Making Plans in Japanese - Learn

Learn to make plans in Japanese

Lesson Transcript

Do you know how to make plans 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 to make plans in Japanese through a quick conversation.

Let's look at the dialogue.

As you listen, pay attention to how they ask about the topic and how the other person responds.

あした、よていがありますか｡

Ashita, yotei ga arimasu ka.

いいえ、あしたはひまですよ｡

lie, ashita wa hima desu yo.

じゃ、わたしのジムでトレーニングをしますか｡

Ja, watashi no jimu de torēningu o shimasu ka.

それはいいですね｡

Sore wa ii desu ne.

よるは、ろっぽんぎでともだちとのみます｡

Yoru wa, roppongi de tomodachi to nomimasu.

いしかわさんも、いっしょにどうですか｡

Ishikawa-san mo, issho ni dō desu ka.

はい、ぜひ｡

Hai, zehi.

Let's break it down.

あした、よていがありますか｡

Ashita, yotei ga arimasu ka.

Do you have plans for tomorrow?

いいえ、あしたはひまですよ｡

lie, ashita wa hima desu yo.

No, I’m free tomorrow.

Next is the sentence we'll be focusing on.

This sentence starts with the phrase, じゃ (Ja), meaning "Well." It's like the "well" in "well, want to do this?"

Next is the phrase, わたしの (watashi no), meaning "my." わたしの (slow version - breakdown by syllable). わたしの.

After this is the word, ジム (jimu), meaning "gym." ジム (slow version - breakdown by syllable). ジム.

Next is the particle, で (de), which is the location-marking particle. This marks the gym as the location for this sentence's verb.

After this is the word, トレーニング (toreeningu), meaning "training." トレーニング (slow version - breakdown by syllable). トレーニング.

Following that is を (o), the object marking particle. It marks that that トレーニング is affected by the verb.

Next is the verb, します (shimasu), meaning "do." します (slow version - breakdown by syllable). します.

Last is the particle, か (ka), which is the question-marking particle. By adding か to します, the meaning becomes more like "shall we do…?"

All together, it's じゃ、わたしのジムでトレーニングをしますか｡ (Ja, watashi no jimu de toreeningu o shimasu ka?).

"Well, shall we train at my gym?"

それはいいですね｡

Sore wa ii desu ne.

That sounds good.

よるは、ろっぽんぎでともだちとのみます｡

Yoru wa, roppongi de tomodachi to nomimasu.

In the evening, I’m drinking with friends in Roppongi.

いしかわさんも、いっしょにどうですか｡

Ishikawa-san mo, issho ni dō desu ka.

How about joining us, Ishikawa?

はい、ぜひ｡

Hai, zehi.

Yes, definitely!

Let's look at the sentence pattern.

This pattern is the structure that all of our examples will follow.

[location] で [Object] を [verb] ([location] de [Object] o [verb])

I will [Verb] [Object] at [Place].

First, let's break it down:

[location] で ([location] de)

で (de) is a particle that indicates the place where an action or activity occurs, and [location] is that place.

[object] を ([object] o)

を (o) is a particle that marks the direct object of the action. This shows what object is being affected by the verb in the sentence.

[verb] ([verb])

Finally, the verb describes the action you will take at the location.

Let’s see how a line from the dialogue follows this pattern.

じゃ、わたしのジムでトレーニングをしますか｡ (Ja, watashi no jimu de torēningu o shimasu ka.)

'Well then, would you like to train at my gym?'

わたしのジムで (watashi no jimu de)

わたしの (watashi no) means 'my,' indicating possession. ジム (jimu) means 'gym,' and で (de) indicates that "my gym" is the location where the action will happen.

トレーニングを (torēningu o)

トレーニング (torēningu) means 'training,' and takes the place of "Object." を (o) marks トレーニング as the direct object of the sentence.

しますか (shimasu ka)

します (shimasu) is the polite form of the verb 'to do,' and か (ka) turns the sentence into a question.

So, the sentence じゃ、わたしのジムでトレーニングをしますか｡ translates to:

'Well then, would you like to train at my gym?' By asking this, the speaker tries to make plans to train with someone at their gym.

Without the question particle か, the sentence would be the statement "I will train at my gym."

Now you can use this pattern to make plans with others or tell them your own plans!

Two important notes.

First, わたしのジムでトレーニングをしますか (watashi no jimu de torēningu o shimasu ka.) actually translates "Would you like TO DO training at my gym?" That is the literal translation.

We translate it to "Would you like to train at my gym," because that sounds more natural in English and has the same meaning.

The second note is, Japanese does not have a future tense that is written differently from the present tense. So, the meaning of the sentence will change depending on the situation.

For example, if we take just this part…

This could mean BOTH "I train at my gym," AND "I will train at my gym."

Now let's look at some speaking examples.

Imagine that these people are asked what they will do tomorrow.

がっこうでべんきょうをします。 (Gakkō de benkyō o shimasu.)

I will study at school.

Can you see how the pattern applies here?

Let's break it down:

Let’s see how the sentence follows this pattern:

がっこうでべんきょうをします。

Gakkō de benkyō o shimasu.

I will study at school.

Here, がっこう (Gakkō) is the location, which is marked by で(de). べんきょう(benkyō) is the activity, which is marked by を(o). And します(shimasu) is the verb that indicates 'to do (study).'

So, that is how がっこうでべんきょうをします fits the pattern [location/place] で [activity] を [verb].

Here's another example

いえでテレビをみます。 (Ie de terebi o mimasu.)

I will watch TV at home.

[SLOWLY] いえでテレビをみます。 (Ie de terebi o mimasu.)

I will watch TV at home.

Let's try one more,

ろっぽんぎでラーメンをたべます。 (Roppongi de rāmen o tabemasu.)

I will eat ramen in Roppongi.

[SLOWLY] ろっぽんぎでラーメンをたべます。 (Roppongi de rāmen o tabemasu.)

I will eat ramen in Roppongi.

One last example.

スーパーでやさいをかいます。 (Sūpā de yasai o kaimasu.)

I will buy vegetables at the supermarket.

[SLOWLY] スーパーでやさいをかいます。 (Sūpā de yasai o kaimasu.)

I will buy vegetables at the supermarket.

Let's review.

Do you remember how to say "my"?

わたしの (watashi no)

And how to say "gym"?

ジム (jimu)

Do you remember the location marking particle?

で (de)

And how to say "training"?

トレーニング (torēningu)

And how to say "would you like to…?"

をしますか (shimasu ka)

Lastly, do you remember how to say "Would you like to train at my gym?"

わたしのジムでトレーニングをしますか｡ (Watashi no jimu de torēningu o shimasu ka.)

Now you know how to make plans in Japanese.

...and you can move on to the practice.

またね (mata ne)!

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