Vocabulary (Review)

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Lesson Transcript

Let's look at some examples.
Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers.
げんきですか。 (Genki desu ka.)
はい、げんきです。 (Hai, genki desu.)
げんきですか。 (Genki desu ka.)
はい、げんきです。 (Hai, genki desu.)
リーさん、げんきですか。 (Rī-san, genki desu ka.)
まあまあです。 (Māmā desu.)
リーさん、げんきですか。 (Rī-san, genki desu ka.)
まあまあです。 (Māmā desu.)
げんき？ (Genki?)
げんき。 (Genki.)
げんき？ (Genki?)
げんき。 (Genki.)
げんきですか。 (Genki desu ka.)
げんきです。リーさんは? (Genki desu. Rī-san wa?)
げんきですか。 (Genki desu ka.)
げんきです。リーさんは? (Genki desu. Rī-san wa?)
Did you notice how I added,
リーさんは? (Rī-san wa?)
げんきです。リーさんは? (Genki desu. Rī-san wa?)
I'm fine. And you?
リーさんは? (Rī-san wa?) "And you?" リーさんは?
First is Mark's family name in Japanese. リー (Rī). リー. リー.
After this is さん (san), a polite suffix attached to a person's name. さ-ん. さん.
It can be used with any gender. In Mark's case, it translates as "Mr."
Together, リーさん. Mr. Lee. リーさん.
Note, the suffix さん can be used with any gender, so in the case of Karen Lee, リーさん translates as Ms. Lee. Remember this point. You'll need it later.
Finally, は the topic-marking particle. は。
Think of it like "as for" in the expression "as for you."
Together, it's リーさんは? (Rī-san wa?) This literally means "as for Mr. Lee?" but it translates as "And you?" リーさんは?
Notice Mr. Lee's name is used instead of the word "you." In Japanese, it's more common to address a person by their name and polite suffix than directly with "you."
The pattern is {Name} + は?
Note, that this is a shortened form of the sentence, リーさんは げんきですか。which literally means "As for Mr. Lee, well are [you]", but it translates as "How are you, Mr. Lee?"
In the shortened form, げんきですか is omitted as it can be understood from context.

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