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Japanese Introduction to Japanese Language Flashcards
50 question-and-answer cards covering Introduction to Japanese Language as it is examined in Japanese. 24 of them are printed below, taken from across the deck — no signup, no paywall on the preview.
24 sample cards from the Introduction to Japanese Language deck
Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.
What does the particle で (de) indicate?
The location where an action takes place, or the means/instrument by which something is done — e.g., 図書館で勉強する (study at the library), バスで行く (go by bus).
Compare へ (e) and に (ni) for expressing destination.
Both can mark a destination; へ (written へ, read 'e') emphasizes the direction/toward-ness, while に emphasizes the specific arrival point/goal. They are often interchangeable for 'go to.'
What does the sentence-final particle か (ka) do?
It turns a statement into a question — e.g., 行きますか (Ikimasu ka? 'Will you go?'). No question mark is grammatically required.
What does the particle の (no) express?
Possession or noun modification, linking two nouns (A の B = 'B of A' / 'A's B') — e.g., わたしの本 (my book), 日本語の先生 (Japanese-language teacher).
Into what three groups are Japanese verbs classified for conjugation?
Group 1 (godan / u-verbs, e.g., 飲む nomu), Group 2 (ichidan / ru-verbs, e.g., 食べる taberu), and Group 3 (irregular: する suru 'to do' and 来る kuru 'to come').
What are the two irregular verbs in Japanese?
する (suru, 'to do') and 来る (kuru, 'to come').
How do you form the polite present/future (-masu) form of an ichidan (ru-)verb?
Drop the final る and add ます — e.g., 食べる (taberu) → 食べます (tabemasu), 見る (miru) → 見ます (mimasu).
How do you form the -masu form of a godan (u-)verb such as 飲む (nomu)?
Change the final -u sound to the corresponding -i sound, then add ます — 飲む (nomu) → 飲みます (nomimasu); 書く (kaku) → 書きます (kakimasu).
What is the plain (dictionary) form versus the polite form of a verb, and which is used when?
The dictionary form (e.g., 食べる) is the plain/casual form used with friends and in subordinate clauses; the -masu form (e.g., 食べます) is the polite form used in formal or unfamiliar settings.
How is the negative polite present (-masen) formed from the -masu form?
Replace ます with ません — e.g., 食べます (tabemasu) → 食べません (tabemasen, 'do not eat').
How is the polite past affirmative (-mashita) formed?
Replace ます with ました — e.g., 行きます (ikimasu) → 行きました (ikimashita, 'went').
What is the て-form (te-form) used for in Japanese?
It connects clauses, forms the progressive (ている), makes requests (てください), links sequential actions, and gives permission (てもいい). E.g., 食べて (tabete).
How do you form the te-form of the ru-verb 食べる and the irregular する?
食べる → 食べて (tabete); する → して (shite).
What are the standard Japanese greetings for morning, daytime, and evening?
おはようございます (ohayō gozaimasu, good morning), こんにちは (konnichiwa, good afternoon/hello), and こんばんは (konbanwa, good evening).
How do you say 'thank you' politely and 'you're welcome' in Japanese?
ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu, thank you) and どういたしまして (dō itashimashite, you're welcome).
What does すみません (sumimasen) mean, and in what situations is it used?
It means 'excuse me,' 'sorry,' or 'thank you (for trouble taken)' — used to apologize, get attention, or express gratitude for someone's effort.
How do you say 'nice to meet you' when introducing yourself, and what phrase follows?
はじめまして (hajimemashite, 'nice to meet you'), typically followed by どうぞよろしくお願いします (dōzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu, 'please treat me favorably').
What are the Japanese numbers 1 through 10 in their basic on'yomi readings?
1 いち (ichi), 2 に (ni), 3 さん (san), 4 し/よん (shi/yon), 5 ご (go), 6 ろく (roku), 7 しち/なな (shichi/nana), 8 はち (hachi), 9 きゅう/く (kyū/ku), 10 じゅう (jū).
What are counters in Japanese, and give three common examples with what they count.
Counters are suffixes attached to numbers to count specific categories of things: 人 (nin, people), 本 (hon, long cylindrical objects), 枚 (mai, flat thin objects like paper), and 個 (ko, small general objects).
Why do numbers like 1, 3, 6, 8, and 10 often change sound before certain counters?
Because of euphonic sound changes (rendaku/gemination): e.g., with 本, いっぽん (ippon, 1), さんぼん (sanbon, 3), ろっぽん (roppon, 6), はっぽん/はっぽん (happon, 8), じゅっぽん (juppon, 10).
How are the days of the week named in Japanese, and what pattern do they follow?
Each ends in 曜日 (yōbi, 'day of week') preceded by an element: 月 (Mon), 火 (Tue), 水 (Wed), 木 (Thu), 金 (Fri), 土 (Sat), 日 (Sun) — e.g., 月曜日 (getsuyōbi = Monday).
Which nature/element characters correspond to Saturday and Sunday in Japanese?
Saturday is 土曜日 (doyōbi, 土 = earth/soil), and Sunday is 日曜日 (nichiyōbi, 日 = sun).
How do you ask and state the time in Japanese using 'ji' and 'fun/pun'?
Hours use 時 (ji) and minutes use 分 (fun/pun) — e.g., 3時15分 (sanji jūgofun, 3:15). 'What time?' is 何時 (nanji).
What words distinguish AM and PM in Japanese, and where are they placed?
午前 (gozen, AM) and 午後 (gogo, PM), placed before the time — e.g., 午前7時 (gozen shichiji, 7 AM), 午後9時 (gogo kuji, 9 PM).
What this deck covers
The Introduction to Japanese Language deck follows the Japanese Introduction to Japanese Language syllabus — 3 chapters and 9 topics — so questions land on material that is genuinely examinable rather than trivia around it. That works out to roughly 16.7 cards per chapter.
Answers are written to be recallable, not just readable — averaging about 126 characters, which is long enough to carry the reasoning and short enough to say out loud.
A deck like this earns its keep on the second and third pass. Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then use the cards to find the specific facts that have not stuck.
Introduction to Japanese Language flashcards FAQ
How many Introduction to Japanese Language flashcards are in this Japanese deck?
50 cards. This page previews 24 of them, sampled evenly across the deck so you can judge the difficulty before installing anything.
Are these Japanese flashcards free?
Yes. The preview here is free to read with no signup, and the full 50-card deck is free inside the Examius app.
What do the Introduction to Japanese Language cards cover?
They follow the Japanese Introduction to Japanese Language syllabus — 3 chapters and 9 topics — so the questions track what is actually examinable.
How should I use these flashcards?
Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then drill the deck. Examius schedules each card with spaced repetition, so cards you keep missing come back sooner and ones you know drift further apart.