Minna no Nihongo Elementary 1: Lesson 8 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
桜
cherry blossom
公園の桜が咲きました。
The cherry blossoms in the park have opened.
Learning point
桜 can mean cherry blossoms or the tree; the fruit is さくらんぼ.
綺麗
beautiful; clean
この部屋はきれいです。
This room is clean.
Learning point
きれい can mean beautiful or clean; as a な adjective it modifies nouns with きれいな.
富士山
Mount Fuji
富士山が見えます。
Mount Fuji is visible.
Learning point
富士山 is ふじさん; 山 reads さん here, not やま.
高い
high; expensive
この時計は高いです。
This watch is expensive.
Learning point
高い can mean expensive or high; choose the English meaning from context.
山
mountain
日曜日に山に登ります。
I'll climb a mountain on Sunday.
Learning point
Climbing a mountain is 山に登る; the summit is 山頂.
賑やか
lively; bustling
駅前はにぎやかです。
The area in front of the station is lively.
Learning point
にぎやか is a な adjective; にぎやかな町 means a lively town.
有名
famous
ここは有名な店です。
This is a famous shop.
Learning point
Use な before a noun; 有名 does not become 有名い.
寒い
cold (weather)
今日は寒いです。
It's cold today.
Learning point
寒い describes cold weather or feeling cold; a cold object is 冷たい.
とても
very
この料理はとてもおいしいです。
This dish is very tasty.
Learning point
とても intensifies an adjective; with a negative it can also mean something is simply impossible.
上海
Shanghai
上海は大きい都市です。
Shanghai is a large city.
Learning point
上海 is normally read シャンハイ in Japanese.
余り
not very; not much
この町はあまり静かではありません。
This town is not very quiet.
Learning point
あまり normally combines with a negative to mean not very or not much.
寮
dormitory
学校の寮に住んでいます。
I live in the school dormitory.
Learning point
寮 is りょう and can be a school or company dormitory.
どう
how; what do you think?
日本の生活はどうですか。
How is life in Japan?
Learning point
どう asks about a state or impression; どんな must be followed by a noun.
古い
old (thing)
この建物は古いです。
This building is old.
Learning point
古い describes the age of things; it is not normally used for an elderly person.
便利
convenient
駅が近くて便利です。
It's convenient because the station is nearby.
Learning point
便利 is a な adjective; 便利な店 modifies a noun, while 便利に使う modifies an action.
～が、～
… but …
高いですが、おいしいです。
It's expensive, but tasty.
Learning point
が at the clause ending links contrasting or additional information; it is not the subject marker here.
古いですが、便利です。
old but convenient
古いですが、便利です。駅が近いです。
It's old but convenient. The station is nearby.
Learning point
An い adjective followed by ですが creates a polite contrasting clause.
どんな～
what kind of …
どんな映画が好きですか。
What kind of films do you like?
Learning point
どんな needs a noun; ask どうですか for an overall impression.
そして
and; and then
この町は静かです。そして、便利です。
This town is quiet and also convenient.
Learning point
そして can add another feature or event without necessarily implying strong causation.
面白い
interesting; funny
この本は面白いです。
This book is interesting.
Learning point
面白い can mean interesting or funny, depending on what it describes.
大きい
big; large
大きいかばんを買いました。
I bought a large bag.
Learning point
大きい directly modifies nouns; 大きな is another common attributive form.
七人の侍
Seven Samurai
七人の侍を見ました。
I watched Seven Samurai.
Learning point
This is a film title; 七人 here is しちにん.
そろそろ失礼します。
I should be going
そろそろ失礼します。ありがとうございました。
I should be going now. Thank you.
Learning point
This politely ends a visit; そろそろ means the appropriate time is approaching.
生活
life; daily living
日本の生活に慣れました。
I've become used to life in Japan.
Learning point
生活 concerns daily living, rather than life as biological existence.
楽しい
fun; enjoyable
旅行は楽しかったです。
The trip was enjoyable.
Learning point
楽しい describes an enjoyable experience; its past form is 楽しかった.
お仕事
work; occupation (polite)
お仕事は何ですか。
What do you do for work?
Learning point
お makes a question about someone else's work polite; normally omit it for your own occupation.
そうですね。
yes; let me think
そうですね。もう少し考えます。
Let me think. I'll consider it a little more.
Learning point
This can give time to think, or express agreement, depending on context.
忙しい
busy
今週は仕事が忙しいです。
Work is busy this week.
Learning point
忙しい can describe a person or work situation and directly modifies nouns.
もう～ですね。
it is already …
もう夜ですね。帰りましょう。
It's already evening. Let's go home.
Learning point
もう emphasizes that a state has been reached; ですね seeks shared acknowledgment.
一杯
one cup; one bowl
コーヒーを一杯ください。
Please give me one cup of coffee.
Learning point
一杯 is いっぱい; it can also mean full, depending on context.
～、もう一杯いかがですか。
would you like another …?
コーヒー、もう一杯いかがですか。
Would you like another cup of coffee?
Learning point
もう一杯 means one more cup, not already one cup.
いいえ、けっこうです。
no, thank you
いいえ、けっこうです。ありがとうございます。
No, thank you. Thank you for offering.
Learning point
Use this to decline an offer; けっこうです alone can sound abrupt depending on tone.
いいえ。
no; not at all
いいえ、気にしないでください。
Not at all. Please don't worry about it.
Learning point
In response to an apology or thanks, this can mean not at all rather than deny a fact.
又
again
また明日、電話します。
I'll call again tomorrow.
Learning point
また means again and also appears in farewells such as また明日.
またいらっしゃってください。
please visit again
またいらっしゃってください。お待ちしています。
Please come again. We look forward to seeing you.
Learning point
いらっしゃる is respectful for 来る and other verbs; here it invites another visit.
いい
good
これはいい本です。
This is a good book.
Learning point
The negative and past of いい come from よい: よくない and よかった.
悪い
bad
今日は天気が悪いです。
The weather is bad today.
Learning point
悪い can describe weather, quality, or a situation, not only moral wrongdoing.
元気
well; energetic
祖母は元気です。
My grandmother is well.
Learning point
元気 can describe health or energy; it is a な adjective.
美味しい
delicious
このパンはおいしいです。
This bread is delicious.
Learning point
おいしい applies to food and drinks; 美味しい is its kanji spelling.
町
town
静かな町に住んでいます。
I live in a quiet town.
Learning point
町 can mean a town or neighborhood; its reading may differ in administrative names.
静か
quiet
図書館は静かです。
The library is quiet.
Learning point
Use 静かな before a noun and 静かに to describe an action.
親切
kind; helpful
店員さんは親切です。
The shop assistant is helpful.
Learning point
親切 commonly describes helpful treatment; consider the relationship when referring to your own group.
暑い
hot (weather)
夏はとても暑いです。
Summer is very hot.
Learning point
暑い describes hot weather or feeling hot; a hot object is 熱い.
熱い
hot (to touch)
このお茶は熱いです。
This tea is hot.
Learning point
熱い describes hot food, drinks, or objects; do not use 暑い for them.
暇
free; not busy
日曜日は暇です。
I'm free on Sunday.
Learning point
暇な時 means when you are free; “free of charge” is 無料, not 暇.
新しい
new
新しいパソコンを買いました。
I bought a new computer.
Learning point
新しい means new or newly acquired; it does not describe every sense of fresh food.
易しい
easy
この問題は易しいです。
This question is easy.
Learning point
易しい and 優しい both read やさしい; 優しい means gentle or kind.
ハンサム
handsome
あの人はハンサムです。
That person is handsome.
Learning point
ハンサム is a な adjective; ハンサムな人 modifies a noun.
レストラン
restaurant
レストランで昼ご飯を食べます。
I have lunch at a restaurant.
Learning point
レストラン is a restaurant; 食堂 often means a cafeteria or modest eatery.
安い
cheap; inexpensive
この店は安いです。
This shop is inexpensive.
Learning point
安い means low-priced; it does not automatically mean poor quality.
低い
low; short
この机は低いです。
This desk is low.
Learning point
低い can describe height, sound, or degree; a short person is 背が低い.
食べ物
food
好きな食べ物は何ですか。
What is your favorite food?
Learning point
食べ物 means food; 飲み物 means drinks.
青い
blue
青いシャツを着ています。
I'm wearing a blue shirt.
Learning point
青い directly modifies a noun; the color noun is 青.
冷たい
cold (to touch)
冷たい水を飲みます。
I drink cold water.
Learning point
冷たい describes a cold object or an unfriendly attitude; cold weather is 寒い.
素敵
lovely; wonderful
素敵な写真ですね。
What a lovely photograph.
Learning point
素敵 is a な adjective used to praise appearance or an experience.
お元気ですか。
how are you?
お元気ですか。私は元気です。
How are you? I'm well.
Learning point
This often greets someone after time apart or in correspondence; it need not be repeated every day.
難しい
difficult
日本語の漢字は難しいです。
Japanese kanji are difficult.
Learning point
難しい describes difficulty; inconvenience is usually 不便.
赤い
red
赤い花を買いました。
I bought red flowers.
Learning point
赤い is the adjective; 赤 is the color noun.
白い
white
白いシャツを着ます。
I'll wear a white shirt.
Learning point
白い modifies nouns directly, without な.
黒い
black
黒いかばんは私のです。
The black bag is mine.
Learning point
黒い describes color; 黒字, for example, is a separate expression for being in profit.
金閣寺
Kinkaku-ji
金閣寺へ行きました。
I visited Kinkaku-ji.
Learning point
金閣寺 is きんかくじ; 寺 reads じ here.
所
place
ここは静かな所です。
This is a quiet place.
Learning point
所 as ところ means a place; compound words such as 住所 use another reading.
長崎
Nagasaki
長崎の写真を見せてください。
Please show me your photos of Nagasaki.
Learning point
長崎 is the Japanese place name ながさき.
奈良公園
Nara Park
奈良公園で写真を撮りました。
I took photos in Nara Park.
Learning point
奈良公園 is ならこうえん; 公園 means a public park.
小さい
small
小さい店で買いました。
I bought it at a small shop.
Learning point
小さい directly modifies nouns; 小さな is another common attributive form.
These study examples and learning points support review. They do not replace the textbook; meanings follow the lesson context.