Lesson 5: Describing Your Town

Learn how to describe your town, give recommendations for places, read town maps, and talk about local facilities.

In this lesson, you will learn how to describe the characteristics of your town, ask about and recommend places to visit, read and understand town maps, and talk about local facilities like sports clubs, shopping malls, and bathing facilities.

Key topics:

・Describing towns and neighborhoods (この町はどうですか?)
・Using ～で and ～くて to connect adjectives
・Giving recommendations with けど for contrast
・Expressing ability with ～ことができます
・Reading town maps and understanding descriptions
・Talking about local facilities and amenities
・Asking about recommended places

Vocabulary

どんな

donna

what kind of

Example

どんなまちがすきですか。

Donna machi ga suki desu ka.

What kind of town do you like?

まち

machi

町

town

Example

わたしはこの町にすんでいます。

Watashi wa kono machi ni sunde imasu.

I live in this town.

べんり（な）

benri (na)

便利（な）

convenient

Example

このえきはとても便利です。

Kono eki wa totemo benri desu.

This station is very convenient.

ふべん（な）

fuben (na)

不便（な）

inconvenient

Example

バスがすくなくて不便です。

Basu ga sukunakute fuben desu.

It is inconvenient because there are few buses.

にぎやか（な）

nigiyaka (na)

賑やか（な）

lively

Example

このみせはいつも賑やかです。

Kono mise wa itsumo nigiyaka desu.

This shop is always lively.

みどり

midori

緑

greenery

Example

このまちには緑がおおいです。

Kono machi ni wa midori ga ooi desu.

This town has a lot of greenery.

おおい

ōi

多い

many

Example

こうえんにひとが多いです。

Kōen ni hito ga ōi desu.

There are many people in the park.

すくない

sukunai

少ない

few / a little

Example

くるまが少ないまちです。

Kuruma ga sukunai machi desu.

It is a town with few cars.

ひと

hito

人

people

Example

あの人をしっていますか。

Ano hito o shitte imasu ka.

Do you know that person?

やさしい

yasashii

優しい

kind / friendly

Example

わたしのせんせいは優しいです。

Watashi no sensei wa yasashii desu.

My teacher is kind.

しんせつ（な）

shinsetsu (na)

親切（な）

kind / helpful

Example

となりに親切なひとがいます。

Tonari ni shinsetsu na hito ga imasu.

There is a kind person next door.

つめたい

tsumetai

冷たい

cold / indifferent

Example

なつは冷たいものがたべたいです。

Natsu wa tsumetai mono ga tabetai desu.

In summer, I want to eat cold things.

いなか

inaka

田舎

countryside

Example

わたしは田舎でそだちました。

Watashi wa inaka de sodachimashita.

I grew up in the countryside.

とかい

tokai

都会

city

Example

都会はアパートがたかいです。

Tokai wa apāto ga takai desu.

In the city, apartments are expensive.

きれい（な）

kirei (na)

綺麗

beautiful

Example

このけしきはとても綺麗です。

Kono keshiki wa totemo kirei desu.

This scenery is very beautiful.

たしかに

tashikani

確かに

certainly

Example

確かにそうです。

Tashikani sō desu.

That's certainly true.

すみやすい

sumiyasui

住みやすい

comfortable to live in

Example

このまちは住みやすいとおもいます。

Kono machi wa sumiyasui to omoimasu.

I think this town is comfortable to live in.

みせ

mise

店

store / restaurant

Example

あの店でたべましょう。

Ano mise de tabemashō.

Let's eat at that shop.

やすい

yasui

安い

cheap

Example

このみせはやさいが安いです。

Kono mise wa yasai ga yasui desu.

Vegetables are cheap at this shop.

おもしろい

omoshiroi

面白い

interesting / entertaining

Example

このえいがは面白いとおもいます。

Kono eiga wa omoshiroi to omoimasu.

I think this movie is interesting.

とおい

tooi

遠い

far

Example

えきからうちまで遠いです。

Eki kara uchi made tooi desu.

It is far from the station to my house.

どこか

dokoka

somewhere

Example

しゅうまつはどこかへいきますか。

Shūmatsu wa dokoka e ikimasu ka.

Are you going somewhere on the weekend?

ところ

tokoro

所

place

Example

しずかな所がすきです。

Shizuka na tokoro ga suki desu.

I like quiet places.

スポーツセンター

supōtsu sentā

sports center

Example

まちにスポーツセンターがあります。

Machi ni supōtsu sentā ga arimasu.

There is a sports center in town.

たてもの

tatemono

建物

building

Example

あのたかい建物はホテルです。

Ano takai tatemono wa hoteru desu.

That tall building is a hotel.

ショッピングモール

shoppingu mōru

shopping mall

Example

ともだちとショッピングモールへいきます。

Tomodachi to shoppingu mōru e ikimasu.

I go to the shopping mall with my friend.

いちど

ichido

一度

once

Example

一度にほんへいきたいです。

Ichido nihon e ikitai desu.

I want to go to Japan once.

いってみる

itte miru

行ってみる

to try to go

Example

あたらしいみせに行ってみます。

Atarashii mise ni itte mimasu.

I'll try going to the new shop.

ばしょ

basho

場所

place

Example

しゃしんをとるばしょをさがしています。

Shashin o toru basho o sagashite imasu.

I am looking for a place to take pictures.

ぜひ

zehi

definitely

Example

ぜひいってみてください。

Zehi itte mite kudasai.

Please definitely try going there.

Conversation

～になれましたか？

~ni naremashita ka?

Have you gotten used to ~?

Example Usage

このまちになれましたか？

Kono machi ni naremashita ka?

Have you gotten used to this town?

～はどうですか？

~wa dō desu ka?

How is ~?

Example Usage

このまちはどうですか？

Kono machi wa dō desu ka?

How is this town?

～に行きたいんですが

~ni ikitai n desu ga

I want to go to ~ (polite lead-in)

Example Usage

やすみのひにどこか行きたいんですが、いいところがありますか？

Yasumi no hi ni doko ka ikitai n desu ga, ii tokoro ga arimasu ka?

I want to go somewhere on my day off. Is there a good place?

～けど、～

~kedo, ~

Although ~, ~ / but ~

Example Usage

たてものはふるいけど、やすくていいですよ。

Tatemono wa furui kedo, yasukute ii desu yo.

The building is old, but it's cheap and good.

～だけど、～

~dakedo, ~

but ~ (slightly stronger contrast)

Example Usage

ばしょはふべんだけど、きれいですよ。

Basho wa fuben dakedo, kirei desu yo.

The location is inconvenient, but it's beautiful.

ぜひ～てみて下さい

zehi ~te mite kudasai

please try ~ing

Example Usage

ぜひいってみて下さい。

Zehi itte mite kudasai.

Please try going (there).

Kanji

不便（な）

ふべん（な）

inconvenient (na-adjective)

不🎬

not

便🎬

convenience

Example

ここは不便です。

Koko wa fuben desu.

This place is inconvenient.

便利（な）

べんり（な）

convenient (na-adjective)

便🎬

convenience

利🎬

benefit

Example

これは便利です。

Kore wa benri desu.

This is convenient.

食堂

しょくどう

dining hall

食🎬

eat, food

堂🎬

hall, building

Example

食堂へ行きます。

Shokudō e ikimasu.

I'm going to the dining hall.

多い

おおい

many

多🎬

many

Example

人が多いです。

Hito ga ōi desu.

There are many people.

少ない

すくない

few

少🎬

few

Example

お金が少ないです。

Okane ga sukunai desu.

I have little money.

店

みせ

shop, store

店🎬

shop, store

Example

あの店に行きます。

Ano mise ni ikimasu.

I'm going to that shop.

有名（な）

ゆうめい（な）

famous (na-adjective)

有🎬

have, exist

名🎬

name, fame

Example

彼は有名です。

Kare wa yūmei desu.

He is famous.

町

まち

town

町🎬

town, street

Example

この町が好きです。

Kono machi ga suki desu.

I like this town.

遠い

とおい

far

遠🎬

far

Example

駅は遠いです。

Eki wa tōi desu.

The station is far.

静か（な）

しずか（な）

quiet (na-adjective)

静🎬

quiet

Example

ここは静かです。

Koko wa shizuka desu.

It's quiet here.

Grammar Rules

Rule 1: ～で、～くて for connecting adjectives

Structure: な-adjective/Noun + で | い-adjective (remove い) + くて

Use ～で to connect な-adjectives or nouns, and ～くて to connect い-adjectives when listing multiple characteristics. The last adjective determines the tense/politeness. This is essential for describing places, people, or things with multiple traits.

How to use: For な-adjectives: take the stem (remove な) and add で. For nouns: add で. For い-adjectives: remove final い and add くて. Combine as many as needed, then finish with the final adjective in です/ます form.

💡 Pro Tip: The ～て form of adjectives often implies a cause/reason relationship, not just 'and'. For example, '安くて美味しい' can mean 'cheap and delicious' or 'cheap, so delicious'. For pure listing without cause, use し (e.g., 安いし美味しい).

Examples

にぎやかで、べんりです。

Nigiyaka de, benri desu.

→ It is lively and convenient.

みどりがおおくて、しずかでいいですね。

Midori ga ōkute, shizuka de ii desu ne.

→ There's lots of greenery and it's quiet, which is nice.

Rule 2: ～だけど、～けど for contrast

Structure: Noun/な-adjective + だけど | い-adjective (plain) + けど | Verb (plain) + けど

Use けど or だけど to connect two contrasting statements (like 'but' or 'although'). It's softer and more conversational than しかし. Also used to lead into a topic politely without direct contrast.

How to use: For nouns and な-adjectives: add だけど. For い-adjectives and verbs: add けど to the plain form. Can come in the middle of a sentence (S1けどS2) or at the end to soften a statement.

💡 Pro Tip: けど is extremely common in spoken Japanese. Ending a sentence with けど (without finishing the second clause) is a polite way to imply something or ask a favor: 'お話があるんですけど…' (I have something to talk about...). Also, だけど can be used to change the topic.

Examples

ばしょはふべんだけど、きれいですよ。

Basho wa fuben dakedo, kirei desu yo.

→ The location is inconvenient, but it's beautiful.

たてものはふるいけど、やすくていいわよ。

Tatemono wa furui kedo, yasukute ii wa yo.

→ The building is old, but it's cheap and good.

Rule 3: V-ることができます

Structure: [Verb-dictionary form] + ことができます

Use verb dictionary form followed by ことができます to express ability or possibility—'can do ~' or 'it is possible to ~'. This is used to describe what a place offers, what a person is capable of, or what is permitted.

How to use: Take the dictionary form of any verb (e.g., みる, たべる, およぐ). Add ことができます. The subject is marked with は or が. Negative: ことができません. Past: ことができました.

💡 Pro Tip: For ability focused on skills (languages, sports), ができます with a noun is simpler (e.g., にほんごができます). Use ことができます when the activity is a verb phrase (e.g., はなをみることができます). In casual speech, ことができる is common (drop ます).

Examples

こうえんでおにぎりをたべることができます。

Kōen de onigiri o taberu koto ga dekimasu.

→ You can eat onigiri in the park.

いちねんじゅう、いろいろなはなをみることができます。

Ichinenshū, iroiro na hana o miru koto ga dekimasu.

→ You can see various flowers all year round.

Lesson 5: Describing Your Town

Learn how to describe your town, give recommendations for places, read town maps, and talk about local facilities.

Key topics:

Vocabulary

Conversation

Kanji

Grammar Rules

Rule 1: ～で、～くて for connecting adjectives

Rule 2: ～だけど、～けど for contrast

Rule 3: V-ることができます

Exercises

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Question 4

Question 5

Question 6

Question 7

Question 8

Question 9

Question 10

Question 11

Question 12

Question 13

Question 14

Question 15

Question 16

Question 17

Question 18

Question 19

Question 20