Hello, I am Yoshi from NILS Japanese language school. You will learn four new sentence patterns today.
[Nは　どうですか]
This question is used to ask and impression ro an opinion about a thing, place or person, etc., that the listener has experienced, visited or met.
(Example)
日本の　生活（せいかつ）は　どうですか。　　—楽（たの）しいです。
How is the life in Japan?　　　—It’s enjoyable.
*生活：　life
*楽しい：　enjoyable

[N1は　どんな　N2ですか]
When the speaker wants the listener to describe or explain N1, this question pattern is used. N2 denotes the category N1 belongs to. The interrogative どんな is always followed by a noun.
(Example)
京都（きょうと）は　どんな　町（まち）ですか。　　　—古（ふる）い　町です。
What kind of town is Kyoto?　　　—It’s an old town.
*町：　town
*古い：　old　⇔　新（あたら）しい：　new

[S1が、S2]
が is a conjunctive particle, meaning “but.” It is used to link sentences.
(Example)
日本の　食べ物（もの）は　おいしいですが、高いです。
Japanese food is good, but expensive.
*食べ物：　food
*おいしい：　delicious, tasty
*高い：　expensive　⇔　安（やす）い：　inexpensive, cheap

[どれ]
This interrogative is used to ask the listener to choose or designate one from more than two things concretely shown or named.
(Example)
田中さんの　かさは　どれですか。　　　—あの　青（あお）い　かさです。
Which is Mr. Tanaka’s umbrella?　　　–That blue one is.
*かさ（傘）：　umbrella
*青い：　blue

July 18th News, from NILS Japanese language school.