Minna no Nihongo Elementary 1: Lesson 1 vocabulary review
Cover the meaning, recall the word, then read its example. Return to the lesson audio and passage when you cannot explain its use.
Review this lesson
- Read the Japanese and recall its meaning before checking the translation.
- Use the example to check how the word fits a sentence. Explain the distinction in the learning point.
- Open the lesson reader, listen, and note words you still confuse. Revisit them tomorrow.
Lesson vocabulary
私
I; me
私は学生です。
I am a student.
Learning point
Watashi is a common neutral way to say “I”; 私は～です introduces yourself.
～さん
Mr.; Ms.
田中さんは先生です。
Mr. Tanaka is a teacher.
Learning point
Add さん to another person's name, but not to your own when introducing yourself.
学生
student
姉は大学の学生です。
My older sister is a university student.
Learning point
学生 commonly refers to secondary-school and university students; elementary-school pupils are also called 児童.
会社員
company employee
父は会社員です。
My father is a company employee.
Learning point
会社員 names an occupation; ～の社員 identifies the company someone works for.
貴方
you
このかばんはあなたのですか。
Is this bag yours?
Learning point
When you know someone's name, using their name with さん is often more natural than repeatedly saying あなた.
はい
yes
はい、そうです。
Yes, that's right.
Learning point
はい can mean “yes” or simply acknowledge that you heard someone; it does not always express agreement.
いいえ
no
いいえ、学生ではありません。
No, I am not a student.
Learning point
To deny an identity, follow いいえ with ～ではありません.
銀行員
bank employee
兄は銀行員です。
My older brother works at a bank.
Learning point
銀行 is a bank; 銀行員 is someone who works there. 員 identifies a worker or member.
医者
doctor
母は医者です。
My mother is a doctor.
Learning point
医者 names the occupation; doctors are usually addressed as 先生.
あの方
that person (polite)
あの方は山田先生です。
That person over there is Professor Yamada.
Learning point
あの方 is the polite form of あの人, useful when referring respectfully to someone.
どなた
who (polite)
あの方はどなたですか。
Who is that person over there?
Learning point
どなた is more polite than 誰 and is useful for asking respectfully who someone is.
大学
university
大学で日本語を勉強しています。
I study Japanese at university.
Learning point
大学で gives the location of an activity; 大学の学生 describes a university student.
先生
teacher; instructor
先生、おはようございます。
Good morning, teacher.
Learning point
先生 is used as a title or form of address; use 教師 when stating your own occupation.
～ちゃん
child's familiar name suffix
花ちゃんは八歳です。
Hana is eight years old.
Learning point
ちゃん is affectionate, often used for children or close friends; avoid it in formal first meetings.
何歳
how old
弟は何歳ですか。
How old is your younger brother?
Learning point
何歳 asks someone's age; おいくつ is a more polite alternative for adults.
九
nine
学生は九人います。
There are nine students.
Learning point
九 can be read きゅう or く depending on the expression; 九人 is きゅうにん.
―歳
… years old
私は二十歳です。
I am twenty years old.
Learning point
Add 歳 to a number for age; 二十歳 has the special reading はたち.
初めまして。
nice to meet you
初めまして。田中です。
Nice to meet you. I'm Tanaka.
Learning point
Use this when meeting someone for the first time, not as a daily greeting.
おはようございます。
good morning (polite)
おはようございます。先生。
Good morning, teacher.
Learning point
おはよう is casual; use おはようございます with teachers or supervisors.
アメリカ
the United States
友達はアメリカから来ました。
My friend came from the United States.
Learning point
アメリカ usually means the United States here; アメリカ大陸 refers to the American continents.
～から来ました。
come from …
私は中国から来ました。
I come from China.
Learning point
から marks a starting point; this phrase can introduce your home country or city.
どうぞよろしくお願いします。
pleased to meet you; please treat me kindly
田中です。どうぞよろしくお願いします。
I'm Tanaka. It's a pleasure to meet you.
Learning point
This often closes a self-introduction; translate it as a natural greeting rather than word for word.
中国
China
中国の大学で勉強しました。
I studied at a university in China.
Learning point
中国 is read ちゅうごく; the same characters also name Japan's Chugoku region.
～人
… person; nationality suffix
李さんは中国人です。
Mr. Li is Chinese.
Learning point
人 after a country name usually reads じん and denotes nationality; people-counting uses different readings.
中国人
Chinese person
中国人の友達がいます。
I have a Chinese friend.
Learning point
中国人 means a Chinese person; 中国語 means the Chinese language.
教師
teacher (occupation)
私は高校の教師です。
I am a high-school teacher.
Learning point
教師 names the occupation; address a teacher as 先生.
あの人
that person
あの人は私の友達です。
That person is my friend.
Learning point
This refers to someone over there; あの方 is the more polite alternative.
誰
who
あの人は誰ですか。
Who is that person?
Learning point
誰 asks a person's identity; どなた is the polite version.
社員
employee of a company
私はABCの社員です。
I work for ABC.
Learning point
Use a company name plus の before 社員; 会社員 is the general occupation.
ブラジル
Brazil
ブラジルから来た学生です。
This is a student from Brazil.
Learning point
ブラジル人 means Brazilian; ポルトガル語 is Portuguese, the main language spoken in Brazil.
八歳
eight years old
娘は八歳です。
My daughter is eight years old.
Learning point
八歳 is はっさい with a small っ, not はちさい.
おいくつ
how old (polite)
お子さんはおいくつですか。
How old is your child?
Learning point
おいくつ asks age politely here; いくつ can also ask how many things there are.
日本
Japan
日本で働いています。
I work in Japan.
Learning point
日本 can be read にほん or にっぽん; this lesson uses にほん.
イギリス
the United Kingdom
姉はイギリスに住んでいます。
My older sister lives in the United Kingdom.
Learning point
イギリス normally refers to the UK; the English language is 英語.
タイ
Thailand
来月タイへ行きます。
I'm going to Thailand next month.
Learning point
タイ人 means Thai person; タイ語 means the Thai language.
ドイツ
Germany
ドイツの会社で働いています。
I work for a German company.
Learning point
ドイツ names the country; ドイツ語 is the German language.
研究者
researcher
父は大学の研究者です。
My father is a researcher at a university.
Learning point
研究者 is a person who conducts research; 研究する means to do research.
神戸
Kobe
神戸に住んでいます。
I live in Kobe.
Learning point
神戸 is the city Kobe, read こうべ; do not read the characters separately.
病院
hospital
病院で医者に会います。
I will see a doctor at the hospital.
Learning point
病院で gives the location of an action; 病院に行く uses に for the destination.
インド
India
インド料理が好きです。
I like Indian food.
Learning point
インド料理 means Indian cuisine; インド人 means an Indian person.
韓国
South Korea
韓国から来ました。
I come from South Korea.
Learning point
韓国 is read かんこく; 韓国語 means Korean.
インドネシア
Indonesia
インドネシアの友達がいます。
I have a friend from Indonesia.
Learning point
Keep インドネシア distinct from インド; they mean Indonesia and India respectively.
失礼ですが
excuse me, but …
失礼ですが、お名前は？
Excuse me, may I ask your name?
Learning point
Use this polite opening before asking personal information such as a name or age.
お名前は？
what is your name?
お名前は何ですか。
What is your name?
Learning point
お名前は？ is an abbreviated question; adding お to 名前 makes it more polite.
These study examples and learning points support review. They do not replace the textbook; meanings follow the lesson context.