Learn Japanese (Genki I) [BEGINNERS]

Additional Vocab on L. 1

1. -go is a suffix for languages. The basic rule is to attach this suffix to a country name. For example, Japan is "nihon," so Japanese language is nihon-go. It literally means "Japan language."

2. -ji is a suffix for "o'clock" You attach this suffix to a number. The question word, "what time?" is nan-ji. We don't use a question mark. For example, 1:00 is ichi-ji, 2:00 is ni-ji, 3:00 is san-ji, 4:00 is yo-ji.

3. -sai is a counter for age. You attach this suffix to a number. The pronunciation of the number changes when preceded by this suffix for some numbers. Pay attention to the irregular pronunciation.
Example: two years old is ni-sai, but one year old is is-sai, instead of ichi-sai.

4. -jin is a suffix for nationality. The basic rule is to attach this suffix to a country name.
Example: nihon-jin is "Japanese person."

5. Sensee means, "teacher/professor" It is also used as a title such as Yamada-sensee "Professor Yamada."

6. nan/nani means "what?" These are the same word with two different pronunciations.

7. -nensee is a suffix for "year in school" You attach this suffix to a number in order to say, "first-year student" We do not have words which are equivalent to freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior. Instead, we say "first year student, second year student," etc. "What year in school" is "nan-nensee."

8. han means "half" and it is only used to indicate a half time. Example: 1:30 is one hour and a half, so we say, "ichi-ji han" which literally means one o'clock hour and a half.