If you are learning Japanese and always looking for a way to improve your Japanese, you might want to add this learning method to your current learning.  I would like to suggest “creating a simple sentence” exercise to learn more Japanese expressions.

Let’s start with the word summer (natsu, 夏、なつ)

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word “natsu(夏、なつ)”?

You might think of sentences such as:

• I love summer!  – Watashiwa natsu ga daisuki desu. (私は夏が大好きです。わたしは、なつがだいすきです。)

 

• Summer is hot! – Natsu wa atsui! (夏は暑い！なつはあつい！)

 

• I like to travel during summer. -Watashiwa natsuni ryokou surunoga suki desu. (私は、夏に旅行するのが好きです。わたしは、なつにりょこうするのがすきです。)

 

• I love the beach in summer. – Natsuno umi ga daisuki desu. (夏の海が大好きです。なつのうみがだいすきです。)

 

• It is nice getting together with family during summer vacation. – Natsuno kyu-ka chu-ni kazoku de isshoni atsumarino wa iine.(夏の休暇中に家族で一緒に集まるのは、いいね。なつのきゅうかちゅうにかぞくでいっしょにあつまるのは、いいね。)

 

• It is too hot to go outside during summer. – Natsuno aidawa atsukute sotoni derarenai. (夏の間は、暑くて外に出られない。なつのあいだは、あつくてそとにでられない。)

 

You can keep making new sentences by replacing the word, “summer(natsu, 夏、なつ)” above with something else. Let’s try another season, “Fall (aki, 秋、あき)” in the first sentence.

• I love fall!  – Watashiwa aki ga daisuki desu. (私は秋が大好きです。わたしは、あきがだいすきです。)

Try with different words, such as

Spring (haru, 春、はる)

Winter (fuyu, 冬、ふゆ)

How would you say these in Japanese?

I love spring! ==>

I love winter!==>

Any other word you might know in Japanese, try replacing the word above in any of the sentences.

You might want to say:

• It is nice getting together with “friends” during summer vacation. – Natsuno kyu-ka chu-ni tomodachi de isshoni atsumarino wa iine.(夏の休暇中に友達で一緒に集まるのは、いいね。なつのきゅうかちゅうにともだちでいっしょにあつまるのは、いいね。)

I simply replaced the word “family” with “friends(tomodachi, 友達、ともだち)”. You can try making this sentence with the words like,

co-workers (do-ryo-, 同僚、どうりょう)

brothers (kyoudai, 兄弟、きょうだい)

sisters (shimai, 姉妹、しまい)

mothers (haha tachi, 母たち、ははたち)

~ and so on…

Got an idea?  Once you are comfortable writing or speaking a simple sentence in Japanese, try this learning method to increase your vocabulary.

Answers to the above questions:

I love spring! ==> Watashi wa haru ga daisuki desu. 私は、春が大好きです。わたしは、はるがだいすきです。

I love winter!==> Watashi wa fuyu ga daisuki desu. 私は、冬が大好きです。わたしは、ふゆがだいすきです。