Minna no Nihongo Elementary 1: Lesson 6 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
読みます
read
電車で本を読みます。
I read books on the train.
Learning point
Use を for what you read, as in 本を読む or 新聞を読む.
買います
buy
スーパーでパンを買います。
I buy bread at the supermarket.
Learning point
Use を for the item bought and で for the place of purchase.
一緒に
together
一緒に昼ご飯を食べませんか。
Would you like to have lunch together?
Learning point
一緒に modifies an action; use a person plus と to name the companion.
ちょっと
a little; a moment
ちょっと待ってください。
Please wait a moment.
Learning point
ちょっと can soften a request and does not always describe a precise small amount.
お酒
alcohol; sake
お酒は飲みません。
I don't drink alcohol.
Learning point
お酒 can mean alcohol generally or, depending on context, sake specifically.
飲みます
drink
朝、牛乳を飲みます。
I drink milk in the morning.
Learning point
Use を for a drink; 薬を飲む also means to take medicine.
何
what
何を食べますか。
What will you eat?
Learning point
何を is normally なにを, while 何ですか is normally なんですか.
食べます
eat
家で晩ご飯を食べます。
I eat dinner at home.
Learning point
食べる is used for food; drinks normally use 飲む.
パン
bread
朝ご飯はパンです。
I have bread for breakfast.
Learning point
パン is a loanword; a slice of bread can be パン一枚.
卵
egg
卵を二つ買いました。
I bought two eggs.
Learning point
卵 can mean an egg biologically or as food; count it with 個 or つ.
します
do
週末にテニスをします。
I play tennis on weekends.
Learning point
A sport or activity can take をする; する does not replace every specific action verb.
それから
and then
宿題をします。それから、寝ます。
I'll do my homework and then go to bed.
Learning point
それから links actions in sequence or adds another item.
見ます
see; watch
家で映画を見ます。
I watch films at home.
Learning point
Use 見る for watching images; reading a book normally uses 読む.
メキシコ
Mexico
メキシコ料理を食べました。
I ate Mexican food.
Learning point
メキシコ names the country; メキシコ料理 means Mexican cuisine.
ええ
yes (conversational)
ええ、一緒に行きましょう。
Yes, let's go together.
Learning point
ええ is a conversational yes; はい is more common for a formal response.
いいですね。
that sounds good
日曜日に映画ですか。いいですね。
A film on Sunday? That sounds good.
Learning point
Use this to respond positively to an idea or express appreciation, not only product quality.
会います
meet
駅で友達に会います。
I'll meet a friend at the station.
Learning point
Use に for the person met; と can emphasize a mutual meeting arrangement.
友達に会います。
meet a friend
明日、友達に会います。
I'll meet a friend tomorrow.
Learning point
に marks the person you meet here, not the place of the meeting.
分かりました。
understood
分かりました。明日持って来ます。
Understood. I'll bring it tomorrow.
Learning point
This acknowledges an explanation or request; 分かりました is read わかりました.
何ですか。
what is it?
何ですか。もう一度お願いします。
What is it? Could you say it again?
Learning point
It can ask what someone wants when they call you; a harsh tone may sound impatient.
お花見
cherry-blossom viewing
公園でお花見をします。
We'll enjoy the cherry blossoms in the park.
Learning point
花見 usually means spring cherry-blossom viewing; the activity takes をする.
じゃ、またあした。
see you tomorrow
じゃ、またあした。おやすみ。
See you tomorrow, then. Good night.
Learning point
This is a casual farewell; では、また明日 is more formal.
果物
fruit
毎朝、果物を食べます。
I eat fruit every morning.
Learning point
果物 usually means edible fruit; 実 more broadly describes fruit borne by plants.
肉
meat
肉と野菜を買います。
I'll buy meat and vegetables.
Learning point
牛肉, 豚肉, and 鶏肉 are beef, pork, and chicken.
野菜
vegetables
野菜をたくさん食べます。
I eat plenty of vegetables.
Learning point
野菜 is a general term for vegetables; Japanese adds no plural ending.
サッカー
soccer; football
友達とサッカーをします。
I play soccer with friends.
Learning point
Playing is サッカーをする; watching is サッカーを見る.
ビデオ
video
授業のビデオを見ます。
I watch a video of the lesson.
Learning point
ビデオ can mean video content, a videotape, or video equipment, depending on context.
紅茶
black tea
紅茶に牛乳を入れます。
I add milk to black tea.
Learning point
紅茶 is black tea in English, not literally “red tea.”
店
shop; store
この店でパンを買います。
I buy bread at this shop.
Learning point
店 alone reads みせ; in compounds it may read てん, as in 喫茶店.
お茶
tea; Japanese tea
お茶を入れましょうか。
Shall I make some tea?
Learning point
お茶を入れる means make tea; 入れる here is not merely pouring something in.
聞きます
listen; hear; ask
毎朝、音楽を聞きます。
I listen to music every morning.
Learning point
聞く can mean listen or ask; interpret it from the context.
水
water
水を一杯ください。
Please give me a glass of water.
Learning point
水 usually means cool or room-temperature water; hot water is usually お湯.
手紙
letter
母に手紙を書きます。
I'll write a letter to my mother.
Learning point
Use に for the recipient and を for the letter.
書きます
write
ノートに名前を書きます。
I write my name in the notebook.
Learning point
Use を for what you write and に for the surface or place you write on.
写真
photograph
旅行の写真を見せてください。
Please show me your travel photos.
Learning point
Count photographs with 枚; taking one is 写真を撮る.
撮ります
take (a photo); shoot
カメラで写真を撮ります。
I take photos with a camera.
Learning point
撮る is for taking photos or filming; taking an object is usually 取る.
写真を撮ります。
take a photograph
ここで写真を撮ってもいいですか。
May I take photos here?
Learning point
Use the て form plus もいいですか to ask permission to take photographs.
たばこ
cigarette; tobacco
たばこは吸いません。
I don't smoke.
Learning point
たばこ means cigarettes or tobacco; 吸う supplies the action of smoking.
吸います
inhale; smoke
外でたばこを吸います。
I smoke outside.
Learning point
吸う also means inhale air; use を for what is inhaled or smoked.
たばこを吸います。
smoke cigarettes
ここでたばこを吸わないでください。
Please do not smoke here.
Learning point
For a negative request, use the ない form plus でください; 吸う becomes 吸わない.
ジュース
juice
ジュースを一本買います。
I'll buy a bottle of juice.
Learning point
ジュース may casually include sweet soft drinks; check 果汁 labeling for fruit juice.
魚
fish
晩ご飯に魚を食べます。
I eat fish for dinner.
Learning point
さかな is common for fish as food and can also refer to a living fish.
レポート
report; paper
明日までにレポートを書きます。
I'll write the report by tomorrow.
Learning point
レポート often means an academic assignment or report; use までに for its deadline.
庭
garden; yard
庭に花があります。
There are flowers in the garden.
Learning point
庭 is a yard or garden attached to a place; a public park is 公園.
昼ご飯
lunch
十二時に昼ご飯を食べます。
I have lunch at noon.
Learning point
昼ご飯 is the meal; 昼休み is the lunchtime break.
牛乳
milk
牛乳を冷蔵庫に入れます。
I'll put the milk in the refrigerator.
Learning point
牛乳 is ぎゅうにゅう; 豆乳 is soy milk, not cow's milk.
宿題
homework
家で宿題をします。
I do my homework at home.
Learning point
Doing homework is 宿題をする; submitting it is 宿題を出す.
ごはん
rice; meal
ごはんをもう少しください。
Please give me a little more rice.
Learning point
ごはん can mean cooked rice or a meal; uncooked rice is 米.
ビール
beer
ビールを一杯注文しました。
I ordered a glass of beer.
Learning point
Count glasses of beer with 杯 and bottles with 本.
いつも
always; usually
いつも七時に起きます。
I usually get up at seven.
Learning point
いつも may mean always or usually, depending on context; it need not claim no exceptions.
時々
sometimes
時々、映画を見ます。
I sometimes watch films.
Learning point
This is less frequent than いつも; 全然～ない instead means not at all.
テニス
tennis
日曜日にテニスをしませんか。
Would you like to play tennis on Sunday?
Learning point
A sport plus をしませんか can invite someone, rather than merely ask whether they do not play.
朝ごはん
breakfast
朝ごはんを食べてから出ます。
I'll leave after breakfast.
Learning point
朝ごはん means breakfast; 朝食 is a more formal word.
晩ごはん
dinner
晩ごはんは家で食べます。
I eat dinner at home.
Learning point
晩ごはん is the everyday term; 夕食 is more formal.
These study examples and learning points support review. They do not replace the textbook; meanings follow the lesson context.