GRAMMAR EXPLANATION

1. (Direct Object) ～を Action Verb

The particle を, pronounced as “o”, indicates the direct object of an action verb or “transitive verbs”. This direct object refers to any noun directly affected by the action verb.

手紙(てがみ)　を　書(か)きます-         to write a letter

新聞(しんぶん)　を　読(よ)みます       to read newspaper

ご飯(はん)　を　食(た)べます               to eat breakfast

コーヒー　を　飲(の)みます                 to drink coffee

くつ　を　買(か)います                         to buy shoes

野菜(やさい)　を　売(う)ります           to sell vegetables

服　を　着(き)ます                                 to wear clothes

写真(しゃしん)　を　撮(と)ります       to take picture

 

• Particle を answer the interrogative “What”.

 a)　今朝(けさ)　なにを　食(た)べましたか。

What did you eat this morning?

…今朝(けさ)　ラメン　を　食(た)べました。

I ate ramen.

b)　なにを　しますか。

What will you do tomorrow?

…洗濯(せんたく)　を　します。

I will do the laundry tomorrow.

 

• The なにも is used followed by a negative ～ません, when there is no object affected by by the action.

 

c)　あとで　なにを　しますか 。 What will you do later?

…あとで　なにも　しません。　…I will not do anything later.

d) 　昨日(きのう)の晩(ばん)　何(なに)も　食(た)べませんでした。

I did not eat anything last night.

e)　あさって　は　なにを　買(か)いますか。

What will you buy on the next day?

…なにも　買(か)いません。

I will not buy anything.

 

• The 　なにか　on the other hand is used in a confirmation question and is answerable by yes or no.

f )　土曜日(どようび)には　なにか　勉強(べんきょう)しますか。

Will you study anything on Saturday?

…はい、　日本語(にほんご)を　勉強(べんきょう)します。

Yes, I will study Japanese.

…いいえ、なにも　勉強(べんきょう)しません。

No, I will not study anything.

2.(Direct Object) ～を します　／　 もうⅤしました

To convert a noun into a verb, します is attached at the end of the noun. Nouns can be any activities or events. The GroupⅢ or Irregular verbs are made by this pattern.

a) 毎日(まいにち)　友達(ともだち)とバスケットボールをします。

I play basketball with my friends everyday.

b) 　宿題(しゅくだい)をします。Do homework.

 

もう means “already” and Ⅴしました on the other hand is used when the action  has been completed.

c)　今朝(けさ)、宿題(しゅくだい)　は　もう　出(だ)しました。

I already submitted my assignment this morning.

d) 　コーヒー　もう　飲(の)みました。

I already drink coffee.

3.(Place of Action) ～で～ Action Verb

To indicate the place where the action occurs, the particle で is used. The interrogative どこで　is used to ask the place of the action. Some sentences do not state where the action took place, but it doesn’t mean that there is no place of action. It is just omitted if the situation does not require it.

a) 毎日　どこで　昼ご飯　を　たべますか。

Where do you eat your lunch everyday?

…毎日、食堂(しょくどう)で昼(ひる)ご飯(はん)をたべます。

I eat my lunch in the canteen everyday.

b) 子供(こども)たちはどこでいっしょに歌(うた)を歌(うた)いましたか。

Where did the children sing together?

…子供たちは　教会(きょうかい)のまえでいっしょに歌をうたいました。

The children sang a song in front of the church.

c) 昨日(きのう)、学生(がくせい)は　どこで　体操(たいそう)を　しましたか。

Where did the students do the excersice yesterday?

…昨日(きのう)、学生(がくせい)は　教室(きょうしつ)で　体操(たいそう)を　しました。

The students did the excersice in the classroom yesterday.

 4.［means で］ Verb

        The particle で is also used to indicate the tools, equipment, materials, ingredients, etc. used to perform the action. Without this, the action will not be possible or will never be completed or finished. Unlike the particle で which indicates the place of action, this particle で indicates a method or means used for an action. It answer the interrogative 何で to inquire what was used to perform the action.

 a)　日本人(にほんじん)　は　はしで　ごはん　を　食(た)べます。

The Japanese eat rice by means of chopsticks.

b)　先生(せんせい)　は　日本語(にほんご)で　手紙(てがみ)　を　書(か)きます。

The teacher writes a letter in Japanese.

c)　学生(がくせい)は　メール　で　レポート　を　送(おく)ります。

The students will send their reports via e-mail.

 

5. なんor　なに　を 　しますか

• This is to ask question about someone’s action.

a)　日曜日(にちようび)　なにを　しますか。

What are you doing on Sunday?

…教会(きょうかい)　へ　行(い)きます。

I’ll go to church.

• Both なん and　なに means “what”.
• But なん is used when it precedes a word whose first sound is in the た, だ, or な row. And when using it with a counter suffix.

b)　それは　何(なん)　ですか。

What’s that?

c)    マリーちゃん　は　何(なん)さい　ですか。

How old is Marie?

• While なに is used in all other cases except for the following mention above.

e)　何(なに)　を　買(か)いますか。

What are you going to buy?

f) 何(なに)を　しますか。

What will you do?

 

6. N１(person)　は N２ に　(direct object) を　あげます,  もらいます, くれます

• The verb あげますindicates that someone gives something to someone. The pattern is always:　 

　　　Giver は　Receiverに　［を］あげます

a)　私(わたし)は　友達(ともだち)にチョコレートをあげました。

I gave chocolates to my friends.

b)　山田(やまだ)さんは佐藤(さとう)さんにお金(かね)をあげます。

Mr. Yamada gives money to Ms. Satou.

• The verb もらいます indicates that the subject receives something from someone. The giver in this sentence is indicated by either particles からor に. This sentence is not used when the giver is the speaker himself.

The pattern is always:

  Receiver   は　Giverに　［を］もらいます 

c)　リンさんは　先生(せんせい)に　ノート　を　もらいました。

Ms. Lyn received a notebook from her teacher.

d)　加藤(かとう)さんは　井上(いのうえ)さんに　花(はな)　を　もらいます。

Ms. Katou receive a flower from Mr. Inoue.

から is used when receiving something from an organization such as:　 school, company or organization.

e)  木村(きむら)さんは　学校(がっこう)から　コンサートの 　切符(きっぷ)を
もらいました。
Ms. Kimura received a concert ticket from her School.

 

The verb くれます is only used if the receiver is わたし. It is also possible to use this is you think that yourself have benefited because someone close to you received something.  The pattern is always:

Giverは　わたしに　［を］くれます。

f) 高橋(たかはし)さんは　わたしに　ゆびわ　を　くれました。

Mr. Takahashi gave me a ring.

g)　社長(しゃちょう)は　父(ちち)に　コンサートの切符(きっぷ)　を　くれました。

The president gave my father a concert ticket.