G04 · Possession with の
Goal: say whose something is (6 example sentences).
Before you start
The sentences only use words you already know from hiragana, katakana and the beginner level.
This lesson assumes what you saw in the earlier ones. If something feels shaky, go back to it:
What you learn
A の B
- のpossessive particle
«A の B» joins two words: B belongs to or comes from A. わたしの ほん is «my book»; にほんの くるま, «a car from Japan».
Examples
- わたしの ほんです。watashi no hon desu.It is my book.
- せんせいの かさです。sensei no kasa desu.It is the teacher's umbrella.
- これは ともだちの かばんです。kore wa tomodachi no kaban desu.This is my friend's bag.
- それは わたしの めがねじゃ ありません。sore wa watashi no megane ja arimasen.Those are not my glasses.
- にほんの くるまです。nihon no kuruma desu.It is a Japanese car.
- だいがくの せんせいです。daigaku no sensei desu.He is a university teacher.
Practice
Two rounds: first you pick what each sentence means; then you complete it with the missing form.
Reading in context
A short text written only with the kana and grammar you already know. Read it and answer.
After class, someone finds an umbrella:
「これは だれの かさですか」「わたしの かさです」
"kore wa dare no kasa desu ka" "watashi no kasa desu"
Whose umbrella is it?
Translation
"Whose umbrella is this?" "It's my umbrella."