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Activities: What are “unagi” sentences in Japanese?

By: Saeko Kitamae

Activity 1: Translate the dialogue

Imagining the given situation, translate the following Japanese unagi sentences. Don’t forget to consider what mutual knowledge between speakers is left out in the unagi sentences as, in most cases, you must recover the word(s) to translate them into English.

Vocabulary
お正月
Transcription: oshōgatsu
Translation: the New Year
海外
Transcription: kaigai
Translation: overseas, foreign countries
血液型
Transcription: ketsuekigata
Translation: blood type
庭
Transcription: niwa
Translation: garden
買い物
Transcription: kaimono
Translation: shopping
Situation 1: 3 people (A, B and C) are talking about the New Year’s holidays.
  • Person A:
    お正月休みは、どこに行きたいですか。私は京都に行きたいです。
    Transcription: Oshōgatsu yasumi wa, doko ni ikitai desu ka. Watashi wa Kyōto ni ikitai desu.
    Translation: As for the New Year’s holidays, where do [you] want to go? As for me, [I] want to go to Kyoto.
  • Person B:
    私は沖縄です。
    Transcription: Watashi wa Okinawa desu.

    Translation:

  • Person C:
    僕は海外です。
    Transcription: Boku wa kaigai desu.

    Translation:

Situation 2: Three students visit a blood donation center.
  • Receptionist
    血液型は何ですか。
    Transcription: Ketsuekigata wa nan desu ka.
    Translation: As for blood type, what is [yours]?
  • Student A:
    僕はA型です。
    Transcription: Boku wa eigata desu.

    Translation:

  • Student B
    私もA型です。
    Transcription: Watashi mo eigata desu.

    Translation:

  • Receptionist:
    O型の人はいませんか？
    Transcription: Ōgata no hito wa imasen ka?
    Translation: As for the person of blood type O, is [he/she] not here?
  • Student C
    あ、僕がO型です！
    Transcription: A, boku ga ōgata desu.

    Translation:

Situation 3: A girl asks her elder brother at home about their parents.
  • Girl
    お父さんとお母さんはどこ？
    Transcription: Otōsan to Okāsan wa doko?
    Translation: As for father and mother, where are [they]?
  • Older Brother
    お父さんは庭だ。お母さんは買い物だ。
    Transcription: Otōsan wa niwa da. Okāsan wa kaimono da.

    Translation:

Activity 2: Add the particles

Add the correct particles to the below sentences.

Waiter
ご注文 ＿ お決まりですか。
Transcription: Go-chūmon __ okimari desu ka.
Translation: Are orders ready?
  1. Customer A
    ぼく ＿ カレーライスです。
    Transcription: Boku __ karēraisu desu.
    Translation: As for me, curry and rice.
    Select your answer
  2. Customer B:
    わたし ＿ みそラーメンです。
    Transcription: Watashi __ miso rāmen desu.
    Translation: As for me, miso ramen.
    Select your answer