Minna no Nihongo Lesson 12 will introduce you to 47 new words and 5 new grammar structures of Japanese
Vocabulary and grammar of Minna no Nihongo lesson 12
- Part 1: Vocabulary
- Part 2: Grammar
Part 1: Vocabulary
Listed below are 47 new words that appear in lesson 12. Let’s review these words before learning grammar.
| WORD | KANJI | MEANING |
| かんたん | 簡単 | Simple |
| ちかい | 近い | Near |
| とおい | 遠い | Far |
| はやい | 早い | Quick, early |
| おそい | 遅い | Slow, late |
| おおい | 多い | Many( people) |
| すくない | 少ない | Few ( people) |
| あたたかい | 暖かい | Warm |
| すずしい | 涼しい | Cool |
| あまい | 甘い | Sweet |
| からい | 辛い | Spicy |
| おもい | 重い | Heavy |
| かるい | 軽い | Light |
| いい | Prefer | |
| きせつ | 季節 | Season |
| はる | 春 | Spring |
| なつ | 夏 | Summer |
| あき | 秋 | Autumn |
| ふゆ | 冬 | Winter |
| てんき | 天気 | Weather |
| あめ | 雨 | Rain |
| ゆき | 雪 | Snow |
| くもり | 曇 | Cloudy |
| ホテル | Hotel | |
| くうこう | 空港 | Airport |
| うみ | 海 | Sea |
| せかい | 世界 | World |
| パーテイー | Party | |
| まつり | 祭り | Festival |
| しけん | 試験 | Examination |
| すきやき | Sukiyaki | |
| さしみ | Sashimi | |
| すし | sushi | |
| てんぷら | 天ぷら | Tempura |
| いけばな | 生け花 | Flower arrangement |
| もみじ | Red leaves | |
| どちら | Which one ( between two things) | |
| どちらも | Both | |
| ずっと | By far | |
| はじめて | For the first time |
Part 2: Grammar
-
Past tense of noun sentences and な- adjective sentences.
Affirmative: N/Na adj + です － N/Na adj + でした。Negative: N/Na adj + じゃ（では）ありません。 – N/Na adj + じゃ（では）ありませんでした.
きのうは雨でした。 It was rainy yesterday
きのうの試験は簡単じゃありませんでした。Yesterday’s exam was not easy.
2.Past tense of い adjective sentences
Affirmative: あついです。 － あつかったです
Negative: あつくないです － あつくなかったです
きのうは暑かったです。 It was hot yesterday
きのうのパーティーはあまり楽しくなかったです。 I didn’t enjoy yesterday’s party very much
3.N1 は N2 よりadjectiveです.
This sentence pattern describes the quality and/ or state of N1 in comparison with N2.
この車はあの車より大きいです
This car is bigger than that car.
4.N1 とN2とどちらがAdjectiveですか
…N1/N2 のほうがAdjectiveです.
The question asks the listener to choose between two items ( N1 and N2). The interrogative used is always どちらif the comparison is made between two items.
サッカーと野球とどちらがおもしろいですか。
サッカーのほうがおもしろいです。
Which is more interesting, baseball or football?
Football is.
ミラーさんとサントスさんとどちらがテニスが上手ですか
Who is a better tennis player, Mr. Miller or Mr. Santos?
5. N1の中で何・どこ・だれ・いつ・がいちばんadjectiveですか
…N2がいちばんadjectiveです。
This question pattern is used to ask the listener to choose something that is the most “adjective”. The choice is made form the group or category denoted by N1. The interrogative used is decided by the kind of category from which the choice is made.
日本料理の中で何がいちばんおいしいですか。
天ぷらがいちばんおいしいです。
Among Japanese dishes, what is the most delicious?
Tempura is
１年でいつがいちばん寒いですか
２月がいちばん寒いです。
When is the coldest time of the year?
It’s coldest in February.
[Note] When the subject is an interrogative, the particle が is used.
When the subject of an adjective sentence is questioned, が is attached to the interrogative in the same way.
The above is all knowledge about Vocabulary and Grammar of Minna no Nihongo lesson 12. To see other lessons, please click here.
