What’s it Like to Learn Japanese in Japan?

日本語の練習 第116週

Japanese Practice Week 116

2022年02月13日「日」第116週 

Hello everyone! Starting off with talking about one of my favorite YouTubers experience with learning Japanese. She also talks about a few resources that have helped her out. With that being said, let’s continue.

日本語のイベント／EVENT IN JAPANESE

日本語はあまり完璧じゃないだと思いますが、もっと上手になりたいから、毎日少しずつ勉強しています。

好きなユーチューバーは３年ぐらい日本住んでいます。この動画は日本語の勉強のことです。

多分見ないけど、コメントした。

先週、akidearestはビデオを発表しました。

TODAIのアプリのことを話しましたが、このアプリで色んなものことができます。

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N3　文法

[もしかしたら]

perhaps, maybe

Used to imply that the phrase being said is possible. Usually used with かもしれない.

もしかしたら + phrase + かもしれない
もしかすると + phrase + かもしれない

Ex: もしかしたら彼女は忙しいかもしれない。

　　(Maybe she’s busy.)

Ex: もしかしたら今年日本に行けるかもしれない。

　　(Perhaps I can go to Japan this year.) 

Ex: もしかすると彼氏と降られたかもしれない。

　　(Maybe she got dumped by her boyfriend.)

Ex: もしかするとドラマを見すぎたかもしれない。

　　(Perhaps he watches too many dramas.) 

[むき]

Suitable for…

Used to indicate a destination or an object. It can also indicate a person or a group. There are few ways to use this grammar that are listed below:

N + 向けだ／向けですー＞End of sentence
N + 向けにー＞Goes before a verb
向けの + Nー＞Goes before a noun

Ex: あの少年向けの漫画なのに、子供からお年寄りまで幅広く楽しめる感じがすごいですよね。

　　(Even though that manga is suited for boys, it’s great that it can be enjoyed by the young and old.)

Ex: あのゲーム会社はソシャゲが好きな人向けにゲームを発表する。

　　(That game company releases video games intended for people who like social games.) 

Ex: その図書館は大学生向けです。静かな場所で勉強したいなら、そこはおすすめです。

　　(That library is for university students. If you want to study in a quiet place, then I recommend that place.)

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N3　動詞／N3 VERBS

記憶する
きおくする
memory; recollection; remembrance

記＝scribe, account, narrative
憶＝recollection, think, remember

Memory is like writing (scribing) a document and saving it so you can go back to later (recollection). Unfortunately the ability to remember things (記憶力) varies quite a bit from person to person. Some have a good memory some have a bad memory (記憶薄い). But Bradley here thinks all humans memory is trash.

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対話／DIALGOUE

Two students discussing their struggles and wanting to go to Japan.

[日本に行きたい]

A: 日本語の勉強はどうですか？

B: いいですけど、まだ日本に行かないんです。

A: あ、そうですね。東京大学入学しても、日本に行かないなんて、最悪ですよ。

B: そうよ。でも、諦めたくないから、オンラインで勉強しています。

A: え？アメリカにいましたか？いつ起きましたか？

B: 午前４時。

A: すごい。何が手伝いのですか？

B: えっと、こんな数学の問題が苦手で、教えてくれませんか？

A: いいよ。

B: サンキュー。あ、そうだ。ジョシュアどうですか。

A: 今年、N2受け取るつもりですが、よかったら、一緒に日本語を勉強しましょうか？

B: うん、いいよ。

[I want to go to Japan]

A: How’s your Japanese studies coming along?

B: Fine, but I can’t go to Japan yet.

A: Oh yeah. For you not to be able to go to Japan even though you got into Tokyo University sucks.

B: It does. But I don’t want to give up, so I’m studying online.

A: Huh? Aren’t you in America? When do you wake up?

B: 4:00 am.

A: Wow. Is there anything I can help you with?

B: Uh, actually I’m not good at these kind of math problems, so could you help me with them?

A: Sure.

B: Thanks a bunch. Oh, and how about you Joshua? Anything you need help with?

A: I’m taking the N2 this year so could we study Japanese together?

B: Sure, I can do that.

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実況から勉強する：キングダムハーツ
LEARN FROM LET’S PLAYS: KINGDOM HEARTS

Now that Maleficent has been dealt with, the time has come to fight Riku.

 ①「大広間（おおひろま）」への通路（どうろ）

　 カイリ　カイリ！　目（め）を開（あ）けてくれ！

• Path to the Grand Hall
  • EN: Grand Hall
• Kairi Kairi! Open your eyes!

※ The grammar てーForm＋くれ is the more casual form of くれます・くれる. It means “please do” a certain verb for the speaker. It’s used to ask a favor of someone else. Like Sora here wanting Kairi to wake up (open her eyes).

🎮:39 Hah Goofy’s not joining this fight.

②無駄（むだ）だ。その娘（むすめ）は心（こころ）をなくして眠（ねむ）り続（つづ）けている。

　おまえ　リクじゃ　ないーー？

• It’s pointless. That girl no longer has a heart and will keep sleeping. 
  • EN: It’s no use. That girl has lost her heart. She cannot wake up.
• You’re… not Riku?
  • EN: What? You… You’re not Riku.

🎮Riku’s going full Dio on us.

③最後（さいご）のプリンセスが眠っているせいで　鍵穴（かぎあな）は未完成（みかんせい）のままだ。

　プリンセスーー？カイリがそうだって言（い）うのか！？

• Due to the last princess sleeping, the Keyhole remains incomplete.
  • EN: The Keyhole cannot be completed so long as the last princess of heart still sleeps.
• Princess? You’re saying Kairi’s a Princess?! 
  • EN: The princess…? Kairi’s a princess?

※ The word 未完成 means incomplete while the のまま part expresses that this is still happening even now.

④その娘の力（ちから）なくして　鍵穴は完成（かんせい）せん目覚めてもらうぞ。

　 勝手（かって）にリクをあやつって何（なに）言（い）ってる 　んだ！リクの心を返（かえ）せ！

• She has lost the power and the Keyhole can’t be complete. I’ll have you wake her up.
  • EN: Yes, and without her power, the Keyhole will remain incomplete. It is time she awakened.
• What are you having Riku say?! Give his heart back to him!
  • EN: Whoever you are, let Riku go! Give him back his heart!

※ The せん part means makes the verb into a negative. It works like ません.

⑤ならばおまえもプリンセスに心を返すがいい。

　いったいーー

• If that’s the case, then you should return the princess’s heart back to her.
  • EN: But first, you must give the princess back her heart.
• What was… 
  • EN: What’s–

⑥まだわからんのか？

　 反応（はんのう）しているのだよ。プリンセスの心が！

• You still don’t get it?
  • EN: Don’t you see yet?
• The princess’s heart is responding!

⑦おまえの中（なか）に眠る　カイリの心が！

　カイリが　俺（おれ）の中にーー

• Kairi’s heart sleeps within you!
  • EN: It has been there all along. Kairi’s heart rests within you!
• Kairi’s (heart) is in me…?
  • EN: Kairi… Kairi’s inside me?

⑧わが目（め）はすべて見通（みとおし）ている。

　 おまえ　誰（だれ）なんだ。

• My eyes see through all.
  • EN: I know all that there is to know.
• Who are you? 
  • EN: Tell me. Who are you?

※The verb 見通している means to see（見） through（通す） or to anticipate. Riku(?) is saying that he is a omniscient being.

⑨我（わ）が名（な）はアンセム　闇（やみ）の探求者（たんきゅうしゃ）。

　さあ　引（ひ）きずり出（だ）してやるぞ　プリンセス。

• My name is Ansem, Pursuer of Darkness.
  • EN: It is I, Ansem, the seeker of darkness.
• Now I’ll drag you out, Princess. 
  • EN: So, I shall release you now, Princess.

※ The word 探求者 means pursuer or searcher but I do like how they changed it to seeker. I also like the “It is I” line. It really gives off the archaicness that 我が gives off. Still gives the same message and sounds cooler.

※The verb 引きずり出して just means to drag out something. Not as to prolong something but to drag an object (in this case a heart) out of somewhere (in this case Sora)

🎮Annd there goes Donald. So, it is a solo match. This’ll be fun. That Princess line is giving me flashbacks to Jafar.

⑩その力（ちから）で鍵穴（かぎあな）を完成（かんせい）させ。私（わたし）を不滅（ふめつ）の闇に導（みちび）け！

　 おまえなんかにーー　おまえなんかにカイリの心を渡（わた）すもんか！

• Complete the Keyhole with your power. Guide me to eternal darkness!
  • EN: Complete the Keyhole with you power. Open the door, lead me into everlasting darkness!
• As if I’d… As if I’d give Kairi’s heart to the likes of you!
  • EN: Forget it! There’s no way you’re taking Kairi’s heart!

※ The word 不滅 means immortal or undying. 導け is the imperative form of the verb 導く which means to guide or to lead.

🎮Heck yeah Sora now it’s time to do some exorcism. Didn’t know if you shoot magic at him he shoots it back. I always whacked him with the Keyblade. His ultimate attack is nothing. You just have to stand in a certain spot to avoid it. Paradigm Shifter’s reflexes are great though. I don’t think I could keep block liking that XD. Oh it’s over.

⑪ソラは✨ラグナロクを手（て）にいれた！

　ソラ　大変（たいへん）だ！

　 かっ　鍵穴がー！？

• Sora learned ✨Ragnarök!
  • EN: Sora learned ✨Ragnarok.
• Sora, this isn’t good! 
  • EN: Sora! Sora, look!
• Th-the Keyhole…!?
  • EN: The… The Keyhole!

※If you ever want to make a character stutter start off with the first kana of that word and add a little つ (like this っ) and then put the word. How do you get the little つ? Just type x then tsu.

🎮Kind a find it a bit fitting that Sora learned Ragnarök here considering no one hasn’t died and the great battle hasn’t even started yet. But hey it sounds cool.

⑫だめだよ！鍵穴が不完全（ふかんせい）なんだ！

　どうすればいいんだ！？

　たぶん　カイリの目を覚（さ）ませばーー

• It’s no use! The Keyhole’s not finish!
  • EN: It won’t work! The Keyhole’s not finished yet!
• Then what do we do?!
  • EN: What can we do?
• If Kairi wakes then we probably…
  • EN: Maybe we’ve gotta go wake Kairi up.

🎮I do wonder where Sora puts the Keyblade in this game. It just disappears. Glad they fix that in the other games. I’m also kind of confused on why this world specifically needed all the princesses of hearts. Is Hollow Bastion that special?

⑬カイリの力があればーー カイリを解（と）き放（はな）てばーー

　 どうしたらいい？どうすればーー

　 人（ひと）の心の扉（とびら）を開（ひら）く　キーブレードーー

• If we had Kairi’s power… If we can release her heart…
  • EN: I think you’re right. If we can free her heart…
• What should I do? What should I… 
  • EN: But… But how?
• The Keyblade that opens a person’s heart…
  • EN: A Keyblade that unlocks people’s hearts… I wonder.

※The verb 解き放てば is the conditional form of 解き放つ which means to release. どうしたらいい is an expression that the speaker uses to say “what is the best thing to do” or “what to do”.

🎮Welp that’s one way to solve the problem but,…

⑭ソラ　まさか！？

　 待（ま）って！

　 みんなー！！！ソラを消（け）しちゃダメだーー！！

• No way, Sora!
  • EN: Sora, hold on!
• Wait!
  • EN: No, wait!
• Guys!!! We can’t let Sora just disappear!!
  • EN: Sora! Come back, Sora!

※ The しちゃダメ is a colloquial form of てーForm＋だめ. It is used to say don’t or you can’t.

🎮Whose going to lock the Keyhole now?

🎮So wait a minute… Sora had all the Princess’s hearts inside him or were they reacting to Kairi’s being released from Sora.

⑮俺（おれ）どうなるんだろーー消えーー　てーー　闇にーー

　ソラ　ほんとに消えーー

　 ううん　消（け）さない！絶対（ぜったい）消さない！　

• What’s going to happen to me… I’m disappearing into… the darkness.
  • EN: What’s… What’s happening to me? Falling… falling…into darkness.
• Sora, did you really disappear… 
  • EN: Sora, are you really–
• No, he won’t! He’s not going to!
  • EN: No. He can’t be! I won’t let him go!

🎮Was that a sign of how Kairi feels about Sora?!

⑯ようやく目覚めたか　最後（さいご）のプリンセスよ。

　だが鍵穴が完成した以上（いじょう）　もう用（よう）はない。

　 消えてもらうぞ。

• So the last Princess has awakened at last.
  • EN: So, you have awakened at last, Princess.
• But the Keyhole is now complete so I no longer have use for you.
  • EN: The Keyhole is now complete. You have served your purpose.
• I’ll have you disappear now.
  • EN: But now it’s over.

🎮Still giving off creeper Jafar vibes… but okay.

⑰そうはさせないぞ！

　僕（ぼく）たちだけで　だいじょうぶかな？

　わかんないよ！

• We’re not letting you!
  • EN: Don’t make another move!
• Are we going to be okay with just the two of us? 
  • EN: Do you think we can stop him all by ourselves?
• How would I know!
  • EN: I don’t know!

※ This わかんない is the colloquial expression for わからない. It means I don’t know, but I thought I’d go with something more snappy. Thought it’d be more in character for Donald.

⑱ば　ばかなーー

　俺の体（からだ）好（す）きにさせるか。

　 早（はや）く逃（に）げろ！ハートレスが来（く）るぞ！

• T-this can’t be…
  • EN: Impossible…
• I won’t let you do what you like with my body. 
  • EN: No. You won’t use me for this!
• Hurry up and run! The Heartless are coming!
  • EN: You’ve got to run! The Heartless are coming!

⑲鍵穴はどうしよう？

　いいから　早く！

• What about the Keyhole?
• Forget that, let’s get out of here! 
  • EN: Let’s just get out of here!

🎮I wonder what that little guy is doing?

Looks like the main character is gone. We’ll find out what’s up with that little Heartless next time.

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ヒトリゴト／JUST TALKING

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タイトルを見る／WHAT’S IN A TITLE

起死回生！！めざせ彼女の座！！

起死回生（きしかいせい）

This word is a 四字熟語, four kanji word. Let’s break down the kanji in them first.

The kanji 起 is probably from the verb 起きる (to rise)

死 means death.

回 is used as a counter for times you do something. For instance, もう一回 (one more time)

生 means life. Together with 回 it becomes 回生 which means resurrection or coming back to life.

Altogether it means “Revival from the brink of Death”. It can also express making a comeback from a hopeless situation. So I think I’ll go with “Rise from the Dead” here.

めざせ（目指せ）

目 means eye. 指 is the word for finger. Imagine you have a goal to and you want to get to a certain point. Like learning Japanese. You tell someone “I’m aiming to go here” and then point at that goal with your finger. This is basically what this verb is doing. You are looking at a goal and pointing at it. Or in other words, you are aiming for it.

目指せ is the imperative form of 目指す which means “to aim for” or “to have an eye on”. I’ll try something like “Lock-on to”.

彼女（かのじょ）の

In this context it means “girlfriend” but it can also mean the pronoun “she/her”. The possessive particles just adds an apostrophe s and makes girlfriend turn into girlfriend’s. So there is a person that is aiming to become someone’s girlfriend.

座（ざ）

This word can mean things like seat, position, or status. I don’t think Girlfriend’s (seat, position, or status) would work well here, so I think I’ll drop the apostrophe s.

So in all I’d go with:

“Rise From the Dead!! Lock-on to the Girlfriend Position”

I think this fits a lot better. This title comes from the anime Lovely★Complex. If I’m correct this anime was translated by one of my favorite translators, Sarah.

I’m still watching this anime but it is about a tall girl (by Japan’s standard… she’s 5′ 7″) named Risa Koizumi (小泉 = “little spring”) who his friends with a short guy named Atsahi Otani (大谷 = “big valley”). Despite their last names their stature is the opposite.

What make it even more interesting is that they are called All Hanshin Kyojin（オール阪神・巨人）by their teacher and is seen as a comedy duo in their high school. They got this name due to comedy duo from the 1970’s where their height difference is the reason for their stage name. They’re still doing comedy.

So Risa and Atsuhi both have a complex about their height… but where’s the love? Well one of the two starts to develop a crush on the other. How will it work out? Not sure, but I’m looking forward to finding out. Especially since this anime started airing the same year the manga ended. Which may mean that this anime is a highlight reel from the manga. But I could be wrong. Here’s to hoping I’m right.

On another note, I like that the characters mainly use Kansai-ben. It’s rare to find an anime like this so I’m happy to find one of the dialects that I want to learn here. Plus Risa is voiced by Nami from One Piece.

Here’s a PV if you are interested:

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レイの日記

ジムリーダ戻ってきたが、ポケモンジムの石像の隣の男ジムリーダの正体が知らない。どうやって？あいつここに歩いてきたか？ちょっと。。。あのパネルなぜここにーまさか。。。「あの奴」だな。男はこのジムじめんタイプと言った。だから、イナズマ使えない。たぶんイッコケセイも。どうしたらいい？

エリートトレーナーのダグトリオキリヤマとグリマスを倒れた。殺し前に、レッド強くになるべきだ。パソコンでコクヨウガンとフリクリゲットした。あいつじめんタイプポケモンがいるジムと言ったが、いろんなタイプポケモンがいるぞ。

訓練しないと。誰も失いたくないんだ。トキワシティでニョロモを掴めた。「ウズマキ」あだ名付けた。２３番道路でオコリザル掴んで、「ルフィ」あだ名付けた。ウズマキニョロゾになった、この間、みずのいしで、ウズマキはニョロボンに進化したが強さまだまだだ。ジムリーダのバトル。。。誰かが倒れてしまう。。。誰？

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REI’S JOURNAL

So, the Gym Leader has returned and the guy by the gym statue doesn’t know who it is. How? Didn’t he walk pass you? Wait… why are there moving panels here– No way… it can’t be “that guy”, right. This’ll be a ground type gym so I can’t use Inazuma. Probably not Ikkokesei, either. What am I going to do?

A cool trainer’s Dugtrio killed Kiriyama and Grimasu with Dig. Should go train Red before it gets killed, too. Took Kokuyougan and Furikuri out of the PC. He said that this is a ground type Gym, but these guys have different types.

Gotta go train my team. Can’t lose anyone else.

Caught a Poliwag in Viridian City and named it Uzumaki. Caught a Primeape on the Route 23. Named it Luffy. Uzumaki evolved to Poliwhirl, then I used a Water Stone to evolve it to Poliwrath. It’s still not strong enough. Someone’s gonna get sacrificed in this match… but who?

In conclusion, I hope that this series is helpful with your journey to learning Japanese and/or taking an interest in the country’s culture. Until then… また来週！