Maharashtra HSC Japanese (MSBSHSE) flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

こそあど reference rule

In reading passages, こ-series usually points to something just mentioned, そ-series to something previously stated or shared, and あ-series to something both writer and reader already know.

しかし as pivot marker

しかし, ところが, and だが mark a contrast. The author's real claim usually follows this marker, so answer options that merely repeat the clause before it are distractors.

つまり restatement signal

つまり, 要するに, and このように introduce a paraphrase or summary. In main-idea questions, the correct option is often a rewording of the sentence containing these markers.

Dialogue politeness inference

Speech level reveals relationships. です・ます between peers suggests formality or distance; plain form suggests closeness; 敬語 directed at the listener indicates a superior, customer, or stranger.

は versus が

は marks the topic and often implies contrast; が marks the grammatical subject, introduces new information, and follows question words. Answers to だれが questions take が, not は.

に versus で location

に marks where something exists (いる・ある) or a destination and time point; で marks where an action happens. 部屋にいる but 部屋で勉強する.

Conditional と restriction

と expresses natural or automatic consequence and cannot be followed by requests, invitations, or intentions. Use たら or ば before ください or ましょう.

Giving verbs direction

あげる means I or my group gives; くれる means someone gives to me or my group; もらう means I receive. The direction of benefit decides which verb and which particle.

Causative-passive meaning

The causative-passive (〜させられる) means being made or forced to do something. 食べさせられる means being forced to eat, distinct from passive 食べられる and causative 食べさせる.

Intransitive versus transitive pairs

Pairs like 開く/開ける and 落ちる/落とす differ by agency. Use the intransitive with が for a natural state and the transitive with を when someone acts on the object.

On-yomi versus kun-yomi

A single kanji standing alone usually takes kun-yomi (山 やま), while compounds of two or more kanji usually take on-yomi (山水 さんすい). Context decides the reading.

Rendaku voicing rule

In many compounds the first consonant of the second element voices: 手紙 てがみ, 花火 はなび, 時計 とけい. This voicing is called 連濁 and is not predictable in every case.

Small っ in compounds

When a k-row syllable follows in a compound, a small っ appears: 学校 がっこう, 一緒 いっしょ, 出発 しゅっぱつ. The small っ takes one full box in vertical writing.

分かる versus 知る

分かる takes が for the thing understood and describes a state; 知る takes を and describes acquiring information. 日本語が分かる but 彼の名前を知っている.

Irregular counters

一人 is ひとり and 二人 is ふたり, not いちにん and ににん. 〜枚 counts flat things, 〜台 machines, 〜本 long objects, 〜冊 books, 〜匹 small animals.

Genkō yōshi punctuation box

In vertical manuscript paper, 。 and 、 each occupy their own box placed at the lower left of the cell. They are never placed at the top of a new line.

Line-start prohibitions

A line must not begin with 。 、 」 ） 々 ー or small kana such as っ and ゃ. These characters are pulled up to the previous line to keep the layout correct.

Three-part composition structure

HSC compositions typically use はじめ with a topic statement, 中 with two or three points linked by まず・次に・また, and 終わり with a summary or opinion using このように or と思います.

Letter opening and closing

A formal Japanese letter opens with 拝啓 plus a seasonal greeting, presents the body, and closes with 敬具. Casual email omits these and uses 〜さんへ and 〜より.

Connectives by function

そして and また add information, しかし and でも contrast, だから and そのため give cause, たとえば illustrates, and つまり or したがって conclude. Choosing the wrong function breaks coherence.

Self-correction trap

In listening tasks, speakers often revise a number or plan aloud: 三つ…あ、やっぱり二つください. The final stated figure, not the first, is the correct answer.

までに versus まで

までに sets a deadline by which something must be done; まで marks the end of a continuous period. 五時までに提出する means submit by five, not until five.

でも as plan reversal

In listening dialogues, でも or それはちょっと after an initial plan usually reverses it. The eventual decision, often introduced by じゃあ, is what the question asks about.

Long vowel minimal pairs

Length changes meaning: おばさん is aunt but おばあさん is grandmother; しゅじん is husband while しゅうじん is master. Listening items test these distinctions directly.

Aizuchi in conversation

Frequent back-channel responses such as はい, そうですか, and なるほど show the listener is engaged. Remaining silent is interpreted as inattention rather than polite restraint.

Indirect refusal pattern

Japanese refusals avoid a direct いいえ. A formula such as せっかくですが、ちょっと… or an apology plus a reason signals refusal while preserving the other person's face.

Requesting clarification phrases

Useful repair phrases include すみません、もう一度お願いします, ゆっくり話していただけますか, and 〜とはどういう意味ですか. These keep a conversation going when comprehension fails.

Telephone opening formulas

On the phone, もしもし opens a casual call, while business calls use いつもお世話になっております followed by the company and name, then 〜をお願いします and 少々お待ちください.

尊敬語 versus 謙譲語

尊敬語 raises the other person's actions, as in 先生がおっしゃいました. 謙譲語 lowers the speaker's own actions, as in 私が申しました. Mixing them misattributes respect.

Uchi and soto rule

To outsiders, one's own group members take humble forms: 社長はただいま外出しております. Using 尊敬語 for one's own boss when speaking to a customer is a well-known error.

Seasonal greeting months

Letter openings match the season: 新春 in January, 寒中 in midwinter, 梅雨 in June, 残暑 in late summer, and 秋冷 in autumn. A mismatched greeting is a sociolinguistic mistake.

Bowing depth degrees

お辞儀 depth signals respect: 会釈 about fifteen degrees for casual greetings, 敬礼 about thirty degrees for business, and 最敬礼 about forty-five degrees for deep apology or reverence.