Learn the question "When is your birthday?" in Japanese and how to answer it
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| INTRODUCTION |
| Janet: In each lesson of this 25 part series, you'll master a common question for Japanese learners, and then learn how to answer it like a native speaker. You'll learn how these key phrases work by breaking them down into each component. Then through repetition and new vocabulary, you'll expand your understanding of the question, its answers, and any variations. |
Lesson focus |
|---|
| Janet: In this lesson, you'll learn how to respond to the common question “When is your birthday?” In Japanese this is |
| Kaori: 誕生日は、いつですか。 |
| (たんじょうびは、いつですか。 Tanjoubi wa itsu desu ka.) |
| Janet: The first word in the question is |
| Kaori: 誕生日 (たんじょうび tanjoubi) |
| Janet: meaning “birthday” in English. |
| Kaori: (Slow, by syllable) 誕生日 (たんじょうび tanjoubi) |
| Janet: Listen again and repeat. |
| Kaori: 誕生日 (たんじょうび tanjoubi) |
| {Pause} |
| Janet: This pattern of first introducing a word at natural speed, providing the translation, breaking it down, and then giving it again at natural speed will be repeated throughout the series. Try to speak aloud as often as possible. The next word in the question is |
| Kaori: は (wa) |
| Janet: topic marking particle |
| Kaori: (Slow, by syllable) は (wa) |
| Janet: Now repeat. |
| Kaori: は (wa) |
| {Pause} |
| Janet: Listen to the the first 2 words of the question and repeat. |
| Kaori: 誕生日 は |
| (たんじょうび は tanjoubi wa) |
| {pause} |
| Janet: And next |
| Kaori: いつ |
| (itsu) |
| Janet: meaning “when”. |
| Kaori: (Slow, by syllable) いつ (itsu) |
| Janet: Now repeat. |
| Kaori: いつ (itsu) |
| {Pause} |
| Janet: Listen to the the first 3 words of the question and repeat. |
| Kaori: 誕生日 は いつ (たんじょうび は いつ tanjoubi wa itsu) |
| {pause} |
| Janet: And next |
| Kaori: です |
| (desu) |
| Janet: sentence ending particle meaning something like “is.” |
| Kaori: (Slow, by syllable) です (desu) |
| Janet: Now repeat. |
| Kaori: です (desu) |
| {Pause} |
| Janet: Listen to the the first 4 words of the question and repeat. |
| Kaori: 誕生日 は いつ です |
| (たんじょうび は いつ です tanjoubi wa itsu desu) |
| {pause} |
| Janet: And next |
| Kaori: か (ka) |
| Janet: question marking particle. |
| Kaori: (Slow, by syllable) か (ka) |
| Janet: Now repeat. |
| Kaori: か (ka) |
| {Pause} |
| Janet: Listen to the entire question and repeat. |
| Kaori: 誕生日 は いつ です か。 |
| (たんじょうび は いつ です か。 Tanjoubi wa itsu desu ka.) |
| {pause} |
| Janet: You will hear this common question again and again throughout your studies. Master the following pattern and responses to the question “When is your birthday?” |
| Kaori: 8月22日です。 |
| (8がつ22にちです。 Hachigatsu nijuuninichi desu.) |
| Janet: "It's August 22nd.” Again, slowly. Repeat the phrase. |
| Kaori: (Slow) 8月22日です。 |
| (8がつ22にちです。 Hachigatsu nijuuninichi desu.) |
| {pause} |
| Janet: Let's break it down from the beginning. The first word: |
| Kaori: 8月 (8がつ hachigatsu) |
| Janet: means “August.” |
| Kaori: (Slow, by syllable) 8月 (8がつ hachigatsu) |
| Janet: Now repeat |
| Kaori: 8月 (8がつ hachigatsu) |
| {Pause} |
| Janet: And next |
| Kaori: 22日 (22にち nijuuninichi) |
| Janet: meaning “22nd”. |
| Kaori: (Slow, by syllable) 22日 (22にち nijuuninichi) |
| Janet: Now repeat. |
| Kaori: 22日 (22にち nijuuninichi) |
| {Pause} |
| Janet: And after that |
| Kaori: です (desu) |
| Janet: sentence ending particle meaning something like “is.” |
| Kaori: (Slow, by syllable) です (desu) |
| Janet: Now repeat. |
| Kaori: です (desu) |
| {Pause} |
| Janet: Listen to the speaker say, ‘It's August 22nd.’, and then repeat. |
| Kaori: 8月22日です。 |
| (8がつ22にちです。 Hachigatsu nijuuninichi desu.) |
| {pause} |
| Janet: To expand on the pattern, replace ‘August 22nd’ with ‘May 30th.’ |
| Kaori: 5月30日 (5がつ30にち gogatsu sanjuunichi) |
| Janet: May 30th |
| Kaori: (slow) 5月30日(5がつ30にち gogatsu sanjuunichi) Kaori: (regular) 5月30日(5がつ30にち gogatsu sanjuunichi) |
| Janet: Listen to the phrase again, this time with ‘May 30th’ |
| Kaori: 5月30日です。 |
| (5がつ30にちです。 Gogatsu sanjuunichi desu.) |
| Janet: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace ‘August 22nd’ with ‘May 30th’. Say ‘It's May 30th.’ |
| {pause} |
| Kaori: 5月30日です。 |
| (5がつ30にちです。 Gogatsu sanjuunichi desu.) |
| Janet: To use a different phrase, replace ‘May 30th’ with ‘September 3rd’. |
| Kaori: 9月3日 |
| (9がつ3か kugatsu mikka) |
| Janet: September 3rd |
| Kaori: (slow) 9月3日(9がつ3か kugatsu mikka) |
| Kaori: (regular) 9月3日(9がつ3か kugatsu mikka) |
| Janet: Listen to the phrase again, this time with ‘September 3rd’ |
| Kaori: 9月3日です。 (9がつ3かです。 Kugatsu mikka desu.) |
| Janet: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace ‘May 30th’ with ‘September 3rd’. Say ‘It's September 3rd.’ |
| {pause} |
| Kaori: 9月3日です。 (9がつ3かです。 Kugatsu mikka desu.) |
| Janet: To use a different phrase, replace ‘September 3rd’ with ‘November 24th.’ |
| Kaori: 11月24日 (11がつ24か juuichigatsu nijuuyokka) |
| Janet: November 24th |
| Kaori: (slow) 11月24日(11がつ24か juuichigatsu nijuuyokka) Kaori: (regular) 11月24日(11がつ24か juuichigatsu nijuuyokka) |
| Janet: Listen to the phrase again, this time with ‘November 24th’ |
| Kaori: 11月24日です。 |
| (11がつ24かです。 Juuichigatsu nijuuyokka desu.) |
| Janet: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace ‘September 3rd’ with ‘November 24th’. Say ‘It's November 24th.’ |
| {pause} |
| Kaori: 11月24日です。 |
| (11がつ24かです。 Juuichigatsu nijuuyokka desu.) |
| QUIZ |
| Janet: Now it's time for a quiz. Imagine you are visiting Japan and someone asks you when your birthday is. Your birthday is August 22nd. Respond to the question. |
| Kaori: 誕生日は、いつですか。 |
| (たんじょうびは、いつですか。 Tanjoubi wa itsu desu ka.) |
| (five seconds) |
| Kaori: 8月22日です。 |
| (8がつ22にちです。 Hachigatsu nijuuninichi desu.) |
| Janet: Imagine your birthday is May 30th Respond to the question. |
| Kaori: 誕生日は、いつですか。 |
| (たんじょうびは、いつですか。 Tanjoubi wa itsu desu ka.) |
| (five seconds) |
| Kaori: 5月30日です。 |
| (5がつ30にちです。 Gogatsu sanjuunichi desu.) |
| Janet: Now, imagine your birthday is September 3rd. Answer the speaker's question. |
| Kaori: 誕生日は、いつですか。 |
| (たんじょうびは、いつですか。 Tanjoubi wa itsu desu ka.) |
| (five seconds) |
| Kaori: 9月3日です。 |
| (9がつ3かです。 Kugatsu mikka desu.) |
| Janet: Imagine your birthday is November 24th. Respond to the question. |
| Kaori: 誕生日は、いつですか。 |
| (たんじょうびは、いつですか。 Tanjoubi wa itsu desu ka.) |
| (five seconds) |
| Kaori: 11月24日です。 |
| (11がつ24かです。 Juuichigatsu nijuuyokka desu.) |
| Janet: You want to ask someone when their birthday is. Ask the question |
| (5 seconds) |
| Kaori: 誕生日は、いつですか。 |
| (たんじょうびは、いつですか。 Tanjoubi wa itsu desu ka.) |
| {pause} |
Outro |
| Janet: This is the end of Lesson 12 |
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