* If you find any unsuitable English, please correct it in Lang-8.
http://lang-8.com/ratna_japan/journals/335607/18-Words-and-Expressions-%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E3%81%AE%E3%81%8A%E6%AD%A3%E6%9C%88-%28Part-1%29

2010年1月11日 (月)


こんにちは。

From this time, we don't add any Romaji to the sentences.
You must be able to read Hiragana and Katakana already.
We still add Hiragana for you to read Kanji.

We will give you some explanations for the sentences that we have learned last week.
We will divide the story of last week into some parts to explain the words and grammar in some following lessons.
It's still January, so we hope you don't mind even if we talk about new year.

The first part for this week is as follows.


< 日本(にほん)のお正月(しょうがつ) (その1) >
< New Year in Japan (Part 1) >


日本(にほん)では、お正月(しょうがつ)の習慣(しゅうかん)をとても大切(たいせつ)にしています。
In Japan, we cherish our New Year customs very much.

1月(いちがつ)1日(ついたち)は「元旦(がんたん)」、1月(いちがつ)1日(ついたち)～(から)3日(みっか)は「3ヶ日(さんがにち)」と呼(よ)ばれます。
January 1st is called "gantan", and the period from January 1st to 3rd is called "san-ga-nichi".

この新年(しんねん)の時期(じき)のことを「お正月(しょうがつ)」と言(い)います。
We call this new-year period "o-shoogatsu".

新(あたら)しい年(とし)が明(あ)けると、人々(ひとびと)は神社(じんじゃ)に初詣(はつもうで)に出(で)かけます。
After the new year comes, people visit shrines for new year's greetings.

初(はつ)日(ひ)の出(で)を見(み)るのを楽(たの)しみにしている人(ひと)もたくさんいます。
Also there are many people who are looking forward to seeing the first sunrise of the new year.


< Words and Expressions / 単語(たんご)と表現(ひょうげん) >

～では : in ... (a particle to show a place where somehing is done)
お正月(しょうがつ) : new-year period
習慣(しゅうかん) : a custom, a practice, a habit
とても : very much
大切(たいせつ)にする : cherish, consider important, set a high value on ...
元旦(がんたん) : (a common word for "Januari 1st")
3ヶ日(さんがにち) : the first three days of the new year (a common word for the period from Januari 1st to 3rd)
呼(よ)ばれる : be called (the passive form of "呼(よ)ぶ")
新年(しんねん) : new year
時期(じき) : period
～のこと : a thing that ... (It is used to clarify something.)
言(い)う : say, call
新(あたら)しい : new
年(とし) : year
明(あ)ける : open, begin, dawn
(～する)と : after (doing ...) (a conjunction)
人々(ひとびと) : people (Kanji "々" is used to show the Kanji before it repeated. Reading of the second "人" (々) changes into "びと". When a noun is repeated, it becomes the plural.)
神社(じんじゃ) : a shrine
初詣(はつもうで) : the first visit to a shrine at the new year time
出(で)かける : go out (to do something or to visit somewhere)
初(はつ)日(ひ)の出(で) : the first sunrise of the new year
楽(たの)しみにする : look forward
人(ひと) : person
～も : ... too (a particle)
たくさん : many


< Grammar / 文法(ぶんぽう) >

* Sentences are fragmented to show their structure.
* The word order in English is followed the word order in Japanese.


日本では、/ お正月の / 習慣を / とても / 大切にしています。
In Japan, / New Year / customs / very much / we cherish.

(Name of Place) では、/ (Modifier 1) の / (Object) を / (Modifier 2) / (Verb)。

* The place is told first to show there is something there.
* The subject (Japanese people) is not told because it's already clear.
* "Modifier 1" (お正月の) is for the "Object" (習慣), and "Modifier 2" (とても) is for the "Verb" (大切にしています).


1月1日は / 「元旦」、/ 1月1日～3日は / 「3ヶ日」と / 呼ばれます。
January 1st / "gantan", / and the period from January 1st to 3rd / "san-ga-nichi" / is (are) called.

(Subject 1) は / (Object 1)、/ (Subject 2) は / (Object 2) と / (Verb)。

* The verb is in the passive form, and it is used for both of the two (subjects + objects).


この / 新年の / 時期のことを / 「お正月」と / 言います。
This / new-year / period / "o-shoogatsu" / we call.

(Demonstrative) / (Modifier) の / (Object 1) のことを / (Object 2) と / (Verb)。

* There are two modifiers (including the "demonstrative") to explain "Object 1" (時期).
* The subject is not told because it is clear.


新しい / 年が / 明けると、/ 人々は / 神社に / 初詣に / 出かけます。
New / year / after comes, / people / shrines / for new year's greetings / visit.

(Adjective) / (Subject 1) が / (Verb 1) と、/ (Subject 2) は / (Place) に / (Purpose) に / (Verb 2)。

* "～と" is used to show "after (something is completed)".
* Two sentences are connected with the conjunction "～と".
* There are two objects in the second sentence to show "place" and "purpose".


初日の出を / 見るのを / 楽しみにしている / 人も / たくさん / います。
The first sunrise of the new year / to seeing / who are looking forward / people also / many / there are.

(Object 1) を / (Object 2) のを / (Modifier 1) / (Subject) も / (Modifier 2) / (Verb)。

* "Object 1" (初日の出) is the object for the "Object 2" (verb "見る").
* "～の" is used to make the verb (見る) an object.
* From the beginning until "人も" is the subject of the sentence.
* "Modifier 1" (楽しみにしている) is to explain the "Subject" (人), and "Modifier 2" (たくさん) is to explain the "Verb" (います).


How was it?
Have you understood the structure in the sentences above?

The word orders in Japanese are like this.
We have to get used to the usage of particles in a proper way to make sentences.
Just try to read those sentences repeatedly to get the rhythm and word orders in Japanese.

Okay, that's all for today.
Next time, we will learn the continuation of this week.

また来週!!

http://ratnajapan777.blog128.fc2.com/blog-entry-19.html