N5 Lesson 07 · Midnight Noir にほんご / Series 1 · みんなの日本語 第 7 課

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日本語で読む / Show Japanese

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Episode 07: Tools of the Trade

Mike begins active work. The pen is louder than the gun — every tool leaves a trace, every gift carries a debt.
マイクは動き始める。 ペンは銃より雄弁 ── どの道具も痕跡を残し、 どの贈り物も負債を負う。

His morning starts with a pen. Cursive notes — nothing digital, nothing traceable.
朝はペンで始まる。 筆記体のメモ ── デジタル なし、 追跡なし。

At a café, a stranger sits at his table. Mike whispers a question — a code, not a greeting.
カフェ。 同じ テーブル に、 見知らぬ男。 マイクは囁く ── 挨拶ではなく、 暗号。

The stranger answers correctly. Identification confirmed. Mike slides a small envelope across the table.
男は正しく答える。 確認。 マイクは小さな封筒を テーブル の上で滑らせる。

The stranger nods. He slips a small object into Mike’s coat pocket — cold, metallic, the weight of something locked.
男は頷く。 コート の ポケット に滑り込む、 ひとつの物。 冷たく、 金属的で、 何かを閉ざす重み。

→ Read the related chapter (Chapter 3: The First Exchange)
Available in 日本語 / English / 中文 / 繁體中文 / Tiếng Việt

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Key Sentences

1. Tool + で + Object + verb (write with a pen)

• I write notes with a pen.
• 我用钢笔写笔记。 / 我用鋼筆寫筆記。
• Tôi viết ghi chú bằng bút.

2. 「X は 日本語で 何ですか?」 — asking how to say X

• How do you say “key” in Japanese?
• “key” 用日语怎么说? / “key” 用日語怎麼說?
• “Key” trong tiếng Nhật là gì?

3. Person に Object を あげます (give to)

• Mike gives photos to the man.
• 麦克给那个男人照片。 / 麥克給那個男人照片。
• Mike đưa ảnh cho người đàn ông.

4. Person に Object を もらいます (receive from)

• Mike receives a key from the man.
• 麦克从那个男人那里收到钥匙。 / 麥克從那個男人那裡收到鑰匙。
• Mike nhận chìa khóa từ người đàn ông.

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Vocabulary

日本語	English	简体	繁體	Tiếng Việt
〜で	with, by means of	用	用	bằng
〜に	to / from (a person)	给 / 从	給 / 從	cho / từ
あげます	give	给	給	đưa, tặng
もらいます	receive, get	得到	得到	nhận
書かkaきます	write	写	寫	viết
ペン	pen	钢笔	鋼筆	bút
メモ	note, memo	笔记	筆記	ghi chú
写真しゃしんshashin	photo	照片	照片	ảnh
鍵かぎkagi	key	钥匙	鑰匙	chìa khóa
男おとこotokoの人ひとhito	man	男人	男人	người đàn ông
友達ともだちtomodachi	friend	朋友	朋友	bạn
日本語にほんごnihongo	Japanese (language)	日语	日語	tiếng Nhật
もう	already	已经	已經	đã

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Grammar Patterns

Grammar Picture

Need more detail? Open the sections below.

「日本語で X は 何ですか?」 — asking how to say a word

This is the most useful sentence for learners. The pattern is:

「X は 日本語で 何ですか?」 = How do you say X in Japanese?

• 「key」 は 日本語で 何ですか? — How do you say “key” in Japanese?
• 「ありがとう」 は 英語で 何ですか? — How do you say “arigatou” in English?

「日本語で」 = in Japanese (language as means). Same 「で」 as tool — language is your tool for speaking.

あげます vs もらいます — direction of giving

Both verbs use 「に」 for the other person, but the direction is opposite:

• あげます = give (subject → other person)
  私は 友達に 花を あげます。 = I give flowers to my friend.
• もらいます = receive (subject ← other person)
  私は 友達に 花を もらいます。 = I receive flowers from my friend.

Tip: With 「もらいます」, you can also use 「から」 instead of 「に」:
友達から 花を もらいます。 = the same meaning.

もう vs まだ — already vs not yet

「もう」 + V-ました = already did.
「まだ」 + V-ていません = not yet.

• もう 書きました。 = Already wrote it.
• まだ 書いて いません。 = Haven’t written it yet.

Note: 「まだ」 + V-ません (plain negative) means “still doesn’t / won’t”, which is different. For “not yet”, always use 「まだ V-ていません」.

で has many meanings — tool, language, place of action

「で」 covers several uses in N5:

• Tool / means: ペンで 書きます (with a pen)
• Language: 日本語で 話します (in Japanese)
• Place of action (Lesson 06): カフェで コーヒーを 飲みます (at a café)

Same particle, related meaning — 「で」 marks the means or stage where something happens.

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Roleplay Practice

Try this dialog with a partner (or aloud, switching roles).

Scene: Mike meets his contact at a café. The exchange begins with a code phrase.

Tip: Switch roles. Replace 「key」 with another English word and answer with the Japanese.

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How do you say this in Japanese?

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How to Use This Lesson

For Self-Study (45 minutes)

1. Read Grammar Patterns (5 min) — notice three uses of 「で」 and the give / receive pair.
2. Practice Key Sentences (10 min) — say each aloud three times.
3. Learn Vocabulary (5 min) — focus on ペン / メモ / 鍵 / 写真.
4. Read Mini Story (5 min) — feel the rhythm of the spy exchange.
5. Roleplay (10 min) — try the code phrase with a partner.
6. Review tomorrow — does 「に」 mean “to” or “from” here? Both.

Check Yourself (click to expand)

Q1. Which is correct: ‘I write notes with a pen’?

• A. ペンに メモを 書かkaきます。
• B. ペンで メモを 書かkaきます。
• C. ペンを メモで 書かkaきます。

Show answer

✓ B. ペンで メモを 書かkaきます。

「〜で」 marks the tool or means.

Q2. Which is correct: ‘I give Mike a photo’ (you are the giver)?

• A. マイクは わたしに 写真しゃしんshashinを あげます。
• B. わたしは マイクに 写真しゃしんshashinを あげます。
• C. わたしは マイクから 写真しゃしんshashinを あげます。

Show answer

✓ B. わたしは マイクに 写真しゃしんshashinを あげます。

The giver is the topic. 「に」 marks the receiver.

Q3. もらいます = ?

• A. give
• B. receive
• C. write

Show answer

✓ B. receive

Q4. In the Mini Story, what does Mike receive from the man?

• A. A pen
• B. A photo (写真しゃしんshashin)
• C. A key (鍵かぎkagi)

Show answer

✓ C. A key (鍵かぎkagi)

Mike gives the photos, and receives the key.

Q5. Write: How would you say ‘I receive flowers from a friend’ in Japanese?

Try it. Then check below.

Show answer

Sample: わたしは 友達ともだちtomodachiに 花はなhanaを もらいます。

Or: 友達ともだちtomodachiから 花はなhanaを もらいます。 (「から」 also works for “from a person”.)

For Teachers (click to expand)

For Teachers (45-60 minutes in class)

• Warm-up (5 min): 「何で 書きますか?」 — students point to a pen, pencil, chopstick, etc.
• Story reading (10 min): Read the Mini Story together. Discuss the code-phrase setup.
• Tool drill (10 min): Show objects (pen, scissors, camera). Students make 「___で ___を ___ます」 sentences.
• Give / receive drill (10 min): Pairs exchange small objects. Each pair narrates 「Aさんは Bさんに ___を あげます。」 and reverses.
• Roleplay (15 min): Café exchange. Students invent their own code phrases.
• Check Yourself (5-10 min): Individual quiz, group review.

Cultural note: Japanese has different verbs for giving up (くれます) vs. giving across (あげます). This lesson focuses on あげます (subject is the giver). 「くれます」 comes in later lessons.

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