Kihon Kaiwa Basic Conversation

Kono hookokusho moo goran ni narimashita ka?

Iie, mada mitemasen. A, sore de omoidashita!

Kono repooto o kyuu-bu kopii-shite hoshii n da kedo

CDI Track 1 Jaa, zembu de juu-bu hitsuyoo na n desu ne?

Hai, soo desu.

O isogi desu ka?

Iya, tokuni isogimasen. Yoji-kara no kaigi de tsukaitai n desu.

Kashikomarimashita.

J1 : Have you seen this report yet?

F1 : No, I have not seen it yet. Oh, that reminds me!
I'd like you to make 9 copies of this report, but (would that be OK with you?)
J2 : So, you need 10 copies in total, right?
F2 : Yes, that's right.
J3 : Are you in a hurry?
F3 : No, I'm not specially in a hurry. I want to use them at the 4 o'clock meeting.
J4 : All right, sir.

Kaisetsu Supplementary Notes on KK

J is F's secretary, and uses polite language toward her boss (F).
The dialog here has F asking J to make photocopies of certain documents which F needs for the 4 o'clock meeting.

While both hookokusho and repooto mean "report", the former sounds slightly more official than the latter.
Hookokusho is a loanword from Chinese, and generally speaking, Chinese words tend to be more official and formal.

For the act of making photocopies, you have the following three Verbal choices:
kopii-suru to photocopy [compound Verbal]
kopii (o) suru to make (a) photocopy/ies
kopii (o) toru to take (a) photocopy/ies

8
Step Up Nihongo 3
Note contains an additional explanation or remark.
 The Verbal toru was first introduced in Lesson 40 in the context of apointo o toru, i.e. "to make an appointment".
As shown in the Vocabulary in that Lesson, toru may be translated into such English verbs as "take", "make", "get",
"steal", etc. In this Lesson it is used to "take (a photocopy)". In fact toru, which largely corresponds to "take" in
English, may be used in such instances as below:

I picked this flower over there.

Notice that different kanji are employed for toru depending on the context in which the Verbal is used.

Although kashikomarimashita was originally the distal-style perfective form of the Verbal kashikomaru, this Verbal
is seldom used, except for in some limited usages including the expression kashikomarimashita, which is a very
formal way of expressing acknowledgment of an order or instruction.

Goi Vocabulary

1 (act of ) reporting, report

hookoku
hookoku-suru (V) report, inform
hookokusho report (documents)
shorui documents
shiryoodata, written materials
goran(honorable) sighting
goran ni naru(V) see, look at [honorific-polite alternative of miru]
haiken-suru(V) see, look at [humble-polite alternative of miru]
sorede {it being that}, with that
omoidasu (V) recall, remember
repooto report, report paper
-bu [classifier for a set of documents, such as:
shimbun, hookokusho, kopii, etc.]
V-te hoshii (A) want someone to do
hitsuyoo (na-Nominal) necessary
isogia hurry
isogi da be in a hurry
isogu (V) hurry
tokuni specially, particularly, especially
kashikomarimashita all right, sir/ma'am; I've duly acknowledged, sir/ma'am
[even more formal than shoochi-shimashita]

9
Words marked with a + are additional related vocabulary to be learned. Step Up Nihongo 3
Note
contains an additional explanation or remark.
 Kono nihongo boku ga kaita n desu kedo ne.
J1
Ee.

Amari jishin ga nai n desu.

CDI Track 1 Sooo?

Sore de Yamada-san ni mite hoshii n desu kedo

Doredore. Chotto misete goran.

F1 : I've written this Japanese, you know.

J1 : Yes.
F2 : I don't have much confidence.
J2 : Really?
F3 : So, I want you to look at it, Mr Yamada, but (would you be kind enough to do so?)
J3 : OK. Let me take a look.

Kaisetsu Supplementary Notes on KK

Here, F wants F's friend J (Yamada) to check some Japanese writing which F has written but does not feel too confident
about.

Goi Vocabulary

2 jishin
doredore
confidence, self-confidence
[an interjection used when you are eager to see something]
goran (nasai) see it! look at it! [abbreviated form of goran nasaimase]
[less formal than goran nasaimase]
goran nasai(mase) please look at it (honorably)
V-te goran do and see; have a try; try and do
[abbreviation of V-te goran nasai(mase)]
[virtually the same thing as: V-te mite kudasai]
V-te miru do and see, do something for a try

10
Words marked with a + are additional related vocabulary to be learned. Step Up Nihongo 3
Note
contains an additional explanation or remark.
 Bumpoo Grammatical Notes

Compare the following three:

(1) Kono hookokusho ga hoshii (desu). I want this report.
(2) Kono hookokusho o yomitai (desu). I want to read this report.
(3) Kono hookokusho o yonde hoshii (desu). I want you to read this report.

Although in English the verb "want" alone can cope with these three different types of desire expressions, in Japanese (1)
the Adjectival hoshii, (2) the Adjectival suffix V-tai and (3) the combination of the Verbal te-form and hoshii are
employed for the three cases, respectively. Case (3) is newly introduced here. This is the desire to have a person do
something. To indicate the person whom you want to do something, the phrase-particle ni is employed; thus:
Kore wa Yamada-san ni kaite hoshii. I want Mr Yamada to write this.
Yamada-san ni Oosaka ni itte hoshii. I want Mr Yamada to go to Osaka.
Yamada-san ni Suzuki-san ni atte hoshii. I want Mr Yamada to meet Mr Suzuki.

The phrase-particle ni is employed in this construction because V-te hoshii implies a vector with the person as its target.
And for the same cultural reasons as hoshii, V-tai and other Adjectivals that express emotions (such as ureshii, kanashii, etc.), this
V-te hoshii construction also tends to be used in the Nominalized Predicate. Thus:
Kore o ima sugu kopii-shite hoshii n {It's that I want you to photocopy this immediately now}
desu. I'd like you to photocopy this right now.

Arubaito no hito ni kono shorui o {It's that I want the part-timer to take these documents
Suzuki-san ni motte itte hoshii n to Mr Suzuki, but}
da kedo I'd like the part-timer to take these documents to Mr Suzuki, but

Sumimasen ga isoide hoshii n desu. I'm sorry but I'd like you to hurry up, please.

Kore zehi anata ni mite hoshikatta n I wanted you to look at this by all means.
desu.

Jitsuwa kare niwa kite hoshiku nai n To tell you the truth, I don't want him to come.
desu yo.

We have already seen that many commonly-used Verbals have polite alternatives. The Verbal miru is also one of them, and has completely
different alternatives for showing politeness; i.e. goran-ni naru for honorific-polite and haiken-suru for humble-polite. Examples:

Kono shiryoo goran ni narimasen ka? {Won't you (honorably) look at this data?}
Would you like to look at this data?
Dewa, haiken shimashoo. {Then, I guess I'll (humbly) look at it}
OK, I'll look at it (humbly).
Chotto kore haiken-shite ii desu ka? May I take a look at this (humbly)?

Apart from the goran-ni naru construction, goran (which literally means "honorif ic sighting") itself is used as shown below:
Asoko o goran kudasai. {Give me your honorable sighting of that place}
Please look over there.
Since goran kudasai is an imperative form, it is virtually same as mite kudasai, except that the latter is less polite.

11
Step Up Nihongo 3
Note marks the literal meaning.
 When you say "I'll eat it and see" in English, you do not literally mean "see". This expression is used when you eat something to give
it a try. While in English, verbs that are used with "see" are rather limited, the Japanese equivalent V-te miru can be used in
combination with any Verbal as long as it makes sense. The Verbal miru here is used as an auxiliary to add the connotation of a trial.
Yatte mimasu kedo, {I'll do it and see, but there isn't much confidence, I tell you}
amari jishin nai desu yo. I'll give it a try, but I tell you I don't have much confidence.
Yatte mimashita kedo, {I did and saw, but as expected, I couldn't}
yappari dekimasen deshita. I tried it, but I couldn't as I had suspected.
Kyoo mo Suzuki-san ni denwa kakete I called (and saw) Mr Suzuki today, too, but he wasn't in.
mimashita kedo, imasen deshita.
Kono shiryoo chotto goran ni Please take a look at this data (and see) (honorably).
natte mite kudasai.
Isoide mite mimasu kara, As I'll hurry up and take a look at it (and see),
kochira ni kudasai. please give it to me.
Kono osake, nonde goran. {Drink this sake and do your sighting}
Drink this sake and see.
For a native Japanese, V-te miru is perceived almost as one word.

We have seen the honorific-polite alternative of shitte iru is go-zonji da. In fact, this construction is applicable to other Verbals, too,
making the Verbal a condition of doing with honorific-polite implications because of the polite prefixes of o and go. Thus:
Kono shiryoo, ima oyomi desu ka? Are you reading this data now (politely)?
Kono repooto, goran desu ka? Are you looking at this report (politely)?
Sore wa shachoo ga otsukai da kara The president is using that one (politely), so...
Oisogi ja nai desu ka? Aren't you in a hurry (politely)?
Notice that the prefix o is attached to the Verbal stem connecting to masu. When kanji words such as zonji (knowing), ran
(sighting), etc. are used instead of the Verbal stem, the prefix go is usually employed.

Doriru Drills
*On occasion, there are more drills on the CDs than in the book. These are "blind drills" for you to test your understanding of the drill patterns.

A CDI Track 2

Shall I eat it? Watashi tabemashoo ka?

Yes, I want you to eat it. Ee, tabete hoshii n desu.
Shall I read it? Watashi yomimashoo ka?
Yes, I want you to read it. Ee, yonde hoshii n desu.
Shall I come? Watashi kimashoo ka?
Yes, I want you to come. Ee, kite hoshii n desu.
Shall I write/draw it? Watashi kakimashoo ka?
Yes, I want you to write/draw it. Ee, kaite hoshii n desu.
Shall I look at it? Watashi mimashoo ka?
Yes, I want you to look at it. Ee, mite hoshii n desu.
Shall I wait? Watashi machimashoo ka?
Yes, I want you to wait. Ee, matte hoshii n desu.

12
Step Up Nihongo 3
Note marks the literal meaning.
B CDI Track 3

Shall I go to Kyoto? Watashi ga Kyooto e ikimashoo ka?

Yes, I'd like you to go. Ee, anata ni itte hoshii n desu.
Shall I do that? Watashi ga sore yarimashoo ka?
Yes, I'd like you to do it. Ee, anata ni yatte hoshii n desu.
Shall I take a photocopy? Watashi ga kopii torimashoo ka?
Yes, I'd like you to take a copy. Ee, anata ni totte hoshii n desu.
Shall I see the department manager? Watashi ga buchoo ni aimashoo ka?
Yes, I'd like you to see him. Ee, anata ni atte hoshii n desu.
Shall I report it? Watashi ga hookoku-shimashoo ka?
Yes, I'd like you to report it. Ee, anata ni hookoku-shite hoshii n desu.
Shall I teach? Watashi ga oshiemashoo ka?
Yes, I'd like you to teach. Ee, anata ni oshiete hoshii n desu.

C CDI Track 4

Mr Suzuki will come, you see. Suzuki-san ga kimasu yo.

Oh, good! Aa, yokatta!
Because I wanted him to come. Suzuki-san ni kite hoshikatta kara.
The president will speak. Shachoo ga hanashimasu yo.
Oh, good! Aa, yokatta!
Because I wanted him to speak. Shachoo ni hanashite hoshikatta kara.
Prof Yamada will teach. Yamada sensee ga oshiemasu yo.
Oh, good! Aa, yokatta!
Because I wanted her to teach. Yamada sensee ni oshiete hoshikatta kara.
I will report. Watashi ga hookoku-shimasu yo.
Oh, good! Aa, yokatta!
Because I wanted you to report. Anata ni hookoku-shite hoshikatta kara.
Mr Yamakawa will go. Yamakawa-san ga ikimasu yo.
Oh, good! Aa, yokatta!
Because I wanted him to go. Yamakawa-san ni itte hoshikatta kara.
Mr Yoshida will take them. Yoshida-san ga tsurete ikimasu yo.
Oh, good! Aa, yokatta!
Because I wanted him to take them. Yoshida-san ni tsurete itte hoshikatta kara.

D CDI Track 5

I will do this one (humbly). Kore wa watashi ga itashimasu.

Oh, the president will do it, too (honorably). A, shachoo mo nasaimasu yo.
I'll (humbly) look at this. Kore wa watashi ga haiken-shimasu.
Oh, the president will look at it, too (honorably). A, shachoo mo goran ni narimasu yo.
I'll ask this (humbly). Kore wa watashi ga okiki-shimasu.
Oh, the president will ask it, too (honorably). A, shachoo mo okiki ni narimasu yo.
I know this one (humbly). Kore wa watashi ga zonjite imasu.
Oh, the president knows it, too (honorably). A, shachoo mo gozonji desu yo.
I'll say this (humbly). Kore wa watashi ga mooshimasu.
Oh, the president will say it, too (honorably). A, shachoo mo osshaimasu yo.
I'll meet that person myself (humbly). Ano hito niwa watashi ga oai-shimasu.
Oh, the president will meet him, too (honorably). A, shachoo mo oai ni narimasu yo.

13
Step Up Nihongo 3
E-1 CDI Track 6 You are with someone junior.

Shall I go? Ikimashoo ka?

Yeah, go and see. Un, itte goran.
Shall I show it? Misemashoo ka?
Yeah, show it and see. Un, misete goran.
Shall I do it? Yarimashoo ka?
Yeah, do it and see. Un, yatte goran.
Shall I drink it? Nomimashoo ka?
Yeah, drink it and see. Un, nonde goran.
Shall I take/get it? Torimashoo ka?
Yeah, take/get it and see. Un, totte goran.
Shall I phone him? Denwa-shimashoo ka?
Yeah, phone him and see. Un, shite goran.

E-2 CDI Track 7 Repeat the same drill, but this time add nasai to be a bit more formal.

Shall I go? Ikimashoo ka?

Yes, go and see. Ee, itte goran nasai.
Shall I show it? Misemashoo ka?
Yes, show it and see. Ee, misete goran nasai.
Shall I do it? Yarimashoo ka?
Yes, do it and see. Ee, yatte goran nasai.
Shall I drink it? Nomimashoo ka?
Yeah, drink it and see. Ee, nonde goran nasai.
Shall I take/get it? Torimashoo ka?
Yeah, take/get it and see. Ee, totte goran nasai
Shall I phone him? Denwa-shimashoo ka?
Yeah, phone him and see. Ee, shite goran nasai.

F CDI Track 8

Are you using that? Are tsukatte imasu?

No, I'm not using it, but the department Iya, watashi wa tsukatte imasen ga,
manager is using it (honorably). buchoo ga otsukai desu yo.
Are you looking at that? Are mite imasu?
No, I'm not looking, but the manager is Iya, watashi wa mite imasen ga,
looking at it (honorably). buchoo ga goran desu yo.
Are you reading that? Are yonde imasu?
No, I'm not reading it, but the manager is Iya, watashi wa yonde imasen ga,
reading it (honorably). buchoo ga oyomi desu yo.
Are you listening to that? Are kiite imasu?
No, I'm not listening, but the manager is Iya, watashi wa kiite imasen ga,
listening (honorably). buchoo ga okiki desu yo.
Do you have that? Are motte imasu?
No, I don't have it, but the manager Iya, watashi wa motte imasen ga,
has it (honorably). buchoo ga omochi desu yo.
Are you in a hurry with that? Are isoide imasu?
No, I'm not in a hurry, but the manager Iya, watashi wa isoide imasen ga,
is (honorably). buchoo ga oisogi desu yo.

14
Step Up Nihongo 3
G CDI Track 9

Do you want this newspaper? Kono shimbun hoshii?

Yes, give me one copy, please. Ee, ichi-bu kudasai.
Do you want these apples? Kono ringo hoshii?
Yes, give me one, please. Ee, ik-ko kudasai.
Do you want this report? Kono repooto hoshii?
Yes, give me one copy, please. Ee, ichi-bu kudasai.
Do you want this book? Kono hon hoshii?
Yes, give me one, please. Ee, is-satsu kudasai.
Do you want these bananas? Kono banana hoshii?
Yes, give me one, please. Ee, ip-pon kudasai.
Do you want this report? Kono hookokusho hoshii?
Yes, give me one, please. Ee, ichi-bu kudasai.

H CDI Track 10

I'd like you to copy this document, but... Kono shorui o kopii-shite hoshii n desu ga...
How many copies are necessary? Nam-bu hitsuyoo desu ka?
I'd like you to buy ballpoint pens Boorupen o katte kite hoshii n desu ga...
(and come back), but...
How many do you need? Nam-bon hitsuyoo desu ka?
I'd like you to bring this type of notebook but... Konna nooto o motte kite hoshii n desu ga...
How many do you need? Nan-satsu hitsuyoo desu ka?
I'd like you to prepare this material, but... Kono shiryoo o tsukutte hoshii n desu ga...
How many copies do you need? Nam-bu hitsuyoo desu ka?
I'd like you to get this paper Kono kami o totte kite hoshii n desu ga...
(and come back), but...
How many sheets do you need? Nam-mai hitsuyoo desu ka?

I CDI Track 11

Did he write that English? Sono eego kare ga kaita no?

Yeah, but he says he doesn't have much confidence. Un, demo amari jishin ga nai n da tte.
Did he write that report? Sono hookokusho kare ga kaita no?
Yeah, but he says he doesn't have much confidence. Un, demo amari jishin ga nai n da tte.
Did he prepare the data? Sono shiryoo kare ga tsukutta no?
Yeah, but he says he doesn't have much confidence. Un, demo amari jishin ga nai n da tte.
Did he write that report? Sono repooto kare ga kaita no?
Yeah, but he says he doesn't have much confidence. Un, demo amari jishin ga nai n da tte.

J CDI Track 12

This one, please. Kore onegai shimasu.

Certainly, sir. Hai, kashikomarimashita.
Please copy this. Kore kopii-shite kudasai.
Yes, certainly, sir. Hai, kashikomarimashita.
Please go and buy (and come) this. Kore katte kite kudasai.
Yes, sir. Hai, kashikomarimashita.

15
Step Up Nihongo 3
 K CDI Track 13

I'd like you to take a look at this, but... Kore chotto mite hoshii n da kedo...
OK, please show it (and see). Doredore, misete goran.
I'd like you to read this and see, but... Kore chotto yonde mite hoshii n da kedo...
OK, let me have a look. Doredore, misete goran.
I'd like you to try and write this, but... Kore chotto kaite mite hoshii n da kedo...
OK, let me look at it. Doredore, misete goran.
I'd like you to have a sip of this, but... Kore chotto nonde mite hoshii n da kedo...
OK, show it to me. Doredore, misete goran.
I'd like you to have a bite of this, but... Kore chotto tabete mite hoshii n da kedo...
OK, let me have a look. Doredore, misete goran.

L CDI Track 14

Will you do this? Kore shimasu ka?

Yes, I'll do it and see. Ee, shite mimasu.
Are you coming tomorrow? Ashita kimasu ka?
Yes, I'll come and see. Ee, kite mimasu.
Are you going to meet her? Kanojo ni aimasu ka?
Yes, I'll meet and see. Ee, atte mimasu.
Will you wait a few more minutes? Moo-sukoshi machimasu ka?
Yes, I'll wait and see. Ee, matte mimasu.
Will you say hello to our teacher? Sensee ni aisatsu-shimasu ka?
Yes, I'll say hello and see. Ee, aisatsu-shite mimasu.

Ekusasaizu Exercises

Practice the V-te hoshii form in the following fashion:

A Your instructor gives you a card which illustrates or describes a certain action.
Now ask your counterpart to do the action using V-te hoshii.

Practice using haiken-suru and goran ni naru as your instructor shows you a new textbook.
B As s/he initiates the conversation, follow it up in the following fashion:

Now, using the book, initiate a similar dialog with your counterpart.

16
Step Up Nihongo 3
 Pointing at a book, an eraser, etc. which your counterpart has, ask each other if s/he is reading or using it,
C using the o-V desu construction. Develop a short conversation.

(1) Using visual aids which illustrate some novel food, drinks, books, movies, places, tools, sports, etc., your
D instructor invites you to eat, drink, read, see, go, use, or play; answer the invitation using the V-te miru
construction appropriately.

(2) Do the same with a counterpart.

E Return to the Kihon Kaiwa. Reduce the volume and practice the conversation by playing the part of F.

Chookai Tesuto
Listening Comprehension
CDI Track 15

F=Female speaker M=Male speaker

1 Q1 Who is M ?
1. a company director 2.F's friend 3. a teacher 4. a doctor

Q2 Who is F?
1.M 's subordinate 2.
M 's friend 3. school staff member 4. a nurse

Q3 What did M ask Ffor?

1. some material 2. a magazine 3. a textbook 4. a newspaper

Q4 How many copies did M ask for?

1. two copies 2. ten copies 3. 12 copies 4. 20 copies

Q5 What is M going to do with the copies? (Choose three answers)

M will use them: 1. from October 2. from ten o'clock 3. in class
4. at the meeting 5. in the office 6. in the classroom

Q6 What has Fpromised to do forM ? (Choose two answers)

1. do the copying in a hurry and give it toM on the spot
2. do the copying in a hurry and deliver it to the place whereM will be
3. get red, blue and black pens, three each, and deliver them toM
4. get red, blue and black pens, one each, and deliver them toM

17
Step Up Nihongo 3
 2 Q1 What has the weather been like lately?
1. It has rained for the first time after many dry days. 2. It rains a lot.
3. It has been raining continuously for a long time.

Q2 Identify the owner of the black umbrella.

1.F 2.M 3.M 's (younger) sister 4. unknown

Q3 Identify the owner of the blue umbrella.

1.F 2.M 3.M 's (younger) sister 4. unknown

Q4 Who lent the black umbrella to whom?

1.Flent it to M who returned it. 2. Flent it to M 's sister. 3. Flent it to M who lent it to his sister.

Q5 Who lent the blue umbrella to whom?

1.Flent it to M . 2.M lent it to F. 3.Flent it to M 's sister. 4.
M lent it to his sister.

Q6 FM
Which of the M
following is true?
1.Fhad given M her umbrella. 2.Fhad lent M her umbrella.
3.Fintended to give M her umbrella but Fhas changed her mind.

3 Q1 Who wrote the letter to whom?

1.Fwrote M . 2.F's friend wrote
M. 3.F's friend wrote
M 's friend.

Q2 What does Michiko want Tanaka to do? (Choose three answers)

1.to read her letter 2.to write her a letter 3.to see her on Sunday
4.to phone her on Sunday 5.to phone her today

Un'yoo Renshuu Utilization

Utilization 1

In the following frustrating situations, express your wishes appropriately to your counterpart, using
the V-te hoshii form:

Your colleague has set the temperature of the air-conditioner so high that you are still sweating a lot.
1 Ask him to lower it.

18
Step Up Nihongo 3
 2 Your instructor writes characters on the blackboard so small that you can hardly see them. Ask her to write them larger.

The sound volume of the CD your instructor is playing for the listening comprehension test is set so low that you
3 can hardly hear it. Ask her to raise the volume {make it big}.

4 Your secretary seems to be rather leisurely preparing the documents you asked her for a while ago. Ask her to hurry up.

5 Your secretary's English level is not quite sufficient, and you want her to study a bit more.

6 The computer in your office is rather obsolete, and you want your senior colleague to buy a new one.

7 Your friend has borrowed your umbrella for a long time, and you want it returned as it is a bit of a problem.

Utilization 2

Your host sister (with whom you are pretty close now) has the following wishes.
Suggest that she go ahead and try, using the V-te goran form.

1 She wants to go to Kyoto by herself.

2 She wants to try to drink some alcoholic beverages.

3 She wants to bring her boyfriend (so that you can meet him).

4 She wants to try scuba-diving.

5 She wants to show you a new pair of shoes she has just bought.

6 She wants to write an essay in English and show it to you.

Utilization 3

You are working part-time at a research laboratory in a university. Soon after a professor who had been working in
the laboratory just left the room on an errand, a few students came in. As the professor is expected to return shortly,
you do not want the students to touch things. Warn them properly.

1 One of the students is about to use the computer which the professor has been using.

2 One of the students has picked up an academic magazine the professor opened.

3 One of the students is trying to retrieve his report which the professor has been looking at.

19
Step Up Nihongo 3
Note marks the literal meaning.
 Summary of Phrase-Particles

1
X-wa
X at least, as for X, regarding X, X for one[hi-lighter, topic marker]
Tenisu wa shimasu. I play tennis at least (and I'm not talking of any other sports
which I may or may not play).
Kore wa oishii desu. This one (at least) tastes good (and I'm not taking responsibility
for others which may or may not be good).
Kyoo wa tenisu wa shimasen. Today I won't play tennis.

X-mo
X as well, X also, even X[X presented as addition]
Tenisu mo shimasu. I play tennis, too.
Kore mo oishii desu. This tastes good, too.
Dore mo oishii desu. Every oneof themtastes good.
Dare mo kimasen. Nobody will come.

X-o
X as selected for the action[the action is acted upon X ]
Tenisu o shimasu. I (choose to) play tennis (among the options I have).
Ano kooen o arukimasu. I (choose to) walk (in) that park.

X-ga
[X indicates the doer of the action, or the subject matter of the state]
Watashi ga shimasu. I am the one who will do it. I will do it.
Watashi ga Sumisu desu. I am the one who is Smith. I am Smith.
Kore ga oishii desu. It's this one that tastes good. This is good.
Nihongo ga dekimasu. Japanese is possible. I can (speak) Japanese.

X-to
(together) with X[connecting X]
Suzuki-san to shimasu. I do it with Mr Suzuki.
Kore wa sore to onaji desu. This is the same with that.

X-toY
Y with X, X and Y[ Y connected with X]
Suzuki-san to Tanaka-san ga shimasu. Mr Suzuki and Ms Tanaka will do it.
Tenisu to goruhu o shimasu. I play tennis and golf.

X-kaY
either X or Y
Suzuki-san ka Tanaka-san ga shimasu. Either Mr Suzuki or Ms Tanaka will do it.
Tenisu ka goruhu o shimasu. I'll play either tennis or golf.

X-yaY
X, Y and the like; things/people like X and Y
Suzuki-san ya Tanaka-san ga shimasu. People like Mr Suzuki and Ms Tanaka will do it.
Tenisu ya goruhu o shimasu. I play tennis, golf, etc.

20
Step Up Nihongo 3