You can now read all of hiragana. This lesson puts it to work: you read whole sentences and learn the three special particles whose reading differs from their spelling.
Particles that sound different
| Written | Read as | Job | Example | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| は | wa | marks the topic | わたしは がくせいです。 (watashi wa gakusei desu) | ▶ |
| を | o | marks the object | みずを のみます。 (mizu o nomimasu) | ▶ |
| へ | e | direction, "to" | がっこうへ いきます。 (gakkou e ikimasu) | ▶ |
Sentence pattern 1 (A is B): A は B です。 नेपाली: A B हो। — これは ほんです。 ▶ (kore wa hon desu): यो किताब हो। This is a book.
Sentence pattern 2 (do something to something): (object) を (verb)ます。 The verb ends the sentence.
Sentences to read aloud
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| わたしは がくせいです。 | watashi wa gakusei desu. | म विद्यार्थी हुँ। | I am a student. | ▶ |
| これは ほんです。 | kore wa hon desu. | यो किताब हो। | This is a book. | ▶ |
| それは なんですか。 | sore wa nan desu ka. | त्यो के हो? | What is that? | ▶ |
| ごはんを たべます。 | gohan o tabemasu. | म भात खान्छु। | I eat rice (a meal). | ▶ |
| みずを のみます。 | mizu o nomimasu. | म पानी पिउँछु। | I drink water. | ▶ |
| おちゃを のみますか。 | ocha o nomimasu ka. | चिया पिउनुहुन्छ? | Do you drink tea? | ▶ |
| がっこうへ いきます。 | gakkou e ikimasu. | म विद्यालय जान्छु। | I go to school. | ▶ |
| はい、のみます。 | hai, nomimasu. | हजुर, पिउँछु। | Yes, I drink. | ▶ |
| いいえ、のみません。 | iie, nomimasen. | होइन, पिउँदिनँ। | No, I don't drink. | ▶ |
Dialogue 1: greeting
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली / English | Listen | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | こんにちは。 | konnichiwa. | नमस्ते। Hello. | ▶ |
| B | こんにちは。 おげんきですか。 | konnichiwa. ogenki desu ka. | नमस्ते। तपाईं कस्तो हुनुहुन्छ? Hello. How are you? | ▶ |
| A | はい、げんきです。 | hai, genki desu. | हजुर, म ठीक छु। Yes, I'm fine. | ▶ |
| B | よかったです。 | yokatta desu. | राम्रो भयो। I'm glad. | ▶ |
Dialogue 2: what is this?
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली / English | Listen | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | これは なんですか。 | kore wa nan desu ka. | यो के हो? What is this? | ▶ |
| B | それは ほんです。 | sore wa hon desu. | त्यो किताब हो। That is a book. | ▶ |
| A | あなたは がくせいですか。 | anata wa gakusei desu ka. | तपाईं विद्यार्थी हुनुहुन्छ? Are you a student? | ▶ |
| B | はい、がくせいです。 | hai, gakusei desu. | हो, म विद्यार्थी हुँ। Yes, I am a student. | ▶ |
これ (kore) is "this" (near me), それ (sore) is "that" (near you), あれ (are) is "that over there". なん (nan) means "what". Notice how the answer repeats the verb: はい、のみます。 Japanese often answers with the verb, not with "yes" alone.
Every ▶ button plays a clear computer voice, which is good for learning sounds and rhythm but is not a native speaker. Pitch (the rise and fall of the voice) can sound a little flat. Also listen to real Japanese as often as you can: videos, news for learners (NHK Easy), and Japanese people around you.
Check yourself
Try to answer every question before you look at the answers.
- How is は read when it is a particle?
- How is を read?
- How is へ read when it means "to"?
- Read: みずを のみます。
- Read: これは ほんです。
- Make a question from ごはんを たべます。
- Where does the verb go in a Japanese sentence?
- Say in Japanese: I am a student.
- What does それは なんですか。 mean?
- Answer "No, I don't drink" in Japanese.
Answers
Count your correct answers. If you got fewer than 7 out of 10, read the lesson again and listen to the audio once more.
- wa.
- o.
- e.
- mizu o nomimasu: I drink water.
- kore wa hon desu: This is a book.
- ごはんを たべますか。 (add か)
- At the end.
- わたしは がくせいです。
- What is that?
- いいえ、のみません。
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