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 Japanese lesson for beginner-to-intermediate learners. 

1️⃣ Greeting

Japanese: こんにちは！
Romaji: Konnichiwa!
English: Hello! / Good afternoon!
Note: Standard daytime greeting. Can also be used casually anytime before evening.

2️⃣ Expressing that you were thinking about someone

Japanese: わたしは あなたの はなしを おもっていたよ。
Romaji: Watashi wa anata no hanashi o omotte ita yo.
English: I was thinking about you.

Grammar:

  • わたし (watashi) = I

  • あなた (anata) = you

  • はなし (hanashi) = story / talk / something about you

  • おもっていた (omotte ita) = was thinking

  • よ (yo) = sentence-ending particle to emphasize or inform

Tip: “おもっていた” is past continuous, good for expressing ongoing past thoughts.

3️⃣ Complimenting a project

Japanese: あなたの プロジェクト、すごいね！ おめでとう！
Romaji: Anata no purojekuto, sugoi ne! Omedetou!
English: Your project is amazing! Congratulations!

Grammar / Vocabulary:

  • すごい (sugoi) = amazing, great

  • ね (ne) = sentence-ending particle, seeking agreement or showing excitement

  • おめでとう (omedetou) = congratulations

Tip: You can add ございます (gozaimasu) for more formal: おめでとうございます.

4️⃣ Talking about someone busy but working hard

Japanese: いい人は 忙しかったね。 でも がんばったね！
Romaji: Ii hito wa isogashikatta ne. Demo ganbatta ne!
English: Good people were busy, huh. But they did their best!

Grammar / Vocabulary:

  • いい人 (ii hito) = good person / people

  • 忙しかった (isogashikatta) = was busy (past tense)

  • でも (demo) = but

  • がんばった (ganbatta) = worked hard / did their best

  • ね (ne) = softening particle

Tip: “がんばる (ganbaru)” is a very common verb in Japanese; used to encourage or praise effort.

5️⃣ Asking about an object

Japanese: 木のたんす、まだある？こわれてない？
Romaji: Ki no tansu, mada aru? Kowarete nai?
English: Do you still have the wooden chest? Is it not broken?

Grammar / Vocabulary:

  • 木 (ki) = wood

  • たんす (tansu) = chest / dresser

  • まだ (mada) = still

  • ある (aru) = exists / have

  • こわれてない (kowarete nai) = not broken

Tip: “～ている” form expresses a state; “こわれている” = is broken.

6️⃣ Asking size and fun

Japanese: 大きい？ 小さい？ たのしいね！
Romaji: Ookii? Chiisai? Tanoshii ne!
English: Big? Small? Fun, huh!

Grammar / Vocabulary:

  • 大きい (ookii) = big

  • 小さい (chiisai) = small

  • たのしい (tanoshii) = fun / enjoyable

  • ね (ne) = particle showing shared feeling

Tip: You can also say 面白い (omoshiroi) = interesting / fun.

7️⃣ Asking about health

Japanese: あなた、今元気？ 病気じゃないね？ よかった！
Romaji: Anata, ima genki? Byouki ja nai ne? Yokatta!
English: How are you now? You’re not sick, right? That’s good!

Grammar / Vocabulary:

  • 今 (ima) = now

  • 元気 (genki) = well / healthy / energetic

  • 病気 (byouki) = illness / sick

  • じゃない (ja nai) = not

  • よかった (yokatta) = I’m glad / that’s good

Tip: “元気ですか？” is the standard polite way to ask “How are you?”

✅ Lesson Summary / Key Points

  • Sentence-ending particles: よ, ね

  • Past continuous: ～ていた

  • Expressing effort: がんばる / がんばった

  • Asking about objects and states: まだある？ こわれてない？

  • Casual checking of well-being: 元気？ 病気じゃない？

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