Moto Learning Doujou: #20-0-6 Japanese Speaking and Writing from Scratch with Moto for JLPT N5 Beginner, “Explanation of Plain style Noun”

(L20-0-6 does not have any Speaking and Writing exercises. They have only explanation of Plain style Noun.)　

①Improvement of Speaking and Writing

こんにちは。モトです。I am Japanese and I am teaching Japanese. In this series, I will share my practice way for N5 Beginner and Intermediate level learners who want to review.

If learners are studying Japanese only for JLPT as test preparation, it might be difficult to improve speaking and writing Japanese actually, because the test does not cover Speaking and Writing. Thus, we set a Goal to improve Speaking and Writing in this series while learning JLPT N5 Beginner topics.

Features and Advantages

・While using Practice Sheet, we try to remember Question and Response sentences as Dialogue to learn how to use word and grammar. (Using story or dialogues, it could be easier to remember them efficiently.)

・It is also good to partially hide some words in tables in Practice Sheet by hand to check your progress or you can also change part of words and make another sentence like improvisation music.

・After Speaking, through making your sentences, you can improve Writing. (Based on your sentences, it is good to make your Practice Sheet and play Dialogues with other learners.)

・I will apply Minna no Nihongo to speaking and writing practice that covers almost all topics introduced by Genki so Genki user can also use this series.

(I will cite English translation from the textbook as it is, or I try to translate some expressions by myself. Now I am also learning English so my translation and explanation could be not correct or not natural, sorry for that.)

②Explanation of Noun

Plain Style

When we have conversation with friends or family, we use “Plain style (Plain Form/Short Form)” as casual speaking style. Moreover, in specific types of writings such as essay, report or news article etc., we tend to use “Plain style”. Thus, we will check how to use “Plain Style”.

Plain Style for Noun

From Lesson1 to 19, we have learned です/ます form categorized into “Polite Style”. To introduce “Plain style” as a casual speaking way, we will compare “Polite style” and “Plain style”.

(Example1: Polite Style by using です/ます)

A1 チンさんはびょうき（Noun）です。

chin san wa 　 byouki 　　 desu

A2 チンさんは　びょうき(Noun)　じゃありません。

chinsan wa byouki 　 jyaarimasen

[We have already learned です/ます like above sentences.]

(Example1’: Plain style)

A1’ チンさんはびょうき（Noun）だ。

Chinsan wa byouki da

A2’ チンさんはびょうき(Noun) じゃない。

chin san wa byouki jyanai

[To make present affirmative in plain style, we just replace ですin A1 with だ in A1’ so びょうきです in A1 becomes　びょうきだ in A1’. （When it comes to casual speaking way, I think people often put よ　and say チンさんは　びょうきだよ。）

When you want to make question in casual speaking way, you can say チンさんは　びょうき↑ . (The pitch at the end goes up)

To make negative response, we just replace じゃありませんin A２ with じゃない in A２’ so びょうき　じゃありません in A２ becomes　びょうき　じゃない in A２’. You can also say　チンさんは　びょうきじゃないよ.]

(Dialogue2: Polite Style, past tense)

A3　　　チンさんはびょうき (Noun) でした。

chinsan wa byouki desita

A4　　　チンさんはびょうき(N) じゃありませんでした。

chinsan wa byouki 　jyaarimasendesita

(Dialoguew2’: Plain style, past)

A3’　　　チンさんはびょうき (Noun) だった。

chinsan wa byouki datta

A4’　　チンさんはびょうき(N) じゃなかった。

chinsan wa byouki jyanakatta

[To make past affirmative in plain style, we just replace でしたin A３ with だった in A３’ so びょうきでした in A3 becomes　びょうきだった in A3’. （When it comes to casual speaking way, I think people often put よ　and say チンさんは　びょうき　だったよ。）

When you want to make past tense question in casual speaking way, you can say チンさんは　びょうき　だった。↑ . (The pitch at the end goes up)

To make past negative response, we just replace じゃありませんでしたin A４ with じゃなかった in A４’ so びょうき　じゃありませんでした in A４ becomes　びょうき　じゃなかった in A４’. You can also say チンさんは　びょうきじゃなかったよ.]