We are going to present an article about learning Japanese language specifically on asking someones’s activity. The question which is given is also equipped with a time marker in order to display differentiation on the verb which is being used in each different time marker. The answer of the question is the activity which is done or the activity which is going to be executed or is being executed depends on the question’s time marker. We will make the answer as a paired question-answer in a conversation form. Through chapter 6 practice B part 4 page 49 in Minna no Nihongo, we will give an answer based on the in an appropriate sentence on the question. The question only state the time marker but to make it complete, the question is equipped with an image of an activity. We have to guess that activity and make a correct answer based on the image. To view all the complete question, please buy the original Minna no Nihongo book.
We will give some examples which is actually similar with the question being given.
Below are the pattern and also its suitable example :
Question Pattern with Past Time Marker :
Past Tense Form 過去形（かこけい）
Kanji : タイムマーカ ＋ 何を ＋ しましたか
Hiragana : タイムマーカ ＋ なにを ＋ しましたか
Romaji : Taimu Ma-ka ＋ なにを ＋ しましたか
Meaning : Time Marker ＋ nani wo ＋ shimashitaka
For an example :
Kanji ：一週間前 ＋ 何を ＋ しましたか
Hiragana ：いっしゅうかんまえ ＋ なにを ＋ しましたか
Romaji ：Isshuukan mae ＋ nani wo ＋ shimashitaka
Meaning ：A week ago ＋ (what did) ＋ (you) do ?
Answer Pattern with Past Time Marker
Kanji ：家の隣の池で魚を刷りました
Hiragana ：いえのとなりのいけでさかなをつります
Romaji ：Ie no tonari no ike de sakana wo tsurimasu.
Meaning ：(I am) fishing in the pond near (my) house.
The above pattern are pattern to create simple question and also answer asking activity which is being done in the past. Slightly pay attention to the end of the interrogative sentence, we have ‘shimashitaka’ (しましたか) instead of ‘shimasuka’ (しますか) where ‘ka’(か) is indicating an interrogative sentence. The reason is the time marker or the time when the activity happens. Past tense or ‘kako kei’ 過去形（かこけい）in a Japanese language sentence need for a verb to be altered, so we have ‘shimashitaka’ (しましたか) instead of ‘shimasuka’ (しますか).
Question Pattern with Present or Future Time Marker : Present Tense Form 現在形（げんざいけい）・ Future Tense Form 未来形（みらいけい）
Kanji : タイムマーカ ＋ 何を ＋ しますか
Hiragana : タイムマーカ ＋ なにを ＋ しますか
Romaji : Taimu Ma-ka ＋ なにを ＋ しますか
Meaning : Time Marker ＋ nani wo ＋ shimasuka
For an example :
Kanji ：明日 ＋何を ＋しますか
Hiragana ：あした ＋なにを ＋しますか
Romaji ：ashita ＋nani wo ＋shimasuka ?
Meaning ：tomorrow ＋what do you ＋do ?
Answer Pattern with Present or Future Time Marker Kanji
A ：今何を 書きますか
B ：手紙を 書きます
Hiragana
A ：いまなにを かきますか
B ：てがみを かきます
Romaji
A ：Ima nani wo kakimasuka
B ：Tegami wo kakimasu
Meaning
A ：What are you writing right now ?
B ：I am writing a letter.
The above pattern is question-answer paired which is generally used for asking activities done in the present or future time. We use ‘shimasuka’ (しますか) instead of ‘shimashitaka’ (しましたか) where ‘ka’(か) is indicating an interrogative sentence. The reason we use the pattern is the because the time marker or the time when the activity happens now or in the future. Below are all of the answers of all the questions based on the pattern. We can see the full questions in Minna Nihongo book chapter 6 practice B part 4 page 49 :
１．Answer
Kanji :昨日の午後 何を しましたか。
。。。レポートを 書きました。
Hiragana ：きょうのごご なにを しましたか。
。。。レポートを かきまします。
Romaji : Kinou no gogo nani wo shimashitaka.
… Repo-to wo kakimashita.
Meaning ：What did yoequ do yesterday afternoon ?.
… I wrote a report.
２．Answer Kanji : 今晩 何を しますか。
。。。テレビを見ます。
Hiragana ：こんばん なにを しますか。
。。。テレビを みます。
Romaji ：Konban nani wo shimasuka.
… Terebi wo mimasu.
Meaning ：What are you doing tonight ?.
… I watch television.
３．Answer
Kanji ：昨日 何を しましたか。
。。。友達に 会いました。
Hiragana ：きのう なにを あいますか。
。。。ともだちに あいました。
Romaji ：Kinou nani wo shimashitaka ?.
… Tomodachi ni aimashita.
Meaning ：What did you do yesterday ?.
… I met my friend.
４．Answer
Kanji ：一昨日 何を しましたか。
。。。友達と サッカーを しました。
Hiragana ：おととい なにを しましたか。
。。。ともだちと サッカーを しました。
Romaji ：Ototoi nani wo shimashitaka.
… Tomodachi to sakka- wo shimashita.
Meaning ：What did you two days ago ?.
… I played soccer with my friends.