36
Military Japanese
3. Counting persons. Persons are counted by adding -nin to the numeral:
go-nin | five persons |
jūgo-nin | fifteen persons |
nan-nin | how many persons (what number of persons) |
4. “Because” or “as” is expressed by kara or node:
Tabemono ga arimasendeshita node himojii deshita | I was hungry as there was no food. |
Byōki deshita kara tabemasendeshita | I did not eat because I was sick. |
These conjunctive words come at the end of dependent clauses and not at the beginning as in English.
5. Ordinal numbers are formed by prefixing dai- to the numeral:
ichi | one |
daiichi | first |
| |
ni | two |
daini | second |
6. Type sentences:
Okinasai | Get up |
Buki wo watashinasai | Hand over your arms. |
Te wo agenasai | Raise your hands. |
Koko ni kakenasai | Sit down here. |
Itsu horyo ni narimashita ka | When were you captured? |
Mokuyo no gozen deshita | It was Thursday morning. |
Kesa deshita | It was this morning. |
Nan-nin horyo ni narimashita ka | How many were captured? |
Rokunin deshita | six were captured. |
Gohan wa jūbun arimashita ka | Did you have enough for the meal? |
Hai, shikashi mō himojii desu | Yes, but I am hungry now. |
Koko ga itai desu ka | Does it hurt here? |
Iie, itakunai desu | No, it does not. |