Nihongo Scene
Food, Friends and Invitations — cover

Japanese, One Scene at a Time / Volume 03

Food, Friends and Invitations

Ren knows a good place for lunch. A simple order becomes a conversation, a new friendship and a plan for the weekend. Learn to share preferences and invite someone along.

Learn to Read & Speak Japanese Through Everyday Scenes

Food & preferencesInvitationsAsking permissionMaking plans

36 illustrated pages · 94 companion vocabulary cards

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Four pages from the current edition. Furigana, fading romaji, and first-use meanings keep the reading approachable.

Sample page 4 from Food, Friends and Invitations; page text follows below
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0 1 / L AT E L U N C H AUDIO · V03-S01 A place Ren actually likes Ren leads Alex down the side street from Shijō. The café has the cream awning Alex noticed from the corner. Ren comes for its sandwiches; Alex is ready for something warm. kafe ga suki すき REN この カフェ が 好き です 。 ii ALEX いい です ね 。 With a thing you like, use that thing + ga + suki desu. This is a preference, not an ordering request. FIRST MEETINGS / NEW WORDS & EXPRESSIONS 好き すき liked; a favorite (use ga before it) J A PA N E S E , O N E S C E N E AT A T I M E 04
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0 1 / L AT E L U N C H AUDIO · V03-S01 The same first question Hana, the café’s owner, welcomes them. Ren lets Alex answer the familiar question. Hana leads them to a square oak table beside the front window. irasshaimase nanmei-sama なんめいさま いらっしゃいませ 。 何名様 です か 。 HANA · CAFE OWNER futari ふたり ALEX 二人 です 。 e こちら へ どうぞ 。 HANA · CAFE OWNER Hana is the owner here. She is a different person from the restaurant owner in Tokyo; every Kyoto café visit uses this same setting and staff. FA M I L I A R W O R D S / N O N E W E N T R I E S O N T H I S P A G E J A PA N E S E , O N E S C E N E AT A T I M E 05
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02 / CHOOSE YOUR LUNCH AUDIO · V03-S02A Three lunch choices Alex reads the small lunch menu. The drink prices are separate. He remembers the curry he ate with Mei yesterday, but wants to ask about this café’s version. LUNCH / MENU karē raisu happyaku-en はっぴゃくえん カレーライス 800円 sandoitchi kyūhyaku-en きゅうひゃくえん サンドイッチ 900円 kōhī kōcha sanbyaku-en こうちゃ さんびゃくえん コーヒー 紅茶 300円 zeikomi ぜいこみ 税込 Fictional prices, all tax included. Alex’s eventual curry and tea total 1,100 yen. The menu is typeset so the Japanese remains clear. FIRST MEETINGS / NEW WORDS & EXPRESSIONS サンドイッチ コーヒー sandwich coffee 紅茶 こうちゃ 300円 さんびゃくえん black tea 300 yen (sample price) J A PA N E S E , O N E S C E N E AT A T I M E 06
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02 / CHOOSE YOUR LUNCH AUDIO · V03-S02B Ask for a recommendation Alex can name the choices, but he wants Hana’s opinion. She recommends the curry. Ren points toward the sandwich: he has already made his choice. osusume nan なん ALEX おすすめ は 何 です か 。 カレーライス です 。 HANA · CAFE OWNER sandoitchi suki すき REN サンドイッチ が 好き です 。 In this pattern, the reading of the word for “what” is nan. Hana names one recommended item; she is not choosing Alex’s meal for him. FIRST MEETINGS / NEW WORDS & EXPRESSIONS おすすめ 何 なん recommendation; recommended item what (read nan in this pattern) J A PA N E S E , O N E S C E N E AT A T I M E 07