Beginning Japanese for Professionals: Book 1

85 1) The subject noun is focused. Dare ga, ikimasu ka. Who is going? -Honda-san desu. It is Honda-san (who is going). -Honda-san ga ikimasu. Ms. Honda is going. In Dialogue 2 above, when Michael suggests making tea, Ms. Honda says Watashi ga iremasu ‘I will make tea (not Michael or anyone)’ putting a focus on her as THE person to make tea. Another similar example in the dialogue is when Michael asks what Ms. Tanaka wants. Michael says nani ga ii desu ka putting a focus on ‘what’. 2) The entire sentence presents new information. Kaerimasu ka? Are you going home? -Hai, shukudai ga arimasu kara. Yes, because I have homework. Here having homework is new information and explains why the speaker is going home. It’s not shukudai alone that is focused here ( ‘it is homework that I have’) but rather the sentence as a whole is focused ( ‘it’s that I have homework.’) Drills and Exercises A. Cue: Chotto yasumimasen ka. Would you like to take a break? やす 休みませんか。 Response: Sou desu ne. Minasan yasumimashou . Right. Everyone, let’s take a break. みな やす そうですね。皆さん、休みましょう。 Cue: Kaerimasen ka . Would you like to go home? かえ 帰りませんか。 Response: Sou desu ne. Minasan, kaerimashou. Right. Everyone, let’s go home. みな そうですね。皆さん、帰りましょう。 B. Cue: Koohii ya koucha, nomimasu ka? Do you drink things like coffee and tea? こうちゃ の コーヒーや紅茶、飲みますか。 Response: Iya, ko-hi-mokoucha mo nomimasen. No, I don’t drink either coffee or tea. こうちゃ の いや、コーヒーも紅茶も飲みません。 Cue: Keei ya kukkii, tabemasu ka? Do you eat things like cake and cookies? た ケーキやクッキー、食べますか。