In Japan, people who are 20 years old or older are legally allowed to drink alcohol. A group of friends is having a party at a restaurant. They are talking over a yakiniku dinner. Note how they speak casually, using plain-form verb endings.
M: ビール、飲む？
T: うん、ありがとう。 (T drinks beer.) ああ、おいしい。まりさんは飲まないの？
M: 私はジュースでいいわ。
T: どうして？ ビールはきらいなの？
M: ううん、あしたテストがあるの。
T: そうなんだ。ひろしくんは？
H: 飲むよ。ぼくはあしたテストがないから。
Vocabulary
1.
おいしい
delicious, tasty
2.
のまない
飲まない
not drink [plain negative form of のむ]
3.
の？
Gentle plain form of ～んですか . [のまないの？ : Is it that you don't drink?]
4.
ジュース
juice
5.
わ
Feminine sentence particle
6.
どうして？
How come? Why?
7.
～なの？
Gentle plain form of ～なんですか
8.
の
Gentle plain form of ～んです. [あるの : It's that I have...]
9.
そうなんだ
Blunt plain form of そうなんです . [そうなんだ : Is that so/why?]
Translation
A:
Are you going to drink beer?
B:
Yes, thanks.
It's so good. Aren't you going to drink, Mari?
A:
I'm fine with a juice.
B:
How come? Is it that you dislike beer?
A:
No, it's that I will have a test tomorrow.
B:
Is that so? How about you, Hiroshi?
A:
I'll drink. 'cause I don't have a test tomorrow.
