Lesson 7 – Grammar Notes
This file contains grammar explanations for Minna no Nihongo Lesson 7, with Japanese examples (with spaces and furigana in parentheses) and English translations.
1. N (tool/means) で V
(Using N as a tool or means)
- The particle
で
indicates a method or means used for an action.
Examples:
📝
日本語(にほんご) で レポート を 書(か)きます。
I write a report in Japanese.
2. "Word/Sentence" は ~語(ご) で 何(なん) です か
(How do you say "Word/Sentence" in ~ language?)
- This question is used to ask how to say a word or sentence in other languages.
Examples:
❓
「ありがとう」 は 英語(えいご) で 何(なん) です か。
What's "ありがとう" in English?
…「Thank you」 です。
…It's "Thank you."
❓
「Thank you」 は 日本語(にほんご) で 何(なん) です か。
What's "Thank you" in Japanese?
3. N (person) に あげます, etc.
(Giving, lending, teaching to N)
- Verbs like (to give), (to lend), (to teach) require persons to whom the action is directed, and these persons are marked with
に
.
Examples:
📝
山田(やまだ) さん は 木村(きむら) さん に 花(はな) を あげました。
Mr. Yamada gave flowers to Ms. Kimura.
📝
イー さん に 本(ほん) を 貸(か)しました。
I lent my book to Ms. Lee.
📝
太郎(たろう) 君(くん) に 英語(えいご) を 教(おし)えます。
I teach Taro English.
📌 Note
With verbs like
(to send) and
(to make a phone call), place nouns can be used instead of N(person), and in such cases, the particle
へ
is sometimes used instead of
に
.
📝
会社(かいしゃ) に 電話(でんわ) を かけます。
I'll call my office.
4. N (person) に もらいます, etc.
(Receiving, borrowing, learning from N)
- Verbs like (to receive), (to borrow), and (to learn) express actions from the receiving side, and the persons from whom these actions are received are marked with
に
.
Examples:
📝
木村(きむら) さん は 山田(やまだ) さん に 花(はな) を もらいました。
Ms. Kimura received flowers from Mr. Yamada.
I borrowed a CD from Ms. Karina.
📝
ワン さん に 中国語(ちゅうごくご) を 習(なら)います。
I learn Chinese from Mr. Wang.
📌 Note
から
is sometimes used instead of
に
in this sentence pattern. When receiving something from an organization like a school or a company, only
から
is used.
📝
木村(きむら) さん は 山田(やまだ) さん から 花(はな) を もらいました。
Ms. Kimura received flowers from Mr. Yamada.
📝
銀行(ぎんこう) から お金(おかね) を 借(か)りました。
I borrowed some money from the bank.
5. もう Vました
(Already did V)
- means "already" and is used with , indicating that an action has been finished.
Examples:
❓
もう 荷物(にもつ) を 送(おく)りました か。
Have you sent the parcel yet?
…Yes, I have [already sent it].
⚠️ Important Note
Do not use
for negative answers to this type of question, as it implies the task was not done at all, rather than simply not yet completed.