ゲームを買いに行こう！— Let's Go Buy a Game!
Buying a new game · a free Japanese immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
どんなゲームが好きですか。
What kind of games do you like?
Literal What kind of game do you like?
どんな is used to ask 'what kind of,' and 好きですか is a polite way to ask if someone likes something. Note that 好き takes が, not を, to mark the thing liked.
- どんな + noun = 'what kind of [noun]'
- 好き (suki) is a な-adjective meaning 'liked/favorite'
- Subject of 好き is marked with が, not を
- Polite question formed with ですか at the end
アクションゲームよりRPGの方が好きです。
I like RPGs more than action games.
Literal Action games compared-to, RPG's direction is liked.
This sentence uses the key comparative pattern: A より B の方が, meaning 'B more than A.' の方が strengthens the preference toward B.
- A より B の方が [adjective/verb] = 'B more than A'
- より (yori) = 'more than / compared to' — comparison particle
- の方が (no hō ga) emphasizes the preferred or highlighted side
- 好きです = polite expression of preference
おすすめのゲームを教えてもらえますか。
Could you tell me a recommended game?
Literal Recommended game (object) — could you tell me?
おすすめ means 'recommendation.' 教えてもらえますか is a polite indirect request: 'could you (do me the favor of) telling me?' Softer than the direct ~てください.
- おすすめ (osusume) = recommendation / recommended
- 教えてもらえますか = polite request using te-form + もらえますか
- もらえますか implies receiving a favor, making the request extra courteous
このゲームはいくらですか。
How much is this game?
Literal This game (topic) — how much is it?
いくら is the standard word to ask about price. この (this) points to something near the speaker. は marks the topic being asked about.
- いくら (ikura) = how much (used for prices)
- この + noun = 'this [noun]' — near-speaker demonstrative
- は (wa) marks the topic of the sentence
新しいゲームを探しています。
I'm looking for a new game.
Literal New game (object) — am searching for.
探しています is the て-form of 探す combined with います, creating an ongoing action: 'am in the middle of looking for.' This is one of the most natural ways to tell a shop assistant what you need.
- 探す (sagasu) = to search / look for — Group 1 verb
- ~ています (te-imasu) = ongoing action or current state
- 新しい (atarashii) = new — い-adjective modifying ゲーム directly
このゲームは難しいですか。
Is this game difficult?
Literal This game (topic) — difficult is?
難しい is an い-adjective meaning 'difficult.' Placing ですか at the end of an adjective sentence turns it into a polite yes/no question.
- 難しい (muzukashii) = difficult — い-adjective
- い-adjective + ですか = polite yes/no question
- No な is needed between an い-adjective and ですか
このゲームはあのゲームより楽しいと思います。
I think this game is more fun than that one.
Literal This game (topic) that game than fun — I think.
より is used for comparison. と思います ('I think that…') softens the statement and is very natural in everyday speech when sharing an opinion.
- A より B (の方が) [adjective] = 'B is more [adjective] than A'
- と思います (to omoimasu) = 'I think that…' — adds personal opinion
- 楽しい (tanoshii) = fun / enjoyable — い-adjective
カードで払ってもいいですか。
Is it okay to pay by card?
Literal Card by — is it okay if I pay?
で here marks the instrument or means of doing something. 払ってもいいですか is a polite way to ask permission: 'Is it alright if I…?'
- で (de) = by means of (instrument/method marker)
- 払う (harau) = to pay — Group 1 verb
- ~てもいいですか = 'Is it okay if I…?' — polite permission request
このゲームはグラフィックがきれいですね。
This game has beautiful graphics, doesn't it?
Literal This game (topic): graphics (subject) are beautiful, right?
The natural Japanese structure marks グラフィック as the subject with が and uses きれい as a predicate adjective directly before です. The modifier pattern (きれいな + noun) describes a noun inside a phrase but cannot serve as a natural sentence predicate here. ですね invites the listener to agree, sharing an observation together.
- は (wa) = topic marker; このゲームは sets 'this game' as the conversation topic
- グラフィックが = 'graphics (subject)' — が marks the subject of the predicate adjective きれい
- きれい (kirei) = beautiful / pretty — な-adjective used as a predicate before です, not as a noun modifier here
- ですね = 'isn't it?' — seeking agreement or sharing a mild observation
このゲームを買いたいです。
I want to buy this game.
Literal This game (object) — want to buy.
買いたい is formed by attaching たい to the verb stem of 買う (to buy), expressing desire. Adding です makes it polite. This is one of the most useful patterns for shopping.
- verb stem + たい (tai) = 'want to [verb]'
- 買う (kau) → stem 買い → 買いたい = want to buy
- ~たいです = polite form of desire expression
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
ゲーム
game
どんなゲームが好きですか。
What kind of games do you like?
Loanword from English; used for video games, board games, and card games alike
おすすめ
recommendation
おすすめのゲームを教えてもらえますか。
Could you tell me a recommended game?
Can precede a noun with の (おすすめの…) to mean 'recommended [noun]'
楽しい
fun, enjoyable
このゲームはとても楽しいです。
This game is very fun.
Read as tanoshii. Describes activities or experiences; closely related to 面白い but emphasizes enjoyment over interest
難しい
difficult
このステージは難しいですね。
This stage is difficult, isn't it?
Read as muzukashii. One of the most common adjectives in game contexts; opposite is 易しい (yasashii) meaning easy
探す
to look for, to search
新しいRPGを探しています。
I'm looking for a new RPG.
Read as sagasu. Pairs naturally with ~ています to say you are currently searching for something
払う
to pay
現金で払います。
I'll pay with cash.
Read as harau. Always used with で to mark the payment method: カードで払う (pay by card), 現金で払う (pay in cash)
好き
like, fond of
アドベンチャーゲームが好きです。
I like adventure games.
Read as suki. Grammatically a な-adjective, not a verb; the thing liked is marked with が, not を
面白い
interesting, fun
このゲームのストーリーは面白いです。
This game's story is interesting.
Read as omoshiroi. Can mean both 'intellectually interesting' and 'entertaining/funny' depending on context
値段
price
このゲームの値段はいくらですか。
What is the price of this game?
Read as nedan. More formal than simply asking いくら; refers to the price as a stated concept
より
more than, compared to
このゲームはあのゲームより面白いです。
This game is more interesting than that one.
Key comparison particle; structure is [A] より [B], meaning B has more of the quality than A
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
ゆいはゲームショップに入(はい)りました。店員(てんいん)さんに「最近(さいきん)、人気(にんき)のゲームはありますか」と聞(き)きました。店員(てんいん)さんは「このRPGはアクションゲームより面白(おもしろ)いですよ」と教(おし)えてくれました。ゆいはそのゲームを手(て)に取(と)り、値段(ねだん)を確認(かくにん)しました。「買(か)いたいです！カードで払(はら)ってもいいですか」とゆいは言(い)いました。
Sentence by sentence
ゆいはゲームショップに入(はい)りました。
Yui walked into a game shop.
入(はい)りました [hairimashita] = 'walked in / entered.' The particle に marks the destination with motion verbs like 入(はい)る (hairu, to enter).
最近(さいきん)、人気(にんき)のゲームはありますか。
Do you have any popular games lately?
最近(さいきん) [saikin] = 'lately / recently.' 人気(にんき) [ninki] = 'popularity'; 人気の modifies ゲーム to mean 'popular game.' ありますか asks if something exists or is available, a natural shop inquiry.
このRPGはアクションゲームより面白(おもしろ)いですよ。
This RPG is more fun than action games.
面白(おもしろ)い [omoshiroi] = 'fun / interesting.' より marks the comparison baseline ('more than'). よ at the end adds a light assertive tone, as if sharing useful information with the customer.
ゆいはそのゲームを手(て)に取(と)り、値段(ねだん)を確認(かくにん)しました。
Yui picked up the game and checked the price.
手(て)に取(と)る [te ni toru] = 'to pick up with one's hands' (literally 'take into hand'). 値段(ねだん) [nedan] = 'price.' 確認(かくにん)しました [kakunin shimashita] = 'confirmed / checked.' The first verb uses its masu-stem form (取り) to chain smoothly into the next action.
カードで払(はら)ってもいいですか。
Is it okay to pay by card?
払(はら)う [harau] = 'to pay.' で marks the method (by card). 払(はら)ってもいいですか is the standard polite permission structure: 'Is it alright if I pay?'
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
Comparative Form: A より B (の方が) ~ — B is more ~ than A
Use より (yori) to compare two things and say that one has more of a quality than the other. Place the item being compared against before より, and the preferred or highlighted item after it. Adding の方が (no hō ga) after the second item makes the contrast even clearer. This pattern works with both い-adjectives and な-adjectives.
[A] より [B] (の方が) [adjective] です — B is more [adjective] than A
このゲームはあのゲームより楽しいです。
This game is more fun than that game.
RPGはアクションゲームより難しいと思います。
I think RPGs are more difficult than action games.
オンラインショップはお店より安いですか。
Is the online shop cheaper than a physical store?
このコントローラーはあれより使いやすいです。
This controller is easier to use than that one.
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
Translate to Japanese: "I like RPGs more than action games."
Hint Use the pattern: A より B の方が ~ (B is more ~ than A)
What does this sentence mean? 「おすすめのゲームを教えてもらえますか。」
Hint おすすめ = recommendation; 教えてもらえますか = can you tell/teach me?
Fill in the blank: 「このゲームはあのゲーム___ 楽しいと思います。」 (I think this game is more fun than that game.)
Hint This particle signals what you are comparing against.
You want to ask the store clerk how much a game costs. Which sentence is correct?
Combine these two ideas into one sentence using より: 「このゲームは難しいです。」+「あのゲームは難しくないです。」
Hint Put the less-difficult game + より first, then the more-difficult game as the subject.
That’s today’s phraseberry.
Nice work, you understood something real today. Come back tomorrow for a fresh one.
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