Duolingo Japanese Practice Test 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What are Japanese counters (助数詞 josūshi) and why are they important?
- They are mathematical symbols
- They are special words used with numbers to count specific types of objects (Correct answer)
- They are punctuation marks
- They are honorific prefixes for names
Correct answer: They are special words used with numbers to count specific types of objects
Japanese counters are special words paired with numbers when counting specific types of items. For example, 匹 (hiki) for small animals, 本 (hon) for long thin objects, 枚 (mai) for flat objects. Using the wrong counter is a common learner mistake.
Question 2: In the Japanese sentence '明日東京に行きます' (Ashita Tokyo ni ikimasu), what does the particle に (ni) indicate?
- The subject of the sentence
- The destination or direction of movement (Correct answer)
- The topic of the sentence
- The object being acted upon
Correct answer: The destination or direction of movement
The particle に (ni) indicates the destination or target of movement when used with motion verbs like 行く (iku = to go). 'Tokyo ni ikimasu' means 'I will go to Tokyo.' に has many uses including location, time, and indirect objects.
Question 3: What is the て-form (te-form) of Japanese verbs used for?
- Only for making past tense
- Connecting actions, making requests, describing ongoing states, and forming compound verbs (Correct answer)
- Only for negative sentences
- Only for formal writing
Correct answer: Connecting actions, making requests, describing ongoing states, and forming compound verbs
The て-form is one of the most versatile verb forms in Japanese. It connects sequential actions (食べて飲む = eat and drink), forms requests (食べてください = please eat), shows ongoing states (食べている = is eating), and builds many grammar patterns.
Question 4: How does Japanese express the concept of 'want to do something'?
- By adding ほしい (hoshii) after the dictionary form
- By changing the verb stem to たい (tai) form (Correct answer)
- By using the word 'want' translated directly
- By adding です (desu) to any verb
Correct answer: By changing the verb stem to たい (tai) form
To express wanting to do something, the verb stem + たい (tai) is used: 食べる (taberu = to eat) → 食べたい (tabetai = want to eat). Note that たい conjugates like an い-adjective and is typically only used for first-person desires.
Question 5: What is the significance of keigo (敬語) in Japanese, and how does Duolingo introduce it?
- Keigo is slang that Duolingo avoids teaching
- Keigo is the honorific/polite language system; Duolingo introduces the polite (です/ます) level first (Correct answer)
- Keigo is only used in ancient Japanese texts
- Keigo means casual speech
Correct answer: Keigo is the honorific/polite language system; Duolingo introduces the polite (です/ます) level first
Keigo (敬語) is the Japanese honorific language system with three levels: sonkeigo (respectful), kenjōgo (humble), and teineigo (polite). Duolingo primarily teaches teineigo (the です/ます polite forms) as the most practical starting point for learners.
Question 6: In Japanese, what is the difference between the particles は (wa) and が (ga) in the sentences '猫は魚が好きです' (Neko wa sakana ga suki desu)?
- They mean the same thing
- は marks the topic (cat) and が marks the object of the emotion (fish) — 'As for the cat, fish is liked' (Correct answer)
- は is the subject and が is the object
- は indicates past tense and が indicates present tense
Correct answer: は marks the topic (cat) and が marks the object of the emotion (fish) — 'As for the cat, fish is liked'
In this sentence, は marks 猫 (neko/cat) as the topic being discussed, while が marks 魚 (sakana/fish) as the thing that is liked. The literal structure is 'As for the cat, fish is likable.' This は/が distinction is one of the most nuanced aspects of Japanese grammar.
Duolingo Japanese Practice Test 3
What are Japanese counters (助数詞 josūshi) and why are they important?