Vocabulary

こと

event, matter

ある u-verb

to exist (inanimate)

徹夜(てつ・や)

staying up all night

宿題(しゅく・だい)

homework

する exception

to do

一人(ひとり)

1 person; alone

行く(い・く) u-verb

to go

パリ(pa ri)

Paris

お寿司(お・す・し)

sushi

食べる(たべ・る) ru-verb

to eat

日本(に・ほん)

Japan

映画(えい・が)

movie

観る(み・る) ru-verb

to watch

ヨーロッパ(yo o ro p po)

Europe

いい i-adj

good

そう

(things are) that way

言う(い・う) u-verb

to say

見る(み・る) ru-verb

to see

～度(～ど)

counter for number of times

When you combine こと, the generic word for an event with ある, you can talk about whether an event exists or not.

Examples

1. 徹夜して、宿題することはある。
   There are times when I do homework while staying up all night.

2. 一人で行くことはありません。
   I never go by myself.

Using the past tense of the verb with こと, you can talk about whether an event has ever taken place. This is essentially the only way you can say “have done” in Japanese so this is a very useful expression. You need to use this grammar any time you want to talk about whether someone has ever done something.

Examples

1. パリに行ったことはありますか。
   Have you ever gone to Paris?

2. お寿司を食べたことがある。
   I’ve had sushi before.

3. 日本の映画を観たことないの？
   You’ve never seen a Japanese movie?

4. ヨーロッパに行ったことがあったらいいな。
   It would be nice if I ever go to Europe.

5. そういうのを見たことがなかった。
   I had never seen anything like that.

6. 一度行ったこともないんです。
   I’ve never gone, not even once.

Vocabulary

所(ところ)

place

早い(はや・い) i-adj

fast; early

来る(く・る) exception

to come

映画(えい・が)

movie

今(いま)

now

ちょうど

just right; exactly

いい

good

彼(かれ)

he; boyfriend

優しい(やさ・しい) i-adj

gentle; kind

ある u-verb

to exist (inanimate)

授業(じゅ・ぎょう)

class

終わる(お・わる) u-verb

to end

これ

this

行く(い・く) u-verb

to go

ところ（所） is usually used to indicate a generic physical location. However, it can also hold a much broader meaning ranging from a characteristic to a place in time.

Examples

1. 早くきて。映画は今ちょうどいいところだよ。
   Come quickly. We’re at the good part of the movie.

2. 彼は優しいところもあるよ。
   His personality has some gentle parts too.

3. 今は授業が終ったところです。
   Class has ended just now.

4. これから行くところでした。
   I was just about to go from now.

Vocabulary

物(もの)

object

どうして

why

来る(く・る) exception

to come

授業(じゅ・ぎょう)

class

ある u-verb

to exist (inanimate)

The generic object noun もの can be used as a casual and feminine way of emphasizing something. This is identical to the explanatory feminine emphasis expressed by the の particle. Just like the explanatory の particle, the の is often changed into ん resulting in もん. Using もん sounds very feminine and a little cheeky (in a cute way).

Examples

• どうしてこなかったの？
  Why didn’t (you) come?

1. 授業があったの。
   (I) had class. [feminine explanatory]

2. 授業があったもの。
   (I) had class. [feminine explanatory]

3. 授業があったもん。
   (I) had class, so there. [feminine explanatory]