Minna no Nihongo Grammar Lesson 4: Time, dates, verbs for daily activities.

Lesson 4: Time, dates, verbs for daily activities.

Beginner 1 (N5)
Minna no Nihongo (Classic) • 6 key grammar patterns
6 key grammar patterns
#1L4_G1

1. Asking the Time

Sentence Pattern
今いま（は） 何時なんじ / 何分なんぷん ですか
N (địa điểm) は 今いま 何時なんじ ですか
What time / what minute is it now? What time is it in N (place) now? Used to ask for the hour and minute.
Example Sentences (3)
今いま 何時なんじですか。

→ What time is it now?

8時30分8じ30ぷん(8時半8じはん)です。

→ It is 8:30 (half past eight).

ニューヨークは 今いま 何時なんじ ですか？

→ What time is it in New York now?

#2L4_G2

2. Particle に (Time)

Sentence Pattern
N (thời gian) + に + Vます

Meaning: The particle に marks a specific time when an action occurs.
✓ Common with clock times, dates, and specific time points.
✓ Relative-time words such as 今日きょう, 明日あした, and 昨日きのう normally do not take に.
✓ With days of the week, に may be used or omitted depending on context.

Example Sentences (2)
私わたしは 12時12じに 食たべます。

→ I eat at 12 o'clock.

土曜日どようび 勉強べんきょうしません。

→ I usually do not study on Saturdays.

#3L4_G3

3. Verb Tenses (Past, Present, Future)

Sentence Pattern
Vます
Vません
Vました
Vませんでした

Meaning: The polite ～ます form changes according to affirmative/negative and past/non-past.
✓ Vます: affirmative non-past (present or future).
✓ Vません: negative non-past.
✓ Vました: affirmative past.
✓ Vませんでした: negative past.

Example Sentences (3)
毎晩まいばん 勉強べんきょうします。

→ I study every night.

明日あした 勉強べんきょうしません。

→ I will not study tomorrow.

昨日きのう 勉強べんきょうしました。

→ I studied yesterday.

#4L4_G4

4. From ... to ...

Sentence Pattern
～から ～まで
Indicates a period of time or distance. [から] indicates the starting point, and [まで] indicates the ending point. These two particles can be used together or independently.
Example Sentences (2)
8時8じから 11時11じまで 勉強べんきょうします。

→ I study from 8:00 to 11:00.

毎日まいにち 7時7じから 8時8じまで 本ほんを 読よみます。

→ Every day, I read books from 7 to 8 o'clock.

#5L4_G5

5. Asking for a Phone Number

Sentence Pattern
A: ～は 何番なんばんですか。
B: ～は ～です。
なんばん: what number? Read the phone number digit by digit. For long numbers, group them using the particle の.
Example Sentences (1)
0650ゼロろくごゼロの にににの いちにさん-222-123

→ 0650-222-123

#6L4_G6

6. N1 and N2

Sentence Pattern
N1 と N2
N1 and/with N2. Used to connect two nouns.
Example Sentences (1)
この本ほんと あのノートは 私わたしのです。

→ This book and that notebook are mine.

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