Question words + quantifiers + tenses MCQs Quiz | Class 9
This quiz for Class IX Japanese (Code 094) covers Section C: Grammar (20). The topic is Question words + quantifiers + tenses MCQs Quiz | Class 9, focusing on all question words (Lessons 1–12), counters/quantifiers, numbers & counting, nouns/adjectives/verbs/adverbs, and all tenses, worth 5 marks. Answer all questions, submit to see your score, and download the answer sheet PDF.
Japanese Grammar: Question Words, Quantifiers & Tenses
Understanding the core components of Japanese grammar is essential for building sentences. This section covers three fundamental areas: asking questions, counting objects, and expressing time through verb tenses.
1. Question Words (Gimonshi 疑問詞)
Question words are used to ask for specific information. They are often placed at the beginning of a sentence or where the answer would be, followed by the particle ‘ka’ (か) at the very end of the sentence.
- だれ (dare) – Who?
- どこ (doko) – Where?
- なに (nani/nan) – What?
- いつ (itsu) – When?
- どう (dou) – How?
- なぜ (naze) / どうして (doushite) – Why?
- どの (dono) – Which? (used before a noun)
- いくら (ikura) – How much (price)?
Example: あれは なん ですか。 (Are wa nan desu ka?) – What is that?
2. Counters and Quantifiers
In Japanese, you don’t just say “three apples.” You must use a specific “counter word” depending on the shape and type of the object being counted. The structure is typically: Noun + Number + Counter Word.
| Category | Counter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| People | ~人 (~nin) | さんにん (san-nin) – three people |
| Long, cylindrical objects (pens, bottles) | ~本 (~hon/pon/bon) | にほん (ni-hon) – two pens |
| Flat, thin objects (paper, shirts) | ~枚 (~mai) | ごまい (go-mai) – five sheets |
| Small, round objects (apples, eggs) | ~個 (~ko) | ろっこ (rokko) – six apples |
| Books, notebooks | ~冊 (~satsu) | いっさつ (issatsu) – one book |
Quantifiers like たくさん (takusan) for “many” or “a lot” and すこし (sukoshi) for “a little” or “a few” are also important.
3. Verb Tenses
The verb tense indicates when an action takes place. For beginners, the most common forms are the polite “-masu” forms.
- Present/Future (Non-Past) Affirmative: Verb stem + ます (masu). e.g., たべます (tabemasu) – I eat / I will eat.
- Present/Future (Non-Past) Negative: Verb stem + ません (masen). e.g., たべません (tabemasen) – I don’t eat / I will not eat.
- Past Affirmative: Verb stem + ました (mashita). e.g., たべました (tabemashita) – I ate.
- Past Negative: Verb stem + ませんでした (masendeshita). e.g., たべませんでした (tabemasendeshita) – I did not eat.
Mastering these three areas will significantly improve your ability to communicate in Japanese.
Quick Revision Points
- Remember to add ‘ka’ (か) at the end of a question sentence.
- Choose the correct counter word based on the object’s characteristics.
- Pay attention to the verb ending to understand if the action is present, future, or past, and if it’s positive or negative.
- Numbers can have pronunciation changes when combined with counters (e.g., ichi + hon -> ippon).
Extra Practice Questions
- Translate to Japanese: “Where is the station?”
- How would you say “four people” in Japanese?
- Change the verb “みます” (mimasu – to see) into its past negative form.
- Fill in the blank: きのう、えいがを＿＿＿＿。 (kinou, eiga o ______. – Yesterday, I ______ a movie.)
- Translate to English: このほんはいくらですか。 (Kono hon wa ikura desu ka.)
