Beginning Japanese for Professionals: Book 1

47 Table 3. Conjucation of non-past and past-forms of -desu in the affirmative and negative. Affirmative Negative Non-past Nihongo desu. It’s Japanese. Nihongo ja nai desu. It’s not Japanese. Past Nihongo deshita. It was Japanese. Nihongo ja nakatta desu. It wasn’t Japanese. The Past forms are also used to express recollection of information, even when it is information about an event scheduled in the future. Kaigi wa ashita deshita ne. The meeting was tomorrow, right? - Iya, asatte ja nakatta desu ka? No, wasn’t it the day after tomorrow? Drills and Exercises Cue: Kyou wa getsuyoubi desu ne. Today is Monday, right? Response: E? Kayoubi ja nai desu ka? What? Isn’t it Tuesday? Cue: Kyou wa Mokuyoubi desu ne. Today is Thursday, right? Response: E? Kinyoubi ja nai desu ka? What? Isn’t it Friday? Cue: Kinou wa ame deshita ne. It rained yesterday, right? Response: Ee, ame ja nakatta desu ka. Yes, didn’t it rain? Cue: Shike wa getsuyou deshita ne. The exam was Monday, right? Response: Ee, getsuyou ja nakatta desu ka. Yes, wasn’t it on Mon.? Say it in Japanese. You are talking about last week’s meeting. Ask the following: 1. When was it? 2. What day of the week was it? 3. What time was it? 4. Where was it? 5. Which country was it (held in)? 6. Which company was it (held at)? 7. Who was the teacher? 8. Of what nationality was the teacher? 9. In what language was it? 10. Which textbook was it (that was used)?