Lesson 24: Checkpoint: Everyday Japanese Review

Congratulations. You have learned the core grammar of beginner Japanese and about 600 words. This lesson ties everything together. Use it before an exam, before moving to the next course, or to find your weak spots.

Sentence patterns at a glance

Reading: Sanjay's life in Japan

Read the text first, then check the meaning. Try to understand it without the Nepali or English column.

What N5 and A1 mean

• JLPT N5 is the first and easiest level of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test. The official description is that you can understand some basic Japanese: read typical expressions and short sentences in hiragana, katakana and basic kanji, and follow slow, short conversations.
• CEFR A1 is the beginner level of the European framework used to describe language ability. The JFT-Basic measures A2, one step higher; Course 3 prepares for it.
• The Japan Foundation does not publish an official word, kanji or grammar list for the JLPT, so no course can promise to cover "all of N5". This course follows the common beginner syllabus used by textbooks, and you should also practise with official sample questions.

Your next steps

• Make flash cards for the て-form and the plain form. These two cause most mistakes.
• Every day: 10 minutes of listening (NHK WORLD Easy Japanese), 10 minutes of reading aloud, 10 minutes of writing five sentences.
• Use the official free resources: the Irodori textbooks and the JLPT and JFT-Basic sample questions from the Japan Foundation.

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 all 30 before you check the answers.

1. Say "I am Nepali."
2. Ask "What is your job?"
3. What is this? (near me) / What is that over there?
4. Read 4,600.
5. What time is 4:30 p.m.?
6. Say "October 4th".
7. Say "I get up at 6."
8. Say "There is a cat under the chair."
9. Say "I go to the company by train."
10. Ask the way to the station.
11. Say "Two coffees, please."
12. Say "I like tea."
13. Make the negative of おおきい.
14. Say "a pretty town".
15. Say "I watched a movie yesterday."
16. Say "The trip was fun."
17. Say "Tokyo is bigger than Kathmandu."
18. て-form of のみます.
19. て-form of かきます.
20. Say "Please wait."
21. Ask "May I take photos here?"
22. Say "I live in Osaka."
23. Say "I want to go to Japan."
24. Invite someone to have lunch.
25. ない-form of かう and のむ.
26. Say "I have a fever, so I'll take a day off."
27. Reading: Where does Sanjay work?
28. Reading: What does he do after work?
29. Reading: What does he want to do next year?

Answers

Count your correct answers. If you got fewer than 20 out of 29, read the lesson again and listen to the audio once more.

1. ネパールじんです。
2. おしごとは なんですか。
3. これは なんですか。 / あれは なんですか。
4. よんせん ろっぴゃく.
5. ごご よじ はん.
6. じゅうがつ よっか.
7. ６じに おきます。
8. いすの したに ねこが います。
9. でんしゃで かいしゃへ いきます。
10. えきは どこですか。
11. コーヒーを ふたつ ください。
12. おちゃが すきです。
13. おおきくないです。
14. きれいな まち.
15. きのう えいがを みました。
16. りょこうは たのしかったです。
17. とうきょうは カトマンズより おおきいです。
18. のんで.
19. かいて.
20. まって ください。
21. ここで しゃしんを とっても いいですか。
22. おおさかに すんで います。
23. にほんへ いきたいです。
24. いっしょに ひるごはんを たべませんか。
25. かわない, のまない.
26. ねつが あるので、やすみます。
27. At a factory in Osaka.
28. He studies Japanese at night.
29. Take a Japanese test.