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Japanese · JLPT Band 1 (N5) · Chapter 40

ともだちに でんわしますI call my friend

Tomodachi ni denwa shimasu

Talking about phones and messages. Vocabulary: denwa, keitai, mēru, bangō, henji, kakeru, deru, okuru, ato de, moshi moshi. Key grammar: the particle "ni" that marks the person you are addressing. The person you phone or message is shown with "ni": "tomodachi ni denwa shimasu" (I call my friend), "haha ni mēru o okurimasu" (I send my mother an email). The thing takes "o", and the person (the addressee) takes "ni": the email takes "o", the friend takes "ni". This "ni" is separate from the time "ni" (chapter 17) and the place "ni" (chapter 24); it means "towards / aimed at (a person)". English speakers, thinking of "call my friend", tend to use "o" for the person: "tomodachi o denwa shimasu" ✗ → "tomodachi ni denwa shimasu" ✓. Kana corner: the katakana of phone words and the sound of the particles "ni" and "o".

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ともだちを でんわ / ともだちに でんわ— tomodachi o denwa / tomodachi ni denwa

  1. YukiマMaイiクkuさsaんn、こkoんnばbaんnのnoけkeいiかkaくkuはwaきkiまmaりriまmaしshiたtaかka？Mike, are tonight's plans decided?
  2. MikeまMaだdaでdeすsu。あAとtoでdeとtoもmoだdaちchiをoでdeんnわwaしshiまmaすsu。Not yet. I'll call my friend later. (slip: the person takes "ni", not "o" → tomodachi ni denwa shimasu)
  3. YukiあAいiてteのnoひhiとtoはwa「にni」でdeすsu：「とtoもmoだdaちchiにniでdeんnわwaしshiまmaすsu」。「をO」はwaでdeんnわwaやyaメーmēルruにniつtsuかkaいiまmaすsu。The person you address takes "ni": "tomodachi ni denwa shimasu". "O" is for the call or the email.
  4. MikeなNaるruほhoどdo。とToもmoだdaちchiにniでdeんnわwaしshiまmaすsu。そSoれreかkaらraユYuキkiさsaんnにniメーmēルruをoおoくkuりriまmaすsu。I see. I'll call my friend. Then I'll send you an email, Yuki.
  5. YukiあAりriがgaとうtō。わWaたtaしshiはwaでdeんnわwaにniでdeらraれreなnaいiとtoきkiがgaあaるruのnoでde、メーmēルruがgaいiいiでdeすsu。Thanks. There are times I can't answer the phone, so email is better.
  6. MikeわWaかkaりriまmaしshiたta。じゃあJā、けkeいiたtaいiのnoばbaんnごうgōをoおoしshiえeてteくkuだdaさsaいi。Got it. Then please tell me your mobile number.

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もしもし、ケンです— Hello, this is Ken

  1. YukiもMoしshiもmoしshi。Hello?
  2. KenもMoしshiもmoしshi、ユYuキkiさsaんn。ケKeンnでdeすsu。いIまmaでdeんnわwa、だdaいiじょうjōぶbuでdeすsuかka？Hello, Yuki. This is Ken. Is it okay to call right now?
  3. YukiあA、ケKeンnさsaんn。だDaいiじょうjōぶbuでdeすsu。メーMēルru、あaりriがgaとうtō。へHeんnじjiがgaおoそsoくkuてteごgoめmeんnなnaさsaいi。Oh, Ken. It's fine. Thanks for the email. Sorry my reply was late.
  4. KenだDaいiじょうjōぶbuでdeすsuよyo。あAしshiたta、みmiんnなnaにniでdeんnわwaしshiてte、じjiかkaんnをoきkiめmeまmaせseんnかka？It's fine. Tomorrow, shall we call everyone and decide a time?
  5. YukiいIいiでdeすsuねne。わWaたtaしshiはwaとtoもmoだdaちchiにniメーmēルruでdeしshiらraせseまmaすsu。Good idea. I'll let my friends know by email.
  6. KenあAりriがgaとうtō。じゃあJā、まmaたtaあaとtoでdeでdeんnわwaしshiまmaすsu。おOやyaすsuみmiなnaさsaいi。Thanks. Well, I'll call again later. Good night.

Vocabulary

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でdeんnわwa

nounphone; phone call

けkeいiたtaいi

nounmobile phone

メーmēルru

nounemail, message

ばbaんnごうgō

nounnumber

へheんnじji

nounreply, answer

かkaけkeるru

verbto make (a call)

でdeるru

verbto answer (a call); to go out

おoくkuるru

verbto send

あaとtoでde

adverblater

もmoしshiもmoしshi

expr.hello (on the phone)

Grammar

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The addressee "ni": call/message a person

Explanation

When you make a call or send a message, the person you address is shown with the particle "ni": "tomodachi ni denwa shimasu" (I call my friend), "sensei ni mēru o okurimasu" (I send the teacher an email), "haha ni denwa o kakemasu" (I make a call to my mother). The thing (the call, the email) takes "o", and the addressee takes "ni": friend takes "ni", email takes "o". This "ni" carries the feeling of "heading towards (a person)", and works for the recipient of "give / tell / reply" too. Note: this "ni" plays a different role from the time "ni" (chapter 17, "shichi-ji ni") and the location "ni" of existence (chapter 24, "tsukue no ue ni arimasu"). English speakers, because in "call my friend" the person becomes the object, tend to use "o" for the person: "tomodachi o denwa shimasu" ✗ → "tomodachi ni denwa shimasu" ✓.

Examples

  • あとで ともだちに でんわします。I will call my friend later.
  • ははに メールを おくりました。I sent my mother an email.
  • でんわに でて、へんじを しました。I answered the phone and gave a reply.
  • せんせいの でんわばんごうを おしえて ください。Please tell me the teacher's phone number.

Kana

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でんわの ことばと じょし「に・を」— Phone words and the particles "ni" / "o"

Read the sentences and find "ni" and "o":

  • ともだちに でんわを かけますtomodachi ni denwa o kakemasufriend = "ni", call = "o"
  • ははに メールを おくりますhaha ni mēru o okurimasumother = "ni", email = "o"
  • けいたいの ばんごうkeitai no bangōmobile number (hiragana + katakana)
  • もしもし、ケンですmoshi moshi, Ken desuhello, this is Ken (on the phone)

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