18 Aug
connecting sentences | Minna no Nihongo | Lesson 16
### Connecting Sentences in Japanese | Minna no Nihongo | Lesson 16
In Lesson 16 of "Minna no Nihongo," you'll learn how to connect sentences to create more complex and nuanced expressions. Connecting sentences helps in conveying multiple ideas and relationships between actions or events within a single discourse. Hereโs a guide on how to connect sentences using various conjunctions and structures.
### 1. **Using ใใใฆ (Soshite)**
- **Meaning**: "And" or "and then."
- **Usage**: To connect two sentences in a sequence, indicating that one action follows another.
- **Structure**: [Sentence 1] + ใใใฆ + [Sentence 2]
#### **Examples:**
- **็งใฏๆใใฏใใ้ฃในใพใใใใใใฆใไปไบใซ่กใใพใใใ** (Watashi wa asagohan o tabemashita. Soshite, shigoto ni ikimashita.)
ย - I ate breakfast, and then I went to work.
- **ๅฝผใฏๆฌใ่ชญใฟใพใใใใใใฆใใใฌใใ่ฆใพใใใ** (Kare wa hon o yomimashita. Soshite, terebi o mimashita.)
ย - He read a book and then watched TV.
### 2. **Using ใใใใ (Sorekara)**
- **Meaning**: "After that" or "then."
- **Usage**: Similar to ใใใฆ (soshite), but often used to emphasize the sequence of actions.
- **Structure**: [Sentence 1] + ใใใใ + [Sentence 2]
#### **Examples:**
- **ๅญฆๆ กใ็ตใใใพใใใใใใใใๅ้ใจ้ใณใพใใใ** (Gakkล ga owarimashita. Sorekara, tomodachi to asobimashita.)
ย - School ended, and after that, I hung out with friends.
- **ๆผใใฏใใ้ฃในใพใใใใใใใใๆฃๆญฉใซ่กใใพใใใ** (Hirugohan o tabemashita. Sorekara, sanpo ni ikimashita.)
ย - I ate lunch and then went for a walk.
### 3. **Using ใ ใใ (Dakara)**
- **Meaning**: "Therefore" or "so."
- **Usage**: To indicate a reason or cause for the action in the second sentence.
- **Structure**: [Sentence 1] + ใ ใใ + [Sentence 2]
#### **Examples:**
- **้จใ้ใฃใฆใใพใใใ ใใใๅบใใใพใใใ** (Ame ga futteimasu. Dakara, dekakemasen.)
ย - Itโs raining. Therefore, I wonโt go out.
- **ๅฝผใฏๅฟใใใงใใใ ใใใๆไผใฃใฆใใใพใใใ** (Kare wa isogashii desu. Dakara, tetsudatte kuremasen.)
ย - He is busy, so he wonโt help.
### 4. **Using ใใใ (Shikashi)**
- **Meaning**: "However" or "but."
- **Usage**: To introduce a contrast or an opposing idea.
- **Structure**: [Sentence 1] + ใใใ + [Sentence 2]
#### **Examples:**
- **ไปๆฅใฏๆใใงใใใใใใๆๆฅใฏๅฏใใใใงใใ** (Kyล wa atsui desu. Shikashi, ashita wa samui sล desu.)
ย - It is hot today. However, it is said to be cold tomorrow.
- **ๅฝผๅฅณใฏๆฅๆฌ่ชใ่ฉฑใใพใใใใใใ่ฑ่ชใ่ฆๆใงใใ** (Kanojo wa nihongo o hanasemasu. Shikashi, eigo ga nigate desu.)
ย - She can speak Japanese. However, she is bad at English.
### 5. **Using ใใใซ (Sore ni)**
- **Meaning**: "Moreover" or "besides."
- **Usage**: To add information to the previous sentence.
- **Structure**: [Sentence 1] + ใใใซ + [Sentence 2]
#### **Examples:**
- **ใใฎใฌในใใฉใณใฏ็พๅณใใใงใใใใใซใๅคๆฎตใๅฎใใงใใ** (Kono resutoran wa oishii desu. Sore ni, nedan mo yasui desu.)
ย - This restaurant is delicious. Moreover, the prices are cheap.
- **ๅฝผใฏ่ฆชๅใงใใใใใซใไปไบใใงใใไบบใงใใ** (Kare wa shinsetsu desu. Sore ni, shigoto mo dekiru hito desu.)
ย - He is kind. Besides, he is also good at his job.
### Summary
- **ใใใฆ (Soshite)**: Connects sentences in sequence, similar to "and then."
- **ใใใใ (Sorekara)**: Emphasizes the sequence of actions, similar to "after that."
- **ใ ใใ (Dakara)**: Indicates reason or cause, meaning "therefore" or "so."
- **ใใใ (Shikashi)**: Shows contrast or opposing ideas, meaning "however" or "but."
- **ใใใซ (Sore ni)**: Adds additional information, meaning "moreover" or "besides."
By mastering these conjunctions and connecting sentences effectively, youโll be able to create more complex and coherent narratives in Japanese. Practice using these structures in various contexts to enhance your fluency and communication skills. Happy studying!
