Day 16: First Class

Script

Professor: Soredewa jiko shoukai wo shite kudasai.
それでは、自己紹介(じこしょうかい)をしてください。

Smith: Hai, wakarimashita. Hajimemashite. Watashi wa Amerika kara kimashita. Nihon no koukou de ichinenkan benkyou shita koto ga arimasu ga, daigaku wa hajimete desu.
はい、わかりました。はじめまして。私はアメリカからきました。日本の高校(こうこう)で１年間（ねんかん）勉強（べんきょう）したことがありますが、大学ははじめてです。

Professor: Nihongo ga jouzu desu ne. Nihon no seikatsu wa dou desu ka?
日本語が上手(じょうず)ですね。日本の生活(せいかつ)はどうですか。

Smith: Arigatou gozaimasu. Nihon no seikatsu ni wa naremashita ga, daigaku no jugyou wa sukoshi muzukashii to omoimasu.
ありがとう ございます。日本の生活(せいかつ)には慣(な)れましたが、大学の授業(じゅぎょう)はすこしむずかしいと思(おも)います。

Professor: Daijoubu desu yo. Nanka shitsumon wa arimasu ka?
大丈夫ですよ。なにか質問(しつもん)はありますか。

Smith: Ima no tokoro, daijoubu desu. Arigatou gozaimasu.
いまのところ、大丈夫です。ありがとうございます。

Translation

Professor: Ok, please introduce yourself.

Smith: Yes. Nice to meet you. I’m from the United States. I studied one year in a Japan high school, but this is my first time in a university.

Professor: Your Japanese is good. How’s life in Japan?

Smith: Thank you. I’ve gotten used to life in Japan, but I think university classes are a little difficult.

Professor: That’s alright. Do you have any questions?

Smith: For now, I’m okay. Thank you very much.

Vocabulary

• 紹介(しょうかい) (shoukai) - introduction
• 授業(じゅぎょう) (jugyou) - class, lesson
• 生活(せいかつ) (seikatsu) - life, lifestyle
• 慣れる(なれる) (nareru) - to get used to
• 質問(しつもん) (shitsumon) - question
• むずかしい (muzukashii) - difficult

Grammar Notes

1. Expressing Experience: 〜たことがあります (ta koto ga arimasu)

Use 〜たことがあります to express that you have experienced something in the past. The verb is conjugated to its past form and followed by ことがあります (koto ga arimasu), meaning "I have done (something)." In this lesson, Smith talks about his past study in Japan.

Example:

• 日本で勉強したことがあります。 (Nihon de benkyou shita koto ga arimasu.) - I have studied in Japan.

2. The Particle が (ga): Subject Marker

The particle が (ga) is used to mark the subject of a sentence, especially when the subject is the focus of the statement. In this lesson, the professor compliments Smith's Japanese by using が to emphasize the subject (Smith's Japanese ability).

Example:

• 日本語が上手ですね。 (Nihongo ga jouzu desu ne.) - Your Japanese is good.

3. Expressing Contrast: 〜が (ga) as "but"

In more advanced sentences, the particle が (ga) can also be used to introduce a contrast or contradiction, similar to "but" in English. Smith uses this to express that although he is used to life in Japan, university classes are challenging.

Example:

• 生活には慣れましたが、授業は難しいです。 (Seikatsu ni wa naremashita ga, jugyou wa muzukashii desu.) - I’ve gotten used to life, but the classes are difficult.

4. Asking "Do you have any questions?": 何か質問がありますか (Nani ka shitsumon ga arimasu ka?)

In Japanese, 何か (nani ka) is used to ask if there is "anything" or "something." When paired with 質問 (shitsumon, "question"), it forms the phrase for "Do you have any questions?"

Example:

• 何か質問はありますか？ (Nani ka shitsumon wa arimasu ka?) - Do you have any questions?