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All Japanese activities

Activities: What roles can the particle も (mo) play in Japanese? Part 1

By: Mayumi Ito

Activity 1: Complete the sentences

Fill in the blanks using the words in the word bank and the particleも. What role is this particle playing?
  1. 私はテニスが大好きですが、なんですよ。
    Transcription: Watashi wa tenisu ga daisuki desu ga, __ nandesu yo.
    Translation: I love tennis, but I like golf too.
  2. 銀座のブティックでいろいろな服を試着しましたが、。
    Transcription: Ginza no butikku de iroirona fuku o shichaku shimashita ga, __.
    Translation: I tried on various clothes at the boutique in Ginza, but I did not like any of them at all.
  3. えーっ、それで、もうんですか。すごいですね。
    Transcription: Ē, sore de, mō __ ndesu ka. Sugoi desu ne.
    Translation: What, and already you can play even such a difficult music piece? Amazing.

Activity 2: Question words

Fill in the blank using one of the question words in the word bank. Don’t forget to add appropriate particles as needed!
  1. きのうは日曜日でしたが、雨だったので行きませんでした。
    Transcription: Kinō wa nichiyōbi deshita ga, ame datta node __ ikimasendeshita.
    Translation: Yesterday was Sunday, but since it was raining, I didn’t go anywhere at all.
  2. 私は会社にお弁当を持っていきます。外食は値段が高いですから。
    Transcription: Watashi wa __ kaisha ni obentō o motte ikimasu. Gaishoku wa nedan ga takai desu kara.
    Translation: I always take home-packed lunch to work. Because eating out costs a lot.
    • Speaker A:
      デザートはプリン？それともアイスクリーム？
      Transcription: Dezāto wa purin? Soretomo aisukuriimu?
      Translation: As for dessert, (do you prefer) caramel custard? Or ice cream?
    • Speaker B:
      うーん、おいしそう。
      Transcription: Ūn, __ oishisō.
      Translation: Hmmm, both sound tasty.
    • Speaker A:
      ペットがいますか。
      Transcription: Petto ga imasu ka.
      Translation: Do you have pets?
    • Speaker B:
      いえ、うちは飼っていません。
      Transcription: Ie, uchi wa __ katte imasen.
      Translation: No, we keep none in our household.

Activity 3: Conversations

Complete each conversation based on the English line.
    • Speaker A:
      どちらが好きですか。
      Transcription: Dochira ga suki desu ka.
      Translation: Which one do you like?
    • Speaker B:
      。
      Transcription: __.
      Translation: I like neither of them.
    • Speaker A:
      今日だれと出かけましたか。
      Transcription: Kyō dare to dekakemashita ka.
      Translation: With whom did you go out today?
    • Speaker B:
      。
      Transcription: __.
      Translation: I went out with no one.
    • Speaker A:
      明日はどこへ行きますか。
      Transcription: Ashita wa doko e ikemasu ka.
      Translation: Where are you going tomorrow?
    • Speaker B:
      。
      Transcription: __.
      Translation: I’m going nowhere.
    • Speaker A:
      あの箱になにが入っていますか。
      Transcription: Ano hako ni nani ga haitte imasu ka.
      Translation: What is in that box over there?
    • Speaker B:
      。
      Transcription: __.
      Translation: Nothing is in it.