#5

Saying how you studied Japanese

ラジオで勉強しました I studied by listening to the radio.

  • Skit
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Subtitles
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  • Japanese
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It's Tam's first day of classes at the university. The robot landlady Haru-san notices she's nervous.

Skit
Vocabulary

今日

kyoo

today

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学校

gakkoo

school

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はい

hai

yes

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あらまあ

ara maa

oh

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どう

doo

how

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する

suru

do

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日本語

Nihongo

Japanese language

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心配(な)

shinpai (na)

anxious

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上手(な)

joozu (na)

skillful

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いいえ

iie

no

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まだまだ

mada mada

not enough/not yet

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ベトナム

Betonamu

Vietnam

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勉強する

benkyoo-suru

study

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ラジオ

rajio

radio

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それなら

sore nara

in that case

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大丈夫(な)

daijoobu (na)

OK

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Key Phrase

Saying how you studied Japanese

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To express something you did in the past, change the end of the verb's MASU-form from "masu" to "mashita." "De" in "rajio de" indicates the means. The subject "watashi wa" or "I" and the object "Nihongo o" or "Japanese" have been omitted because they're clear from the context.

Particle "de":
In "Rajio de benkyoo-shimashita" or "I studied by listening to the radio", "de" indicates the means. The "de" in "Daigaku de benkyoo-shimashita" or "I studied at the university" shows the location. As these examples indicate, one particle can have different usages.

Use It!
Try It Out!

Try saying how you studied

1Which of these three choices is the correct way to say this sentence in Japanese?

I studied by watching anime.

anime

アニメ

anime

2Say the sentence in Japanese, using the following word(s).

I studied with/at XXX.

~で勉強しました。

~de benkyoo-shimashita.

school

学校

gakkoo

3Say the sentence in Japanese, using the following word(s).

I studied with/at XXX.

~で勉強しました。

~de benkyoo-shimashita.

books

hon

Bonus Phrase

This humble expression can be used when someone praises you. "Iie" means "no" and "mada mada desu" means "not enough."

Kanji

Yume (dream)

Culture

Haru-san’s Bagful of Advice

Expressions of Humility

If someone compliments you, saying "Your Japanese is good," how would you answer?

1) Thank you very much. 

2) No, it’s not good enough.

3) Yes, I studied at the university.

Most Japanese people would answer in a humble way and say it's not good enough as in 2) "Iie, mada mada desu." Japanese has lots of other humble expressions. For example, even when someone has prepared a table full of delicacies for a guest, a common way to present the food would be "We have nothing but this."

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