Learn Japanese through Dialogues With Friends

By Clay Boutwell and Yumi Boutwell

Finally, a fun and easy way to learn REAL conversational Japanese!

We are including, at no extra charge, sound files and Anki decks for all the dialogues found in this book. Listen on demand with the QR codes found in the book or download the files to your computer. The download link is found on the last page.

Bonus content

Download sound files for all dialogues

Free Anki flashcard deck of each line

Seven dialogues in various beginning conversation settings

The dialogues are presented naturally and all in Japanese. This may be too fast for you at first but try listening to it a few times to attune your ears.
As you master the vocabulary and understand the grammatical points mentioned in the book, you may find what was difficult upon first hearing is easy the second (or tenth!) time around.
The bonus files also includes a free Anki flashcard deck with the phrases found in this book.
The book itself contains the dialogue with the English translation, but it also adds cultural and grammatical notes to help you understand the dialogue in context.
Contents:

Dialogue One: About the Part

Dialogue Two: Surprising Mary

Dialogue Three: Surprise Birthday Party

Dialogue Four: Talking about the Latest Movie

Dialogue Five: Two Friends going Shopping

Dialogue Six: A New Car

Dialogue Seven: Deciding on a Restaurant

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kotoba Inc
• Release date: May 10, 2022
• ISBN: 1088754236

Book preview

Contents

Dialogue One: About the Party 5

Dialogue Two: Surprising Mary 26

Dialogue Three: Surprise Birthday Party 53

Dialogue Four: Talking about the Latest Movie 72

Dialogue Five: Two Friends going Shopping 98

Dialogue Six: A New Car 123

Dialogue Seven: Deciding on a Restaurant 148

Dialogue One: About the Party

Scan with your phone's camera to hear this dialogue on demand.

First, let’s view the dialogue in natural Japanese with translation.

1) パーティーは、楽(たの)しかったですか？

2) はい、とても楽(たの)しかったです。

1) まだダンスの疲(つか)れがとれないですよ。

2) 私(わたし)もです。今日(きょう)は、動(うご)くのが

つらいです。

1) 音楽(おんがく)、最高(さいこう)でしたね。

2) 食事(しょくじ)もおいしかったですね。

Dialogue One: in Japanese

About the Party

Try to read the Japanese first. Use this page only when necessary.

1) pa-ti- wa tanoshikatta desu ka?

Was the party fun?

2) hai, totemo tanoshikatta desu.

Yes, very fun.

1) mada dansu no tsukare ga torenai desu yo.

I'm still tired from all the dancing.

2) watashi mo desu. kyou wa ugoku no ga tsurai desu.

Me too. Moving around today is painful.

1) ongaku saikou deshita ne.

The music was great.

2) shokuji mo oishikatta desu ne.

The food was also delicious, wasn't it?

Japanese continued

1) いい音楽(おんがく)、ダンス、そして食事(しょくじ)！

2) ええ、そのとおりですね。ディップは食(た)べてみました？

1) 実(じつ)は、僕(ぼく)が持(も)ってきたんですよ。

2) あら、あれがとてもおいしかったです。

1) そういってもらえてうれしいです。

English continued

1) ii ongaku, dansu, soshite shokuji!

Good music, dance, and food!

2) ee, sono toori desu ne. dippu wa tabete mimashita?

Yes, that's right. Did you try the dip?

1) jitsu wa boku ga motte kitan desu yo.

Actually, I brought the dip.

2) ara, are ga totemo oishikatta desu.

Oh, that was very delicious.

1) sou itte moraete ureshii desu.

I'm glad to hear that.

Japanese continued

2) 来週(らいしゅう)のパーティーで、また会(あ)いましょう。

1) 同(おな)じディップを持(も)っていきますよ。

2) いいですね。それでは。

English continued

2) raishuu no pa-ti- de mata aimashou.

I'll see you at next week's party.

1) onaji dippu o motte ikimasu yo.

I'll bring the same dip.

2) ii desu ne. sore dewa.

Sounds great. See you!

Dialogue One: Line-by-Line

About the Party

Tackle each line individually. Try to understand the sentence structure, grammar, and vocabulary.

パーティーは、 楽(たの) しかったですか？

pa-ti- wa tanoshikatta desu ka?

Was the party enjoyable?

Unlike English, adjectives in Japanese are conjugated. To make the past tense for -i adjectives, drop the い and add

かった katta.

VOCABULARY

パーティー pa-ti- - party

は wa – [topic particle; the particle is written with the hiragana for "ha but pronounced wa"]

楽(たの) しかった tanoshikatta - was fun [past of 楽(たの)しい tanoshii (enjoyable; pleasant; fun; delightful)]

です desu – was [the copula; often like the English to be]

か ka – (question marker)

はい、とても 楽 ( たの ) しかったです。

hai, totemo tanoshikatta desu.

Yes, it was a lot of fun.

You don't have to finish with "desu" but it is more polite.

VOCABULARY

はい hai – yes

とても totemo – very

楽(たの) しかった tanoshikatta - was fun

まだダンスの 疲 ( つか ) れがとれないですよ。

mada dansu no tsukare ga torenai desu yo.

I am still tired from all the dancing!

dansu no tsukare - being tired from dancing; shigoto no tsukare - being tired from work

VOCABULARY

まだ mada - still

ダンス dansu – dance

の no - [modifying particle that links two nouns in which the first noun modifies the second noun]

疲れ tsukare - being tired; exhaust; being worn out; fatigued

が ga – (particle that usually indicates the subject)

とれない torenai ‐ to not come off; to not be removed

[とれる toreru (to come off) + ない nai (not)]

疲れがとれない tsukare ga torenai – still tired [ it literally says, tiredness won't come off]

よ yo – (ender that adds emphasis)

私 ( わたし ) もです。 今日 ( きょう ) は、 動 ( うご ) くのがつらいです。

watashi mo desu. kyou wa ugoku no ga tsurai desu.

Me too. Moving around today is really painful.

The "no in ugoku no" makes the verb into a noun phrase: the act of moving.

VOCABULARY

私 watashi – I; me

も mo - too; also

今日 kyou – today

は wa – as for … ; speaking of … (topic particle)

動く ugoku – to move (one’s) body [の makes the verb into a noun]

の no – [nominalizing particle that makes a verb or a phrase into a noun; ことis another nominalizing particle and 動くこと (sounds more formal) also works here but 動くの is better fit in this casual setting.]

が ga – (particle that indicates the subject)

つらい tsurai – hard; painful

音楽 ( おんがく ) 、 最高 ( さいこう ) でしたね。

ongaku saikou deshita ne.

The music was great.

Don't confuse "saikou (the best) with the English word, psycho"!

VOCABULARY

音楽 ongaku – music [notice the topic or subject marker は/が is missing because of the casual nature of the conversation.]

最高 saikou – the best; awesome; excellent [used to express something really good]

でした deshita