Grammar Info
N4 Lesson 1: 9/18

方(かた)
Way of ~ing, How to ~, Manner of ~ing

Structure
Verb[ます+
する]Verb + + 仕方
Noun + + Verb[ます+

Examples:
飲みます +
勉強 + + 仕方
Details
Register Standard
使用域 一般
Information
When 方(かた) is attached to the ます stem of a verb, it carries the nuance of the ‘way of doing (A)’. This is identical to 方(かた)’s standard meaning of ‘way’, or ‘direction’.
  • 何(なに)その食(た)べ方(かた)、口(くち)閉(と)じ
    What is that way of eating? Please close your mouth.
  • ネクタイ結(むす)び方(かた)弟(おとうと)教(おし)え
    I will teach my brother the way to tie a necktie. (How to do it)
  • 外国語(がいこくご)勉強(べんきょう)仕方(しかた)分(わ)からない
    I do not know how to study a foreign language. (The way to do it)
When used with する verbs, sometimes the construction 仕方(しかた) is seen. This has exactly the same meaning as the form without kanji, and may be thought of as meaning ‘way of dealing/attending to (A)’, as 仕(し)’s original meaning is ‘to attend to (A)’. In these cases, the する verb is followed by , and then 仕方(しかた).
  • 先輩(せんぱい)、ファックス仕方(しかた)教(おし)えてください
    Senpai, can you teach me how to fax?
  • 私(わたし)高校(こうこう)時(とき)母(はは)から貯金(ちょきん)仕方(しかた)教(おそ)わりました
    I learned how to save money from my mother, when I was in highschool.
Fun Fact
After attaching 方(かた) to a verb, the entire expression is thought of as a noun-phrase. This means that it can be followed by particles such as , , and others, to create longer sentences.
  • 引(ひ)っ越(こ)し屋(や)さん家具(かぐ)運(はこ)び方(かた)見(み)、彼(かれ)体力(たいりょく)ビックリ
    After seeing the way the removalists were carrying the furniture, I was surprised by their strength.
Slow Male
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彼(かれ)泳(およ)方(かた)変(へん)
His way of swimming is strange.
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お菓子(かし)作(つく)方(かた)学(まな)
I will learn how to make sweets.
Play  
文法(ぶんぽう)勉強(べんきょう)方(かた)教(おし)えてください
Please teach me how to study grammar.
Play  
Books
Genki II 2nd Edition
Page 260
[DBJG] A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar
Page 183
Tae Kim's Japanese Grammar Guide
Page 272
[AIAIJ] An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese
Page 17