Lesson 5: My Town (私の町)

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

いってみる

itte miru

行いってみる

to try to go

Example

あたらしいみせに行いってみます.

Atarashii mise ni itte mimasu.

I'll try going to the new shop.

しっている

shitte iru

知しっている

know

Example

このレストランを知しっていますか.

Kono resutoran o shitte imasu ka.

Do you know this restaurant?

しる

shiru

知しる

to know

Example

にほんのぶんかを知しりたいです.

Nihon no bunka o shiritai desu.

I want to know Japanese culture.

みわたす

miwatasu

見み渡みわたす

to overlook

Example

おかのうえからまちを見渡みわたします.

Oka no ue kara machi o miwatashimasu.

I overlook the town from the top of the hill.

まち

machi

町まち

town

Example

この町まちでうまれました.

Kono machi de umaremashita.

I was born in this town.

いなか

inaka

田舎いなか

countryside

Example

わたしは田舎いなかでそだちました.

Watashi wa inaka de sodachimashita.

I grew up in the countryside.

とかい

tokai

都会とかい

city

Example

都会とかいはアパートがたかいです.

Tokai wa apāto ga takai desu.

In the city, apartments are expensive.

ところ

tokoro

所ところ

place

Example

しずかな所しょがすきです.

Shizuka na tokoro ga suki desu.

I like quiet places.

ばしょ

basho

場所ばしょ

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.

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?

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

建物たてもの

building

Example

あのたかい建物たてものはホテルです.

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.

きゅうけいじょ

kyūkeijo

休憩きゅうけい所きゅうけいじょ

rest area

Example

こうえんに休憩きゅうけい所しょがあります.

Kōen ni kyūkeijo ga arimasu.

There is a rest area in the park.

バーベキューじょう

bābekyū jō

バーベキュー場じょう

barbecue area

Example

このこうえんにバーベキュー場じょうがあります.

Kono kōen ni bābekyū jō ga arimasu.

There is a barbecue area in this park.

サイクリングコース

saikuringu kōsu

cycling course

Example

ここはサイクリングコースがあります.

Koko wa saikuringu kōsu ga arimasu.

There is a cycling course here.

てんぼうだい

tenbōdai

展望てんぼう台てんぼうだい

observation platform

Example

展望てんぼう台だいからまちをみました.

Tenbōdai kara machi o mimashita.

I saw the town from the observation platform.

みどり

midori

緑みどり

greenery

Example

このまちには緑みどりがおおいです.

Kono machi ni wa midori ga ooi desu.

This town has a lot of greenery.

すなはま

sunahama

砂浜すなはま

sandy beach

Example

この砂浜すなはまはしろくてきれいです.

Kono sunahama wa shirokute kirei desu.

This sandy beach is white and beautiful.

おか

oka

丘おか

hill

Example

あの丘きゅうにのぼりましょう.

Ano oka ni noborimashō.

Let's climb that hill.

ゆうひ

yūhi

夕日ゆうひ

sunset

Example

ビーチで夕日ゆうひをみました.

Bīchi de yūhi o mimashita.

I watched the sunset at the beach.

ビーチ

bīchi

beach

Example

こんどのやすみにビーチへいきます.

Kondo no yasumi ni bīchi e ikimasu.

I will go to the beach next holiday.

みせ

mise

店みせ

store / restaurant

Example

あの店てんでたべましょう.

Ano mise de tabemashō.

Let's eat at that shop.

めいぶつ

meibutsu

名物めいぶつ

local specialty

Example

おすすめの名物めいぶつはなんですか.

Osusume no meibutsu wa nan desu ka.

What is the recommended local specialty?

タウンマップ

taun mappu

map of town

Example

このタウンマップをください.

Kono taun mappu o kudasai.

Please give me this town map.

Conversation

__ になれましたか？

ni naremashita ka?

Have you gotten used to __?

Example Usage

この町まちには慣なれましたかはい、おかげさまで.

Kono machi ni wa naremashita ka?Hai, okagesama de.

Have you gotten used to this town? Yes, thanks to you.

__ はどうですか？

wa dō desu ka?

How is __?

Example Usage

この町まちはどうですかにぎやかで、便利べんりです.

Kono machi wa dō desu ka?Nigiyaka de, benri desu.

How is this town? Well, it's lively and convenient.

__ に行きたいんですが

ni ikitai n desu ga

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

Example Usage

おいしいものを食たべに行いきたいんですが

Oishii mono o tabe ni ikitai n desu ga

I'd like to go eat something delicious.

いいところがありますか？

ii tokoro ga arimasu ka?

Are there any good places?

Example Usage

はい、ここでは一番いちばんすしが食たべることができましょう.

Hai, kokode wa, ichiban sushi ga taberu koto ga dekimashou.

Yes, You can eat the best sushi here.

__ けど、 __

kedo, __

Although __, __ / but __

Example Usage

この店みせは安やすいけど、味あじもいいですよ.

Kono mise wa yasui kedo, aji mo ii desu yo.

This shop is cheap, but the taste is also good.

__ だけど、 __

dakedo, __

but __ (slightly stronger contrast)

Example Usage

この部屋へやは静しずかだけど、少すこし狭せまいです.

Kono heya wa shizuka dakedo, sukoshi semai desu.

This room is quiet, but it's a little small.

ぜひ __ てみてください

zehi ___te mite kudasai

please try ___ing

Example Usage

日本にっぽんに来きたら、ぜひ京都きょうとに行いってみてください.

Nihon ni kitara, zehi Kyōto ni itte mite kudasai.

If you come to Japan, please try going to Kyoto.

Kanji

建物たてもの

building

建🎬

build, construct

物🎬

thing, object

Example

あのたかい建物たてものはホテルです.

Ano takai tatemono wa hoteru desu.

That tall building is a hotel.

店みせ

shop, store

店🎬

shop, store

Example

あの店てんでたべましょう.

Ano mise de tabemashō.

Let's eat at that shop.

町まち

town

町🎬

town, street

Example

この町まちでうまれました.

Kono machi de umaremashita.

I was born in this town.

田舎いなか

countryside

田🎬

rice field

舎🎬

house, hut

Example

わたしは田舎いなかでそだちました.

Watashi wa inaka de sodachimashita.

I grew up in the countryside.

不便な

inconvenient (na-adjective)

不🎬

not

便🎬

convenience

Example

バスがすくなくて不便ふべんです.

Basu ga sukunakute fuben desu.

It is inconvenient because there are few buses.

便利な

convenient (na-adjective)

便🎬

convenience

利🎬

benefit

Example

このえきはとても便利べんりです.

Kono eki wa totemo benri desu.

This station is very convenient.

有名な

famous (na-adjective)

有🎬

have, exist

名🎬

name, fame

Example

このレストランは有名ゆうめいです.

Kono resutoran wa yūmei desu.

This restaurant is famous.

多おおい

many

多🎬

many

Example

こうえんにひとが多おおいです.

Kōen ni hito ga ōi desu.

There are many people in the park.

少すくない

few

少🎬

few

Example

くるまが少すくないまちです.

Kuruma ga sukunai machi desu.

It is a town with few cars.

遠とおい

far

遠🎬

far

Example

えきからうちまで遠とおいです.

Eki kara uchi made tooi desu.

It is far from the station to my house.

Grammar Rules

Rule 1: Connecting descriptions of a place

Structure: N + で、～ / ナA + で、～ / イA(-い) + くて、～

This form is used to connect two sentences. It is used here to give two or more impressions about the town. The form becomes ～で for nouns and ナ-adjectives. For イ-adjectives, it becomes ～くて.

How to use: Use N + で、～, ナA + で、～, and イA(-い) + くて、～. Examples: にぎやか（な）→にぎやかで, せいか（な）→せいかで, 多おおい→多おおくて. The final predicate determines the tense and politeness. This connector is neutral and simply adds information; for contrast, use けど.

💡 Pro Tip: で and くて connect descriptions, not contrast. Do not use くて with nouns or ナ-adjectives, and do not use で with イ-adjectives. イ-adjectives change い to くて, so 多おおい→多おおくて, not 多おおいで. The final verb or adjective carries the tense.

Examples

このまちは、とてもにぎやかで、べんりです.

Kono machi wa, totemo nigiyaka de, benri desu.

→ This town is very lively and convenient.

この部屋へやはしずかで、広ひろいです.

Kono heya wa shizuka de, hiroi desu.

→ This room is quiet and spacious.

Rule 2: Contrasting two descriptions with けど

Structure: N + だ + けど、～ / ナA + だ + けど、～ / イA + い + けど、～

けど is used to connect two sentences that are in contrast to each other. It is used here to give a positive and a negative comment about the town. The form becomes ～だけど for nouns and ナ-adjectives. For イ-adjectives, it becomes ～いけど.

How to use: Use N + だけど、～, ナA + だけど、～, and イA + いけど、～. Examples: ふ便びん（な）→ふ便びんだけど, 古ふるい→古ふるいけど, おもしろい→おもしろいけど, えんい→えんいけど. The final clause determines tense and politeness. For a more formal contrast, use が.

💡 Pro Tip: けど is casual and often used in speech; が is more formal and written. けど contrasts, while で/くて simply adds. Do not use だけど with イ-adjectives; use いけど. In polite speech, けど can follow です/ます: ふ便びんですけど.

Examples

たちばな公園こうえんは、ばしょはふべんだけど、きれいですよ.

Tachibana kōen wa, basho wa fuben da kedo, kirei desu yo.

→ The location of Tachibana Park is inconvenient, but it is beautiful.

この店みせは安やすいけど、あまりおいしくないです.

Kono mise wa yasui kedo, amari oishikunai desu.

→ This shop is cheap, but it's not very delicious.

Rule 3: Saying what is possible in a situation

Structure: V-る + ことができます

V-ることができます is used to express what is possible in a given situation. It is used here to describe what one can do in towns and tourist areas. ことができます is added to the verb in dictionary form.

How to use: Use V-る + ことができます. Examples: 見みる→見みることができます, 食たべる→食たべることができます, 見みわたりす→見みわたりすことができます. The question form is V-ることができますか？. The negative is V-ることができません. The past is V-ることができました. A shorter casual alternative is the potential form V-れる/V-られる.

💡 Pro Tip: ことができます is more formal than the potential form. Do not use the ます-form before こと: say 見みることができます, not 見みますことができます. For ability with nouns, use Nができます. For seeing/hearing, 見みえる/聞きこえる are different.

Examples

一いち年ねん中いちねんじゅう、いろいろな花はなを見みることができます.

Ichinenjū, iroirona hana o miru koto ga dekimasu.

→ Various types of flower can be viewed throughout the year.

このアプリでは、むりょうでおんがくを聞きくことができます.

Kono apuri de wa, muryō de ongaku o kiku koto ga dekimasu.

→ With this app, you can listen to music for free.

Lesson 5: My Town (私の町)

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: Connecting descriptions of a place

Rule 2: Contrasting two descriptions with けど

Rule 3: Saying what is possible in a situation

Exercises

Question 1: 'It is lively and convenient.'

Question 2: 'There's lots of greenery and it's quiet, which is nice.'

Question 3: Which is correct for 'The location is inconvenient, but it's beautiful.'?

Question 4: 'The building is old, but it's cheap and good.'

Question 5: Which is correct for 'You can eat onigiri in the park.'?

Question 6: 'I cannot swim.'

Question 7: Which is correct for 'I was able to see various flowers all year round.'?

Question 8: Choose the correct reading of 町.

Question 9: Choose the correct reading of 店.

Question 10: Choose the correct reading of 建物.

Question 11: Choose the correct reading of 田舎.

Question 12: Choose the correct reading of 不便.

Question 13: Choose the correct reading of 便利.

Question 14: Choose the correct reading of 有名.

Question 15: Choose the correct reading of 多い.

Question 16: Choose the correct reading of 少ない.

Question 17: Choose the correct reading of 遠い.

Question 18: 'He is a student and kind.'

Question 19: Which is correct for 'This town is very lively and convenient.'?

Question 20: 'This town has a lot of greenery and is quiet.'

Question 21: Which is correct for 'This shop is cheap, but it's not very delicious.'?

Question 22: 'With this app, you can listen to music for free.'

Question 23: Which is correct for 'The building is old, but it's cheap and good.'?

Question 24: 'If you come to Japan, please try going to Kyoto.'

Question 25: Which is correct for 'This town is very lively and convenient.'?