before .. / mae ni

to explain something what we do or done before something, we can use mae ni (前に), this expression used to explain V1 before v2. see the example below :

寝る　前に　ドアを閉めなさい。
neru maeni doa wo simenasai.
Closed the door before going to bed.

私は日本へ来る前に少し日本語を　勉強しました。
watashi wa, nihon e kuru maeni sukoshi nihongo wo benkyoushimasita.
I have learned Japanese for a little, Before I came to Japan.

昨日会社に行く前に　銀行　に　行った。
kinou kaisya ni iku maeni ginkou ni itta.
yerterday i went to bank before went to office.

now let's try make your own sentence.
ganbatte!!

vocabulary
日本 = nihon = japan
会社　= kaisya = company, office, depend on sentence
寝る = neru = sleep
来る　= kuru = come
勉強する　= benkyou suru = to learn, to study.

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when.., toki

to express when at the last time i done something, in Japaneses language we can use toki, (時）,see the example below:

私はテレビを見るとき　コーヒを飲みます。
watashiwa terebi wo miru toki kohi wo nomimasu.
When looking TV, I drink a coffee.

さびしいときも嬉しいときも彼女は良くこの音楽を聞きます。
sabishii tokimo ureshii toki mo kanojo wa yoku kono ongaku wo kikimasu.
when sad or happy she always listen this music.

私は結婚したとき、祖母は泣きました。
watashiwa kekkon sita toki, sobo wa nakimashita.
When I was married, the grandmother cried.

Grammar
from three sentence sample we can consider that :
1. Verb before toki （とき）and after toki has not relationship.
2. The verb before toki and after toki, happen at same time.
3. toki can use both past and future sentence.

before toki become V.ru (now and future form) or V.ta (past form) is unrelated yo the tense of the main clause. in case where the action before toki is already complete and there is second action,you should use V.ta (past form)
in cases that the action is not complete or simultaneous action (now and future) you should use V.ru

example sentence number 1 and 3 are using v.ru, sample sentence number 2 using V.ta
Ganbatte
ガンバッテ　！！

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V.naide, without V.ing, instead V.ing

after verb + naide (ないで),when first sentence have negative format with te form (て）is often followed by another sentence and some times, indicate a manner or situation that carried out. see the example below

日本で、何も　言わないで食事を　始めるは　良くない。
nihonde, nanimo iwanaide syokuji o hajimeru wa yokunai.
in japan, its not good to begin a meal without saying anything.

今朝から　何も食べないで　歩いては　行けません。
kesa kara nanimotabenaide aruite ha ikemasen.
(i)can not walking without eat anything from this morning.

図書館へ行かないので、家で勉強する学生もいる　。
tosyokan e ikanainode ie de benkousuru gakuseimo iru.
they are students who study at home instead of going to library.

勉強しないで、試験を受けるのはよくない。
benkyousinaide, siken wo ukeruno wa yokunai
it's not good take the exam without studying first.

ok, this phrase is intermediate grammar, so mybe a little confusing and difficult, Ganbatte !!

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when - itsu

every japanese sentence sample consists of three parts, first is english meaning, second is japanese sentence in hiragana, katakana and kanji, third is spelling in romanji. to see kanji, katakana or hiragana you must install or set enable japanese language in your computer.

to ask times, day and schedule. itsu is easy and important word to use. let's learn more about how to ask schedule, day and related other's by example sentence below :

When
いつ
itsu

when you go to japan ?
いつ　日本　へ　行くのか/行きますか。
itsu nihon e ikunoka/ ikimasuka.

when the rain come ?
いつ　雨　が　ふって　のか/ふりますか。
itsu ame ga futte noka/ furimasika?

when is he coming back ?
いつ　彼　は　戻って来るのか/来ますか。
itsu kare wa modotte kurunoka/kimasuka.

from those example i hope you can make your own sentence. Ganbatte!

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it's important to - taisetsu desu

to express something important, we should use this phrase

it is important to ...
... する　こと　は大切です
... suru koto wa taisetsu desu.

when says something important, placed your sentence before suru koto , here for the example :

Learn physics is important
物理学を学ぶが大切です。
butsurigaku wo manabu ga taisetsu desu.

it is important to study Japanese every day
日本語を毎日勉強すること　は大切です。
nihongo o mainichi benkyousuru koto wa taisetsu desu.

practicing sport's regularly is important
スポーツの練習を定期的に　すること　は　大切です。
supo-tsu no rensyuu wo teikiteki ni suru koto wa taisetsu desu.

for the last example we can also said without suru koto :
supo-tsu no rensyuu wo teikiteki ni wa taisetsu desu

Have Nice Benkyou !

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imasu vs arimasu - existence

to Establishing the fact that a thing exists in Japanese language use two types, imasu (います）and arimasu （あります）but to saying something or some one exist have two different, The verbs imasu and arimasu. These both mean "to exist." Imasu is used for animate things like : human and animal or something life and arimasu is used for inanimate things like car, computer, bag, bicycle, and others.
look at example below :

います
imasu

田中さん　が　います。
tanaka san ga imasuka
Mr. Tanaka is (here) ?

猫がここに　いますか。
neko ga koko ni imasuka
Here is neko here ?

教室　に　男の人が　います。
kyousitsu de otokonohito ga imasu.
there is man in class room.

to answer question using imasu

Q : 中林さん　が　部屋　で　いますか。
　：nakabayashi san ga heya de imasuka
: is Mr.Nakabayashi at the room ?

A(+) : はい、います
: hai, imasu
: yes, he is

A(-) : いいえ、いません
　　　: iie, imasen
: no, he is not

あります
arimasu

明日試験が　ありますか
ashita siken ga arimasuka?
is the Test tomorrow?

白いと青い　ビル　が　ありますね
shiroi to aoi biru ga arimsune.
There is a big and white building

きの　たくさん　本を　買いました　から、今　お金が　ぜんぜん　ありません。
kino takusan hon wo kaimsita kara, ima okanega zenzen arimasen.
because tomorrow (I) buy a lot of books, now i don't have a money.

to answer question using arimasu

Q : むこに　銀行　が　ありますか
: muko ni ginkou ga arimasuka ?
: is there a bank over there?

A(+) : はい、あります/ある。
　　　：hai, arimasu / aru.
: yes, there is.
A(-):いいえ、ありません。
　　　: iie, arimasen.
: no there is not.

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