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Minna no Nihongo · Lesson 7

Means, exchange, and completion

Say how or in which language something is done, track who gives and receives, and ask whether an action is already complete.

Keep these three
  • で marks a tool, method, or language used to perform an action.
  • あげます points away from the giver; もらいます frames the event from the receiver.
  • もう + past asks or says “already”; a negative reply is まだです.

Tool／Language で Verb ます

Name the means or language

Use で after the tool, method, service, or language through which an action is carried out.

I eat sushi with chopsticks.
I write academic papers in English.

Person に Noun を あげます／Person に・から Noun を もらいます

Track the direction of an exchange

With あげます, に marks the recipient. With もらいます, に or から marks the person from whom the receiver gets something.

I gave my mother flowers.
I received a book from a friend.

もう Verb ましたか → はい、もう Verb ました／いいえ、まだです

Check whether it is done

Put もう before a past verb to ask or say that an expected action is already complete. Answer まだです when it is not complete yet.

Have you eaten dinner yet?
No, not yet.

Close the notes

Can you bring it back?

01How do you ask “What is ‘thank you’ in Japanese?”

「Thank you」は日本語で何ですか。

02Which particle marks the recipient with あげます?

に

03How do you answer もう食べましたか if you have not eaten yet?

いいえ、まだです。