Lesson 14

Are you learning Japanese with Minna no Nihongo? Lesson 14 teaches how to give directions and commands in Japanese. This lesson is useful for everyday life — like telling someone to turn right, open a window, or stop. It’s very helpful for both speaking and understanding simple Japanese instructions.

In this article, we’ll explain the grammar, vocabulary, and show easy examples. If you're a beginner, don’t worry. Everything is explained simply. Let’s get started!

Lesson
Minna no Nihongo 14

📍 Focus
Directions & Commands

🎯 Level
Beginner

🗺️

Learn to Give Directions in Japanese

📘 Vocabulary

• あけます – Open
• しめます – Close
• まがります – Turn
• とめます – Stop
• みぎ – Right
• ひだり – Left
• まっすぐ – Straight
• これ / それ / あれ – This / That / That over there

🧠 Grammar Point

In this lesson, we use the て-form of verbs to give simple commands or requests.

Verb (て-form) + ください
This means "Please do [something]".

Example: ドアを あけてください。 → Please open the door. ここで とめてください。 → Please stop here.

💬 Example Sentences

• まっすぐ いってください。 → Please go straight.
• みぎへ まがってください。 → Please turn right.
• でんきを けして ください。 → Please turn off the light.
• まどを しめて ください。 → Please close the window.

📝 Tips for Practice

• Practice saying polite commands with ください.
• Make a list of commands you hear in class or on signs in Japan.
• Draw maps and give directions using Japanese.
• Write simple sentences using the て-form every day.

📚 What’s Next?

In Lesson 15, you will learn how to talk about giving and receiving things. Before that, make sure you understand how to use the て-form and ください correctly. This grammar is used very often in Japanese.

Note: This article is for beginners learning Japanese with Minna no Nihongo. Keep practicing a little every day, and you’ll improve quickly!

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Do I need to know て-form before this lesson?
No, this lesson teaches you how to make and use て-form for simple verbs.

Q2: Why is て-form important?
It's used in many sentence patterns, like requests, continuous actions, and more.

Q3: What if I say the wrong form?
It’s okay! Native speakers will still understand. Just keep practicing.

Q4: Is this used only in Japan?
No, if you speak with Japanese people anywhere, this is useful Japanese!