In this workshop, you will practice speaking about friendship in Japanese. You will use short recorded lines that describe a close friend, how long you have known them, and why they matter. The goal is to help you ask about someone and answer with a simple, natural description. You will listen, repeat, choose replies, and then recall the lines with the correct roles. This is active speaking practice, so say each line out loud. You can play both roles when you practice the exchange aloud.
Asking About Someone
Start by learning how to ask who a person is. In the recorded exchange, one speaker asks about someone, and the other explains who that person is. The question «田中さん、その人は誰ですか。» means the speaker wants to know the identity of a person. The answer «ああ、彼女は私の親友で、10年来の友達です。» introduces the person as a best friend and adds how long they have known each other. After hearing that, the first speaker responds with «そうなんですね。いいですね。», which shows understanding and a positive reaction. Practice saying the question and the answer slowly, then try to match the polite tone. When you speak, keep your voice calm and friendly. You do not need to add extra details. Use only the lines you have practiced.
Describing Why a Friend Matters
Next, focus on describing why a friend is special. The line «彼女はいつも私のそばにいてくれる。» explains that the friend is always supportive. The line «私たちはもう10年来の友達です。» states the length of the friendship. The line «彼は私にとって大切な存在です。» says that the person is important to the speaker. In the longer recorded answer, the speaker combines support and importance: «はい、彼女はいつも私のそばにいてくれて、本当に大切な存在です。» says the friend is always there and is truly important. This shows how you can connect two simple ideas in one reply. Practice each line separately first. Then say them together in the order you heard them. Pay attention to the meaning: support, time, and importance. These are common ways to describe a close friendship.
Putting the Exchange Together
Now combine the question and the description. Imagine you are talking with a classmate about a friend. One person asks «田中さん、その人は誰ですか。». The other answers with «ああ、彼女は私の親友で、10年来の友達です。». The first person replies with «そうなんですね。いいですね。». Then the answerer adds «はい、彼女はいつも私のそばにいてくれて、本当に大切な存在です。». This creates a short, complete exchange. Practice both roles. When you are the asker, use a rising intonation for the question. When you are the answerer, speak clearly and pause slightly between the main idea and the extra detail. You can also use «彼女はいつも私のそばにいてくれる。», «私たちはもう10年来の友達です。», and «彼は私にとって大切な存在です。» as separate practice lines if the full answer feels too long. The goal is to become comfortable with the sounds and rhythm, not to memorize everything at once.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
彼女はいつも私のそばにいてくれる。
She's always there for me.
Kanojo wa itsumo watashi no soba ni ite kureru.
私たちはもう10年来の友達です。
We've been friends for 10 years.
Watashitachi wa mou juunenrai no tomodachi desu.
彼は私にとって大切な存在です。
He is an important person to me.
Kare wa watashi ni totte taisetsu na sonzai desu.
友達は選べる家族だと思います。
I think friends are the family you can choose.
Tomodachi wa eraberu kazoku da to omoimasu.
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
田中さん、その人は誰ですか。
Tanaka-san, who is that person?ああ、彼女は私の親友で、10年来の友達です。
Oh, she's my best friend; we've been friends for 10 years.そうなんですね。いいですね。
I see. That's nice.はい、彼女はいつも私のそばにいてくれて、本当に大切な存在です。
Yes, she's always there for me, and she's truly an important person to me.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided Exchange Practice
You will practice a short conversation between two people. One person asks about someone, and the other answers. Use the recorded lines to guide you.
Your task: Play the recording of «田中さん、その人は誰ですか。» and repeat it out loud. Then play «ああ、彼女は私の親友で、10年来の友達です。» and repeat it. Next, play «そうなんですね。いいですね。» and repeat it. Finally, play «はい、彼女はいつも私のそばにいてくれて、本当に大切な存在です。» and repeat it. After repeating each line, say the whole exchange from beginning to end without looking at the text. You can play both roles: first as the asker, then as the answerer.
Choose the Correct Reply
You will hear a line and choose the best response from two options. This helps you understand the meaning of the recorded lines.
Your task: Listen to «田中さん、その人は誰ですか。». Which reply fits better: «ああ、彼女は私の親友で、10年来の友達です。» or «そうなんですね。いいですね。»? Say your choice out loud. Then listen to «ああ、彼女は私の親友で、10年来の友達です。». Which follow-up fits better: «そうなんですね。いいですね。» or «田中さん、その人は誰ですか。»? Say your choice out loud. Finally, listen to «はい、彼女はいつも私のそばにいてくれて、本当に大切な存在です。». Does it describe a friend as important, or does it ask who someone is? Answer out loud using the meaning you heard.
Recall with Correct Roles
You will recall the recorded lines and say them with the correct speaker roles. This is a memory and speaking task.
Your task: Without looking at the text, say the question that asks who a person is. Then say the answer that introduces a best friend and mentions ten years. Next, say the short reply that shows understanding. Finally, say the longer answer that says the friend is always there and truly important. After you finish, play the recordings and compare your version with the original.
Common questions
Do I need to memorize every line exactly?
No. The goal is to become comfortable speaking about friendship. Use the recorded lines as models. If you can say the main ideas—asking who someone is, saying you have been friends for ten years, and saying the friend is important—you are making good progress. Repeat the recordings often to improve your rhythm and pronunciation.
Can I practice both roles in the conversation?
Yes. You can play the asker and the answerer. First, repeat the question line. Then, repeat the answer lines. After that, say the whole exchange by yourself, switching roles. This helps you understand both sides of the conversation. There is no automatic assessment, so use the success criteria to check your own speaking.
Sources and further reading
- japanese: talk about friendshipChecked September 2026
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