Week Five

Our final official class was a review, some new stuff, and alot of random words and phrases.

Days of the Week:
Sunday: Nichiyoubi   meaning: sun day
Monday: Getsuyoubi   meaning: moon day
Tuesday: Kayoubi   meaning: fire day
Wednesday: Suiyoubi   meaning: water day
Thursday: Mokuyoubi   meaning: tree/wood day
Friday: Kinyoubi   meaning: gold/metal day
Saturday: Doyoubi   meaning: earth day

The days of the week follow the Buddhist religion on the elements.

The months of the year follow the numbers and add on -gatsu.  January: Ichigatsu, February: Nigatsu, and so on.

The kanji for the above is available at http://www.kanjisite.com/

The fist ten days of the month have special names: 1st: tsuitachi, 2nd: futsuka, 3rd: mikka, 4th: yokka, 5th: itsuka, 6th: muika, 7th: nanoka, 8th: youka, 9th: kokonoka, 10th: touka.

I explained how years are counted both the Western way and by the year of the emperor's reign.  Your year of birth was dated by what emperor was on the throne.  When Meiji took the throne in 1867, it was formalized.

Meiji 1867-1912
Taishou 1912-1926
Shouwa 1926-1989
Heisei 1989-present

Example:  I was born in the 56th year of the Shouwa period. (1982)

The question one of the students brought up last class was answered; How do you say "I have a (color) (object)"?

Answer: He has...
              "Kare wa (color) (object) ga motteimasu"
              She has...
               "Kanojo wa (color) (object) ga motteimasu"
               I have...
               "watashi/boku/atashi/ore wa (color) (object) ga motteimasu"

A like/s: "A wa B suki desu"
A love/s: "A wa B daisuki desu" (dai is a form of "big", so it literally means "big like")
A dislike/s: "A wa B kirai desu"
A hate/s: "A wa B daikirai desu" (big dislike)

Other important and/or random words:

Wakarimasen: I don't understand; I don't know
Wakarimashita: I understand
Wakarimasu ka: Do you understand?
Oosu: multi-purpose answer
Hai: Yes
Sokka: I see
Yokata: I'm glad; I'm relieved
Gambatte: Good luck
Gambarimasu: I'll do my best (response to good luck)

There were other words and counters.  They will be in a later post.