Learning Japanese can be a rewarding and enriching experience. For those who have advanced past the basics and are approaching a B1 level, expanding your vocabulary is crucial for better comprehension and communication. This article will introduce essential Japanese words and phrases that are vital for B1 learners. These words will help you navigate everyday conversations, understand more complex texts, and express yourself more clearly.
At the B1 level, you should be familiar with a wide range of everyday vocabulary. These words will help you navigate daily life in Japan, from shopping to dining out, and from understanding directions to discussing your day.
1. **่ฒทใ็ฉ** (ใใใใฎ, *kaimono*) – **Shopping**
– Example: ่ฒทใ็ฉใซ่กใใพใใ (ใใใใฎใซใใใพใ, *Kaimono ni ikimasu*) – Iโm going shopping.
2. **ๆ็** (ใใใใ, *ryouri*) – **Cooking/Food**
– Example: ๆฅๆฌๆ็ใๅฅฝใใงใใ (ใซใปใใใใใใใใใงใ, *Nihon ryouri ga suki desu*) – I like Japanese food.
3. **ๅ้** (ใจใใ ใก, *tomodachi*) – **Friend**
– Example: ๅ้ใจไผใใพใใ (ใจใใ ใกใจใใใพใ, *Tomodachi to aimasu*) – Iโm meeting with a friend.
4. **้ง
** (ใใ, *eki*) – **Station**
– Example: ้ง
ใฏใฉใใงใใ๏ผ (ใใใฏใฉใใงใใ, *Eki wa doko desu ka?*) – Where is the station?
5. **ไปไบ** (ใใใจ, *shigoto*) – **Work/Job**
– Example: ไปไบใ็ตใใใพใใใ (ใใใจใใใใใพใใ, *Shigoto ga owarimashita*) – I finished work.
Being able to discuss time and numbers is essential at the B1 level. Whether youโre scheduling a meeting or talking about quantities, these words are crucial.
1. **ๆ** (ใ, *ji*) – **Hour/Oโclock**
– Example: ไปใฏไธๆใงใใ (ใใพใฏใใใใงใ, *Ima wa sanji desu*) – Itโs three oโclock now.
2. **ๅ** (ใตใ, *fun*) – **Minute**
– Example: ไบๅๅพ
ใฃใฆใใ ใใใ (ใใตใใพใฃใฆใใ ใใ, *Gofun matte kudasai*) – Please wait for five minutes.
3. **ๆฅ** (ใซใก, *nichi*) – **Day**
– Example: ไปๆฅใฏไฝๆฅใงใใ๏ผ (ใใใใฏใชใใซใกใงใใ, *Kyou wa nan nichi desu ka?*) – What day is today?
4. **ๆ** (ใใค, *gatsu*) – **Month**
– Example: ไปๆใฏๅฟใใใงใใ (ใใใใคใฏใใใใใใงใ, *Kongetsu wa isogashii desu*) – This month is busy.
5. **ๅนด** (ใญใ, *nen*) – **Year**
– Example: ๆฅๅนดๆฅๆฌใซ่กใใพใใ (ใใใญใใซใปใใซใใใพใ, *Rainen Nihon ni ikimasu*) – I will go to Japan next year.
To express yourself more clearly and vividly, itโs important to use descriptive words. These adjectives and adverbs will help you convey your thoughts and feelings more accurately.
1. **ๅคงใใ** (ใใใใ, *ookii*) – **Big**
– Example: ๅคงใใๅฎถใงใใ (ใใใใใใใงใ, *Ookii ie desu*) – Itโs a big house.
2. **ๅฐใใ** (ใกใใใ, *chiisai*) – **Small**
– Example: ๅฐใใ็ฌใใใพใใ (ใกใใใใใฌใใใพใ, *Chiisai inu ga imasu*) – Thereโs a small dog.
3. **ๆฅฝใใ** (ใใฎใใ, *tanoshii*) – **Fun/Enjoyable**
– Example: ๆ
่กใฏๆฅฝใใใฃใใงใใ (ใใใใใฏใใฎใใใฃใใงใ, *Ryokou wa tanoshikatta desu*) – The trip was enjoyable.
4. **้ฃใใ** (ใใใใใ, *muzukashii*) – **Difficult**
– Example: ๆฅๆฌ่ชใฏ้ฃใใใงใใ (ใซใปใใใฏใใใใใใงใ, *Nihongo wa muzukashii desu*) – Japanese is difficult.
5. **็ฐกๅ** (ใใใใ, *kantan*) – **Easy/Simple**
– Example: ใใใฏ็ฐกๅใงใใ (ใใใฏใใใใใงใ, *Kore wa kantan desu*) – This is easy.
Adverbs are essential for adding depth to your sentences. They help describe how an action is performed and can modify adjectives.
1. **ใใ** (*yoku*) – **Often/Well**
– Example: ใใๆ ็ปใ่ฆใพใใ (ใใใใใใใฟใพใ, *Yoku eiga o mimasu*) – I often watch movies.
2. **ๅฐใ** (ใใใ, *sukoshi*) – **A little**
– Example: ๅฐใ็ฒใใพใใใ (ใใใใคใใใพใใ, *Sukoshi tsukaremashita*) – Iโm a little tired.
3. **ใจใฆใ** (*totemo*) – **Very**
– Example: ใจใฆใ็พๅณใใใงใใ (ใจใฆใใใใใใงใ, *Totemo oishii desu*) – Itโs very delicious.
4. **ๆฉใ** (ใฏใใ, *hayaku*) – **Quickly/Early**
– Example: ๆฉใๆฅใฆใใ ใใใ (ใฏใใใใฆใใ ใใ, *Hayaku kite kudasai*) – Please come quickly.
5. **้
ใ** (ใใใ, *osoku*) – **Late/Slowly**
– Example: ้
ใใชใฃใฆใใฟใพใใใ (ใใใใชใฃใฆใใฟใพใใ, *Osoku natte sumimasen*) – Sorry for being late.
Verbs are the backbone of any language. At the B1 level, you should be comfortable with a variety of verbs that describe daily activities. Here are some essential ones:
1. **้ฃในใ** (ใในใ, *taberu*) – **To eat**
– Example: ๆใ้ฃฏใ้ฃในใพใใ (ใใใใฏใใใในใพใ, *Asagohan o tabemasu*) – I eat breakfast.
2. **้ฃฒใ** (ใฎใ, *nomu*) – **To drink**
– Example: ใณใผใใผใ้ฃฒใฟใพใใ (ใณใผใใผใใฎใฟใพใ, *Koohii o nomimasu*) – I drink coffee.
3. **่ฆใ** (ใฟใ, *miru*) – **To see/To watch**
– Example: ใใฌใใ่ฆใพใใ (ใใฌใใใฟใพใ, *Terebi o mimasu*) – I watch TV.
4. **่กใ** (ใใ, *iku*) – **To go**
– Example: ๅญฆๆ กใซ่กใใพใใ (ใใฃใใใซใใใพใ, *Gakkou ni ikimasu*) – I go to school.
5. **ๆฅใ** (ใใ, *kuru*) – **To come**
– Example: ๅ้ใๆฅใพใใ (ใจใใ ใกใใใพใ, *Tomodachi ga kimasu*) – A friend is coming.
Here are some additional verbs that are useful for more complex conversations:
1. **ๆธใ** (ใใ, *kaku*) – **To write**
– Example: ๆ็ดใๆธใใพใใ (ใฆใใฟใใใใพใ, *Tegami o kakimasu*) – I write a letter.
2. **่ใ** (ใใ, *kiku*) – **To listen/To ask**
– Example: ้ณๆฅฝใ่ใใพใใ (ใใใใใใใใพใ, *Ongaku o kikimasu*) – I listen to music.
3. **่ฉฑใ** (ใฏใชใ, *hanasu*) – **To speak**
– Example: ๆฅๆฌ่ชใง่ฉฑใใพใใ (ใซใปใใใงใฏใชใใพใ, *Nihongo de hanashimasu*) – I speak in Japanese.
4. **่ชญใ** (ใใ, *yomu*) – **To read**
– Example: ๆฌใ่ชญใฟใพใใ (ใปใใใใฟใพใ, *Hon o yomimasu*) – I read a book.
5. **่ตทใใ** (ใใใ, *okiru*) – **To wake up**
– Example: ๆฉใ่ตทใใพใใ (ใฏใใใใใพใ, *Hayaku okimasu*) – I wake up early.
In addition to individual words, itโs important to learn phrases that will help you in various situations. Here are some useful phrases for B1 learners:
1. **ใฉใใใใใใใ้กใใใพใ** (ใฉใใใใใใใใญใใใใพใ, *douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu*) – **Nice to meet you**
– Example: ๅใใพใใฆใใฉใใใใใใใ้กใใใพใใ (ใฏใใใพใใฆใใฉใใใใใใใใญใใใใพใ, *Hajimemashite. Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu*) – Nice to meet you. Please treat me well.
2. **ใ็ฒใๆงใงใใ** (ใใคใใใใพใงใใ, *otsukaresama deshita*) – **Thank you for your hard work**
– Example: ไปๆฅใไธๆฅใ็ฒใๆงใงใใใ (ใใใใใใกใซใกใใคใใใใพใงใใ, *Kyou mo ichinichi otsukaresama deshita*) – Thank you for your hard work today.
3. **ใไธ่ฉฑใซใชใใพใใ** (ใใใใซใชใใพใใ, *osewa ni narimashita*) – **Thank you for your help**
– Example: ใใใใใไธ่ฉฑใซใชใใพใใใ (ใใใใใใใใซใชใใพใใ, *Iroiro osewa ni narimashita*) – Thank you for all your help.
4. **ใใฟใพใใใใใไธๅบฆใ้กใใใพใ** (ใใฟใพใใใใใใใกใฉใใญใใใใพใ, *sumimasen, mou ichido onegaishimasu*) – **Excuse me, please say that again**
– Example: ใใฟใพใใใใใไธๅบฆใ้กใใใพใใ (ใใฟใพใใใใใใใกใฉใใญใใใใพใ, *Sumimasen, mou ichido onegaishimasu*) – Excuse me, please say that again.
5. **ใฉใใงไผใใพใใใใ** (ใฉใใงใใใพใใใใ, *doko de aimashou ka*) – **Where shall we meet?**
– Example: ๆๆฅใฏใฉใใงไผใใพใใใใ๏ผ (ใใใใฏใฉใใงใใใพใใใใ, *Ashita wa doko de aimashou ka?*) – Where shall we meet tomorrow?
Being able to express your feelings and opinions is crucial for more advanced conversations. Here are some key words and phrases:
1. **ๅฅฝใ** (ใใ, *suki*) – **Like**
– Example: ้ณๆฅฝใๅฅฝใใงใใ (ใใใใใใใใงใ, *Ongaku ga suki desu*) – I like music.
2. **ๅซใ** (ใใใ, *kirai*) – **Dislike**
– Example: ้่ใๅซใใงใใ (ใใใใใใใใงใ, *Yasai ga kirai desu*) – I dislike vegetables.
3. **่ๅณใใใ** (ใใใใฟใใใ, *kyoumi ga aru*) – **Interested in**
– Example: ๆฅๆฌใฎๆๅใซ่ๅณใใใใพใใ (ใซใปใใฎใถใใใซใใใใฟใใใใพใ, *Nihon no bunka ni kyoumi ga arimasu*) – I am interested in Japanese culture.
4. **ๆฒใใ** (ใใชใใ, *kanashii*) – **Sad**
– Example: ๆฒใใๆ ็ปใงใใใ (ใใชใใใใใใงใใ, *Kanashii eiga deshita*) – It was a sad movie.
5. **ๆฅฝใใ** (ใใฎใใ, *tanoshii*) – **Fun/Enjoyable**
– Example: ๆฅฝใใๆ้ใ้ใใใพใใใ (ใใฎใใใใใใใใใใพใใ, *Tanoshii jikan o sugoshimashita*) – I had a fun time.
Here are some phrases to help you express your opinions:
1. **ใจๆใใพใ** (ใจใใใใพใ, *to omoimasu*) – **I think**
– Example: ใใใฏ้ฃใใใจๆใใพใใ (ใใใฏใใใใใใจใใใใพใ, *Kore wa muzukashii to omoimasu*) – I think this is difficult.
2. **ใจๆใใพใ** (ใจใใใใพใ, *to kanjimasu*) – **I feel**
– Example: ใใใฏ็ฐกๅใ ใจๆใใพใใ (ใใใฏใใใใใ ใจใใใใพใ, *Kore wa kantan da to kanjimasu*) – I feel this is easy.
3. **ใใใใใพใใ** (*kamoshiremasen*) – **Might/Maybe**
– Example: ๆๆฅใฏ้จใ้ใใใใใใพใใใ (ใใใใฏใใใใตใใใใใใพใใ, *Ashita wa ame ga furu kamoshiremasen*) – It might rain tomorrow.
4. **ใงใใใ** (*deshou*) – **Probably**
– Example: ๅฝผใฏๆฅใใงใใใใ (ใใใฏใใใงใใใ, *Kare wa kuru deshou*) – He will probably come.
5. **ใจ่ใใฆใใพใ** (ใจใใใใใฆใใพใ, *to kangaeteimasu*) – **I am considering**
– Example: ๆฅๆฌใซ็ๅญฆใใใจ่ใใฆใใพใใ (ใซใปใใซใใ
ใใใใใใจใใใใใฆใใพใ, *Nihon ni ryuugaku suru to kangaeteimasu*) – I am considering studying abroad in Japan.
Expanding your vocabulary at the B1 level will significantly enhance your ability to communicate and understand Japanese. By incorporating these everyday words, descriptive terms, verbs for daily activities, useful phrases, and expressions of feelings and opinions into your language practice, youโll be well-equipped to handle a variety of situations and conversations in Japanese. Remember to practice regularly and immerse yourself in the language as much as possible to continue improving your proficiency. Happy learning!
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