Minna no Nihongo - Unit 20 Overview

Minna no Nihongo - Unit 20 Overview

In Unit 20, you will focus on polite and casual ways of giving advice and instructions. This unit also introduces the plain past form for verbs, as well as expressing intentions and expectations. You will learn how to distinguish between polite forms and casual speech, which is crucial when adjusting your speech to suit different social situations in Japanese.

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1. Vocabulary (たんご)

Here is some useful vocabulary related to giving advice and instructions:

• いります (irimasu) – to need, to require
• しらべます (shirabemasu) – to investigate, to check
• なおします (naoshimasu) – to repair, to correct
• しゅうりします (shuuri shimasu) – to repair, to fix
• ぼく (boku) – I (used by males)
• きみ (kimi) – you (informal)
• くん (kun) – Mr. (used with males’ names)
• うん (un) – yes (informal)
• ううん (uun) – no (informal)
• ビザ (biza) – visa
• はじめ (hajime) – the beginning
• おわり (owari) – the end
• こっち (kocchi) – this way, informal equivalent of こちら
• そっち (socchi) – that way, informal equivalent of そちら
• あっち (acchi) – that way (far), informal equivalent of あちら
• どっち (docchi) – which way, informal equivalent of どちら

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2. Grammar Points (ぶんぽう)

A. Plain Past Form of Verbs (た-form)

The た-form of verbs (plain past form) is a key aspect of informal speech and is used for casual conversations and past actions.

1. Formation of the た-form:

   • For Group 1 verbs, change the final う sound to its corresponding った form.
   • For Group 2 verbs, replace ます with た.
   • Examples:
     • いきます (ikimasu) → いった (itta) (went)
     • たべます (tabemasu) → たべた (tabeta) (ate)

2. Usage of the た-form:

   • Use the た-form to refer to past actions in informal conversations.
   • Examples:
     • わたしは にほんへ いった。
       (I went to Japan.)
     • かれは ばんごはんを たべた。
       (He ate dinner.)

B. Giving Instructions and Advice Using the Plain Form

In casual speech, you can use plain forms of verbs to give instructions or advice. This is more direct than the polite ます-form.

1. Using the Dictionary Form:

   • The dictionary form of verbs is often used to give direct instructions or suggestions in informal settings.
   • Examples:
     • きみは いけ！
       (You should go!)
     • これを しらべて！
       (Check this out!)

2. Using 〜ほうがいいです for Advice:

   • To give advice or recommendations, use た-form + ほうがいいです for actions that are better to do, and ない-form + ほうがいいです for actions that are better to avoid.
   • Structure:
     • [Verb in た-form] + ほうがいいです (You should do this.)
     • [Verb in ない-form] + ほうがいいです (You should not do this.)
   • Examples:
     • やすんだほうがいいです。
       (You should rest.)
     • おさけを のまないほうがいいです。
       (You should not drink alcohol.)

C. Expressing Intentions Using つもりです

Use つもりです to express your intention or plan to do something.

1. Structure:
   • [Verb in dictionary form] + つもりです。 (I intend to do...)
   • [Verb in ない-form] + つもりです。 (I intend not to do...)
   • Examples:
     • わたしは あした にほんへ いくつもりです。
       (I plan to go to Japan tomorrow.)
     • わたしは おさけを のまないつもりです。
       (I do not plan to drink alcohol.)

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3. Example Sentences

1. わたしは にほんごを べんきょうした。
   (I studied Japanese.)

2. あなたは すぐ びざを しらべたほうがいいです。
   (You should check your visa right away.)

3. わたしは にほんへ いくつもりです。
   (I intend to go to Japan.)

4. あなたは おさけを のまないほうがいいです。
   (You should not drink alcohol.)

5. これを なおしたほうがいいです。
   (You should fix this.)

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4. Practice Sentences

• わたしは ばんごはんを たべた。
  (I ate dinner.)

• にほんへ いったことが ありますか。
  (Have you ever been to Japan?)

• あなたは ねたほうがいいです。
  (You should go to sleep.)

• わたしは きょう しごとを するつもりです。
  (I plan to work today.)

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5. Summary

Unit 20 focuses on giving instructions, advice, and expressing intentions in both polite and casual speech. You learned how to use the た-form to describe past events and how to provide direct advice using ほうがいいです. You also explored expressing plans and intentions using つもりです. This unit is essential for navigating everyday conversations where casual and polite speech often blend.