Activities: Plain form and polite form: when to use which in Japanese?
Activity 1: Choose the best option
Read the situation and determine which of the given possible responses would be the most appropriate.
Situation: You have joined a music club at your university, and the club president, who is two years above you, asks you a question:
前に、バンドに参加したことある？
Mae ni, bando ni sanka shita koto aru?
Have you ever been in a band before?How would you say, "No, but I’ve done a lot of music on my own."?
Situation: You’re rehearsing a song with your fellow club members, and all of them are your age or younger. How would you say, "Shall we try it again from the top?"?
Situation: You’re on stage at a concert. All your friends from your music club are in the audience. You’re introducing the song you’re going to play. How would you say, "Next we’ll play “Ashita ga aru sa” by Kyuu Sakamoto. Please listen."?
Situation: Your friend’s six year old cousin came to the concert and approached you afterwards to say how well you did.
「明日があるさ」素敵だった！お姉さんかっこいい！
“Ashita ga aru sa” suteki datta! Onēsan kakkoii!
“Ashita ga aru sa” was so good! You’re really cool!That's nice! How would you say, "Thanks for coming, do you like music?"?
Activity 2: だ (da) or nah?
Read the sentences and then select the correct option in parentheses. Do you need だ[da] or not?
- この音楽サークルは大学で一番音が（ いい / いいだ ）と言われています。
Kono ongaku saakuru wa daigaku de ichiban oto ga (ii / ii da) to iwarete imasu.
They say this music club has the best sound in the university. - あたらしい会員はみんな（ 一年生 / 一年生だ ）と思います。
Atarashii kaiin wa minna (ichinensei / ichinensei da) to omoimasu
I think that all the new club members are first years.
Activity 3: Fill in the blank
For the following questions, read the sentence, choose the appropriate word for each blank from the word bank and put it in the correct form.
笹原さんはウクレレがけど将来はビジネスをやりたいから来年このサークルをそうです。
Sasahara-san wa ukurere ga ___ kedo, shōrai wa bijinesu o yaritai kara rainen kono sākuru o ___ sō desu.
Sasahara loves the ukulele, but he said he wants to go into business in the future so he’ll be quitting this club next year.Word bank:
大好き
daisuki
loved (adj.)
やめる
yameru
to quit
この前のライブにから、今度こそバンドを組んでといいんだけど。
Kono mae no raibu ni ___ kara, kondo koso bando o kunde ___ to iin da kedo.
I wasn’t able to be in the last concert, so I really hope I can join a band and be in the next one.Word bank:
出られる
derareru
to be able to appear in (a performance)
ベースもギターもし、作曲もし、歌声もし、木田さんは卒業後アーティストとしてかもしれません。
Beesu mo gitaa mo ___ shi, sakkyoku mo ___ shi, utagoe mo ___ shi, Kida-san wa sotugyōgo, ātisuto to shite ___ ka mo shiremasen.
Kida is good at the guitar and the bass, she can write songs, and she has a beautiful singing voice, so maybe she can make it as a musician after she graduates.Word bank:
上手
jōzu
skillful
できる
dekiru
to be able to do
美しい
utsukushii
beautiful
やっていける
yatte ikeru
to be able to make a living
