you are in |
| Natsuko: 新宿 (Shinjuku) |
| Peter: You can stop by and check out this building. |
Lesson focus |
|---|
| Peter: Okay, Yoshi-san, what’s today’s grammar point? |
| Yoshi: の方が (no hō ga) |
| Peter: Now this grammatical structure can have two meanings. One is for recommending someone to do something but we are not focusing on that here. What we are focusing on is actually |
| Yoshi: 何々のほうが何々より (nani nani no hō ga nani nani yori) |
| Peter: And this is used as comparative. Now when we have nouns, what do we add in front of 方が (hō ga)? We have noun |
| Yoshi: の方が (no hō ga) |
| Peter: Now what did we have in the dialogue? |
| Yoshi: 東京タワーの方が高いです。(Tōkyō Tawā no hō ga takai desu.) |
| Peter: We left out… |
| Yoshi: エッフェル塔より (Efferu tō yori) |
| Peter: Often when you are talking, you can drop this last part out because it’s known. It’s known what you are comparing it to and this is one of the key points about using this expression |
| Yoshi: の方が何々より (no hō ga nan nan yori) |
| Peter: When using this construction, the topic should be generally known. So if you just come out and say something using this construction, it sounds a bit strange. Once the topic is known, for example in the dialogue, it’s known we are talking about the Eiffel tower and Tokyo tower, so therefore we use this construction 方が (hō ga). Yesterday and the day before, we used AはBより (A wa B yori). Once the general topic is known, we can use 方が (hō ga) but if the topic is not known, one should stick to using はより (wa yori) until the topic is established and then the switch is apparent. Again also when using 方がBより (hō ga B yori) usually can be left out and the sentence gets shortened. Okay, let’s try an example. |
| Yoshi: ピーターさん、身長は何センチですか。(Pītā-san, shinchō wa nan-senchi desu ka.) |
| Peter: 185センチです。(Hyaku hachi-jū go-senchi desu.) |
| Yoshi: じゃあ、ピーターさんの方が私より背が高いですね。(Jā, Pītā-san no hō ga watashi yori se ga takai desu ne.) |
| Peter: そうですね。(Sō desu ne.) Yoshi, can you read that conversation back one more time? |
| Yoshi: ピーターさん、身長は何センチですか。(Pītā-san, shinchō wa nan-senchi desu ka.) |
| Peter: Peter, how many centimeters tall are you? |
| Yoshi: 185センチです。(Hyaku hachi-jū go-senchi desu.) |
| Peter: 185 centimeters. |
| Yoshi: じゃあ、ピーターさんの方が私より背が高いですね。(Jā, Pītā-san no hō ga watashi yori se ga takai desu ne.) |
| Peter: Peter is taller than me and the last sentence can also be said as |
| Yoshi: ピーターさんの方が背が高いですね。(Pītā-san no hō ga se ga takai desu ne.) |
| Peter: Peter is taller. Again this expression is used when comparing two things. |
Outro |
| Peter: For more on this grammar construction plus other supplemental material, stop by japanesepod101.com. Again in the learning center, we have questions to reinforce what you learned here. Stop by, say hi and leave us a post. |
| Yoshi: またね。(Mata ne.) |
| Peter: See you tomorrow. |
Get complete breakdowns, review with quizzes and download printable practice sheets! Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Comments
Hide