Japanese · JLPT Band 1 (N5) · Chapter 4
わたしの ともだちですThis is my friend
"N no N" links two nouns: possession (watashi no hon = my book) or attribute (nihongo no sensei = Japanese teacher). の chains right-to-left. Learn job words and kare/kanojo (he/she). Kana: 拗音 (small ゃゅょ).
Dialogue
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わたしの ともだち— My Friend
- Yukiけんさんはわたしのともだちです。Ken is my friend.
- Mikeはじめまして!どうも。Nice to meet you! Hi.
- Kenはじめまして。マイクさんもゆきさんのともだちです。Nice to meet you. Mike is Yuki's friend too.
Dialogue
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にほんごの せんせい— The Japanese Teacher
- Mikeやまもとせんせいはにほんごのせんせいです。Yamamoto-sensei is a Japanese teacher.
- Yukiはい。わたしのせんせいです。Yes. She is my teacher.
- Mikeわたしのせんせいもやまもとせんせいです。My teacher is Yamamoto-sensei too.
Vocabulary
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- の
particle(possessive particle)
- がくせい
nounstudent
- せんせい
nounteacher
- かいしゃいん
nounoffice worker
- いしゃ
noundoctor
- かれ
pronounhe
- かのじょ
pronounshe
- くに
nouncountry
- にほん
nounJapan
- ご
suf.(language suffix)
- ことば
nounword, language
Grammar
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N no N (possessive/linking)
Explanation
"A no B" links two nouns, meaning "A's B": possession (watashi no hon = my book) or attribute (nihongo no sensei = a teacher OF Japanese). The order is the reverse of English — the owner comes first. の can stack: watashi no kuni no kotoba (my country's language).
Examples
- わたしの ともだちです。This is my friend.
- けんさんの くにです。It's Ken's country.
- にほんごの せんせいです。A Japanese teacher.
Kana
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ひらがな: ようおん（ちいさい ゃ ゅ ょ）— Hiragana: 拗音 (small ゃ ゅ ょ)
An i-row kana + a small や/ゆ/よ. Main examples:
- きゃ きゅ きょkya kyu kyoき + small や/ゆ/よ
- しゃ しゅ しょsha shu shoし + small や/ゆ/よ — as in かいしゃ (company)
- ちゃ ちゅ ちょcha chu choち + small や/ゆ/よ
- にゃ ひゃ みゃ りゃnya hya mya ryasame pattern across the い-row
Read the 拗音 as a single mora:
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