• January

    This month’s lesson is about making a reservation. Now, Ms Mary is attending to her customer, Mr Tanaka.

    Tanaka :

    Moshi moshi, Bunka-san desuka?
    Hello. Is this Bunka?

    Operator:

    Hai.
    Yes.

    Tanaka :

    Yamada-san irasshaimasuka?
    May I speak to Mr Yamada?

    Operator:

    Shitsuree desuga, dochirasama desyooka?
    May I know who is on the line?

    Tanaka:

    Tanaka to mooshimasu.
    My name is Tanaka.

    Operator:

    Tanaka-sama desune.
    Syoo syoo omachikudasai.One moment, please.

  • February

    This month’s lesson is about making a reservation. Now, Ms Mary is attending to her customer, Mr Tanaka.

    Tanaka :

    Sumimasen, yoyaku onegaishimasu.
    Excuse me, I’d like to make a reservation.

    Mary:

    Itsu ga yoroshii desuka?
    When do you want the reservation?

    Tanaka :

    Ashita no sanji ni onegaishimasu.
    Three o’clock tomorrow, please.

    Mary:

    Mooshiwake arimasen, sanji wa chotto…
    I’m sorry, I’m afraid three o’clock is not possible.

    Tanaka:

    Ja, yoji wa?
    How about four o’clock then?

    Mary:

    Hai, daijoobu desu.
    It’s fine with us.

  • March

    This month’s lesson is about asking a person to fill in a form. Now, Mr Suzuki is attending to a customer, Ms Amy.

    Amy :

    Kore haitatsu shitekudasai.
    Please deliver this to my place.

    Suzuki:

    Hai, ja koko ni juusho to onamae o onegaishimasu.
    Sure, please write your name and address here.

    Amy :

    Roomaji de desuka?
    In romanized form?

    Suzuki:

    Hai. yuubin bangoo mo kaitekudasai.
    Yes, please write your postal code too.

    Amy:

    Chotto wakaranaindesuga.
    Oh, I don’t remember it.

    Suzuki :

    Ja, kekkoo desu. Odenwa bangoo mo onegaishimasu.
    It’s all right then. Please write your telephone number too.

  • April

    This month’s lesson is about a casual conversation between two good friends, Ms Kimura and Mr Yoshida. Both converse in the plain form.

    Kimura:

    Ohayoo.
    Good morning.

    Yoshida:

    Ohayoo.
    Good morning.

    Kimura:

    Ara, kyoo suteki ne.
    Oh, you look nice today.

    Yoshida:

    Soo?
    Really?

    Kimura:

    Deeto?
    Going for a date?

    Yoshida:

    Chigau yo.
    No.

  • May

    This month’s lesson is about a casual conversation between two good friends, Mr Kobayashi and Ms Nakamura. Mr Kobayashi converses in the masculine plain form and Ms Nakamura in the feminine plain form.

    Kobayashi:

    Ohiru tabeta?
    Have you taken your lunch?

    Nakamura:

    Mada yo.
    Not yet.

    Kobayashi:

    Ja, issyoni ikoo.
    Let’s go then.

    Nakamura:

    Doko ni iku?
    Where shall we go?

    Kobayashi :

    Makudonarudo wa?
    What about Macdonalds?

    Nakamura :

    Soo ne.
    Ok

  • June

    This month’s lesson is on weather. Ms Chan is a Singaporean and Mr Aoyama is from Japan.

    Aoyama:

    Konnichiwa.
    Good afternoon.

    Chan:

    Konnichiwa, atsuidesu ne.
    Good afternoon. It’s hot, isn’t it?

    Aoyama:

    Hontoo desu ne.
    Yes, indeed.

    Chan:

    Sanjuu-do desu yo.
    It’s 30 degrees.

    Aoyama:

    Hontoo desuka?
    Really?

    Chan:

    Nihon wa doo desuka?
    How is it in Japan?

    Aoyama:

    Nihon mo hachigatsu wa atsui desu yo.
    It’s equally hot in Japan during August.

  • July

    This month’s lesson is on invitation and declining an invitation between two good friends, Mr Kimura and Ms Satoo. Mr Kimura converses in the masculine plain form and Ms Satoo in the feminine plain form.

    Kimura:

    Kondo no nichiyoobi hima?
    Are you free next Sunday?

    Satoo:

    Ee, dooshite?
    Yes, why?

    Kimura:

    Minnade tenisu o surunda. Issyoni yaroo yo?
    We are playing tennis then. Would you like to join us?

    Satoo:

    Watashi supootsu wa chotto…
    I’m poor at sports.

    Kimura:

    Soo, zannenda naa.
    I see, that’s a shame.

    Satoo:

    Gomennasai.
    Sorry.

  • August

    This month’s lesson is about asking directions. Ms Katoo is looking for the MRT station and Mr Lee is informing her about the way there.

    Katoo:

    Chotto sumimasen.
    Excuse me.

    Lee:

    Hai?
    Yes?

    Katoo:

    MRT no eki wa dokodesu ka?
    Where is the MRT station?

    Lee:

    Massugu itte migigawa desu.
    Go straight and you’ll find it on your right.

    Katoo:

    Tooidesu ka?
    Is is far?

    Lee:

    Hyaku-meetoru gurai desu.
    It’s about 100 meters away.

    Katoo:

    Doomo arigatoo gozaimasu.
    Thank you very much.

  • September

    This month’s lesson is also about direction. Now Mr Ikeda is looking for Bunka Language Pte. School and Ms Chong is indicating to her the direction.

    Ikeda:

    Bunka rangeeji sukuuru wa nangai desuka?
    Which floor is Bunka Language Pte. School on?

    Chong:

    Go-kai desu.
    It’s on the fifth floor.

    Ikeda:

    Erebeetaa wa arimasuka?
    Is there an elevator?

    Chong:

    Hai, massugu itte hidari desu.
    Yes, go straight and you’ll find it on your left.

    Ikeda:

    Gakoo wa mada aiteimasu ka?
    Is the school still open?

    Chong:

    Hai, ku-ji made aiteimasu.
    Yes, it is open until 9:00pm.

  • October

    This month’s lesson is about shopping. Ms Kawakami is at the butchery.

    Kawakam:

    Kono gyuuniku sanbyaku-guramu kudasai.

    Butcher:

    Hai.
    Alright.

    Kawakami:

    Soreto sono butaniku mo.
    And give me that pork, too.

    Butcher:

    Donogurai desu ka?
    How many grams?

    Kawakami:

    Eeto… nihyaku-guramu kudasai.
    Well… give me 200 grams.

    Butcher:

    Hai omataseshimashita.
    Here they are.

    Kawakami:

    Ikura desu ka?
    How much is it?

    Butcher:

    Zenbude kyuu-doru gojissento desu.
    It’s 9 dollars and 50 cents.

  • November

    This month’s lesson is about brothers and sisters. Ms Aoki is a teacher and Mr Ito is her teenage student. As Ms Aoki is much older than Ms Ito, she speaks in the plain form and Mr Ito speaks in the normal form.

    Aoki :

    Kyoodai wa iru no?
    Do you have brothers and sisters?

    Ito:

    Ani to imooto ga imasu.
    I have one elder brother and one younger sister.

    Aoki:

    Hutaritomo gakusee?
    Are both of them students?

    Ito:

    Ani wa moo hataraiteimasu.
    My elder brother is already working.

    Aoki :

    Imootosan wa?
    How about your younger sister?

    Ito:

    Imooto wa mada kookoosee desu.
    She is still a high school student.

  • December

    This month’s lesson is about a conversation in the office. Mr Miyazawa is asking Ms Goh to do a job and Ms Goh is responding.

    Miyazawa :

    Kore kyoojuuni onegaishimasu.
    Please complete this today.

    Goh:

    E, muri desu yo.
    Oh, it’s not possible.

    Miyazawa:

    Ja, ashitajuu de ii desu
    By tomorrow will do then.

    Goh:

    Ashita wa oyasumi desuyo.
    Tomorrow is a holiday, you know?

    Miyazawa:

    Ja asattejuuni onegaishimasu.
    By the day after tomorrow then.

    Goh:

    Wakarimashita.
    All right.