Learn to Ask and Answer about Days of the Week in Japanese!
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- About Japanese Still
- Course Enrollment and Benefits
- Days of the Week in Japanese
- Monday (Getsuyoubi)
- Tuesday (Kayoubi)
- Wednesday (Suiyoubi)
- Thursday (Mokuyoubi)
- Friday (Kinyoubi)
- Saturday (Doyoubi)
- Sunday (Nichiyoubi)
- Kanji Letters and Planet Associations
- Pronouncing Planetary Names in Japanese
- How to Ask "What Day Is It?" in Japanese
- Checking Today's Day
- Answering the Question
- Asking About a Meeting Day
- Vocabulary: Meeting (Chikai)
- Forming the Question
- Alternative Word for Meeting
- Specifying the Next Meeting Day
- Understanding the Question "What Day Is Christmas?"
- Analyzing the Question
- Using the Calendar to Answer
- Examples of Answers based on the Year
- Conclusion
Days of the Week in Japanese
Japanese Still offers a comprehensive language learning experience for beginners. With the flexibility to learn at your own pace, the course provides a solid foundation in Japanese language skills. In this lesson, we will focus on an essential aspect of everyday conversation - knowing how to ask and answer questions about the days of the week.
Monday (Getsuyoubi)
The first day of the week in Japanese is called "Getsuyoubi." It is written as 月曜日 in kanji, with the kanji for "moon" (月) symbolizing Monday's association with the moon. To ask "What day is it?" referring to Monday, you would say "Getsuyoubi wa nan youbi desu ka?"
Tuesday (Kayoubi)
The Japanese word for Tuesday is "Kayoubi." It is written as 火曜日 in kanji, with the kanji for "fire" (火) indicating Tuesday's association with Mars. To inquire about Tuesday's day, you can ask "Kayoubi wa nan youbi desu ka?"
Wednesday (Suiyoubi)
Wednesday, or "Suiyoubi" in Japanese, is represented by the kanji 水曜日. The kanji 水 corresponds to the planet Mercury, symbolizing Wednesday's association with it. To ask "What day is it?" specifically for Wednesday, you would say "Suiyoubi wa nan youbi desu ka?"
Thursday (Mokuyoubi)
In Japanese, Thursday is known as "Mokuyoubi." The kanji 木曜日 represents Thursday, with the kanji 木 representing the planet Jupiter. Thus, Thursday is associated with Jupiter. To inquire about Thursday's day, one can ask "Mokuyoubi wa nan youbi desu ka?"
Friday (Kinyoubi)
The word for Friday in Japanese is "Kinyoubi." It is depicted by the kanji 金曜日, where the kanji 金 symbolizes the planet Venus. Thus, Friday is linked to Venus. To ask about the day specifically for Friday, you can say "Kinyoubi wa nan youbi desu ka?"
Saturday (Doyoubi)
Saturday, or "Doyoubi" in Japanese, is represented by the kanji 土曜日. The kanji 土 corresponds to the planet Saturn, making Saturday associated with Saturn. To inquire about Saturday's day, one can ask "Doyoubi wa nan youbi desu ka?"
Sunday (Nichiyoubi)
The final day of the week, Sunday, is called "Nichiyoubi" in Japanese. It is written as 日曜日 in kanji. Interestingly, the kanji 日, which indicates the sun, represents Sunday. To ask specifically for Sunday's day, you would say "Nichiyoubi wa nan youbi desu ka?"
Knowing the days of the week in Japanese allows you to communicate more effectively and understand conversations related to specific days or scheduling.
Kanji Letters and Planet Associations
The kanji characters used to write the days of the week in Japanese are not only associated with the days themselves but also with planets in the solar system. Understanding these associations can provide interesting insights into the culture and language. Here are the kanji characters and their corresponding planets:
- 月 (Moon) - Getsuyoubi (Monday)
- 火 (Fire) - Kayoubi (Tuesday)
- 水 (Water) - Suiyoubi (Wednesday)
- 木 (Wood) - Mokuyoubi (Thursday)
- 金 (Gold) - Kinyoubi (Friday)
- 土 (Earth) - Doyoubi (Saturday)
- 日 (Sun) - Nichiyoubi (Sunday)
It's important to note that these kanji characters primarily represent the planets rather than their literal meanings. For example, the kanji 月 (moon) usually indicates Monday, not the moon itself. However, if you want to explicitly refer to the moon in Japanese, you would use the word "tsuki" (月).
Pronouncing Planetary Names in Japanese
To accurately pronounce the names of the planets in Japanese, it is necessary to add the word "say" after each planet's name. Here are the correct pronunciations:
- Mars: Kasei (火星)
- Mercury: Suisei (水星)
- Jupiter: Mokusei (木星)
- Venus: Kinsei (金星)
- Saturn: Dosei (土星)
These names, along with the word for moon, which is "tsuki" (月), and the word for the sun, which is "taiyo" (太陽), allow for more detailed discussions on planetary matters in Japanese.
How to Ask "What Day Is It?" in Japanese
Asking about the current day or a specific day in Japanese is a common conversation topic. Let's explore how to inquire about the day and how to respond to such questions.
Checking Today's Day
To ask "What day is it?" in Japanese, you would say "Kyou wa nan youbi desu ka?" This question seeks to determine the current day of the week. By using the phrase "kyou wa" (today), you make it clear that you are referring to the present day. The response to this question would be the name of the day itself, such as "Getsuyoubi desu" (It's Monday).
Answering the Question
When someone asks "What day is it?" in Japanese, it is essential to respond appropriately. Here are a few examples of how to answer:
- If today is Monday: "Getsuyoubi desu" (It's Monday)
- If today is Tuesday: "Kayoubi desu" (It's Tuesday)
- If today is Wednesday: "Suiyoubi desu" (It's Wednesday)
- If today is Thursday: "Mokuyoubi desu" (It's Thursday)
- If today is Friday: "Kinyoubi desu" (It's Friday)
- If today is Saturday: "Doyoubi desu" (It's Saturday)
- If today is Sunday: "Nichiyoubi desu" (It's Sunday)
By using these simple phrases, you can communicate effectively when discussing the current day or scheduling events.
Asking About a Meeting Day
In everyday life, knowing how to ask about a specific day, such as the day of a meeting, is crucial. Let's explore the vocabulary and sentence structure necessary for this type of questioning.
Vocabulary: Meeting (Chikai)
Before diving into the question itself, it's essential to learn the word for "meeting" in Japanese. The word for meeting is "chikai" (会議), which can be used in various contexts and scenarios.
Forming the Question
To ask "What day is the meeting?" in Japanese, you would say "Chikai wa nan youbi desu ka?" By replacing the word "meeting" with its Japanese equivalent, you can inquire about the specific day when the meeting will take place.
Alternative Word for Meeting
It's worth mentioning that some people use the word "meeting" (ミーティング) itself in Japanese rather than the word "chikai." If you prefer to use the English loanword, you can ask "Meeting wa nan youbi desu ka?"
Specifying the Next Meeting Day
If you want to ask about the specific day of the next meeting, you can use the word for "next" in Japanese. The question would be "Sugino meeting wa nan youbi desu ka?" By adding the word "sugi" (next) before "meeting," you can indicate that you are referring to the upcoming meeting.
Mastering these phrases allows you to effectively communicate about meetings and appointments in Japanese.
Understanding the Question "What Day Is Christmas?"
As a culturally significant event, Christmas is often a topic of discussion. Knowing how to ask about the day of Christmas in Japanese can enhance your conversational skills. Let's analyze the question and learn how to respond.
Analyzing the Question
The question "Cotechino kurisumasu wa nan youbi desu ka?" asks about the day of Christmas in Japanese. By replacing the English word "Christmas" with its Japanese pronunciation, you can inquire about the specific day.
Using the Calendar to Answer
To answer the question "What day is Christmas?" in Japanese, you need to refer to a calendar. Based on the current year, you can provide the corresponding day of the week. For example, if the question is asked in 2019, the answer would be "Suiyoubi desu" (It's Wednesday). If the question is asked in 2020, the answer would be "Kinyoubi desu" (It's Friday). Similarly, the answer in 2021 would be "Doyoubi desu" (It's Saturday).
By utilizing the calendar and the knowledge of the days of the week in Japanese, you can accurately respond to questions about the specific day of Christmas.
Conclusion
In this lesson, we have explored the days of the week in Japanese, their associations with planets, and how to ask and answer questions related to specific days. By acquiring this knowledge, you now have the necessary tools to engage in everyday conversations, schedule appointments, and discuss significant events like Christmas. Japanese Still offers a comprehensive curriculum that covers various aspects of the Japanese language, providing you with the skills needed to communicate effectively and understand the culture.
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