Basic dates: Discussing birthdays
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Key Phrases
おたんじょうびのはなしをしよう。
o tanjou bi no hanashi o shiyou
Let's talk about birthdays.
だれのたんじょうび？
dare no tanjou bi
Whose birthday is it?
妹がいます。
imouto ga i masu
I have a younger sister.
Skills You'll Learn
Talking about family members' birthdays
家族のたんじょうびについて話す
kazoku no tanjou bi ni tsui te hanasu
Saying dates like May 3rd, August 12th, and November 20th
五月三日、八月十二日、十一月二十日 などの日付を言う
go gatsu mitsu ka hachi gatsu juu ni nichi juu ichi gatsu hatsu ka nado no hizuke o yuu
Describing simple birthday traditions such as buying a cake and celebrating together
ケーキを買う、みんなでおいわいする などのたんじょうびのしゅうかんを話す
keeki o kau minna de o iwai suru nado no tanjou bi no shuukan o hanasu
Lesson Roleplay
Imagine you are having a simple Japanese conversation about your family’s birthdays, saying when each person was born and how you celebrate together.
おたんじょうびのはなしをしよう。
o tanjou bi no hanashi o shiyou
Let's talk about birthdays.
いいね。だれのたんじょうび？
ii ne dare no tanjou bi
Sounds good. Whose birthday is it?
まず、母のたんじょうびは五月三日です。
mazu haha no tanjou bi wa go gatsu mitsu ka desu
First, my mother's birthday is May 3rd.
そうなんだ。お母さんはよろこぶ？
sou na n da o kaa san wa yorokobu
I see. Will your mother be happy?
はい、毎年ケーキを買います。
hai maitoshi keeki o kai masu
Yes, we buy a cake every year.
Lesson Vocabulary & Phrases
おたんじょうび
o tanjou bi
Birthday
の
no
Of
💬 [の] often links two nouns so the first one describes or belongs to the second: [だれのたんじょうび] = whose birthday. You can reuse it the same way in [母のたんじょうび] and [友だちのたんじょうび].
See breakdown →はなし
hanashi
Talk; story
をしよう
o shiyou
Let's do / let's talk about
💬 [しよう] is the "let's do" form of [する]. With a noun + [を], it often means "let's have/do" that thing: [はなしをしよう] = let's talk, [べんきょうをしよう] = let's study.
See breakdown →おたんじょうびのはなしをしよう。
o tanjou bi no hanashi o shiyou
Let's talk about birthdays.
💬 [はなしをしよう] literally uses [する] "do," but with [はなし] it means "have a talk" or "talk about it." This pattern works with many noun + [をする] combinations, like [しつもんをする] "ask a question."
See breakdown →いいね。
ii ne
Sounds good.
だれ
dare
Who
たんじょうび
tanjou bi
Birthday
だれのたんじょうび？
dare no tanjou bi
Whose birthday?
💬 [だれの〜？] means "whose ~?" by putting [の] after [だれ]. You can swap in other nouns the same way: [だれのかばん？] = whose bag?
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