Beginning Japanese for Professionals: Book 3

9 1. /X (name) to iimasu / : This means ‘it is called X’. It is ritually used in introductions. Sumisu to moushimasu. Douzo yoroshiku. My name is Smith. How do you do. Kochira, Honda-san to ossyaimasu. This person is called Mr/s. Honda. Onamae wa nan to ossyaru n desu ka. What is your name? You can also use this pattern to ask the names of things. Kono ryouri wa nan to iu n desu ka. What is this dish called? Kore wa eigo de nan to iu n desu ka. What do you call this in English? Kaisha no namae, nan te iu no? So, what is the company’s name? 2. /X (name) to iu Y/: This means ‘Y called X’. PSU to iu daigaku ‘an university called PSU’ Oda-san to iu hito kara denwa desu. It’s a phone call from a person called Oda. Nan to iu eki de oriru n desu ka. So, we are to get off at which station (a station called what)? 9-2-2 ~ kke Retrieving previously shared information The sentence particle ~ kke indicates that the speaker is trying to recollect the information that was previously shared with the person he is talking to. The information itself can be about the present time or any other times, but because it was shared in the past, the sentence preceding this particle is in the Past form. The only exception is da , as seen below. Note that this particle cannot follow ~ desu and therefore it’s impossible to have the formal affirmative form of adjectives before it. Verbs Affirmative: Koko, jihanki arimashita kke? Is there a vending machine here? Koko jihanki atta kke? Negative: Koko, jihanki arimasen deshita kke? Isn’t there a vending machine here? Koko, jihanki nakatta kke? Adjectives Affirmative: Kore furukatta kke? Is this old? *The formal form is not possible. Negative: Kore furuku arimasen deshita kke? Isn’t this old? Kore, furuku nakatta kke? Nouns Affirmative: Ashita no apo wa go-ji deshita kke? Is tomorrow’s appointment at five? Ashita no apo wa nan-ji datta kke?