N5 · Lesson 20
いっしょに 行かない？
The plain style versus the polite style: when to use each, and how conversation between friends sounds.
です・ます ↔ plain form (だ, 行く, 高い…)
The polite style (です・ます) is used with strangers, with superiors and in formal situations. The plain style uses the plain forms of verbs and adjectives (行く, 行かない, 行った, 高い, 静かだ) and belongs to family and friends.
Examples
あした 東京へ 行く？…うん、 行く。
Are you going to Tokyo tomorrow? …Yes, I am.
polite: superiors/strangers ／ plain: friends/family
Using the plain style with the wrong person is rude; using the polite style with close friends sounds distant. When in doubt, the polite style is always the safe choice. きみ, ぼく and 〜くん are informal ways of addressing people.
Examples
はい → うん ／ いいえ → ううん
Yes and no have plain versions too.
particles dropped, か → intonation, けど
In casual speech the か of questions is dropped (with rising intonation: 行く？), particles like は・を fall away, and が (but) is usually said as けど. The い of 〜ている is also dropped: 持ってる.
Examples
ご 飯[を] 食べた？…ううん、まだ。
Have you eaten? …No, not yet.
その 傘、いいけど、 高かった？
That umbrella is nice — was it expensive?
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 要ります[ビザが〜] | いります | to need [a visa] | |
| 調べます | しらべます | to look into, to check | |
| 修理します | しゅうりします | to repair | |
| 僕 | ぼく | I (informal, male) | |
| 君 | きみ | you (informal) | |
| 〜君 | くん | informal suffix (like 〜さん) | |
| うん | うん | yes (informal) | |
| ううん | ううん | no (informal) | |
| ことば | ことば | word, language | |
| 着物 | きもの | kimono | |
| ビザ | ビザ | visa | |
| 初め | はじめ | start, beginning | |
| 終わり | おわり | end | |
| こっち | こっち | here (informal of こちら) | |
| そっち | そっち | there (informal of そちら) | |
| あっち | あっち | over there (informal of あちら) | |
| どっち | どっち | which, where (informal of どちら) | |
| みんなで | みんなで | all together | |
| 〜けど | けど | ~, but (informal of が) | |
| おなかがいっぱいです | おなかがいっぱいです | I'm full | |
| よかったら | よかったら | if you like | |
| いろいろ | いろいろ | for various things |