Happy New Year!

あけましておめでとうございます

The words above are used when one sees another after a new year.

New Years celebrations are very important and of great importance. In fact it is the most celebrated holiday.

Japanese consider every year to be the year of an animal therefore there are 12 animals which years are named after in rotation.

2015 is the year of the sheep.

Japanese people exchange New Year greeting cards called Nenganjo.

It is very important too exchange this cards as it is a sign that one cares for other people.

らいねん- Next Year

きょねん- Last Year

ことし- This Year

Below are few examples of Nenganjo, you will notice most of them have sheep as they believe that 2015 is the year of the sheep meaning the children born this year will be introverted, meek and polite.

 

Japanese Education System vs. Kenyan Education System

Japanese Education System vs. Kenyan Education System

Let us compare the Japanese Education System to the Kenyan Education System.

 Kenyan students using laptops during a class session 

 Japanese students greeting a teacher usually happens before and after class

 Kenyan students studying

Japanese students studying

Japanese students having lunch together

Japanese It comprises of 6 years of primary school (elementary), 3 years of middle school (secondary) & 3 years of high school. After middle school one decides whether to proceed to high school or to go to a technical college which helps one to develop a career for example in nutrition and accounting. At the end of the 3 high school or technical college years, the graduates are considered to be at the same level & can apply for university. Every exam is done at the beginning & not at the end of learning years. For example they do exams to enter high school but not at the end of middle school. This is called an entrance exam system. They also have cram schools where students go to at the end of the usual school hours in order to prepare for the exams. Students in public schools in Japan don’t wear uniform but those in private schools wear uniforms. The menu for school meals is determines by the ministry of education in order for them to ensure that students are getting balanced meals.

Kenyan It comprises of 8 years of primary school, 4 years of high school before one goes to university. There is no alternative in high school as one must finish high school in order to proceed to university. National exams are done at the end of learning years.  This is called a finishing exam system. There are no cram schools but many students have extra tuition after school, during weekend & during holidays All Kenyan schools’ students must wear uniform which varies from school to school. The menu used when preparing school food is made by the directors of the school & the Ministry of Education does not have much say over this.

Basic Sentence Construction

Basic sentence construction

すきです-Like

すきじゃありません- Dislike

がすき- Also means like

きらいです-Hate

きらいじゃありません- Don’t hate

サッカーがきらいです

サッカーがきらいじゃありません

じょずです- Good at

じょずじゃありません- Not good at

へたです-Poor at

へたじゃありません- Not poor at

Do you like soccer?

すきなサッカーはなんですか

I like soccer.

サッカーがすきです

Do you like that person?

すきなひとはだれですか

I like that person.

ひとがすきです

あいします- Love

あいしてろ- Used to express love to someone of the opposite sex

わかります- Understand

わかりません-Not to understand

にほんごがわかります- I understand Japanese

にほんごがわかりません- I don’t understand Japanese

Showing Possession.

わかります- Used to show possession of inanimate objects

います- Used to show possession of animate objects

I have a cat

ねこがいます

I have a friend

ともだちがいます

I have a dog

いぬがいます

How to invite someone for an outing II

How  to invite someone for an outing.

Below is an example on how to invite someone on an outing.

Do you like Italian cuisine?

イタリアりょりがすきですか。

Yes I like it

ええすきです。

Won’t you join me for a meal on Sunday?

じゃにちようびいしょにたべますか。

Great

いいですね

え- pictures

びじゅつかん- art gallery

はくぶつかん- normal museum

としょかん- library

えいが-movie theater

Do you like movies?

えいががすきですか

Yes but I hardly ever watch

ええすきですがあまりみません

Because I don’t have time

じかんがありませんから

から- because

Because I’m Kenyan

わたしわケニアじんですから

あまり- hardly

あまりききません- hardly listen

あまりのみません- hardly drink

さんねですね- Tough luck

またこんど- Next time

やかそく- A date