Lesson 1. にほんご　わかりますか

にほんご　わかりますか　 Do you understand Japanese?

• “にほんご” (nihongo): A noun referring to the Japanese language. The officer is asking the suspect if she understands Japanese. In many cases, languages are formed by adding the country name followed by “ご”
  (e.g., スペインご =スペイン＋ご, ドイツご =ドイツ ＋ご, かんこくご=かんこく＋ご).
  
• “わかりますか” (wakarimasu ka):
  The interrogative form of the verb “わかります” (wakarimasu), meaning “to understand.” The officer is inquiring about the person’s comprehension ability.

ちょっとだけ　Just a little

• “ちょっとだけ” (Chotto dake): An expression indicating a small amount of action or degree. If someone doesn’t understand Japanese, they would say “にほんご、わかりません nihongo wakarimasen,” and if they understand Japanese, they would say “にほんご、わかります nihongo wakarimasu”

わかりました　Understood

• “わかりました” (Wakarimashita): An expression indicating understanding. It conveys agreement with the other person’s response.

あなたの　おなまえは　なんですか　What is your name?

• The expression “おなまえはなんですか” is used to inquire about the other person’s name. “あなた anata” corresponds to “you” in English, but in modern Japanese, this second-person pronoun can sound a bit impolite. In this context, since the police officer holds a position of authority, please note that he intentionally uses “あなた” for emphasis.

もういちど　おねがいします Please say that again

• “Could you please say it again?” or ” Please say that again.” If you didn’t catch what the other person said, you can use this phrase

きこえませんでした　I didn’t hear that

• It indicates that you couldn’t hear/understand the other person’s response.

わたしのなまえは　ジョセリン です　My name is Joselyn

• If you replace the part with “ジョセリン ” with your own name, you will be able to say your own name.

ありがとうございます　Thank you very much

• “ありがとう” is casual and friendly, while “ありがとうございます” is formal and respectful. The choice between them depends on the context and the level of politeness you wish to convey.