Minna no Nihongo Elementary 1: Lesson 22 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
万里の長城
the Great Wall
万里の長城へ行きました。
I visited the Great Wall.
Learning point
This is a landmark's proper name; 長城 reads ちょうじょう here.
着ます
wear (upper-body clothes)
白いシャツを着ます。
I'll wear a white shirt.
Learning point
着る puts on upper-body clothes; shoes and trousers commonly use 履く.
お探しですか。
are you looking for …?
部屋をお探しですか。
Are you looking for a room?
Learning point
This politely refers to the customer's looking for something, not your own search.
不動産屋
real estate agent
不動産屋で部屋を探します。
I'll look for a room through a real estate agent.
Learning point
不動産屋 can mean the agency or agent, not the property itself.
家賃
rent
この部屋の家賃はいくらですか。
How much is the rent for this room?
Learning point
家賃 is rent; deposits and maintenance charges are separate items.
では
then; well then
では、こちらの部屋を見ましょう。
Then let's look at this room.
Learning point
では can move to the next action; its conversational form is じゃ.
パリ
Paris
パリで生まれました。
I was born in Paris.
Learning point
パリ is the city name Paris in English.
帽子
hat
新しい帽子を買いました。
I bought a new hat.
Learning point
Putting on a hat uses かぶる, not 着る for upper-body clothes.
コート
coat
寒いのでコートを着ます。
It's cold, so I'll put on a coat.
Learning point
コート names a coat; putting it on commonly uses 着る.
履きます
wear (footwear or lower-body clothes)
黒いズボンを履きます。
I'll wear black trousers.
Learning point
履く applies to shoes, socks, trousers, and similar lower-body items.
靴を履きます。
put on shoes
玄関で靴を履きます。
I put on my shoes in the entrance.
Learning point
Putting shoes on is 履く; taking them off is 脱ぐ.
します
wear (accessories)
今日はネクタイをします。
I'll wear a tie today.
Learning point
する can wear accessories such as a tie or watch, but not every item of clothing.
ネクタイをします。
wear a tie
仕事の時、ネクタイをします。
I wear a tie at work.
Learning point
ネクタイを締める also means put on a tie, emphasizing fastening it.
被ります
put on (a hat)
帽子をかぶってください。
Please put on a hat.
Learning point
かぶる commonly takes something worn over the head; a hat is the typical example.
セーター
sweater
暖かいセーターを着ています。
I'm wearing a warm sweater.
Learning point
A sweater takes 着る; 着ています describes wearing it.
スーツ
suit
会議でスーツを着ます。
I'll wear a suit for the meeting.
Learning point
スーツ usually means a matching outfit; the jacket alone can be ジャケット.
えーと
um; let me see
えーと、次の駅で降ります。
Um, I'll get off at the next station.
Learning point
This fills a pause while thinking or organizing an answer rather than stating information.
おめでとうございます。
congratulations
ご結婚おめでとうございます。
Congratulations on your marriage.
Learning point
Use this for celebratory occasions; a birthday greeting is お誕生日おめでとうございます.
成人式
coming-of-age ceremony
成人式に出ました。
I attended a coming-of-age ceremony.
Learning point
成人式 names the ceremony; actual participant ages depend on local arrangements.
ケーキ
cake
誕生日にケーキを食べます。
I eat cake on my birthday.
Learning point
A piece of cake may use 一つ or 一切れ, depending on its form.
着物を着ます
wear a kimono
成人式で着物を着ました。
I wore a kimono at the coming-of-age ceremony.
Learning point
着物 is the object and 着る the dressing action; they are different words despite sharing a character.
こちら
this one (polite)
こちらはいかがですか。
How about this one?
Learning point
In service, こちら politely points to an item and can also refer to a person or direction.
ダイニングキッチン
dining kitchen
ダイニングキッチンで食事します。
I eat in the dining kitchen.
Learning point
DK in Japanese housing means a kitchen with a dining area, not necessarily a separate dining room.
和室
Japanese-style room
和室で寝ます。
I'll sleep in the Japanese-style room.
Learning point
和室 commonly means a tatami-style room; a Western-style room is 洋室.
押入れ
built-in closet
押入れに布団を入れます。
I put the futon in the built-in closet.
Learning point
押入れ is a Japanese built-in storage space commonly used for futons.
布団
futon; bedding
布団を敷きます。
I'll lay out the futon.
Learning point
布団 covers futon bedding; 敷く means lay it out.
眼鏡
glasses
眼鏡をかけています。
I'm wearing glasses.
Learning point
眼鏡 is めがね; putting on glasses uses かける, not 着る.
かけます
put on (glasses)
読書の時、眼鏡をかけます。
I put on my glasses when reading.
Learning point
かける has other uses such as calling; with 眼鏡 it means put on.
眼鏡をかけます。
wear glasses
父は眼鏡をかけています。
My father wears glasses.
Learning point
かけています describes current or habitual wearing, not only the moment of putting glasses on.
帽子を被ります。
wear a hat
外へ行く時、帽子をかぶります。
I wear a hat when going outside.
Learning point
帽子をかぶる is the usual phrase; clothing verbs differ by item.
生まれます
be born
大阪で生まれました。
I was born in Osaka.
Learning point
Use で for the birthplace; the subject is the person born, not the parent giving birth.
お弁当
boxed lunch
お弁当を持って行きます。
I'll take a packed lunch.
Learning point
お弁当 can be homemade or purchased and is not limited to convenience-store food.
私達
we; us
私達は同じクラスです。
We are in the same class.
Learning point
たち marks a group; 私たち does not necessarily include the listener.
ユーモア
humor
彼はユーモアがあります。
He has a sense of humor.
Learning point
ユーモアがある describes a sense of humor, not that every statement is funny.
ロボット
robot
このロボットは話します。
This robot speaks.
Learning point
A robot's presence normally uses ある; personified stories can differ.
都合
convenience; circumstances
明日は都合がいいですか。
Does tomorrow work for you?
Learning point
都合がいい often asks whether a time fits someone's schedule, not whether an object is convenient.
よく
often
この店へよく来ます。
I often come to this shop.
Learning point
よく means often here; in よく分かる it commonly means well.
These study examples and learning points support review. They do not replace the textbook; meanings follow the lesson context.