Transportation Vocabulary

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to recognize and use 20 core N5 vocabulary words related to everyday items, numbers, and time expressions. You will also understand how to count people, days, and months in Japanese.

In Japanese, many basic vocabulary words come from English (loanwords) or are native Japanese words. This lesson mixes both types. You will also learn how numbers combine with counters (like つ for things, 日 for days, 月 for months) to express quantity and time.日月

1. Loanwords (外来語 - gairaigo)

These words come from English and are written in Katakana.

Note: ワイシャツ comes from "white shirt" but in Japanese it means a dress shirt (often white, but can be any color).

2. The Number 一 (いち - ichi) and Its Uses

The number 一 (one) appears in many common words.一

Key patterns:

• 一 + つ = counting things (一つ hitotsu)一
• 一 + 人 = counting people (一人 hitori - irregular!)一人
• 一 + 日 = one day (一日 ichinichi)一日
• 一 + 月 = January (一月 ichigatsu)一月

3. The Number 七 (しち/なな - shichi/nana) and Its Uses

Note: For months, 七 is read as しち (shichi). For days and counting things, it's なな (nana).七

4. Other Vocabulary

Literally "10,000-year brush" - a fountain pen.

1. このレストランは一番です。
   Kono resutoran wa ichiban desu.
   "This restaurant is the best."一番

   一番

2. 一人でラジオを聞きます。
   Hitori de rajio o kikimasu.
   "I listen to the radio alone."一人聞

   一人聞

3. 七月七日は何ですか？
   Shichigatsu nanoka wa nan desu ka?
   "What is July 7th?"七月日何

   七月日何

4. 一昨日、レコードを買いました。
   Ototoi, rekōdo o kaimashita.
   "The day before yesterday, I bought a record."一昨日買

   一昨日買

Mistake: Confusing 一人 (hitori - one person) with 一つ (hitotsu - one thing).一人

Correct:

• 一人 = hitori (people only)一人
• 一つ = hitotsu (things only)一

Mistake: Thinking 一日 always means "one day."一日

Correct:

• 一日 = ichinichi (duration of one day)一日
• 一日 = tsuitachi (the 1st day of the month)一日

Fill in the blanks:

1. 私は___でレストランに行きます。(alone / one person)
   Answer: 一人 (hitori)私行一人

   私行一人

2. ___は一月です。(January is the ___ month)
   Answer: 一番 (ichiban)一月番

   一月番

3. あの___はとても古いです。(that record)
   Answer: レコード (rekōdo)古

   古

4. ___に七つのマッチがあります。(There are seven matches in ___)
   Answer: 一つ (hitotsu) - "In one (box), there are seven matches."七一

   七一

Summary:

• You learned 20 new vocabulary words including loanwords (マッチ, レストラン) and native Japanese words.
• You can now count one thing (一つ) and one person (一人).一人
• You know how to say dates: 七日 (7th), 一月 (January), 七月 (July).七日一月
• You learned time expressions: 一昨日 (day before yesterday), 一昨年 (year before last).一昨日年

Next Step:
Practice using these words in simple sentences. Try making your own sentences like:

• "I went to a restaurant with one person."
• "The best radio is this one."

Then move on to learning transportation verbs like 乗る (noru - to ride) and 降りる (oriru - to get off).乗降