Beginning Japanese for Professionals: Book 1

67 Keitai toka tsukaimasu ka. Do you use things like smartphone? Keitai toka sumaho toka tsukaimaus ka. Do you use things like cellphones and smartphones? 3-4-2 X mo Y mo ‘both X and Y’ ‘neither X nor Y’ X mo Y mo means ‘both X and Y’ in an affirmative sentence and ‘neither X nor Y’ in a negative sentence. Compare the three responses below. Kore to are, irimasu ka . Do you need this and that? - Hai, kore mo are mo irimasu. Yes, I need them both. - Iie, kore mo are mo irimasen. No, I don't need either this or that. - Iie, kore wa irimasu kedo, are wa irimasen. No, I need this, but I don’t need that. In the first two responses, both items share a similarity, i.e., you need both or you don’t need either, but in the third sentence the two items are being contrasted, i.e. you need one but not the other, thus the particle wa is used. Drills and Exercises A. Listen to the audio. Following the first two model exchanges, respond to each cue. Cue: Isu to ka tsukue, arimasu ka. Do they have things like chairs and desks? Response: Hai, isu mo tsukue mo arimasu. Yes, they have both chairs and desks. Cue: Keetai to ka sumaho, arimasu ka. Do they have things like mobile phones and smart phones? Response: Hai, keetai mo sumaho mo arimasu. Yes, they have both mobile phones and smart phones. B. Cue: Isu ya tsukue, arimasu ka. Do they have things like chairs and desks? Response: Ie, isu mo tsukue mo arimasen. No, they have neither chairs nor desks. Cue: Eigo ya Supeingo, wakarimasu ka. Do they understand things like English and Spanish? Response: Ie, eigo mo supeingo mo wakarimasen. No, they understand neither English nor Spanish. C. Say it in Japanese. You’ve been asked what you need for your new apartment. 1. I have everything. I’m fine. 2. I have a chair, but I have neither a desk nor a table.