Objectives

Learn greetings, introductions, and basic conversation patterns.

Vocabulary

• こんにちは (konnichiwa) - Hello
• さようなら (sayōnara) - Goodbye

Grammar

• wa: Topic marker, indicating the subject of the sentence.
• ka: Question marker, used at the end of a sentence to form a question.
• no: Possession/affiliation marker, linking nouns.

Example Conversations

• スミスさんはアメリカじんですか？ (Sumisu-san wa Amerika-jin desu ka?) - Is Mr. Smith an American?
• はい、アメリカじんです。 (Hai, Amerika-jin desu.) - Yes, he is an American.
• いいえ、イギリスじんです。 (Iie, Igirisu-jin desu.) - No, he is British.

Exercises

1. Introduce yourself in Japanese, stating your name and nationality.
2. Role-play asking about someone else’s nationality.

Cultural Notes

• Formality: Use polite expressions in formal settings, especially with strangers or superiors.

Countries and Nationalities

• Japan: にほん (にほんじん - nihonjin)
• The United States: アメリカ (アメリカじん - amerikajin)