Lesson 4: 東京にすんでいます – I Live in Tokyo (Family and Home)

Talking about family, age, relationships, and personal information.

This lesson focuses on discussing family members, ages, relationships, and personal information. You'll learn how to introduce family members, ask about age, and talk about where you live.

Key topics:

・Family members and relationships
・Asking and telling ages
・Introducing family members
・Talking about pets and animals
・Numbers 11-20 and decades (20, 30, 40, etc.)
・Describing family situations
・Basic conversation about personal life

Vocabulary

しょうかいする

shoukai suru

紹介しょうかいする

to introduce

Example

かぞくをしょうかいします.

Kazoku o shoukai shimasu.

I will introduce my family.

すむ

sumu

住すむ

to live

Example

とうきょうにすんでいます.

Tokyo ni sundeimasu.

I live in Tokyo.

かぞく

kazoku

家族かぞく

(your) family

Example

かぞくはなんにんですか？

Kazoku wa nan-nin desu ka?

How many people are in your family?

うちの

uchi no

my / our

Example

うちのかぞく

Uchi no kazoku

my family

おっと

otto

夫おっと

(my) husband

Example

おっとはにほんじんです.

Otto wa nihonjin desu.

My husband is Japanese.

つま

tsuma

妻つま

(my) wife

Example

つまとこどもがいます.

Tsuma to kodomo ga imasu.

I have a wife and child.

おくさん

okusan

奥おくさん

(someone's) wife / Mrs.

Example

おくさんはにほんじんですか？

Okusan wa nihonjin desu ka?

Is your wife Japanese?

こいびと

koibito

恋人こいびと

boyfriend / girlfriend

Example

こいびとがいます.

Koibito ga imasu.

I have a boyfriend/girlfriend.

こども

kodomo

子こども

child

Example

こどもがふたりいます.

Kodomo ga futari imasu.

I have two children.

あに

ani

兄あに

(my) elder brother

Example

これはあにのしゃしんです.

Kore wa ani no shashin desu.

This is a photo of my elder brother.

おにいさん

oniisan

お兄にいさん

(someone's) elder brother

Example

おにいさんはだいがくせいですか？

Oniisan wa daigakusei desu ka?

Is your elder brother a university student?

おとうと

otouto

弟おとうと

(my) younger brother

Example

おとうとはだいがくせいです.

Otouto wa daigakusei desu.

My younger brother is a university student.

おとうとさん

otouto-san

弟おとうとさん

(someone's) younger brother

Example

おとうとさんはいくつですか？

Otouto-san wa ikutsu desu ka?

How old is your younger brother?

あね

ane

姉あね

(my) elder sister

Example

あねはがくせいです.

Ane wa gakusei desu.

My elder sister is a student.

おねえさん

oneesan

お姉ねえさん

(someone's) elder sister

Example

おねえさんはせんせいですか？

Oneesan wa sensei desu ka?

Is your elder sister a teacher?

いもうと

imouto

妹いもうと

(my) younger sister

Example

いもうとはちいさいです.

Imouto wa chiisai desu.

My younger sister is small.

いもうとさん

imouto-san

妹いもうとさん

(someone's) younger sister

Example

いもうとさんはがくせいですか？

Imouto-san wa gakusei desu ka?

Is your younger sister a student?

おじいさん

ojiisan

old male (grandfather/elderly man)

Example

おじいさんとすんでいます.

Ojiisan to sundeimasu.

I live with my grandfather.

ちち

chichi

父ちち

(my) father

Example

ちちはしごとをしています.

Chichi wa shigoto o shiteimasu.

My father is working.

おとうさん

otousan

お父とうさん

(someone's) father

Example

おとうさんはどこにいますか？

Otousan wa doko ni imasu ka?

Where is your father?

はは

haha

母はは

(my) mother

Example

はははいしゃです.

Haha wa isha desu.

My mother is a doctor.

おかあさん

okaasan

お母かあさん

(someone's) mother

Example

おかあさんはにほんじんですか？

Okaasan wa nihonjin desu ka?

Is your mother Japanese?

いぬ

inu

犬いぬ

dog

Example

いぬをかっています.

Inu o katteimasu.

I have a dog.

うみ

umi

海うみ

sea

Example

うみがすきです.

Umi ga suki desu.

I like the sea.

てんき

tenki

天気てんき

weather

Example

きょうのてんきはいいです.

Kyou no tenki wa ii desu.

Today's weather is good.

__ さい

sai

歳さい

__ years old

Example

じゅうはっさいです.

Juu-hassai desu.

I am 18 years old.

いくつ

ikutsu

how old

Example

おこさんはいくつですか？

O-ko-san wa ikutsu desu ka?

How old is your child?

なんさい

nan-sai

何なん歳なんさい

how old

Example

なんさいですか？

Nan-sai desu ka?

How old are you?

せんせい

sensei

先生せんせい

teacher

Example

このせんせいはやさしいです.

Kono sensei wa yasashii desu.

This teacher is kind.

たんじょうび

tanjoubi

誕生たんじょう日たんじょうび

birthday

Example

たんじょうびはいつですか？

Tanjoubi wa itsu desu ka?

When is your birthday?

とうきょう

toukyou

東京とうきょう

Tokyo

Example

とうきょうにすんでいます.

Toukyou ni sundeimasu.

I live in Tokyo.

にほん

nihon

日本にほん

Japan

Example

にほんにきました.

Nihon ni kimashita.

I came to Japan.

ぺっと

petto

pet

Example

ぺっとはいますか？

Petto wa imasu ka?

Do you have any pets?

どこ

doko

where

Example

どこにすんでいますか？

Doko ni sundeimasu ka?

Where do you live?

こちら

kochira

this is (used when introducing someone)

Example

こちらはかぞくです.

Kochira wa kazoku desu.

This is my family.

それから

sorekara

and then

Example

あに、あね、それからおとうとがいます.

Ani, ane, sorekara otouto ga imasu.

I have an elder brother, an elder sister, and then a younger brother.

だれ

dare

who

Example

だれとすんでいますか？

Dare to sundeimasu ka?

Who do you live with?

Conversation

とうきょうにすんでいます.

Toukyou ni sundeimasu.

I live in Tokyo.

Example Usage

わたしはとうきょうにすんでいます.

Watashi wa Toukyou ni sundeimasu.

I live in Tokyo.

かぞくをしょうかいします.

Kazoku o shoukai shimasu.

I will introduce my family.

Example Usage

こちらはかぞくです.かぞくをしょうかいします.

Kochira wa kazoku desu. Kazoku o shoukai shimasu.

This is my family. I will introduce my family.

なんさいですか？

Nan-sai desu ka?

How old are you?

Example Usage

すみません、なんさいですか？ - にじゅうさいです.

Sumimasen, Nan-sai desu ka? - Nijuu-sai desu.

Excuse me, how old are you? - I am twenty years old.

どこにすんでいますか？

Doko ni sundeimasu ka?

Where do you live?

Example Usage

どこにすんでいますか？ - とうきょうにすんでいます.

Doko ni sundeimasu ka? - Toukyou ni sundeimasu.

Where do you live? - I live in Tokyo.

だれとすんでいますか？

Dare to sundeimasu ka?

Who do you live with?

Example Usage

だれとすんでいますか？ - かぞくとすんでいます.

Dare to sundeimasu ka? - Kazoku to sundeimasu.

Who do you live with? - I live with my family.

Kanji

家族かぞく

family

家🎬

house, family

族🎬

family, tribe

Example

かぞくはなんにんですか？

Kazoku wa nan-nin desu ka?

How many people are in your family?

夫おっと

husband

夫🎬

husband, man

Example

おっとはにほんじんです.

Otto wa nihonjin desu.

My husband is Japanese.

妻つま

wife

妻🎬

wife

Example

つまとこどもがいます.

Tsuma to kodomo ga imasu.

I have a wife and child.

恋人こいびと

lover, boyfriend/girlfriend

恋🎬

love

人🎬

person

Example

こいびとがいます.

Koibito ga imasu.

I have a boyfriend/girlfriend.

子こども

child

子🎬

child

Example

こどもがふたりいます.

Kodomo ga futari imasu.

I have two children.

兄あに

elder brother

兄🎬

elder brother

Example

これはあにのしゃしんです.

Kore wa ani no shashin desu.

This is a photo of my elder brother.

弟おとうと

younger brother

弟🎬

younger brother

Example

おとうとはだいがくせいです.

Otouto wa daigakusei desu.

My younger brother is a university student.

姉あね

elder sister

姉🎬

elder sister

Example

あねはがくせいです.

Ane wa gakusei desu.

My elder sister is a student.

妹いもうと

younger sister

妹🎬

younger sister

Example

いもうとはちいさいです.

Imouto wa chiisai desu.

My younger sister is small.

お祖父じいさん

grandfather

祖🎬

ancestor

父🎬

father

Example

おじいさんとすんでいます.

Ojiisan to sundeimasu.

I live with my grandfather.

父ちち

father

父🎬

father

Example

ちちはしごとをしています.

Chichi wa shigoto o shiteimasu.

My father is working.

母はは

mother

母🎬

mother

Example

はははいしゃです.

Haha wa isha desu.

My mother is a doctor.

Grammar Rules

Rule 1: Connecting one Noun with another

Structure: Noun1 + と + Noun2

The particle と connects a noun to another noun, listing them one after another. It is used here to introduce several family members at once, like 'A and B' in English.

How to use: Place と between each noun: N1 と N2 と N3. It can also connect people when describing who you do something with (だれと = 'with whom'). When you join multiple nouns, the final と is dropped before the verb or predicate.

💡 Pro Tip: Don't confuse と with や. と is exhaustive — おっとと子こども means exactly those two people. や lists a few of many and implies there are others. Also, と is used with verbs like じゅうむ to mean 'together with': かぞくとじゅうんでいます = 'I live with my family.'

Examples

おっとと子こどもです.

Otto to kodomo desu.

This is my husband and child.

かぞくとすんでいます.

Kazoku to sundeimasu.

I live with my family.

Rule 2: Expressing age

Structure: Number + とし (さい)

とし (さい) is the counter for years of age. It always comes after the number. Some readings change slightly when combined with とし — いち → いっさい, はち → はっさい, じゅう → じゅっさい.

How to use: Attach とし directly to the number: にじゅうさい = '20 years old'. To ask someone's age, use なんさいですか？ (direct) or おいくつですか？ (polite). For a child, いくつですか？ is also common. Add です at the end to make a full polite sentence.

💡 Pro Tip: Watch the irregular readings: 1, 8, and 10 take a small っ. Also, 20 years old has a special word はたち that's often used instead of にじゅうさい. In casual speech, とし is sometimes dropped entirely when the context makes the number obviously an age.

Number	Numeral	Age
1	いち	いっさい
2	に	にさい
3	さん	さんさい
4	よん	よんさい
5	ご	ごさい
6	ろく	ろくさい
7	なな	ななさい
8	はち	はっさい
9	きゅう	きゅうさい
10	じゅう	じゅっさい

Examples

わたしはにじゅうさいです.

Watashi wa nijuu-sai desu.

I am 20 years old.

子こどもははっさいです.

Kodomo wa hassai desu.

My child is 8 years old.

Rule 3: Describing the place you live

Structure: Place + に + すんでいます

Used to say where someone lives. Add the particle に after a country or city name (e.g., フィリピンに, あか羽はねに). To ask where someone lives, use the interrogative どこ + にすんでいますか？ and pronounce the end with a rising intonation.

How to use: Place the location first, mark it with に, and follow with すんでいます (the て-form of すみます). Use すんでいます, not すみます, when describing where someone currently lives — the て-form expresses an ongoing state. The question form is どこにすんでいますか？.

💡 Pro Tip: すんでいます is a state, not an action — this is why it uses に rather than で. Compare とうきょうにすんでいます ('I live in Tokyo') with とうきょうでしごとをしています ('I work in Tokyo'). The place-marking particle changes depending on whether the verb expresses existence (に) or activity (で).

Examples

家族かぞくは、フィリピンにすんでいます.

Kazoku wa, Firipin ni sundeimasu.

My family lives in the Philippines.

どこにすんでいますか？

Doko ni sundeimasu ka?

Where do you live?

Rule 4: Expressing Possession

Structure: Noun1 + の + Noun2

The particle の shows the relationship between two nouns. It can mean N2 belongs to N1 (possession), as in わたしの母はは (my mother). It can also mean N1 and N2 refer to the same thing, as in ペットのジョン (our pet, Jon).

How to use: Place の between two nouns: N1 の N2. The first noun modifies or describes the second. For possession, N1 is the owner: わたしの母はは = 'my mother'. For apposition (same thing), N1 labels N2: ペットのジョン = 'our pet, Jon'. の can stack: わたしのあねのしゃしん = 'a photo of my elder sister.'

💡 Pro Tip: Don't confuse の (noun-linking) with は or が (topic/subject markers). の has no meaning on its own — it just links two nouns, and the relationship is inferred from context. When の follows a person's name, it often functions like 's in English: たなかのほん = 'Tanaka's book.'

Examples

わたしの母ははです.

Watashi no haha desu.

This is my mother. (N2 belongs to N1)

ペットのジョンです.

Petto no Jon desu.

This is our pet, Jon. (N1 and N2 refer to the same thing)

Lesson 4: 東京にすんでいます – I Live in Tokyo (Family and Home)

Talking about family, age, relationships, and personal information.

Key topics:

Vocabulary

Conversation

Kanji

Grammar Rules

Rule 1: Connecting one Noun with another

Rule 2: Expressing age

Rule 3: Describing the place you live

Rule 4: Expressing Possession

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