Lesson L15N3N3 Vocabulary — Thematic Sets⏱ 25 min

Time and Schedule Vocabulary

This lesson covers common expressions and words needed to talk about timeframes, scheduling events, and managing daily routines at the N3 level. Practice with example sentences and contextual usage to build fluency in conversations about plans and timetables.

🎯 Goal: Learn N3 vocabulary related to time and scheduling.

Lesson Content

Learning Goal

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to understand and use 20 N3-level vocabulary words related to time, scheduling, and communication. You will learn how to talk about events, discussions, explanations, and common time-related actions.

Concept

Time and schedule vocabulary in Japanese often involves verbs that describe the flow of an action (starting, continuing, discussing) and nouns that pinpoint when or what something is about. Many of these words share a common root, like 話 (hanashi - talk) or 語 (go - language), which helps you build a network of related meanings.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

1. Talking About Actions (Verbs)

These verbs describe actions you do with time or with others.

詰める (tsumeru) — to stuff into, to jam
- Usage: Can mean to pack something tightly into a space, or to schedule things back-to-back.
- Example: スケジュールを詰めすぎた。 (Sukejuuru o tsume sugita.) — I packed my schedule too tightly.
話しかける (hanashikakeru) — to start a conversation
- Usage: The act of initiating a talk with someone.
- Example: 知らない人に話しかけるのは勇気がいる。 (Shiranai hito ni hanashikakeru no wa yuuki ga iru.) — It takes courage to start a conversation with a stranger.
話し合う (hanashiau) — to discuss
- Usage: Talking together to reach a conclusion or share opinions.
- Example: 明日の予定について話し合おう。 (Ashita no yotei ni tsuite hanashiaou.) — Let's discuss tomorrow's schedule.
話し始める (hanashihajimeru) — to start talking
- Usage: The moment someone begins to speak.
- Example: 彼はゆっくり話し始めた。 (Kare wa yukkuri hanashihajimeta.) — He started talking slowly.
認める (mitomeru) — to accept, to admit
- Usage: Acknowledging a fact, a mistake, or a request. Often used in formal scheduling or approval contexts.
- Example: その提案を認めます。 (Sono teian o mitomemasu.) — I accept that proposal.
語る (kataru) — to talk about
- Usage: To tell a story or give a detailed account of something, often over a period of time.
- Example: 彼は自分の経験を語った。 (Kare wa jibun no keiken o katatta.) — He talked about his own experience.
語り合う (katariau) — to talk together
- Usage: A mutual, often deep, conversation.
- Example: 夜遅くまで語り合った。 (Yoru osoku made katariatta.) — We talked together until late at night.

2. Nouns: People, Things, and Concepts

試食 (shishoku) — sampling food
- Usage: The act of tasting a small portion, often before buying or at an event.
- Example: 試食コーナーで新しいお菓子を食べた。 (Shishoku kōnā de atarashii okashi o tabeta.) — I ate a new snack at the sampling corner.
詩 (shi) — poem
- Usage: A literary work.
- Example: この詩は美しい。 (Kono shi wa utsukushii.) — This poem is beautiful.
詩人 (shijin) — poet
- Usage: A person who writes poems.
- Example: 彼は有名な詩人だ。 (Kare wa yuumei na shijin da.) — He is a famous poet.
話題 (wadai) — topic, subject
- Usage: What people are talking about. Very common in scheduling meetings.
- Example: 今日の話題は何ですか？ (Kyou no wadai wa nan desu ka?) — What is today's topic?
誇り (hokori) — pride, boast
- Usage: A feeling of satisfaction from one's achievements or associations.
- Example: それは彼の誇りだ。 (Sore wa kare no hokori da.) — That is his pride.
誕生 (tanjou) — birth, creation
- Usage: The beginning of something (a person, a company, an idea).
- Example: 会社の誕生は1990年だ。 (Kaisha no tanjou wa 1990-nen da.) — The company was founded (born) in 1990.
語 (go) — language
- Usage: A suffix or standalone word for a specific language.
- Example: 日本語 (Nihongo) — Japanese language.
語学 (gogaku) — language study
- Usage: The academic field or hobby of learning languages.
- Example: 語学の勉強は時間がかかる。 (Gogaku no benkyou wa jikan ga kakaru.) — Language study takes time.
誤り (ayamari) — error, mistake, slip
- Usage: A formal word for a mistake.
- Example: スケジュールに誤りがあった。 (Sukejuuru ni ayamari ga atta.) — There was an error in the schedule.
説 (setsu) — theory
- Usage: An opinion or explanation that is not yet proven.
- Example: 新しい説を発表した。 (Atarashii setsu o happyou shita.) — He announced a new theory.
説明 (setsumei) — explanation
- Usage: A detailed account of how something works or what it means.
- Example: 時間の説明をお願いします。 (Jikan no setsumei o onegai shimasu.) — Please give me an explanation of the time.

3. Adjectives

詳しい (kuwashii) — detailed
- Usage: Describes a person who knows a lot, or an explanation that is thorough.
- Example: 彼はスケジュールに詳しい。 (Kare wa sukejuuru ni kuwashii.) — He is knowledgeable about schedules.
話しやすい (hanashiyasui) — easy to talk to
- Usage: Describes a person who is approachable.
- Example: あの先生は話しやすい。 (Ano sensei wa hanashiyasui.) — That teacher is easy to talk to.

Mini Examples

Here are a few short dialogues using the new vocabulary.

Dialogue 1 (Scheduling a meeting)
- A: 明日の話題は何ですか？ (Ashita no wadai wa nan desu ka?) — What is tomorrow's topic?
- B: 新しい商品の試食について話し合います。 (Atarashii shouhin no shishoku ni tsuite hanashiaimasu.) — We will discuss the sampling of the new product.
Dialogue 2 (Making a mistake)
- A: この説明に誤りがあります。 (Kono setsumei ni ayamari ga arimasu.) — There is an error in this explanation.
- B: すみません。認めます。 (Sumimasen. Mitomemasu.) — I'm sorry. I admit it.
Dialogue 3 (Talking about a person)
- A: 彼は詩人ですか？ (Kare wa shijin desu ka?) — Is he a poet?
- B: はい、とても詳しいです。話しやすいですよ。 (Hai, totemo kuwashii desu. Hanashiyasui desu yo.) — Yes, he is very knowledgeable. He's easy to talk to.

Common Mistake

Confusing 話す (hanasu - to speak) with 語る (kataru - to talk about).

Wrong: 彼は自分の人生を話した。 (Kare wa jibun no jinsei o hanashita.) — This is not technically wrong, but it sounds like he just spoke the words, not that he gave a deep account.
Right: 彼は自分の人生を語った。 (Kare wa jibun no jinsei o katatta.) — This implies he told a story or gave a detailed narrative about his life.

Tip: Use 語る (kataru) for stories, experiences, and deep topics. Use 話す (hanasu) for general speaking.

Quick Practice

Fill in the blanks with the correct word from the lesson.

新しいプロジェクトの______について、会議で______。 (We will discuss the topic of the new project in the meeting.)
- Answer: 話題 (wadai) / 話し合う (hanashiau)
彼女はスケジュールに______ので、______を聞いてください。 (She is knowledgeable about schedules, so please ask her for an explanation.)
- Answer: 詳しい (kuwashii) / 説明 (setsumei)
スケジュールに______があったので、______ました。 (There was an error in the schedule, so I admitted it.)
- Answer: 誤り (ayamari) / 認め (mitome)

Summary and Next Step

You have learned 20 key N3 vocabulary words related to time, scheduling, and communication. You can now:

Use verbs like 詰める, 話し合う, and 認める to describe scheduling actions.
Use nouns like 話題, 説明, and 誤り to talk about the content of a schedule or discussion.
Use adjectives like 詳しい and 話しやすい to describe people and information.

Next Step: Practice using these words in your own sentences about your daily schedule. Try writing a short paragraph about a meeting you had, using at least five of the new words. Then, move on to the next lesson on N3 grammar patterns for expressing time (e.g., ～うちに, ～ところだ).