Learn about the -te form of verbs
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| INTRODUCTION |
| Natsuko: おはよう、セントルイス。ナツコです。(Ohayō, Sento Ruisu. Natsuko desu.) |
| Yoshi: おはよう、セントルイス。ヨシです。(Ohayō, Sento Ruisu. Yoshi desu.) |
| Peter: Peter here. Beginner lesson #82. All right, the day has come. We are about to embark on one of the most important constructions in Japanese. Natsuko-san, what construction are we talking about? |
| Natsuko: It’s the te-form, right? |
| Peter: That’s it. Now this construction will enable you to do so much more. Take short sentences, turn them into huge, long run-on sentences, abuse the grammar but the point is that this will be one of the key turning points in your quest to master Japanese. All right, here we go. |
| DIALOGUE |
| よし (Yoshi) : あの新しいロボットはすごいですよ。(Ano atarashii robotto wa sugoi desu yo.） |
| たけ (Take) : どのロボットですか。(Dono robotto desu ka.) |
| よし (Yoshi) : これです。これです。見てください。(Kore desu. Kore desu. Mite kudasai.) |
| たけ (Take) : これですか。どこがすごいんですか。(Kore desu ka. Doko ga sugoi n desu ka.) |
| よし (Yoshi) : このロボットは言葉で命令することができます。(Kono robotto wa kotoba de meirei suru koto ga dekimasu.) |
| たけ (Take) : へー。(Hē.) |
| よし (Yoshi) : 行きますよ。まっすぐ行って、あのゴミを拾って、あのゴミ箱に入れてください。(Ikimasu yo. Massugu itte, ano gomi o hirotte, ano gomibako ni irete kudasai.) |
| ロボット (Robotto) : かしこまりました。完了しました。(Kashikomarimashita. Kanryō shimashita.) |
| たけ: すごいですね！(Sugoi desu ne!) |
| よし (Yoshi) : でしょう。(Deshō.) |
| たけ (Take) : 僕の宿題もできるでしょうか。(Boku no shukudai mo dekiru deshō ka.) |
| 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.) |
| よし (Yoshi) : あの新しいロボットはすごいですよ。(Ano atarashii robotto wa sugoi desu yo.） |
| たけ (Take) : どのロボットですか。(Dono robotto desu ka.) |
| よし (Yoshi) : これです。これです。見てください。(Kore desu. Kore desu. Mite kudasai.) |
| たけ (Take) : これですか。どこがすごいんですか。(Kore desu ka. Doko ga sugoi n desu ka.) |
| よし (Yoshi) : このロボットは言葉で命令することができます。(Kono robotto wa kotoba de meirei suru koto ga dekimasu.) |
| たけ (Take) : へー。(Hē.) |
| よし (Yoshi) : 行きますよ。まっすぐ行って、あのゴミを拾って、あのゴミ箱に入れてください。(Ikimasu yo. Massugu itte, ano gomi o hirotte, ano gomibako ni irete kudasai.) |
| ロボット (Robotto) : かしこまりました。完了しました。(Kashikomarimashita. Kanryō shimashita.) |
| たけ: すごいですね！(Sugoi desu ne!) |
| よし (Yoshi) : でしょう。(Deshō.) |
| たけ (Take) : 僕の宿題もできるでしょうか。(Boku no shukudai mo dekiru deshō ka.) |
| Yoshi: 次は、英語が入ります。(Tsugi wa, Eigo ga hairimasu.) |
| よし (Yoshi) : あの新しいロボットはすごいですよ。(Ano atarashii robotto wa sugoi desu yo.) |
| YOSHI: This new robot is amazing. |
| たけ (Take) : どのロボットですか。(Dono robotto desu ka.) |
| TAKE: What robot? |
| よし (Yoshi) : これです。これです。見てください。(Kore desu. Kore desu. Mite kudasai.) |
| YOSHI: This one, this one, please look. |
| たけ (Take) : これですか。どこがすごいんですか。(Kore desu ka. Doko ga sugoi n desu ka.) |
| TAKE: This one? What's amazing about this one? |
| よし (Yoshi) : このロボットは言葉で命令することができます。(Kono robotto wa kotoba de meirei suru koto ga dekimasu.) |
| YOSHI: You can command this robot with your voice! |
| たけ (Take) : へー。(Hē.) |
| TAKE: Woahhhh. |
| よし (Yoshi) : 行きますよ。(Ikimasu yo.) |
| YOSHI: Here I go! |
| よし (Yoshi) : まっすぐ行って、あのゴミを拾って、あのゴミ箱に入れてください。(Massugu itte, ano gomi o hirotte, ano gomibako ni irete kudasai.) |
| YOSHI: Please go straight, pick up that trash, and put it in that trash can over there. |
| ロボット (Robotto) : かしこまりました。完了しました。(Kashikomarimashita. Kanryō shimashita.) |
| ROBOT: Understood. Finished. |
| たけ (Take) : すごいですね！(Sugoi desu ne!) |
| TAKE: Amazing! |
| よし (Yoshi) : でしょう。(Deshō.) |
| YOSHI: Right? |
| たけ (Take) : 僕の宿題もできるでしょうか。(Boku no shukudai mo dekiru deshō ka.) |
| TAKE: It can do my homework too, right? |
| POST CONVERSATION BANTER |
| Natsuko: It was a great conversation. |
| Peter: You liked it? |
| Natsuko: Yes, I did. |
| Peter: Now more than what we liked in this conversation was in the informal conversation. |
| Natsuko: Right. It was great. |
| Peter: Now for everybody out there who is listening on iTunes and listening to the podcast catchers, what we give you here is the formal version and sometimes we have to twist this a bit and kind of make it so it’s polite Japanese. Now what we have on the site, in according to situations, because we can’t use informal Japanese in every situation but this is two friends talking. We actually have an informal conversation and in the informal conversation, we usually change just a little bit. You know, it gives us more freedom. |
| Natsuko: Yeah. |
| Peter: More creative freedom. So all the stuff we used to find in the wild lessons is we are going to start to find in informal tracks. So you definitely want to stop by and check that out. Again just come to the home page or there is just one click, you get the informal conversation right there, like click the link, download it. Play it on whatever media you want. |
| VOCAB AND PHRASE USAGE |
| Peter: All right, Yoshi-san, you got to stop me when I do this like let’s get into the vocab. First word. |
| Yoshi: 最初のキーワードは、ロボット (Saisho no kīwādo wa, robotto) |
| Peter: Robot. |
| Yoshi: (slow)ロボット (robotto) (natural speed) ロボット (robotto) |
| Peter: Natsuko-san, what’s the most famous humanoid robot in the world? |
| Natsuko: アシモ (Ashimo) |
| Peter: And I believe the English pronunciation would be ASIMO. Now it’s actually ASIMO which stands for Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility. Now give us the Japanese one more time? |
| Natsuko: アシモ (Ashimo) |
| Peter: What does this mean? |
| Natsuko: 足も (ashi mo), legs also? |
| Peter: Yeah, legs also. So it’s kind of a catchy name that means both things. It has an acronym in English and it also has meaning in Japanese. |
| Natsuko: Yes, he is famous for running. |
| Peter: Yeah, recently he is getting to be able to do some – look, we are calling him he. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: Recently.. |
| Natsuko: Or maybe she..? |
| Peter: Good point, Natsuko-san. |
| Natsuko: I believe it’s “he,” but I am not sure. |
| Peter: Oh, I think it was “she.” She can not only walk but talk also. I think that’s why it is still a he. |
| Natsuko: I see. |
| Peter: Oh, but we were right. We were right. Just keep on going. So again, robot. Now Natsuko-san, do you have anything else you want to add about Robots? |
| Natsuko: I think some people know the famous Japanese character, Doraemon. |
| Peter: Doraemon and for those that don’t, Yoshi-san, what are you laughing about? |
| Yoshi: I like your pronunciation. |
| Natsuko: Doraemon. |
| Peter: Yeah, so after all it is your language. So you have the right to laugh and make fun. Is that it, Natsuko-san? |
| Natsuko: ドラえもんは猫型ロボットです。(Doraemon wa nekogata robotto desu.) |
| Peter: Yoshi-san, English お願いします (onegai shimasu). |
| Yoshi: Doraemon is not a humanoid robot but it’s a cat type robot. |
| Peter: Feline – Feline |
| Natsuko: Feline. Umm… |
| Peter: Feline line. A cat class robot. |
| Yoshi: Yes. |
| Natsuko: He doesn’t look like so, but actually he is. |
| Peter: He is a robot? |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: Something new we learned today. Okay, let’s get on to the next word. |
| Natsuko: 次のキーワードは、言葉 (Tsugi no kīwādo wa, kotoba) |
| Peter: Word. |
| Natsuko: (slow)ことば (kotoba) (natural speed) 言葉 (kotoba) |
| Peter: Now the first character in this word means |
| Natsuko: To say |
| Peter: And the second character means |
| Yoshi: Leaf. |
| Peter: The little leaves are the words that make up the language. Say leaf. The leaves are the little words that make up the language. Okay, what’s next? |
| Yoshi: 次のキーワードは、命令 (Tsugi no kīwādo wa, meirei) |
| Peter: Order. |
| Yoshi: (slow)めいれい (meirei) (natural speed) 命令 (meirei) |
| Peter: Now how do we turn this into a verb? |
| Yoshi: You add する (suru). |
| Peter: Yes, the almighty する (suru). So many words can be made into verbs just by adding this and again, this is one. |
| Yoshi: 命令する (meirei suru) |
| Peter: Next we have |
| Natsuko: 次のキーワードは、拾う (Tsugi no kīwādo wa, hirō) |
| Peter: Pick up and as in English, this has many, many meanings. We are going to go through some right now but first, Natsuko, お願いします (onegai shimasu). |
| Natsuko: (slow)ひろう (hirō) (natural speed) 拾う (hirō) |
| Peter: Okay. ヨシさん、例、お願いします。(Yoshi-san, rei, onegai shimasu.) |
| Yoshi: ゴミを拾う。(Gomi o hirō.) |
| Peter: Pick up garbage. |
| Natsuko: タクシーを拾う。(Takushī o hirō.) |
| Peter: Pick up a taxi. Now this is one we don’t even have in English. Pick up a taxi. We say, grab a taxi. |
| Natsuko: Oh really? |
| Peter: Or get a taxi but pick up, one more time, give us this expression. |
| Natsuko: タクシーを拾う。(Takushī o hirō.) |
| Peter: To tell you the truth, I am learning this today for the first time. |
| Natsuko: Oh really? |
| Peter: Yes. So how can we say let’s pick up a taxi? |
| Natsuko: タクシーを拾おうよ。(Takushī o hiroō yo.) |
| Peter: Again that’s the informal when speaking among friends. The polite way would be |
| Natsuko: タクシーを拾いましょう。(Takushī o hiroimashō.) |
| Peter: So if you are in a business meeting and you just leave the meeting, you would want to say to everyone in the meeting. |
| Natsuko: タクシーを拾いましょう。(Takushī o hiroimashō.) |
| Peter: And if you just finished dinner with some friends and you are looking for a taxi, you would say |
| Natsuko: タクシー、拾おうよ。(Takushī, hiroō yo.) |
| Peter: Yes. And next we have. |
| Yoshi: 人を拾う。(Hito o hirō.) |
| Peter: Pick someone up. Now this is often used in the same way as in English. I will pick you up and usually it doesn’t mean I will walk by and meet you. It means you have a car and you will go to get them. So Yoshi-san, how can we say, I will pick you up in the car at 7? |
| Yoshi: 車で７時に拾います。(Kuruma de shichi-ji ni hiroimasu.) |
| Peter: Okay, car is marked by the particle |
| Yoshi: で (de) |
| Peter: Time is marked by the particle |
| Yoshi: に (ni) |
| Peter: Okay, next we have |
| Yoshi: 次のキーワードは、箱 (Tsugi no kīwādo wa, hako) |
| Peter: Box. |
| Yoshi: (slow)はこ (hako) (natural speed) 箱 (hako) |
| Peter: ナツコさん、例をお願いします。(Natsuko-san, rei o onegai shimasu.) |
| Natsuko: 郵便箱 (yūbinbako) |
| Peter: Mailbox. |
| Yoshi: 郵便物を郵便箱に入れます。(Yūbinbutsu o yūbinbako ni iremasu.) |
| Peter: To put a mail parcel in the mailbox. |
| Natsuko: ゴミ箱 (gomibako) |
| Peter: Garbage pail, trashcan. Next. |
| Natsuko: 次のキーワードは、宿題 (Tsugi no kīwādo wa, shukudai) |
| Peter: Homework. |
| Natsuko: (slow)しゅくだい (shukudai) (natural speed) 宿題 (shukudai) |
| Peter: My favorite expression is 宿題がありません (shukudai ga arimasen), no homework. What do we have next? |
| Yoshi: 次のキーワードは、完了 (Tsugi no kīwādo wa, kanryō) |
| Peter: Completion. |
| Yoshi: (slow)かんりょう (kanryō) (natural speed) 完了 (kanryō) |
| Peter: And how do we turn this into a verb? |
| Yoshi: 完了する (kanryō suru) |
| Peter: The almighty する (suru), back to turn another noun into a verb. Now Yoshi-san, give us that voice one more time. Give us the robot voice that everybody loves. How did you do that? |
| Yoshi: I turned into a robot. カンリョウシマシタ。(Kanryō shimashita.) |
| Natsuko: Wow. |
Lesson focus |
|---|
| Peter: Now that’s good. All right, let’s move on to today’s grammar point. |
| Natsuko: 今日のグラマーポイントは、て。(Kyō no guramā pointo wa, te) |
| Peter: Now forming the te-form of certain class 1 verbs and class 2 verbs. Now class 2 verbs are favorite and the reason they are favorite is because they are so easy to conjugate. Natsuko-san, how do we make the te-form of class 2 verbs? |
| Natsuko: Drop the る (ru) and add て (te) |
| Peter: To the masu-stem. That’s it. So for to eat, which is |
| Natsuko: 食べる (taberu) |
| Peter: To make the te-form |
| Natsuko: 食べて (tabete) |
| Peter: Drop the る (ru) and add て (te), that’s it. So simple. That’s why they are our favorite. Now, class 1 when it comes to the て (te) conjugation, we have to watch our step a bit because there are some exceptions, there are some rules we have to watch. Now class 1 verbs that end in う (u), つ (tsu) ,る (ru) and the verb いく (iku) are all conjugated by replacing the final hiragana character with |
| Natsuko: て (te) |
| Peter: Now, you got “to watch out.” There is a ちっちゃい「つ」(chitchai “tsu”) in there. |
| Natsuko: Right. |
| Peter: So for example, what’s the verb to buy? |
| Yoshi: 買う (kau) |
| Peter: The final hiragana is う (u). So as we said, we conjugate by dropping う(u) and adding |
| Natsuko: って (tte) |
| Peter: So Yoshi-san, give us the plain form. |
| Yoshi: 買う (kau) |
| Peter: Te-form |
| Natsuko: 買って (katte) |
| Peter: つ (tsu) ending, 勝つ (katsu) to win. |
| Yoshi: 勝つ (katsu) |
| Natsuko: 勝って (katte) |
| Peter: And a verb ending in る (ru)? What is the one we definitely need to know? |
| Yoshi: ある (aru) |
| Natsuko:あって (atte) |
| Peter: Ok, more in the PDF coming up on this, you definitely want to get today’s PDF, you don’t want to miss this because we’ll have a further breakdown and yes, this week we’ll continue on with the て (te) conjugation. |
Outro |
| Peter: All right, that’s gonna do it for today. |
| Natsuko:また明日ね。(Mata ashita ne.) |
| Yoshi: またね。(Mata ne.) |
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