Chapter 2: Grammar

Chapter2
1. ほしい　（欲しい）
Literally, it means "I want (Object). This is simply a verb, thus following format can be used
(私は）Object （が）欲しい。
For example:
お金がほしい。　Meaning: I want money
Notice that the object can be an action too. The action in this case should end with て（e.g. 掃除する　should be converted to 掃除して）
For example:
彼に部屋を掃除して欲しい。　Meaning: I want him to clean the room
Another way of saying 欲しい, which is 欲しがる is acceptable when it is used to describe someone else, other than the speaker i.e. 私は車を欲しがる is quite awkward and is not used.
For example:
彼はお金を欲しがっている　＝　彼はお金が欲しい
Meaning: He wants money
2. かもしれません。
literally, it means "probably" or "maybe". It is often used when the speaker is unsure or reluctant to state something. It is added to the end of plain statement.
For example:
明日、雨がふる。　Ｍｅａｎｉｎｇ：　It will rain tomorrow
明日、雨がふるかもしれません。　Meaning: It might rain tomorrow
Notice that かもしれません is a Keigo, one of polite way of saying. Thus, it is flexible. The most important particle here is かも
For example:
明日、雨ふるかも。　Meaning: It might rain tomorrow (used in friendly conversation)
明日、雨ふるかもね。
明日、雨ふるかもしれない。
etc...
They all have same literal meaning, but they are not Keigo (polite language).
3. あげる/くれる/もらう
This, we had some trouble with in the class. However, it is not very difficult to distinguish them.
もらう means obtain. This is used to describe the person who "receives"
For example:
彼女からチョコをもらった。　Meaning: I received chocolates from her
彼は両親から車をもらった。　Meaning: He got the car from his parents
あげる　and くれる both mean "to give". However, each aims at different target. あげる　is used when the person gives something to someone who is NOT the speaker. In contrast, くれる is used when a person being addressed gives something to the speaker.
For example:
私の両親が車をあげた。　Meaning: My parents gave the car (to someone)
私の両親が車をくれた。　Meaning: My parents gave the car (to me)
4. たらどうですか。
Past tense + ら+　どう　(Recommended) + Ending (Depends on situation)

Literally, it means "How about". It is used when the speaker is trying to suggest something. After a past tense, らどうですか　is added.
For example:
もっと勉強したらどうですか。　Meaning: How about you study harder? (i.e. You should study harder)
Notice that たらどうですか is a Keigo, and it is, again, flexible. The most important particle here is らどう (どうis still omitted in some cases, which is out of this lecture's scope).
For example:
ちゃんと勉強したら。
もっと勉強したらどうかな。
もっと勉強したらどうなんだ。
All sentences above have same meaning, and they all suggest "How about you study harder".
5. Number+も/Number+しか+negative
Subject (Optional) + Object (Optional) + Number + も　+ Verb (Optional) + Ending (Optional)
Subject (Optional) + Object (Optional) + Number + しか　+ Verb (Optional) + Negative Ending (MANDATORY)

も　and しか are used to emphasize the number.も is like "up to". It is used to describe something that outnumbers when compared to expected. しか　is close to "only" English. It is used to describe something that are very few, or fewer than expected. Notice that when しかis used, the sentence must contain negative ending, such as ない、いません、etc.
For example:
私は犬を百匹も飼っています。　Meaning: I have up to 100 dogs!
私は犬を一匹しか飼っていません。　Meaning: I only have 1 dog :((
Let us analyze the last example
私 は 犬 を 一匹 しか 飼って いません。
Subject Object Number What we're discussing now Verb Negative ending

Chapter 1: Grammar points

Chapter 1 Grammar points

1. Potential verbs
a. When you convert a work from “do something” to “can do something”, replace –ru with –rareru (notice that this rule only applies to verb that ends with る)
For example:
見る →　見られる(Miru → mirareru)
来れる　→ 来られる(kuru → korareru Meaning: come → can come)
Notice: However, 来れる, which is explained next, is fine as well.


b. When you express the ability to do something, you may also replace –u by –eru
For example:
行く　→ 行ける (iku → ikeru Meaning: go → can go)
待つ　→ 待てる (matsu → materu Meaning: wait → can wait)
c. Exceptions to rules above apply to irregular verbs
For example:
する　→ できる (suru → dekiru Meaning: do → can do)
d. Potential words can be converted to corresponding negative form.
For example:
行ける→行けない　Meaning: can go→cannot go
待てる→待てない　meaning: can wait→can't wait
出来る→出来ない　Meaning: can do→can't do
2. ~し
a. When you give one reason for something, you use ~から
(Reason) から,(situation).
For example:
来週試験があるから、今日は遊びに行けない。
Meaning: I have test next weeks, so I can’t hang out today
b. When you give more than one reasons to something, you should state them with し
For example:
あの先生は美人だし、優しいし、クラスでとても人気だよ。
Meaning: That teacher is beautiful and kind, so she is very popular in my class.
3. ~そうです (It looks like…)
This expression is used when you are not sure about something or reluctant to state something. Its meaning is very close to “It looks like” or “it seems like”.
a. For い　and な- adjectives, い and な　are replaced by そうです。
For example:
元気な→元気そう　Meaning: Fine→seemingly fine
おいしい→おいしそう Meaning: tasty→seems tasty
b. Exception for above rule applies to いい（良い）、which is changed to 良さそう
c. ～そうcan be used for negative adjectives too. Negative ending ない　is changed to なさそう
For example:
元気ない→元気なさそう　Meaning: not fine→not seems fine
おいしくない→おいしくなさそう　Ｍｅａｎｉｎｇ：　not taste good→does not look tasty
良くない→良くなさそう　Ｍｅａｎｉｎｇ：　not good→does not seem good
4. ~てみる
When you express the idea of "try something", you can use the て-form of a verb plus てみる。This is used in situation in which you are not sure of what outcome of your actions will be.
For example
食べて→食べてみる　Ｍｅａｎｉｎｇ: eat→eat to give it a try
5. ～なら
statement of the form "noun A なら　predict X" says that the predicate X applies only to A and is not more generally valid.
For example:
ピアノ弾けますか？　
Meaning: Can you play piano?
ピアノは弾けません。ギターなら出来ますよ。
Meaning: I cannot play piano. However, I can do guitar.
6. Frequency
The following format can be used to describe frequency
(period) に (frequency)
For example:
一週間に三回　Meaning: 3 times a week
You may incorporate it into sentence as follows
私は一週間に三回シャワーを浴びる。　OR 私、シャワーは週に三回浴びる。
Meaning: I take bath 3 times a week
Notice: Frequency is followed by a verb. The act of　シャワー　(Shower) may be used as subject.