Moto Learning Doujou: #25-1 Japanese Speaking and Writing from Scratch with Moto for JLPT N5 Beginner and Intermediate level, “Ta form +ら = If”

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.)

②Instruction of Exercise

Before Speaking & Writing exercises, check vocabulary and grammar.

Step1 Vocabulary

it snows 　　　ゆきが　ふります yukiga furimasu

To clear up, to be sunny 　はれます haremasu

as for-, about- 　　 Nounについて　 Noun ni tsuite

To treat someone to something

NounをPersonにおごります -wo-ni ogorimasu

Step2 Grammar

So, Today’s grammar topic is “Ta form +　ら = If”.

I cited below [*1] sentence and translation from Page 158 in Minna No Nihongo Second Edition Elementary Japanese 1 Translation & Grammar Notes – English. To make dialogue structure, based on [*1] sentence, I wrote [*2] Question sentence as Person A’s line. I added “[ ] My grammar interpretation”.

“☆☆Basic Example Dialogue”

A おかねがあった(PS, past, aff)ら、どんなことをしますか。[*2]

okane ga atta 　　　　 ra donna kotowo simasuka

If you had some money, what would you do?

[By using “Plain Style, Verb, past affirmative + ら”, we can indicate “if”. The above translation shows “If you had--”(People imagine a fictitious story =Subjunctive past), while Minna No Nihongo Second Edition Elementary Japanese1 Translation & Grammar Notes – English on page 158 introduces “If I don’t have time, I won’t watch TV.” (People imagine a condition that is likely to happen = Subjunctive present). Thus, I think “Plain Style, Verb, past affirmative + ら”= “Taform+ら” can cover both situation in Japanese. In the main clause, you can also say なにをしますか/どうしますか　instead of どんなことを　しますか。]

B おかねがあったら、りょこうします。 [*1]

okane ga atta ra、 ryokou shimasu。

If I had some money, I’d go travelling [*1]

[ありますbecomes あった as Plain style past affirmative. You can also add　もし and say もし　おかねがあったら to emphasize “if” but people often omit もし.]

Step3　Speaking Exercise

Watch the video. You can use Speaking Practice Sheet.

Speaking Practice Video↓

https://youtu.be/40t0J0yInzs

“Practice Sheet”

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dvXuq2Oart1_9YVi_J4KZRCvOF5Vnr07/view?usp=sharing

Step4 Writing Exercise

(W1) Read the above “☆☆Basic Example Dialogue” between Person A and B. The Dialogue contains Grammar topic in each time.

(W2) Try to make your dialogue between Person A&B like “☆☆Basic Example Dialogue”. In your dialogue, please try to use this time grammar topic “Ta form +　ら = If” appropriately. Millions of mistakes are necessary for improvement, so you do not have to hesitate.

N5 level learner, if you have difficulty to write Dialogue style sentence, it is OK to write single sentences with grammar topic and OK to use only Hiragana. (It is easy-to-read to make space between word and word).

(W3) It is good to ask your teacher or Japanese friends to correct your sentences.

“For Intermediate Level Learners”

(W4) See the below “☆Advanced Example Dialogue”. Like the example, try to use this time Grammar topic “Ta form +　ら = If” at least once and make your original Dialogue. In other words, if you just use the topic at least once, you do not have to use the topic anymore and you can make your dialogue freely. It is also OK to add more Person A&B part to make longer Dialogue.

“☆Advanced Example Dialogue”

A:　 Bさん、どこに行くんですか。

B:　これから学校に行って、図書室で宿題をやります。あと、もし先生がまだ学校にいたら、文法について質問するつもりです。

A:　先生がまだいたら、来週の漢字テストの範囲についても聞いてくれませんか。

B:　いいですよ。多分教科書の18ページから20ページまでが範囲だと思いますが、一応、確認しますね。

So, like this, while using Today’s grammar topic, write your dialogue and if you add [ ] explanation and English translation, it will be helpful to understand and correct your sentences.

(If you have a difficulty to find out someone to correct your sentences and want to ask me to correct your sentences, check my “Moto Writing Doujou”.)

https://bit.ly/3xy1Hso

③Update Alert by SNS

I will continue to upload of this series for N5 Basic level. You can easily get each time update, if you follow my SNS account.

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④Other Activities

Need correction? →Check “Moto Writing Doujou”

https://bit.ly/3xy1Hso