N5 · Lesson 24
Every question, every particle
どうやって / どのくらい / どれ / どの / どちら ・ AかBか ・ は and が ・ the particle map
In this lesson, you will learn to ask how, how long and which, to offer a choice with 'A or B', to choose between は and が, and to use every N5 particle in its place. It is festival day, and the friends race through the stalls with a question card.
By the end you will be able to say
駅まで どうやって 行きますか。How do you get to the station?
東京まで どのくらい かかりますか。How long does it take to Tokyo?
コーヒーか 紅茶を 飲みます。I'll have coffee or tea.
だれが この カードを 書きましたか。Who wrote this card?
今年は 去年より 人が 多いです。There are more people this year than last year.
The grammar in this lesson
- How, how long, which: どうやって / どのくらい / どれ / どの / どちら — どうやって asks the way, どのくらい how long or how much, and どれ, どの and どちら ask which.
- A or B: AかBか — か after each choice means 'or'; a verb and its negative with か〜か means 'whether or not'.
- は and が, properly — は marks the topic and puts the news after it; が marks a subject that is new or is the point.
- The particle map: に で を へ と から まで より も や だけ — Each N5 particle answers one question about the sentence: when, where, what, with whom, how much.