Minna no Nihongo Elementary 1: Lesson 14 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
待ちます
wait
駅で友達を待ちます。
I'll wait for my friend at the station.
Learning point
Use を for whom or what you wait for; the て form of 待つ is 待って.
持ちます
hold; carry; have
荷物を持ってください。
Please hold the luggage.
Learning point
持つ can mean hold or possess; 持っています commonly describes holding or having something.
名前
name
ここに名前を書いてください。
Please write your name here.
Learning point
Add お when politely asking another person's name; omit it for your own.
読み方
reading; pronunciation
この漢字の読み方を教えてください。
Please tell me how to read this kanji.
Learning point
読み方 uses the 読み stem plus 方 to mean how to read something.
～方
how to …
この機械の使い方が分かりません。
I don't know how to use this machine.
Learning point
A verb stem plus 方 forms a noun for the method, as in 使い方.
教えます
tell; teach
電話番号を教えてください。
Please tell me your phone number.
Learning point
教える here means give information, not necessarily teach a lesson.
住所
address
封筒に住所を書きます。
I'll write the address on the envelope.
Learning point
住所 is normally a residential or mailing address; a general location is 場所.
住所を教えます。
tell an address
友達に住所を教えました。
I told my friend my address.
Learning point
Use を for the information and に for the person receiving it.
開けます
open (something)
ドアを開けてください。
Please open the door.
Learning point
開ける means open something deliberately; a door opening itself uses 開く.
窓を開けます。
open a window
暑いので、窓を開けます。
It's hot, so I'll open the window.
Learning point
The window being operated takes を; 窓が開いている describes it being open.
話します
speak; talk
ゆっくり話してください。
Please speak slowly.
Learning point
Use を for the language, as in 日本語を話す; a conversation partner often takes と.
又
again
また電話します。
I'll call again.
Learning point
また repeats an action; one more item is もう一つ.
あとで
later; afterwards
あとでメールを送ります。
I'll send an email later.
Learning point
あとで means later or after something, without specifying an exact delay.
降ります
fall (rain or snow)
明日は雪が降ります。
It will snow tomorrow.
Learning point
降る describes falling rain or snow; 降りる for getting off a vehicle is a different verb.
雨が降ります。
rain
雨が降っています。
It's raining.
Learning point
降っています describes rain in progress; 雨です states the weather condition.
緑町
Midoricho (fictional place)
緑町までお願いします。
Midoricho, please.
Learning point
This is a fictional textbook place name, read みどりちょう, not a verified travel destination.
信号を右へ曲がってください。
turn right at the traffic light
信号を右へ曲がってください。その先に駅があります。
Turn right at the traffic light. The station is ahead.
Learning point
信号を marks the turning point; 右へ gives the direction.
まっすぐ
straight
この道をまっすぐ行ってください。
Please go straight along this road.
Learning point
まっすぐ describes a straight direction without turning, or something physically straight.
止めます
stop (something)
ここで車を止めてください。
Please stop the car here.
Learning point
止める makes something stop; 止まる describes it stopping.
これでお願いします。
I'll pay with this
これでお願いします。お釣りはありますか。
I'll pay with this. Do you have change?
Learning point
When paying, これ points to the money offered and で marks what is used.
お釣り
change (money)
お釣りを確認します。
I'll check the change.
Learning point
お釣り is money returned after payment; coins or small change you have are 小銭.
問題
question; problem
この問題の答えが分かりません。
I don't know the answer to this question.
Learning point
問題 can mean an exercise question or a difficulty that needs solving.
答え
answer
答えをノートに書きます。
I'll write the answer in my notebook.
Learning point
答え is a noun; the action of answering is 答える.
急ぎます
hurry
時間がありません。急ぎましょう。
We don't have time. Let's hurry.
Learning point
The て form of 急ぐ is 急いで; ぐ changes to いで.
塩
salt
塩を少し入れます。
I'll add a little salt.
Learning point
Use を入れる for adding salt; salty can be 塩辛い.
取ります
take; get
その本を取ってください。
Please get that book.
Learning point
取る means take or get; the same-sounding photo verb is usually written 撮る.
ゆっくり
slowly; at leisure
ゆっくり休んでください。
Please take a good rest.
Learning point
ゆっくり can mean slowly or at leisure, giving something enough time.
手伝います
help
宿題を手伝います。
I'll help with the homework.
Learning point
Use を for the task helped with; a person's task can be 人の仕事を手伝う.
閉めます
close (something)
窓を閉めてください。
Please close the window.
Learning point
閉める closes something; 閉まる describes it closing.
ドアを閉めます。
close a door
部屋を出る時、ドアを閉めます。
I close the door when leaving the room.
Learning point
Use 閉める for a door; turning an appliance off normally uses 消す.
パスポート
passport
受付でパスポートを見せます。
I'll show my passport at reception.
Learning point
Use 見せる for showing a passport and 持っている for having one.
見せます
show
写真を見せてください。
Please show me the photos.
Learning point
見せる shows something to someone; 見る is looking at it yourself.
コピーします
copy; photocopy
この紙をコピーします。
I'll photocopy this sheet.
Learning point
コピーする can photocopy paper or copy digital content.
エアコン
air conditioner
エアコンをつけてもいいですか。
May I turn on the air conditioner?
Learning point
エアコン abbreviates エアコンディショナー.
つけます
turn on
電気をつけてください。
Please turn on the light.
Learning point
Here つける means turn on an appliance; it has other meanings such as attach.
エアコンをつけます。
turn on the air conditioner
暑いですから、エアコンをつけます。
It's hot, so I'll turn on the air conditioner.
Learning point
The air conditioner takes を as the operated object; turning it off uses 消す.
もう少し
a little more
もう少し待ってください。
Please wait a little longer.
Learning point
もう少し adds a little more amount or time; it does not mean already little.
もう～
one more; additional …
もう一度言ってください。
Please say it one more time.
Learning point
もう with a count means an additional amount, unlike もう meaning already.
入ります
enter
店に入ります。
I'll go into the shop.
Learning point
Use に for the place entered; 入る is a group-one verb with the て form 入って.
喫茶店に入ります。
enter a café
喫茶店に入りましょう。
Let's go into the café.
Learning point
The place entered takes に, not を as a direct object.
出ます
leave; go out
七時に家を出ます。
I leave home at seven.
Learning point
Use を for the place left; 出る is a group-two verb.
喫茶店を出ます。
leave a café
喫茶店を出て、駅へ行きます。
I'll leave the café and go to the station.
Learning point
A place left takes を, contrasting with に for a place entered.
座ります
sit
ここに座ってください。
Please sit here.
Learning point
Use に for the seat or sitting place; 座る becomes 座って.
立ちます
stand
ここに立ってください。
Please stand here.
Learning point
Use に for where someone stands; the て form of 立つ is 立って.
使います
use
このペンを使ってもいいですか。
May I use this pen?
Learning point
Use を for the tool being used; use で when the tool serves to do another action.
消します
turn off; erase
寝る前に電気を消します。
I turn off the light before bed.
Learning point
消す can turn off appliances or erase writing; closing a door or window uses 閉める.
電気
electricity; light
電気がついています。
The light is on.
Learning point
電気 can mean the light in everyday speech or electricity itself.
地図
map
地図で駅を探します。
I'll look for the station on the map.
Learning point
地図 is a map; a transport route map is 路線図.
すぐ
immediately; soon
すぐ行きます。
I'll go right away.
Learning point
すぐ can mean immediately or very near, as in すぐそこ.
呼びます
call; summon
先生を呼んでください。
Please call the teacher over.
Learning point
呼ぶ summons someone; making a phone call itself is usually 電話をかける.
砂糖
sugar
コーヒーに砂糖を入れます。
I add sugar to coffee.
Learning point
Use を for the sugar and に for the drink it is added to.
さあ
come on; now
さあ、始めましょう。
All right, let's start.
Learning point
さあ can introduce or encourage an action; with another tone it can express uncertainty.
あれ？
huh?; oh?
あれ？ 鍵がありません。
Huh? My key isn't here.
Learning point
This interjection shares its spelling with the demonstrative あれ but has a different role.
These study examples and learning points support review. They do not replace the textbook; meanings follow the lesson context.