Key topics:

・Describing activities and actions
・Expressing changes in state
・Talking about conditions and feelings
・Sports and recreational activities
・Time expressions and gradual changes
・Polite expressions and gratitude

Vocabulary

1

のぼります

noborimasu

登ります

climb, go up, ascend

Example

やまにのぼります。

Yama ni noborimasu.

I climb the mountain.

2

とまります

tomarimasu

泊まります

stay (at a hotel/lodging), lodge

Example

ホテルにとまります。

Hoteru ni tomarimasu.

I stay at a hotel.

3

そうじします

sōji shimasu

掃除します

clean, do cleaning

Example

へやをそうじします。

Heya o sōji shimasu.

I clean the room.

4

せんたくします

sentaku shimasu

洗濯します

do laundry, wash clothes

Example

ふくをせんたくします。

Fuku o sentaku shimasu.

I do laundry.

5

れんしゅうします

renshū shimasu

練習します

practice, train

Example

にほんごをれんしゅうします。

Nihongo o renshū shimasu.

I practice Japanese.

6

なります

narimasu

なります

become, get, turn into

Example

いしゃになります。

Isha ni narimasu.

I become a doctor.

7

ねむい

nemui

眠い

sleepy, drowsy

Example

きょうはねむいです。

Kyō wa nemui desu.

I

8

つよい

tsuyoi

強い

strong, powerful

Example

このコーヒーはつよいです。

Kono kōhī wa tsuyoi desu.

This coffee is strong.

9

よわい

yowai

弱い

weak, frail

Example

おなかがよわいです。

Onaka ga yowai desu.

I have a weak stomach.

10

ちょうしがいい

chōshi ga ii

調子がいい

in good condition, feel well

Example

きょうはちょうしがいいです。

Kyō wa chōshi ga ii desu.

I feel well today.

11

ちょうしがわるい

chōshi ga warui

調子が悪い

in bad condition, feel unwell

Example

あたまがいたくて、ちょうしがわるいです。

Atama ga itakute, chōshi ga warui desu.

My head hurts and I feel unwell.

12

ちょうし

chōshi

調子

condition, state, form

Example

からだのちょうしをみます。

Karada no chōshi o mimasu.

I check my physical condition.

13

ゴルフ

gorufu

-

golf

Example

にちようびにゴルフをします。

Nichiyōbi ni gorufu o shimasu.

I play golf on Sundays.

14

すもう

sumō

相撲

sumo wrestling

Example

すもうをみるのがすきです。

Sumō o miru no ga suki desu.

I like watching sumo.

15

パチンコ

pachinko

-

pachinko (Japanese pinball game)

Example

ともだちとパチンコをします。

Tomodachi to pachinko o shimasu.

I play pachinko with friends.

16

おちゃ

ocha

お茶

tea (usually green tea)

Example

あさごはんのあとでおちゃをのみます。

Asagohan no ato de ocha o nomimasu.

I drink tea after breakfast.

17

ひ

hi

日

day, sun, daytime

Example

あついひはプールにいきます。

Atsui hi wa pūru ni ikimasu.

On hot days, I go to the pool.

18

いちど

ichido

一度

once, one time

Example

にほんにいちどいきました。

Nihon ni ichido ikimashita.

I went to Japan once.

19

いちども

ichido mo

一度も

never (with negative verb), not even once

Example

フランスへはいちどもいきませんでした。

Furansu e wa ichido mo ikimasen deshita.

I have never been to France.

20

だんだん

dandan

段々

gradually, little by little

Example

だんだんさむくなります。

Dandan samuku narimasu.

It gradually becomes cold.

21

もうすぐ

mō sugu

-

soon, in a little while

Example

もうすぐバスがきます。

Mō sugu basu ga kimasu.

The bus will come soon.

22

おかげさまで

okagesama de

-

thanks to you, fortunately

Example

おかげさまで、げんきです。

Okagesama de, genki desu.

Thanks to you, I

Conversation

1

おかげさまで

okagesama de

Thanks to you / Fortunately

Example Usage

げんきです。おかげさまで。

Genki desu. Okagesama de.

I

2

かんぱい

kanpai

Cheers! / Toast!

Example Usage

では、かんぱいしましょう！

Dewa, kanpai shimashou!

Well then, let

3

じつは

jitsu wa

Actually / To tell the truth / In fact

Example Usage

じつは、あしたいけません。

Jitsu wa, ashita ikemasen.

Actually, I can

4

だいえっと

daietto

Diet / Weight loss

Example Usage

いまだいえっとちゅうです。

Ima daietto chuu desu.

I

5

なんかいも

nankai mo

Many times / Over and over

Example Usage

このえいがはなんかいもみました。

Kono eiga wa nankai mo mimashita.

I

6

しかし

shikashi

However / But

Example Usage

いきたいです。しかし、じかんがありません。

Ikitai desu. Shikashi, jikan ga arimasen.

I want to go. However, I don

7

むり[な]

muri [na]

Impossible / Unreasonable / Too much

Example Usage

いちにちでおわるのはむりです。

Ichinichi de owaru no wa muri desu.

It

8

からだ

karada

Body

Example Usage

からだにきをつけて下さい。

Karada ni ki wo tsukete kudasai.

Please take care of your body.

9

からだにいい

karada ni ii

Good for the body / Healthy

Example Usage

やさいはからだにいいです。

Yasai wa karada ni ii desu.

Vegetables are good for your body.

10

けーき

keeki

Cake

Example Usage

たんじょうびにけーきをたべました。

Tanjoubi ni keeki wo tabemashita.

I ate cake on my birthday.

Kanji

Grammar Rules

Rule 1: Expressing changes with なります

Structure: [い-adjective (remove い + く)] + なります / [な-adjective stem] + に + なります / [Noun] + に + なります

Use なります to express that something changes from one state to another, meaning

How to use: For い-adjectives: remove the final い, add く, then なります. Example: あつい (hot) → あつくなります (becomes hot). For な-adjectives: take the stem, add に, then なります. Example: しずか (quiet) → しずかになります (becomes quiet). For nouns: noun + に + なります. Example: せんせい (teacher) → せんせいになります (become a teacher). For past: なりました (became). For negative: なりません (will not become).

💡 Pro Tip: Do not confuse なります with します (to make something change). なります is intransitive (something becomes different by itself). します is transitive (someone makes a change). Example: さむくなります (it becomes cold) vs へやをさむくします (I make the room cold). For

Examples

あつくなります。

Atsuku narimasu.

→ It becomes hot.

せんせいになりたいです。

Sensei ni naritai desu.

→ I want to become a teacher.

Rule 2: Describing conditions with が

Structure: [Topic] は [Body part / Aspect] が [Adjective] です

Use が to describe a specific condition or state of a body part, health, or personal attribute. The particle が marks what is being described, and the adjective describes its condition. This is the same pattern used for physical descriptions (せがたかい = tall), but here it often focuses on temporary conditions like health, mood, or physical state.

How to use: State the topic (the person) with は, then the condition noun (e.g., ちょうし = condition, からだ = body, きもち = feeling), add が, then the adjective, then です. Example: わたしはちょうしがいいです (I am in good condition). For negative: ちょうしがわるいです (in bad condition). For health: からだのちょうし (physical condition). You can also omit the topic when it

💡 Pro Tip: This pattern is very common for asking about someone

Examples

ちょうしがいいです。

Chōshi ga ii desu.

→ I

あたまがいたいです。

Atama ga itai desu.

→ I have a headache. (My head hurts)

Rule 3: Gradual changes with だんだん

Structure: だんだん + [Verb/Adjective phrase showing change]

Use だんだん to indicate that something changes slowly or gradually over time. It means

How to use: Place だんだん before the verb or adjective that expresses the change. Example: だんだんあたたかくなります (It gradually becomes warm). For other verbs: だんだんわかります (I gradually understand). For adjectives without なります: だんだんさむい (slowly cold — less common; usually use なります). For past: だんだんあたたかくなりました (it gradually became warm). You can also use だんだん with negative: だんだんあつくありません (it is not gradually getting hot — rare).

💡 Pro Tip: Do not confuse だんだん with どんどん (quickly and continuously) or じょじょに (gradually, more formal). だんだん is conversational and common. だんだん can also be used as an adverb in casual speech: だんだんねむくなってきた (I

Examples

だんだんあたたかくなります。

Dandan atatakaku narimasu.

→ It gradually becomes warm.

にほんごがだんだんわかってきました。

Nihongo ga dandan wakatte kimashita.

→ I have gradually come to understand Japanese.

Rule 4: Immediate future with もうすぐ

Structure: もうすぐ + [Verb / Event phrase]

Use もうすぐ to indicate that something will happen in the very near future, meaning

How to use: Place もうすぐ at the beginning of the sentence before the verb or event. Example: もうすぐはるになります (Spring will come soon). For actions: もうすぐでんしゃがきます (The train will come soon). For time: もうすぐごじです (It

💡 Pro Tip: Do not confuse もうすぐ with まもなく (more formal, used in announcements). もうすぐ is everyday conversation. For

Examples

もうすぐはるになります。

Mō sugu haru ni narimasu.

→ Spring will come soon.

もうすぐえいががはじまります。

Mō sugu eiga ga hajimarimasu.

→ The movie will start soon.

Chapter 19: Activities, Conditions, and Progress

Learn to describe activities, conditions, changes in state, and express gradual progression or immediate future

Key topics:

Vocabulary

Conversation

Kanji

Grammar Rules

Rule 1: Expressing changes with なります

Rule 2: Describing conditions with が

Rule 3: Gradual changes with だんだん

Rule 4: Immediate future with もうすぐ

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