Potential Verbs - Expressions of Ability

To express ability and potential we can use two different way
1. By attaching the phrase "~ koto ga dekiru （～ことができる）" after the basic form of the verb, for example :
- Nihongo o hanasu koto ga dekiru / 日本語を話すことができる/ (I) can speak Japanese.
- kanji o kaku koto ga dekiru / 漢字を書くことが出来る。/ (I) can write kanji
note :
"~ dekiru （～できる）" can also be directly attached to a noun, if a verb is closely associated with its direct object. with previous sample
- nihongo ga dekiru　/ 日本語ができる。/ (I) can (speak) Japanese.
- kanji ga dekiru / 漢字ができる。 / (I) can (write) kanji.

2. By potential form of the verb.
hanasu, 話す - hanaseru、話せる
kaku、書く - kakeru、書ける
The potential form indicates that something is possible but no actual action is actually taken

how to make potential verb, look at picture below


for Group 1, from basic from or dictionary from, erase the last letter (picture above blocked with Grey color, it's usually u group like : u, tsu, ku, mu, nu, fu, ru) than change with e group in the same row than plus with ru, for example kaku, erased ku change with ke than plus with ru, so it become kakeru.

for Group 2, for dictionary from, just plus with rareru

for Group 3, suru will change with dekiru, and kuru with korareru

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Japanese Question Phrase

Question phrase is important, becouse if we can use question very well, maybe we should not open a conversation, below are list of sample question with phrase.

1. Who ... (だれ。。）dare ...
2. when .... （いつ。。）itsu ...
3. Where ... (どこ。。）doko ...
where to ... (どこで。。するか）dokode ... suruka
4. Which ... (どちら。。）dochira
5. What.. (何。。）nani
6. Whether .. (。。するかどうか）... surukadouka.
7. How .. (どのように。。）donoyouni ...

Ok, which those seven basic question, let's make some sentence.
1. who
-who is he ? /彼はだれ。/kare wa dare?
-who is stand near televise ? /テレービの近くに立って人はだれ。/terebi no chikakuni tatte hito wa dare?

2. When
-when you go to japan? /いつ日本へ行きますか。/itsu nihon e ikimasuka?
-When you finish this work? / いつまでこの仕事終わる出来ますか。/itsu made kono shigoto owaru dekimasuka?

3. Where
-Where you buy those book? / この本どこで買いますか。/kono hon doko de kaimasuka?
-Where did you meet your girl friend? / 彼女とどこで　会いましたか。/kanajyo to doko de aimasitaka?

4. Which
-from both this camera, which one is good?/ 二つカメラようにどちらが良いのか。/futatsu kamera youni dochira ga yoinoka?
-Which one is difficult?/どちらが　難しいですか。/dochira ga muzukashi desuka?

5. What
-what is it ? /これは何。/korewa nani?
-What will you doing? / あなたは　何かするのか/ anata wa nanika surunoka?

6. Whether
-I don't understand whether she like or not./彼女は好きかどうか分かりません。/kanojyo wa tsuki ka douka wakarimasen.

7.How
-How to make chocolate? / どのようにチョコレトを作りますか。/donoyouni chokoreto wo tsukurimasuka?

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Favorite Japanese Expressions

here will explain various favorite Expressions in Japaneses language, this Expressions write based on experience when talk with Japaneses people, expression in movies, and television programs.

1. やった/yatta / I did it.
it says when we receive big opportunity, passing test, won the games, getting the jobs, or finish something. some times it can mean i got it.

2. そうですか/soudesuka/really?
it says when you have conversation with your partner then you hear something new information. it's can make conversation more nice.

3. スゲエ/sugoi/ Great!!
says it when you see or hear something amazing.

4. かわい/kawai/sweet, cute
it's use when your friend look cute, or more sweet. say it in party or when meet your friends.

5. よかった/yokatta / oh.. Good
says when you avoid from danger, sick or something terrible.

6. ほんと/honto/ really ?
this expression is same with soudesuka, but soudesuka is more polite.

7. ぜんぜん/ zenzen/ not at all.
it says when answered a question like, i'm disturbing you?, are you busy? and other's

8. 美しい/utsukushii / beautiful
says to express somethings beautiful, like scenery, art, photograph, human and other's.

9. 何/nani/ what's ?
says when you hear something that make you can't believe, or you want repeat what's your partners says, some times also have same meaning with nanda.

10. 信じられない　/ shinjirarenai / unbelievable
it's can express something wonderful or unbelievable thing.

11. どしよう/Doshiyou / what's should i do
it's can express when you doesn't have idea, or try to find solution

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Vru youni, V.nai youni, To do (verb)

there are various ways to express purpose or something to do, this pattern also can use to express our purpose, see the pattern below :

V.ru youni , sentence 2
or
V.ru nai youni, sentence 2

this pattern also can be use to connecting other sentence, see the example below :
1. 学生にも分かるように、先生はやさしいで　説明します。
gakusei nimo wakaru youni, sensei wa yasashii de setsumeisimasu.
student has to understand, teacher explain clearly.

2. かぜをひかないように、良く食べてください。
kazewo hikanaiyouni, yoku tabete kudasai.
to prevent cold、please eat well.

3. 英語出来るように、毎晩本を読む。
eigo dekiru youni, maiban hon o yomu.
to able to (speak) English language, every night read (English) book

Vocabulary / kotoba / 言葉
学生　：　gakusei : student
先生　： sensei : teacher
説明する　：　setsumei suru : explain
かぜ　：kaze : cold
食べる　: taberu : eat
出来る　：　dekiru : can, able to
毎晩　：maiban : every night
本　：　hon : book

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Purpose, In order to do (verb), V.ru noni

V.ru (dictionary) noni is also one kind to express purpose or obtain objective, see the pattern below

Sentence 1. + V.ru/V.dict + noni + Sentence 2 / Adverb
.... V.る＋のに＋。。
(sentence 1)+ tobe in order to + sentence 2 / Adverb

for more information see the example below
1.パソコン　は　部品の設計するのに　役に立ちます。
pasokon wa buhin no sekkei suru noni yakunitachimasu.
computer are very useful in order to design part.

2. ここから　駅へ行くのには　２時間かかります。
kokokara eki e iku noni　wa 2jikankakarimasu.
from here to station need 2 hours.

3.外国旅行をするのに　パスポートは大切です。
gaikoku ryokou o suru noni pasupoto wa taisetsu desu.
Passport is important in order to travel abroad.

you also can use this pattern to express pupose using V.ru noni
Use or objective noni + (use, necessary, useful, convenient, etc)

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Obtain Objective, purpose - tameni

tameni is also one kind to express purpose or obtain objective, see the pattern below

V.ru/Dictionary + tameni
(ｖ。る　ために)
in order to

how to use those pattern, see example below
1. 日本語を勉強する　ために　日本へ　行く。
nihongo o benkyousuru tameni nihon e iku.
in order to learn japanese language, (I) go to japan.

2. 学校　では　何を　ために　勉強して　いる　でしょう。
gakko dewa nani o tameni benkyousite iru desyou.
at the school, what are studying to be

3. 家族　の　ために　働いて　います。
kazoku no tameni hataraite imasu.
for family, i working.

Grammar
both noun and verb can put at front of tameni,
if using verb, use dictionary from, or V.ru, see example number 1
if using Noun, between noun and tameni place particle no, see example number 3.
for ask "what for?" we can use expression "nani o tameni", see example number 2.

Verb of violation
Don't use potential verbs in front of tameni, because it's became confusing. see example below
先生の　字　を　良く見えるために、前の方にすわります。（X)
sensei no ji wo yoku mieru tameni, maeno hou ni suwarimasu.
those sample is wrong because use potential verb, (mieru)
the right sentence is using Vru/Dictionary from, below

先生の字を良く見る　ために、前の方にすわります。
sensei no ji o yoku miru tameni, mae no hou ni suwarimasu.
in order to see more clearly the teacher's letter,(i) sit in front.

tameni is used when we want to express objective more directly than ni ikimasu.

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Obtain Objective, purpose - Ni ikimasu

to obtain objective or purpose in Japanese language they are six expression that we can use, it are

1. Ni ikimasu （に　行きます）
2. Vru /V.dictionary + noni (ｖ。る　のに）
3. Vru/V.dictionary + tameni (ｖ。る　ために)
4. Vru/V.dictionary + youni (ｖ。る　ように)
5. Vru/V.dictionary + naiyouni (ｖ。る　ない　ように)
6. Noun no tame　ni (N.てめに)

now let's learn ni ikimasu, see the phrase below

Purpose + Ni + verb Movement

What is Verb Movement ?


verb of movement i verb that have meaning of movement, for example
ikimasu （行きます）to go
kaerimasu （帰ります）go back
kimasu （来ます）come

see the example sentence below
1. 毎金曜日　買いものに　行きます
mai kinyoubi kaimono ni ikimasu
every Friday going to shopping.

2. 日曜日暇なら　遊びに行くんだ。
nichiyoubi hima nara asobi ni ikunda
If (I) have time on Sunday, i going to play.

3. 山田さん　は　何をしに　来たの。
yamadasan wa nani wo sini kitano.
what for yamada san come?

4. 僕　は　ロビー　へ　新聞を読みに　行きます。
boku wa robi e shinbun wo yomini ikimasu.
will go to the lobby to read newspaper.

Grammar
before ni ikimasu, we can put
Noun, if put noun we can use those formula without change the noun, see sentence example number 1 and 2.
Verb, when use verb, we must you Vni, for V.ru/V.dictionary change ru with ni for group 1, erase ru for group 2 and change suru with sini for groups 3, for example
読む　－　読み　－to read
飲む　－　飲み - to drink
食べる　－　食べ　－to eat
勉強する　－　勉強しに　－　to learn

in case the purpose or objective is serious, ni ikimasu should not use, ru tameni is prefer to use.

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Sorry, I late because...

Sorry I late because traffics jam

the conversation below held between Mr.Nakayama (Mr.N) and Mr.Kobayashi (Mr.K) when Mr.Nakayama late because traffics jam.

Japanese kanji, kana version

中山：遅れてしまって　すみません。。
小林：今　何時。どうしたの中くん。
中山：すみません。。六時から　道が　込んでいたので　なかなか　時間遅れてしまいました。
小林：や。。、でもさ。。中くん　毎日　いつも　電車に　のって　だよ。。どして　今日車で行ったの。
中山：ええ。。　はい。ええと。。今晩　やくそく　ありましたから。　もし　電車　使うはめんどうと　思います。
小林：やくそく！！、今晩　残業できないですか。
中山：やくそく　ありましたし、今日も　水曜日ですから。
小林：そか。。そがないな。。じゃ。。会議　始めよう。
中山：はい。

spelling in romanji

Mr.N : okuretesimatte sumimasen..
Mr.K : ima nanji? doushitano nakakun (Mr.N)
Mr.N : sumimasen.. rokujikara michi ga konde ita node nakanaka jikan okuretesimaimashita.
Mr.K : ya.. demosa.. nakakun mainichi itsumo densyani notte dayo.. doshite kyou　kuruma de ittano.
Mr.N : ee.. hai, eeto.. konban yakusoku arimashitakara. mosi densya tsukauwa mendou to omoimasu.
Mr.K : yakusoku !!?, konban zangyou dekinaidesuka?
Mr.N : yakusoku arimashitashi,kyou mo suiyounidesukara.
Mr.K : soka.. soganaina.. jya.. kaigi hajimeyo.
Mr.N : Hai

Meaning :
Mr.N : please..forgive.. i'm late
Mr.K : What's time is it? Why Mr.Naka ?
Mr.N : i'm sorry, becouse there was traffic jam from 6 a clock so it's difficult not late.
Mr.K : hmm.. but everyday Mr.Naka always going by train right? why this day by car ?
Mr.N : e.. hai, because tonight i have appointment, I think it's difficult if going by car.
Mr.K : Appointment !! To night will not take overtime?
Mr.N : beside i have appointment, this day is Wednesdays (Some Company in japan make Wednesday as family day)
Mr.K : soka... I don't have words any more... Let's start meeting
Mr.N : oke

Vocabulary
今晩 : konban : to night
電車　: densya : train
込んでいる　：konde iru : traffic jam
(に) のる　：to go by
やくそく　：yakusoku : Appoitment
残業　：zangyou : Overtime
会議　：kaigi : meeting
水曜日：suiyoubi : Wednesday

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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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