Activities: Direct and indirect quotes: How to report speech in Japanese?
Activity 1: What did they say?
Have a look at what each person said, asked, or thought, then turn each one into an indirect quote.
Tanaka said...
「タクシーは便利ですね」
“Takushī wa benri desu ne.”
“Taxis are convenient.”
Indirect Quote: 。
「週末は出かけます」
“Shūmatsu wa dekakemasu.”
“I’ll go out on the weekend.”
Indirect Quote: 。
「来週一緒に晩ご飯を食べましょう」
“Raishū issho ni bangohan o tabemashō.”
“Let’s eat dinner together next week.”
Indirect Quote: 。
Yamada said…
「旅行は楽しかったです」
“Ryokō wa tanoshikatta desu.”
“The trip was fun.”
Indirect Quote: 。
「週末はひまでした」
“Shūmatsu wa hima deshita.”
“I was free on the weekend.”
Indirect Quote: 。
「きのう勉強しませんでした」
“Kinō benkyō shimasen deshita.”
“I didn’t study yesterday.”
Indirect Quote: 。
The weather forecast (天気予報[tenki yohō]) said...
「明日はいい天気です」
“Ashita wa ii tenki desu.”
“The weather will be nice tomorrow.”
Indirect Quote: 。
「週末寒くなるでしょう」
“Shūmatsu samuku naru deshō.”
“It will be cold on the weekend.”
Indirect Quote: 。
Hayashi (your boss) asked Sato (your colleague)...
「来週のミーティングに遅れないでください」
“Raishū no mītingu ni okurenaide kudasai.”
“Don’t be late for the meeting next week.”
Indirect Quote: 。
「明日までに資料をコピーしてくれますか」
“Ashita made ni shiryō o kopī shite kuremasu ka.”
“Can you make copies of the documents by tomorrow?”
Indirect Quote: 。
Kitada (your friend) asked Minami (your other friend)…
「今週は忙しいの？」
“Konshū wa isogashii no?”
“Are you busy this week?”
Indirect Quote: 。
「どこでアルバイトしているの？」
“Doko de arubaito shiteiru no?”
“Where do you work part-time?”
Indirect Quote: 。
Kojima thinks…
「英語は難しいなあ…」
“Eigo wa muzukashii naa…”
“English is difficult…”
Indirect Quote: 。
「来年留学したいなあ…」
“Raine’n ryūgaku shitai naa…”
“I want to study abroad next year…”
Indirect Quote: 。
Activity 2: Multiple Choice
Pick the most appropriate option to fill each blank.
日本では、ご飯を食べ終わった時、「ごちそうさまでした」と ___。
Nihon de wa, gohan o tabe owatta toki, “Gochisōsama deshita” to ___.
In Japan, people say “Gochisōsama deshita” when they finish eating.
→ ごちそうさまでした literally means "thank you for the meal"Your friends sitting in the back of the classroom are talking loudly during class. The teacher keeps telling them to be quiet but they don't seem to hear her. You want to tell them what the teacher is saying.
You:ねえ。先生が静かにして下さいって___よ。
Nē, sensei ga shizuka ni shite kudasai tte ___ yo.
Hey, the teacher is telling you to be quiet.
先週田中さんに会いましたけど、明日のパーティには来ないと___。
Senshū Tanaka san ni aimashita kedo, ashita no pātī ni wa konai to ___.
I saw Mr. Tanaka last week, but he said that he would not come to the party tomorrow.
林さんは、英語は難しいと___。
Hayashi san wa, eigo wa muzukashii to ___.
Ms. Hayashi thinks that English is hard.
先生は明日までに宿題を提出する___言っていました。
Sensei wa ashita made ni shukudai o teishutsu suru (to / yōni) itte imashita.
The teacher told us to submit homework by tomorrow.
木村さんは田中さんにどこでテニスをする___聞いていました。
Kimura san wa Tanaka san ni doko de tenisu o suru ___ kiite imashita.
Mr. Kimura was asking Ms. Tanaka where she was going to play tennis.
