Chapter 19: Activities, Conditions, and Progress
Learn to describe activities, conditions, changes in state, and express gradual progression or immediate future
In this chapter, you will learn verbs for various activities and changes in state. You
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
日本語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ください.
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.
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.
日本語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.
Exercises
Question 1
あつく______.
Question 2
How do you say
Question 3
せんせい______なりたいです.
Question 4
How do you say
Question 5
あたま______いたいです.
Question 6
What does
Question 7
日本語がだんだん______きました.
Question 8
How do you say
Question 9
______えいががはじまります.
Question 10
How do you say
Question 11
だんだん______なってきました.
Question 12
Which word means
Question 13
きもち______いいです.
Question 14
How do you say
Question 15
もうすぐでんしゃ______きます.
Question 16
How do you say
Question 17
だんだん______ました.
Question 18
How do you say
Question 19
もうすぐ______です.
Question 20
How do you say