Japanese by Example

Learning through examples in manga

  • About
  • Grammar
    • Modifying a noun
    • Basic sentence types
      • Stating a subject noun is another noun
      • Stating an attribute of a subject noun
      • Stating the action of a subject noun
  • Particles
    • Marking the direct object of an action with を
    • Excluding the subject with the invisible が
    • Marking the holder of an attribute with が
    • Marking the doer of an action が
  • Expressions
  • Series
  • Learning to Read Japanese
  • Sacchan’s place with 〜んち

    Grammar Explanation

    三ツ星カラーズ » Volume 4 » Page 38

    Sacchan and her friends decide to make a movie about the district they live in. They stop by Sacchan’s mother’s shop to film a scene.

    さっちゃん:
    「次(つぎ)はうちんち!黄瀬(きせ)フルーツ。これがかあちゃん」
    “Next is my place! Kise Fruits. This is my mom.”
    お母(かあ)さん:
    「黄瀬(きせ)フルーツへようこそー」
    “Welcome to Kise Fruits.”

    「うちのうち」 is contracted into 「うんち」.

    April 3, 2022
  • Is your dad still a detective with 〜のだ

    Grammar Explanation

    名探偵コナン » Volume 1 » Page 12

    Ran seems angry as Shin’ichi basks in the media attention he’s getting for solving a difficult case. When Shin’ichi asks Ran why she’s angry, she points out that it’s because of Shin’ichi that her father’s been getting fewer case requests.

    蘭(らん):
    「怒(おこ)ってなんかいませんよー!!」
    “I’m not at all angry!”
    新一(しんいち):
    「あれー?蘭(らん)の父(とう)さん、まだ探偵(たんてい)やってたのか?」
    “Huh? Your dad was still working as a detective?”
    Literal: “Huh? Is it that your dad was still working as a detective?”

    Shin’ichi has the incomplete observation that Ran’s father is losing work taking cases because of Shin’ichi’s detective work.

    Considering how bad Ran’s father is at being a detective, it’s surprising to Shin’ichi that he’s still in the detective business.

    However, based on Ran’s remark, Shin’ichi reasons that her father must still be working as a detective. He puts this as a question for confirmation.

    April 2, 2022
  • One’s house with 〜んち

    The text 「◯◯◯のうち」 (“◯◯◯’s house”) often gets contracted to 「◯◯◯んうち」.

    If the name ends in ん, that gets contracted in as well: 「◯◯◯さんのうち」 becomes 「◯◯◯さんち」.

    Examples of 〜んち

    April 2, 2022
  • Reasoning with 〜のだ

    One of the trickier Japanese grammar structures for English natives to get used to is のだ.

    Examples of 〜のだ

    (more…)

    April 2, 2022
  • Difficult to meet up with 〜づらい

    Grammar Explanation

    キラキラ100% » Volume 2 » Page 158

    After recovering from over-dieting, Miku quickly gained back the weight she had lost. She receives a text message from her boyfriend, Shibutani, about scheduling time to meet up between their summer classes, but she turns him down.

    みく:
    「ごめんね渋谷」
    “I’m sorry, Shibutani.”
    「なんかやっぱり会いづらい…」
    “It’s still difficult to meet with you…”
    「また太(ふと)っちゃって」
    “I’ve put in weight again…”
    March 30, 2022
  • Difficult to say with 〜づらい

    Grammar Explanation

    俺物語!! » Volume 1 » Page 141

    Takeo feels Rinko is keeping something from him, but can’t figure out what. Makoto and Ai meet with Rinko to confront her about it.

    愛(あい):
    「言(い)って! 猛男(たけお)に言(い)づらいんでしょ? 猛男(たけお)に言(い)わないから!」
    “Tell me! It’s difficult to say to Takeo, right? But I won’t tell Takeo!”
    誠(まこと):
    「絶対(ぜったい)言(い)う…」
    “She’ll definitely tell him…”
    March 29, 2022
  • Difficult to see the text with 〜づらい

    Grammar Explanation

    好きな子がめがねを忘れた » Volume 1 » Page 12

    Komura shares his history book with Mie. Since Mie forgot her glasses, she leans in as she strains to see the material written in the book.

    小村(こむら):
    「どどどど どうしたの!? の!?!?」
    “Wh-wh-what’s wrong?!”
    三重(みえ):
    「ちょっと見(み)えづらくて」
    “It’s a bit difficult to see…”
    March 28, 2022
  • Difficult to do with 〜づらい

    To express that an action is difficult, the auxiliary adjective may be づらい is appended to the verb stem.

    (more…)

    March 28, 2022
  • Difficult to pass on with 〜がたい

    Grammar Explanation

    ご注文はうさぎですか? » Volume 1 » Page 46

    Visiting her new friend’s family’s café, Cocoa ponders over which menu item to order.

    ココア:
    「わー抹茶(まっちゃ)パフェもいいし クリームあんみつ白玉(しらたま)ぜんざいも 捨(す)てがたいなあ」
    “Wow, then green tea parfait is good, but the cream anmitsu and dumpling red bean soup are difficult to pass on.”
    March 12, 2022
  • Hard to believe with 〜がたい

    Grammar Explanation

    怪盗セイント・テール » Volume 1 » Page 74

    A student from a lower grade enters the classroom. She stops and stares at Asuka Jr., one of the boys in the class.

    涼子(りょうこ):
    「ある特定(とくてい)のところに集中(しゅうちゅう)してない? しかも」
    “Isn’t she focused on one particular area? And on top of that…”
    恭子(きょうこ):
    「ものすごく信(しん)じがたいところに……」
    “It’s in a frightfully hard to believe area…”
    March 12, 2022
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Japanese by Example

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