Comprehensive Study Guide for Genki Japanese Vol I (Revised Second Edition)

Preface and Textbook Revision (1999–2011)

• Original Publication: GENKI: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese was first published in 1999.
• Revision Motivation: Following wide acceptance and numerous reprintings, a revised edition was decided upon to reflect changes in vocabulary, expressions, and user feedback gathered over a decade.
• Revision Process: The task took two years to complete.
• Key Improvements in the Second Edition:
  • Culture Notes: A new section added to each lesson in the "Conversation and Grammar" part to provide info on Japanese culture and daily life.
  • Audio Materials: MP3 audio is now bundled with the textbook and workbook rather than sold separately. This includes workbook listening exercises and textbook reading section recordings.
  • Vocabulary/Expression Updates: Rigorous review removed outdated terms like "cassette tape" and "LL" (Language Laboratory), replacing them with high-frequency modern words.
  • Grammar Refinement: The negative forms of adjectives and noun phrases were updated to more common everyday forms ($-ku nai desu$ / $-ja nai desu$) and negative obligations ($-nakereba ikemasen$ / $-nakya ikemasen$).
  • Communicative Practice: Increased dialogue-based exercises.
• Author Team: En Banno, Yoko Ikeda, Yutaka Ohno, Chikako Shinagawa, and Kyoko Tokashiki.
• Key Contributors: Illustrator Noriko Udagawa; Chiaki Sekido of The Japan Times Publications Department.

Introduction to the GENKI Material

• Target Audience: Beginners in Japanese. Completion of Volume I and II (23 lessons) finishes elementary-level study. Designed for university, high school, or self-study (grammar explanations in English).
• Instructional Aim: Comprehensive development of four basic skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
• Textbook Structure:
  • Conversation and Grammar: Focuses on natural interaction through dialogues involving foreign students in Japan, vocabulary by function/part of speech, plain grammar explanations, and practice drills (basic to application).
  • Reading and Writing: Introduces Hiragana (L1), Katakana (L2), and Kanji (L3+). Kanji lists include serial number, character, readings (On/Kun-yomi), meaning, compounds, stroke count, and stroke order.
  • Appendix: Includes a Japanese-English/English-Japanese index, map of Japan by prefecture, counting tables, and conjugation charts.
• Orthography and Font: Uses Kanji and Hiragana (Joyo Kanji base). Pronunciation (furigana) is provided for all kanji in the "Conversation" section. Early lessons include supplemental romanization. The "Textbook font" is used as it resembles handwritten characters.

The Japanese Writing System

• Character Types:
  • Hiragana: Rounded shape used for conjugation endings, function words, and native words not covered by kanji.
  • Katakana: Straight lines used for loanwords and foreign names (e.g., $\text{terebi}$ for television).
  • Kanji: Chinese characters representing both meaning and sound. Used for nouns and verb/adjective stems.
• Hiragana Details:
  • Basic Syllables: 46 basic characters.
  • Exceptions in Romanization: し ($\text{shi}$), ち ($\text{chi}$), つ ($\text{tsu}$), and ふ ($\text{fu}$).
  • Diacritical Marks (Tentten/Maru): $-k, -s, -t, -h$ sounds become voiced ($-g, -z, -d, -b$) with double strokes. $-h$ becomes $-p$ with a small circle.
  • Contracted Sounds: Small や ($\text{ya}$), ゆ ($\text{yu}$), and よ ($\text{yo}$) attached to i-vowel hiragana (e.g., きょ $\text{kyo}$).
  • Double Consonants: Small つ ($\text{tsu}$) indicates a double consonant like $\text{tt}$ or $\text{pp}$.
  • Long Vowels: Pronounced twice as long. Quirk: $\text{ee}$ is usually written $-ei$ (えい), and $\text{oo}$ is usually written $-ou$ (おう).
  • Pitch Accent: Japanese has high/low pitch rather than stress accent.
• Kanji Formation Types:
  1. Pictograms: Hieroglyphic origins like 木 (tree) or 日 (sun).
  2. Simple Ideograms: Dot/line symbols for numbers like 三 (three) or concepts like 上 (up).
  3. Compound Ideograms: Combining characters like 日 (sun) + 月 (moon) = 明 (bright).
  4. Phonetic-Ideographics: Meaning element + sound element.

Greetings and Etiquette (Aisatsu to Ojigi)

• Bowing (Ojigi): Used for respect, gratitude, or apology. Varies from a small head nod to a $45$ degree bend at the waist.
• Physical Contact: Handshaking is common in business with foreigners, but many Japanese are uncomfortable with physical contact.
• Business Card (Meeshi) Exchange: Customary to exchange with a small bow and show respect.
• Essential Expressions:
  • $Ohayoo$ / $Ohayoo gozaimasu$: Good morning.
  • $Konnichiwa$: Good afternoon.
  • $Konbanwa$: Good evening.
  • $Sayoonara$: Goodbye (implies long separation). $Jaa, mata$ is used for friends.
  • $Oyasumi(nasai)$: Good night.
  • $Arigatoo$ / $Arigatoo gozaimasu$: Thank you.
  • $Sumimasen$: Excuse me, I'm sorry, or Thank you.
  • $Iie$: No or "Don't mention it."
  • $Ittekimasu$ (I'll go and come back) / $Itterasshai$ (Please go and come back).
  • $Tadaima$ (I'm home) / $Okaeri(nasai)$ (Welcome home).
  • $Itadakimasu$ (Before eating) / $Gochisoosama deshita$ (After eating).
  • $Hajimemashite$: How do you do? / Nice to meet you.

Lesson 1: New Friends (あたらしいともだち)

• Grammar Points:
  • X wa Y desu: Equative sentence ($X$ is $Y$). Particles like は ($\text{wa}$) mark the topic. Subjects are often omitted if clear from context.
  • Question Particle (ka): Added to the end of statements to form questions. No question mark is standard in formal Japanese.
  • Noun Connector No (の): Connects two nouns ($\\text{Noun}_{1}\\ \\text{no}\\ \\text{Noun}_{2}$) where $\text{Noun}_{2}$ is the main idea and $\text{Noun}_{1}$ restricts it (e.g., $Arizona daigaku no gakusee$ = Student of U Arizona).
  • Question Words: $Nanji$ (what time), $nansai$ (how old), $nannensee$ (what year student).
• Japanese Names: Family name comes first, then given name. No middle name. Often written in kanji related to nature (e.g., Tanaka = middle of the rice field).
• Time and Age:
  • Hours: $Ichiji$ (1:00) to $Juuniji$ (12:00). Note: $yoji$ (4:00), $shichiji$ (7:00), $kuji$ (9:00).
  • Minutes: Variations in counters like $ippun$, $nifun$, $sanpun$, $yonpun$, $gofun$, $roppun$, $nanapun$, $happun$, $kyuufun$, $juppun$.
  • Age: Suffix $-sai$. Exception: $Hatachi$ (20 years old).

Lesson 2: Shopping (かいもの)

• Ko-So-A-Do Series:
  • Kore/Sore/Are/Dore: Pronouns for "this/that/that over there/which one." Refer to things.
  • Kono/Sono/Ano/Dono: Demonstrative adjectives (must be followed by a noun).
  • Koko/Soko/Asoko/Doko: Refer to "here/there/over there/where."
• Ownership: Questions using $dare no$ (whose…).
• Particle Mo (も): Equivalent to "too/also." Replaces or follows particles based on context.
• Negation: $Noun + ja nai desu$ (informal) or $ja arimasen$ (formal) or $de wa arimasen$ (written).
• Sentence Tags:
  • $Ne$: Seeking confirmation ("right?").
  • $Yo$: Assuring/authoritative decree ("I tell you!").
• Japanese Currency: The official currency is the Yen (JPY). Bills: $\text{10,000}$ (Yukichi Fukuzawa), $\text{5,000}$ (Ichiyoo Higuchi), $\text{2,000}$ (Shurei Gate), $\text{1,000}$ (Hideyo Noguchi). Coins: $500, 100, 50, 10, 5, 1$.

Lesson 3: Making a Date (デートの約束)

• Verb Conjugation Types:
  • Ru-verbs: Add $-masu$ to the base (e.g., $taberu$ -> $tabemasu$).
  • U-verbs: Final syllable shifts to i-row + $-masu$ (e.g., $iku$ -> $ikimasu$, $nomu$ -> $nomimasu$).
  • Irregular Verbs: $Suru$ (to do) becomes $shimasu$. $Kuru$ (to come) becomes $kimasu$.
• Present Tense: Used for habitual actions or future plans.
• Particles:
  • O (を): Marks the direct object.
  • De (で): Marks the location of an activity.
  • Ni (に): Marks destination or specific point in time.
  • He (へ): Marks goal of movement (interchangeable with $ni$ for motion).
• Frequency Adverbs: $Maichi$ (every day), $yoku$ (often), $tokidoki$ (sometimes), $amari$ (not much + neg), $zenzen$ (not at all + neg).
• Invitations: $~masen ka$ (won't you…).

Lesson 4: The First Date (初めてのデート)

• Existence (Arimasu / Imasu):
  • $Arimasu$: Inanimate things or events ($place ni item ga arimasu$).
  • $Imasu$: People or living things.
• Location Words: $migi$ (right), $hidari$ (left), $mae$ (front), $ushiro$ (back), $naka$ (inside), $ue$ (on), $shita$ (under), $chikaku$ (near), $tonari$ (next to), $aida$ (between).
• Past Tense:
  • $Desu$ -> $Deshita$ / $ja nakatta desu$.
  • $~masu$ -> $~mashita$ / $~masen deshita$.
• Duration: Bare noun expressions like $ichijikan$ (one hour). For approximate, add $gurai$; for half, add $han$.
• Quantity: $Takusan$ (many/a lot) can be placed before the noun or after the object particle.
• Particle To (と): Connects two nouns (A and B) or means "together with."

Lesson 5: A Trip to Okinawa (沖縄旅行)

• Adjectives:
  • I-Adjectives: End in $-i$. Conjugate by replacing $-i$ with $-kunai$ (neg) or $-katta$ (past). Exception: $ii$ (good) uses root $yoku$.
  • Na-Adjectives: Drop $-na$ to conjugate like nouns with $desu$.
• Degrees: $sugoku$ (extremely), $totemo$ (very), $chotto$ (a little).
• Preference: $X wa Y ga suki desu$ (X likes Y). Modifiers: $daisuki$ (love), $daikirai$ (hate).
• Suggestions: $~mashou$ (let's), $~mashou ka$ (shall we).
• Counting Items: Suffixes change by item type. $~mai$ is used for flat objects (stamps, tickets).

Lesson 6: A Day in Robert’s Life (ロバートさんの一日)

• Te-form Conjugation Rules:
  • Ru-verbs: Replace $-ru$ with $-te$.
  • U-verbs: Ends in $-u, -tsu, -ru$ -> $-tte$. Ends in $-mu, -bu, -nu$ -> $-nde$. Ends in $-ku$ -> $-ite$ (Exception: $iku$ -> $itte$). Ends in $-gu$ -> $-ide$. Ends in $-su$ -> $-shite$.
  • Irregular: $suru$ -> $shite$, $kuru$ -> $shite$.
• Te-form Uses:
  • $~te kudasai$: Polite request.
  • $~te mo ii desu$: Seeking/giving permission.
  • $~te wa ikemasen$: Strong prohibition.
  • Connecting: Joining actions in a sequence (tense determined by the final verb).
• Explaining Reasons: $Sentence + kara$ (Because sentence).
• Offer Aid: $~mashou ka$ (Shall I do… for you?).

Lesson 7: Family Picture (家族の写真)

• Te-iru Construction:
  • Progressive: Action in progress (group 2 verbs like studying, eating).
  • Resultant State: State resulting from past action (group 3 verbs like living ($sundeiru$), being married ($kekkonshiteiru$), holding ($motteiru$), knowing ($shitteiru$)).
• Physical Descriptions: Pattern: $A-san wa body part ga adjective desu$ (e.g., $Kami ga nagai desu$ = has long hair).
• Te-forms for Joining Sentences:
  • I-Adj: replace $-i$ with $-kute$.
  • Na-Adj / Nouns: add $-de$.
• Movement Purpose: $Destination ni verb stem + ni iku/kuru$ (e.g., $Kaban o kai ni ikimashita$ = went to buy a bag).
• Counting People: $itori$ (1), $futari$ (2), $sannin$ (3), $yonin$ (4). Counter: $-nin$.
• Kinship Terms: Formal (referring to others) vs. Informal (referring to own family). Examples: Father ($otoosan/chichi$), Mother ($okaasan/haha$), Older Brother ($oniisan/ani$), Younger Sister ($imooto-san/imooto$).