わたしのことAbout Me
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- State where you are from using the formulaic expression 〜から来ました.
- Name the language you speak and the country you are from using 〜語 and 〜人.
- Use the object particle を with common verbs such as 話します、勉強します、食べます.
- Use the particle と to connect nouns meaning "and" and "with."
- Ask and answer basic questions about origin, languages, and current study.
- Use から to express "from" in origin statements.
- Produce a short self-introduction linking information from Chapters 1, 2, and 3.
- Recognize and write the final rows of core hiragana: ら, わ, and ん.
- Recognize the four kanji introduced in this chapter: 語、学、生、年.
- Write your age and school-year level in Japanese.
Communication Scenario
It is the second week of class. Yamada-sensei has arranged a short "self-introduction" activity. Each student stands, says their name, where they are from, what language they speak at home, what they are studying, and one additional piece of information. Other students can then ask follow-up questions. For the first time, the class needs to say something meaningful about themselves — not just identify objects on a desk.
- Think about what you usually say when you introduce yourself for the first time in a new group. What information comes first? What comes later? Does your ordering change depending on the setting?
- In many Japanese contexts, a self-introduction — called 自己紹介 — follows a fairly recognizable pattern: name, affiliation or origin, then one or two personal details. This chapter gives you the tools to produce a basic but genuine version of this pattern in Japanese.
Core Vocabulary
くにとことば — Countries and languages
| Japanese | Reading | English meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 日本 | Nihon | Japan | Also heard as にっぽん (Nippon) in some formal or official contexts |
| 日本語 | Nihongo | Japanese (language) | Kanji 語 introduced this chapter |
| 日本人 | Nihonjin | Japanese person | Reviewed from Chapter 2 |
| アメリカ | Amerika | America (the United States) | Katakana; recognition only at this stage |
| アメリカ人 | Amerikajin | American person | 〜人 attaches to country names |
| えいご | Eigo | English (language) | Written in hiragana at this stage; 英語 in kanji (not yet active) |
| ちゅうごく | Chūgoku | China | Written in hiragana at this stage |
| ちゅうごくご | Chūgokugo | Chinese (language) | 〜語 attaches to country names to make language names |
| かんこく | Kankoku | South Korea | Written in hiragana at this stage |
| かんこくご | Kankokugo | Korean (language) | |
| フランス | Furansu | France | Katakana; recognition |
| フランスご | Furansugo | French (language) | Mixed script: katakana country name + hiragana ご |
| スペイン | Supein | Spain | Katakana; recognition |
| スペインご | Supeingo | Spanish (language) | |
| ブラジル | Burajiru | Brazil | Katakana; recognition |
| ポルトガルご | Porutogarugo | Portuguese (language) | Katakana country name + hiragana ご |
Country names in katakana are given for recognition in this chapter. You are not expected to produce katakana independently until Chapter 4 and beyond. Language names formed with 〜語 are a productive pattern you should begin using now: take a country name and add 〜語. The same principle applies to nationality: take a country name and add 〜人.
じぶんのこと — Talking about yourself
| Japanese | Reading | English meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 〜から来ました | 〜kara kimashita | came from 〜; am from 〜 | Formulaic expression for origin; the full verb system is not yet active |
| 今 | ima | now; currently | Useful with residence and study statements |
| 〜歳 | 〜sai | 〜 years old | Counter for age; irregular readings for some numbers |
| 〜年生 | 〜nensei | 〜th-year student | e.g. いちねんせい (first-year student) |
| 大学生 | daigakusei | university student | Kanji 学・生 introduced this chapter; furigana provided |
| 高校生 | kōkōsei | high school student | Furigana provided; kanji not yet active for production |
| 先生 | sensei | teacher; instructor; doctor | Reviewed from Chapter 2; kanji 生 introduced this chapter |
| しごと | shigoto | work; job | Written in hiragana at this stage; kanji 仕事 not yet active |
| しゅみ | shumi | hobby; interest | |
| すき（な） | suki (na) | liked; favorite | な-adjective; 〜がすきです = "I like 〜" |
どうし — Verbs introduced in this chapter
| Dictionary form | Polite nonpast | Reading | Meaning | Common particle frame |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| はなす | はなします | hanashimasu | speak; talk | 〜語をはなします |
| 勉強する | 勉強します | benkyō shimasu | study | 〜を勉強します or just 勉強します |
| たべる | たべます | tabemasu | eat | 〜をたべます |
| のむ | のみます | nomimasu | drink | 〜をのみます |
| わかる | わかります | wakarimasu | understand; know | 〜がわかります |
These verbs appear in their polite nonpast form (〜ます), which is the main productive form at this stage. The dictionary form is given for reference and future study. Note that わかります uses the particle が rather than を — this difference will be addressed in the grammar section below.
とし・ねんれい — Age and year level
Japanese uses the counter 〜歳 (sai) to express age. Here are the most common ages with their readings. Several have irregular pronunciations.
Note that いっさい (1), はっさい (8), and じゅっさい (10) involve consonant changes. The number 20 — はたち — uses a special traditional reading that does not follow the regular pattern. Asking someone's age directly can feel intrusive in some contexts; see the Culture section for guidance.
Hiragana Completion and New Kanji
だいさんグループ — Final hiragana: ら row, わ row, and ん
This chapter completes your core hiragana inventory. Once you have learned these final symbols, you will be able to read and write any standard Japanese sound in hiragana. The remaining symbols are: the ら row, the two surviving symbols from the わ row in modern Japanese (わ and を), and the moraic nasal ん.
The consonant of the ら row is neither the English "r" nor the English "l." It is most accurately described as a flap or tap: the tip of the tongue briefly touches the ridge behind the upper front teeth and immediately pulls away, similar to the "d" or "r" sound in the middle of an American English word like "butter" or "water." Do not curl the tongue back as in English "r," and do not press it firmly as in English "l." Listen to model audio or a native speaker carefully, and practice words such as らいねん (next year) and にほんご (Japanese language) out loud.
を is the hiragana used exclusively for the object particle. In modern standard Japanese, it is always pronounced "o" — the same vowel sound as お — but its spelling distinguishes it from the regular vowel お. Every time you see を, you know it is functioning as the object particle を and nothing else.
ん represents the moraic nasal, which you have already encountered in words like えんぴつ and わかりません. It is always one full mora in length. Its exact pronunciation shifts depending on what follows it — it can sound like "n," "m," or a nasal resonance similar to "ng" — but you do not need to engineer these variants consciously. Producing a clear nasal at the right position in the word is sufficient for intelligibility.
れんしゅう — Practice: You have now learned all the core hiragana. Without looking at any chart, write out the full hiragana table from あ through ん. Then check your work against a complete reference chart and circle any symbols you missed or wrote incorrectly. Practice those symbols five more times each.
あたらしいかんじ — New kanji: 語・学・生・年
This chapter introduces four kanji that appear in high-frequency words you are already using. Focus on recognizing them in context; handwritten production will build with practice.
These four kanji appear in words you already know or will use immediately in this chapter:
- 日本語Nihongo — Japanese language日本 (Japan) + 語 (language)
- 語学gogaku — language study / linguistics語 (language) + 学 (study)
- 学生gakusei — student学 (study) + 生 (person living)
- 先生sensei — teacher先 (ahead/before) + 生 (person) — note the reading of 生 changes here
- 一年生ichinensei — first-year student一 (one) + 年 (year) + 生 (student)
- 今年kotoshi — this year今 (now) + 年 (year) — note the reading of 年 as とし here
The kanji 生 is one of the most versatile characters in Japanese and illustrates an important principle: the reading of a kanji belongs to the word, not the character alone. In 学生 it reads せい; in 先生 it also reads せい; in 一年生 it reads せい again. But in 生きる (to live) or 生まれる (to be born), entirely different readings appear. For now, learn the reading of each complete word — do not try to memorize all possible readings of 生 in the abstract.
れんしゅう — Practice: Cover the furigana and try to read the example words above from memory. Then practice writing 語、学、生、年 once each, paying attention to stroke order. Your instructor or a stroke-order reference can help with the correct sequence.
Pronunciation
Completing the sound inventory
With the addition of the ら row and ん, you now have access to the complete core Japanese sound inventory in hiragana. Before moving to new material, it is worth reviewing where English-speaking learners most often develop persistent habits that affect intelligibility.
Several words in this chapter contain vowel sequences that must be spoken as separate morae, not as English diphthongs. Compare:
- えいご (Eigo, English language) — three morae: e – i – go. Do not collapse ei into a single gliding sound like "ay." Each vowel has its own beat.
- べんきょう (benkyō, study) — four morae: be – n – kyo – u. The final う extends the o sound; it is not a separate syllable "oo," but a lengthened o.
- りゅうがくせい (ryūgakusei, international student) — six morae: ryu – u – ga – ku – se – i. Practice counting as you tap.
Long vowels are meaningful in Japanese — they can distinguish different words entirely. Training yourself to hold the lengthened vowel for a full extra mora is one of the highest-value pronunciation habits you can build at this stage.
Several key vocabulary words in this chapter contain ん: にほんご, べんきょう, わかりません. In each case, ん counts as one full mora. The most common error is to swallow ん or merge it with a nearby vowel. Practice these words while tapping one finger per mora and you will feel where ん belongs in the rhythm of the word.
Grammar Instruction
3.1 〜から来ました — Expressing origin
Purpose: state where you are from using a formulaic polite expression.
To say where you are from, use the pattern 〜から来ました. The particle から means "from," and 来ました is the polite past form of the verb 来る (to come). At this stage, treat the whole phrase as a formulaic unit — the internal grammar of 来ました will be developed formally in later chapters.
- アメリカから来ました。Amerika kara kimashita. — I am from America.[アメリカ] + から + 来ました
- 日本から来ました。Nihon kara kimashita. — I am from Japan.
- どこから来ましたか。Doko kara kimashita ka. — Where are you from?
In Chapter 3 you meet から in the origin expression 〜から来ました, where it means "from" in a spatial sense. You will eventually also encounter から with the meaning "because" or "so" when connecting clauses. These are different uses of the same particle; for now, focus on the origin use and note that context will always clarify which meaning applies.
3.2 〜語と〜語をはなします — Languages and the particles と and を
Purpose: name the languages you speak using the object particle を and the listing particle と.
This chapter introduces two important particles used together in a natural statement about languages.
The object particle を marks the noun that receives the action of a transitive verb. The verb はなします (speak) takes a language name as its object:
- えいごをはなします。Eigo o hanashimasu. — I speak English.[えいご] + を + はなします
- 日本語をはなします。Nihongo o hanashimasu. — I speak Japanese.
- 日本語を勉強します。Nihongo o benkyō shimasu. — I study Japanese.
The particle と connects two or more nouns in a list meaning "and." It is also used to mean "with" when describing a companion:
- えいごとスペインごをはなします。Eigo to Supeingo o hanashimasu. — I speak English and Spanish.[えいご] + と + [スペインご] + を + はなします
- ともだちとはなします。Tomodachi to hanashimasu. — I speak with a friend.と = "with" when marking a companion
The hiragana を is consistently pronounced "o" in modern standard Japanese, even though it is romanized as "wo" in some systems. When you see を, pronounce it the same way you pronounce the vowel お. Its distinctive spelling is simply a convention that identifies it as the object particle rather than the syllable お.
You saw the particle や briefly in Chapter 2's vocabulary notes (as in ノートや教科書). Both と and や connect nouns, but they differ in an important way. と presents an exhaustive list — "A and B, and that is all." や presents a partial list — "A and B (among other things)." For now, use と when you mean to name all the items in your list. や will be developed further in Chapter 8.
3.3 〜がわかります — The particle が with わかります
Purpose: say what you understand or know, using the correct particle with わかります.
The verb わかります (to understand) uses the particle が, not を, to mark what is understood. This pattern differs from English, where "understand" takes a direct object:
- えいごがわかります。Eigo ga wakarimasu. — I understand English. / I know English.[えいご] + が + わかります
- 日本語がすこしわかります。Nihongo ga sukoshi wakarimasu. — I understand Japanese a little.
- まだわかりません。Mada wakarimasen. — I don't understand yet.
The reason わかります uses が rather than を relates to the nature of the verb — it describes a state of awareness rather than an action performed on an object. The full contrast between が and を develops throughout the course; at this stage, simply memorize the frame 〜がわかります as a unit.
3.4 〜歳です / 〜年生です — Stating age and year level
Purpose: state your age and student year level using counters with the copula.
To state age, combine a number with the counter 〜歳 and the copula です. To state school year, combine a number with 〜年生:
- じゅうはっさいです。Jūhassai desu. — I am 18 years old.
- にねんせいです。Ninensei desu. — I am a second-year student.
- なんさいですか。Nansai desu ka. — How old are you?
- なんねんせいですか。Nannensei desu ka. — What year are you?
Building a self-introduction step by step. You now have the pieces to produce a short but genuine self-introduction. A typical beginner 自己紹介 in a classroom setting might follow this order: (1) greeting, (2) name, (3) origin, (4) languages, (5) current situation (student, year level), (6) one personal detail. Each piece slots into a simple frame you already know. Notice that the Japanese self-introduction does not require you to state every piece of information — leaving out age, for example, is perfectly natural unless the setting calls for it.
〜と申します (to moushimasu) is a polite and humble way to state your name, used in formal self-introductions. It will be analyzed grammatically in a later chapter; for now, use it as a formulaic unit in formal settings, and 〜といいます in more everyday contexts. どうぞよろしくお願いします is the standard closing phrase of a first meeting and will be discussed in the Culture section below.
Practice — Particle choice: を, と, が, or は?
Choose the correct particle for each blank.
- にほんご＿＿べんきょうします。
- えいご＿＿かんこくご＿＿はなします。
- すこしにほんご＿＿わかります。
- わたし＿＿だいがくせいです。
- ともだち＿＿にほんご＿＿はなします。
Practice — Build the sentence
Rearrange the words to form a correct Japanese sentence. All necessary particles are given.
- から ／ ブラジル ／ 来ました
- です ／ にねんせい ／ わたしは
- はなします ／ えいご ／ と ／ フランスご ／ を
- わかりません ／ まだ ／ にほんごが
Model Dialogue
Setting: after class in the corridor. Tom approaches Keiko, who has just given her self-introduction. He wants to ask about where she is from and what languages she speaks.
ないようりかい — Comprehension questions:
- Where is Keiko from? How specific is her answer?
- Which two languages does Tom say he speaks? How does he add the second one?
- What does Keiko say about her English? What word does she use to mean "yet" or "not very well yet"?
- In the final exchange, Tom uses いっしょにべんきょうしましょうか. Based on the context, what do you think いっしょに and 〜ましょうか contribute to this sentence?
- Notice that Tom says けいこさんは？ without a verb. What function does this short-form question serve, and why is it natural?
Both Tom and Keiko use the form べんきょうしています rather than べんきょうします to describe their ongoing study. The 〜ています construction, which expresses an ongoing state or continuing action, will be introduced formally in Chapter 18. For now, recognize it in the dialogue as meaning "am studying" (ongoing) rather than "study" (general habit), and treat it as recognition-only material.
Listening
Ask your instructor, a partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following three self-introductions at a clear, moderate pace. Each person is a new student in a Japanese-language class. Listen for the four key pieces of information: name, origin, languages, and student status.
Self-introduction 1 — Andrés
はじめまして。アンドレスといいます。スペインから来ました。スペインごとえいごをはなします。にほんごをべんきょうしています。いちねんせいです。どうぞよろしくおねがいします。
Self-introduction 2 — Yuna
はじめまして。ゆなといいます。かんこくから来ました。かんこくごをはなします。えいごもはなします。にほんごはすこしわかります。さんねんせいです。よろしくおねがいします。
Self-introduction 3 — Fatou
はじめまして。ファトゥーといいます。セネガルから来ました。フランスごとウォロフごをはなします。えいごもすこしはなします。にほんごをべんきょうしています。にねんせいです。どうぞよろしくおねがいします。
聞くタスク — Listening task:
| Name | Country of origin | Language(s) spoken | Year level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andrés | ______ | ______ | ______ |
| Yuna | ______ | ______ | ______ |
| Fatou | ______ | ______ | ______ |
ディクテーション — Dictation: Listen to Yuna's self-introduction a second time. Write the final two sentences of her introduction in hiragana, using furigana over any kanji you have not yet learned. Then compare your hiragana against the script above.
Reading
Read the following student profile cards from the classroom bulletin board. Then answer the comprehension questions below.
プロフィール ① — Profile card 1
なまえ：トム・ウィルソン
くに：カナダ
ことば：えいご・フランスご
今年で２０歳
にほんごを勉強しています。
しゅみ：おんがく
プロフィール ② — Profile card 2
なまえ：山田けいこ
くに：日本（大阪）
ことば：日本語
えいごをべんきょうちゅう
しゅみ：りょうり・えいが
プロフィール ③ — Profile card 3
なまえ：レイラ・スミス
くに：アメリカ（ニューヨーク）
ことば：えいご・すこしスペインご
にねんせい
にほんごをべんきょうしています。
しゅみ：スポーツ・りょこう
ないようりかい — Comprehension questions:
- How old is Tom this year? Which counter is used to express this?
- Keiko's card says えいごをべんきょうちゅう. What do you think 〜ちゅう means based on context? (This is recognition-only material.)
- Which hobbies does Layla list? What particle is used to list them?
- Which student comes from Japan? How specifically is their origin described?
- Write one complete Japanese sentence describing Tom's language situation, using vocabulary from this chapter.
The three profile cards above use a natural mix of hiragana, kanji with furigana, katakana loanwords, and Arabic numerals — exactly the kind of mixed-script text you would find on a real Japanese bulletin board or form. Notice how each script type carries a distinct role: hiragana for particles and grammar; kanji for content words; katakana for foreign names and country names; numerals for the age. Reading mixed-script text at this stage means recognizing each element separately and using context to fill any gaps. With each chapter, your recognition range expands.
Writing Workshop
In this chapter you will write a profile card for yourself, then turn it into a connected short self-introduction paragraph.
- Complete your profile card. Fill in the following fields with information about yourself (or a fictional persona). Write everything in Japanese, using hiragana for words you know and the vocabulary from Chapters 1–3:
- なまえ：
- くに：
- ことば：
- べんきょう：にほんごをべんきょうしています。 (copy this line)
- しゅみ：
- Write a connected self-introduction. Using your profile card as a source, write a five-to-seven sentence self-introduction paragraph. Follow the framework: greeting → name → origin → languages → student status or study goal → one personal detail → closing phrase. Use full sentences with particles.
- Add at least one negative statement. For example: まだあまりにほんごがわかりません or 〜ではありません.
- Add at least one も sentence. Connect two pieces of information that share a common predicate, for example: えいごをはなします。フランスごもすこしはなします。
- Revise and check. Use the checklist below before finalizing your work.
チェックリスト — Editing checklist:
- I used 〜から来ました correctly for my origin.
- I used を with action verbs (はなします、べんきょうします) and が with わかります.
- I used と to list nouns, not は or を.
- I used も in place of は, not alongside it.
- I checked my hiragana, especially the new symbols ら り る れ ろ わ を ん.
- I ended each sentence with a Japanese full stop 。.
- I have not used katakana that I have not yet studied for production.
- I have not used kanji beyond the scheduled set (Chapters 1–3 kanji only).
Speaking Practice
コントロールされた練習 — Controlled practice: Question and answer
With a partner, take turns asking and answering the following questions. Give true answers if possible, or create a fictional persona.
- どこから来ましたか。
- なにごをはなしますか。
- にほんごがわかりますか。
- なんねんせいですか。
- しゅみはなんですか。
コミュニケーションタスク — Information gap: Who is the mystery student?
One partner reads a profile card (from the Reading section) without showing it. The other asks yes/no questions to figure out which student it describes. Use only Japanese.
- にほんから来ましたか。 (はい、そうです。／ いいえ、ちがいます。)
- えいごをはなしますか。
- にねんせいですか。
ひとりでもできる練習 — Solo practice: Timed self-introduction
Record yourself giving your complete self-introduction from the Writing Workshop, aiming for a natural, connected delivery of around 30–45 seconds. On your first recording, speak carefully. On your second, try to speak more fluently without stopping. Listen back and note: (1) any hiragana sounds you found difficult, (2) whether your morae were even, and (3) whether your を, と, and が particles were audible.
Culture and Communication
The closing phrase of a Japanese self-introduction, どうぞよろしくおねがいします, has no clean English equivalent. Its literal meaning is something like "please regard me favorably," but its communicative function is to signal the beginning of a relationship — an invitation to the other person to treat you kindly and to look forward to working together. The phrase is typically accompanied by a bow, whose depth reflects the formality of the setting. In a classroom context, a moderate bow is appropriate. In a business or very formal context, a deeper bow with both hands at the sides or front signals greater respect. The shorter version, よろしくおねがいします, is appropriate in most non-ceremonial settings, including a language class.
In Japanese, the family name traditionally comes before the given name: 山田けいこ means the person's family name is 山田 (Yamada) and given name is けいこ (Keiko). When reading Japanese-language documents, name cards, or official materials in Japan, expect the family-name-first order. In international or English-medium contexts, many Japanese people may switch to the given-name-first order to accommodate expectations. When you introduce yourself in Japanese, you may give your name in either order depending on your preference and context, but be aware that your instructor or conversational partner may understand your family name to be whichever comes first if you follow Japanese convention. It is always kind to clarify which is which if your name is unfamiliar in Japan.
While the expression なんさいですか (How old are you?) is grammatically correct and widely understood, asking someone's age directly can feel intrusive in many Japanese contexts — particularly with adults, seniors, or new acquaintances. In a language classroom where age is relevant to year-level placement, the question is generally acceptable. In other settings, especially professional or social ones, it is common to either volunteer your own age first and invite the other person to share, or to avoid the topic entirely unless it comes up naturally. Among close friends and peers in casual contexts, direct age questions are less unusual.
Keiko in this chapter's dialogue says she is from 大阪 (Osaka), in the Kansai region of Japan. Osaka, along with Kyoto and Kobe, forms one of Japan's major metropolitan areas and has a distinctive regional variety of Japanese — often called 関西弁 (Kansai-ben) or more specifically 大阪弁 (Osaka-ben). Speakers from Osaka are sometimes associated with particular speech patterns, including characteristic intonation and vocabulary that differs from the Tokyo-based standard. Regional identity can be a meaningful part of self-introduction in Japan; saying you are from Osaka carries cultural associations. The standard Japanese in this textbook remains the core productive model, but regional varieties like Kansai-ben are an important part of the full picture of Japanese-language diversity that you will encounter as you progress.
Common Mistakes
Error: *にほんごをわかります。
Correction: にほんごがわかります。 — The verb わかります describes a state of knowing or understanding and uses the subject-marking particle が, not the object particle を. Memorize the frame 〜がわかります as a complete unit.
Error: Writing *ともだちとえいごをはなします when you mean "I speak English with a friend" — this is actually correct, but learners sometimes confuse this use of と (companion) with the listing use. The key is that in listing, と connects nouns of the same category (えいごとフランスごをはなします); in the companion use, と marks the person you are doing something with (ともだちとはなします).
Remember: Both uses are correct and natural. The meaning is clear from context. Practice producing both patterns so you use と confidently in each situation.
Error: *来ましたアメリカから。 or placing から in the wrong position.
Correction: アメリカから来ました。 — The particle から attaches directly to the origin noun. The verb comes at the end of the sentence, as in all Japanese predicate-final sentences. The pattern is: [Place] + から + 来ました, not [Verb] + [Place] + から.
Error: Pronouncing にほん (Japan) as two syllables: "nee-hon," dropping the final ん.
Correction: にほん has three morae: ni – ho – n. The final ん is a full mora with its own duration. Tap three times while saying the word. The same applies to べんきょう (four morae: be – n – kyo – u) and わかりません (six morae: wa – ka – ri – ma – se – n). Every ん counts.
Error: Translating every English "you" directly as あなた — for example, asking *あなたはどこから来ましたか when speaking to a classmate by name.
Correction: In Japanese, using the person's name or title is more natural and more polite than using あなた in most conversational contexts. Notice how Tom and Keiko in the model dialogue use けいこさんは？ and トムさんは？ rather than あなたは？. Reserve あなた for situations where you genuinely do not know the other person's name, or where it is specifically appropriate. When in doubt, use the person's name plus さん.
Chapter Review
Section A — ごい (Vocabulary)
1. Write the Japanese expression for the following language names: English · Japanese · Chinese · Korean · French · Spanish.
2. How do you say "I am 20 years old" in Japanese? What counter is used?
3. What is the difference between 〜語 and 〜人? Give an example of each using the same country name.
4. Write the Japanese for: "My hobby is music" and "My hobby is cooking." What vocabulary item did you use?
5. What does すこし mean, and where in the sentence would you typically place it?
Section B — ひらがな・かんじ (Script)
1. Which hiragana are new in this chapter? List all of them.
2. Explain the difference between を and お. In what situation does を appear?
3. Write the four new kanji introduced in this chapter and give one word using each.
4. The kanji 生 appears with the reading せい in 学生 and also with the reading せん in 先生. What does this tell you about how kanji readings work?
5. Write the full hiragana set from memory. Check your work and note which symbols you needed to correct.
Section C — ぶんぽう (Grammar)
1. Choose the correct particle (を / と / が / は) for each blank:
- えいご＿＿はなします。
- えいご＿＿フランスご＿＿はなします。
- にほんご＿＿すこしわかります。
- わたし＿＿にねんせいです。
2. Write a sentence saying you are from Brazil.
3. Write a sentence saying you speak Spanish and a little Portuguese.
4. Write a sentence saying you understand Japanese a little, but not well yet.
5. Explain in one sentence why あなた is often avoided in Japanese conversation.
Section D — どっかいりかい (Reading comprehension)
1. Look at Layla's profile card in the Reading section. Write three sentences in Japanese summarizing her background, using vocabulary and grammar from this chapter.
2. In the dialogue, Keiko says でも、まだあまりわかりません. What do でも and まだ each contribute to the meaning?
Section E — かくこと (Writing)
1. Write a complete six-to-eight sentence self-introduction for a fictional student named ソフィアといいます, who is from Mexico, speaks Spanish and some English, is a first-year university student, and likes travel. Include: origin, languages, student status, at least one も sentence, and the closing phrase.
Section F — はなすこと (Speaking)
1. Deliver your self-introduction from the Writing Workshop aloud without reading from the page. Then ask a partner (or an imagined partner) three follow-up questions about their background.
るいせきふくしゅう — Cumulative review: Chapters 1–3
Complete this classroom exchange using language from all three chapters so far.
Ａ：はじめまして。どこから来ましたか。
Ｂ：______________________________________ (Origin sentence)
Ａ：そうですか。これはなんですか。 (holds up a textbook)
Ｂ：______________________________________ (Identify the object with の for possession)
Ａ：にほんごがわかりますか。
Ｂ：______________________________________ (Partial understanding + not well yet)
Ａ：いっしょにべんきょうしましょう！
Ｂ：______________________________________ (Enthusiastic agreement + closing phrase)
Chapter Performance Task
パフォーマンスタスク
自己紹介 — Self-introduction
You are attending the first meeting of a Japanese language club. Introduce yourself to the group and then have a short follow-up conversation with one member.
- Written: Write your self-introduction in full, covering name, origin, languages spoken, student status, and one personal detail. Use at least one と listing, one も addition, one を verb, and one が + わかります expression. Minimum six sentences.
- Spoken: Deliver the introduction from memory, or with only a profile card as a note. Your partner or instructor then asks three follow-up questions from the Speaking Practice section; answer in complete sentences.
- Interaction: Ask your partner at least two questions about their background using どこから来ましたか, なにごをはなしますか, or similar.
- Hiragana check: Hand-write the hiragana for the following words without looking at a chart: にほんご、べんきょう、わかりません、はなします、から.
- Reflection: Write one sentence in English about one pronunciation feature you want to improve after practicing the ら row.
Assessment focus: correct use of origin expression 〜から来ました, accurate particle choice (を、と、が、は), correct avoidance of overused あなた, legible and complete hiragana including new symbols, recognition of the four new kanji in context, and natural delivery of the closing formula どうぞよろしくおねがいします.
Answer Key
Practice — Particle choice
1. にほんごをべんきょうします。 2. えいごとかんこくごをはなします。 3. すこしにほんごがわかります。 4. わたしはだいがくせいです。 5. ともだちとにほんごをはなします。
Practice — Build the sentence
- ブラジルから来ました。
- わたしはにねんせいです。
- えいごとフランスごをはなします。
- まだにほんごがわかりません。
Dialogue — Comprehension
- Keiko is from Osaka, Japan. She specifies both the city and the country, which is more precise than just saying "Japan."
- Tom speaks English and a little French. He uses も to add French as a second item: フランスごもすこしはなします.
- Keiko says she does not understand English very well yet. She uses まだあまりわかりません — まだ means "yet" or "still," and あまり〜ません means "not very much / not particularly."
- いっしょに means "together." 〜ましょうか is a suggestion form meaning "shall we 〜?" So the sentence means "Shall we study together?" This form will be introduced formally in Chapter 12.
- けいこさんは？ is a short-form follow-up question that omits the predicate because it was just stated by the other speaker. It means "And you, Keiko-san?" It is natural precisely because it avoids unnecessary repetition — a very typical feature of Japanese conversation.
Listening task — Model answers
- Andrés: Spain · Spanish and English · first year
- Yuna: South Korea · Korean and English (understands a little Japanese) · third year
- Fatou: Senegal · French and Wolof (and a little English) · second year
Reading — Comprehension
- Tom is 20 this year. The counter used is 〜歳 (sai).
- 〜ちゅう means "in the middle of 〜" or "currently doing 〜." So えいごをべんきょうちゅう means "currently studying English." (Recognition-only at this stage.)
- Layla lists スポーツ (sports) and りょこう (travel). The particle used to list them in profile format is the middle dot ・, which functions as a list separator in many informal and practical Japanese texts.
- Keiko comes from Japan. Her origin is specified as 日本（大阪） — Japan (Osaka), giving both the country and the city.
- Model answer: トムさんはえいごとフランスごをはなします。 (Other accurate answers accepted.)
Chapter Review — Section A
- えいご · にほんご · ちゅうごくご · かんこくご · フランスご · スペインご
- はたちです。 Counter: 〜歳. (Note: 20 uses the special reading はたち.)
- 〜語 names a language (e.g. フランスご = French); 〜人 names a person of that nationality (e.g. フランスじん = French person).
- しゅみはおんがくです。 / しゅみはりょうりです。 Vocabulary item: しゅみ.
- すこし means "a little." It typically appears directly before the verb or adjective it modifies: すこしわかります / すこしはなします.
Chapter Review — Section B
- New hiragana: ら、り、る、れ、ろ、わ、を、ん — eight symbols (the ら row, plus わ、を、ん).
- を is used exclusively as the object particle. お is the vowel appearing in other words. Their pronunciation in standard Japanese is the same ("o"), but their spelling distinguishes their grammatical role.
- 語 — e.g. にほんご; 学 — e.g. がくせい; 生 — e.g. がくせい or せんせい; 年 — e.g. いちねんせい.
- A kanji's reading is determined by the word it belongs to, not by the character alone. Different words containing the same kanji may use entirely different readings.
- Self-check activity; use a complete hiragana reference chart to verify your work.
Chapter Review — Section C
- えいごをはなします。 · えいごとフランスごをはなします。 · にほんごがすこしわかります。 · わたしはにねんせいです。
- ブラジルから来ました。
- スペインごとすこしポルトガルごをはなします。
- にほんごがすこしわかります。でも、まだあまりわかりません。
- Using a person's name or title is more natural and more polite in Japanese conversation; あなた can feel distant, formal, or even presumptuous in contexts where the person's name is already known.
Chapter Review — Section D
- Model answers: レイラさんはアメリカから来ました。えいごとすこしスペインごをはなします。にねんせいです。 (Other accurate answers accepted.)
- でも means "but" or "however" — it introduces a contrast. まだ means "yet" or "still" — it signals that the situation described in the negative is expected to change over time. Together: "But I don't understand it well yet."
Cumulative Review — Model responses
Ｂ：フランスから来ました。
Ｂ：それはわたしのにほんごの教科書です。
Ｂ：すこしわかります。でも、まだあまりわかりません。
Ｂ：はい、ぜひ！どうぞよろしくおねがいします。
Exact wording will vary. Check that origin uses から来ました, that objects use を or の appropriately, and that all sentences end with 。.
Looking Ahead
いまできること — What you can do now
You can now give a complete short self-introduction in Japanese: name, origin, languages spoken and studied, student status, and a personal detail. You can use the object particle を with action verbs, connect nouns with と, and use が correctly with わかります. Your hiragana is now complete — all core hiragana symbols are available to you for reading and writing. You have also met four new kanji: 語、学、生、年, which appear in many of the most common words in the language.