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N5 · Lesson 7

Giving and receiving

Tools and means with で, and the verbs of giving and receiving with the particles に and を.

Grammar

N (tool/means) で V

tool で V

で also marks the tool or means you do something with: はしで べます (to eat with chopsticks), で レポートを きます (to write the report in Japanese).

Examples

  • I eat with chopsticks.

  • I write the letter in Japanese.

「Word」は 〜ですか

「word」は 〜ですか

This asks how to say a word in another language: 「Thank you」は ですか.

Examples

  • How do you say "arigatou" in English? …You say "thank you".

N1 (person) に N2 を あげます — "to give"

person に N を あげます/します/えます

With verbs like あげます (to give), します (to lend) or えます (to teach), the particle に marks the recipient.

Examples

  • I give flowers to Ms. Kimura.

N1 (person) に N2 を もらいます — "to receive"

person に N を もらいます/ります/います

With もらいます (to receive), ります (to borrow) and います (to learn from someone), に marks the person the thing or knowledge comes from. から can also be used, and is required when the source is an organisation.

Examples

  • Mr. Yamada gave me a dictionary (I received it from him).

もう V ました — "already"

もう V ました

もう with the past means "already": もう ごはんを べました. The negative answer is まだです (not yet), never べませんでした, which would sound as if you had decided not to eat.

Examples

  • Have you sent the parcel yet? …No, not yet.

Dropping particles in conversation

この スプーン[で] べます

In casual speech the particles は, が and を are often dropped when the meaning is clear from context.

Examples

  • Would you like a coffee?

Vocabulary

WordReadingMeaning
to cut
to send
to give
to receive
to lend
to borrow
to teach
to learn
to make [a call]
hand
chopsticks
spoon
knife
fork
scissors
personal computer
mobile phone
email
New Year card
hole punch
stapler
sticky tape
eraser
paper
flower
shirt
present
luggage, parcel
money
ticket (for transport)
Christmas
(my) father
(my) mother
(your) father
(your) mother
already
still, yet
from now on, shortly
how beautiful [~] is!
welcome (to a visitor)
please come in
excuse me (on leaving)
would you like [~]?
thank you (before eating)
thank you (after eating)
anyone home? (arriving for a visit)
Spain

See this lesson's vocabulary →

See also