Speak Japanese in 90 Days, volume 2

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Day 60: Even


The suffix can be translated as even or the only thing needed. It is used to show
our lowest expectations. When we use this with nouns, we need to change it to ,
however, the is often dropped.

It's easy. Even a child can do it.
(Lit. The only thing needed to be able to do it is a child.)


Even a small amount of poison can kill you.
(Lit. The only thing needed to kill you is a small amount of poison.)


If we use with verbs, we need to remember to add to the verb:

He can't even walk!
(Lit. Your lowest expectation would be that he can walk, but he can't!)


I can't do anything. Even sleeping is difficult.
(Lit. The only thing needed for difficulty is sleeping.)



An idiomatic expression with this grammar is . This will follow a noun, usually a
person, to make the phrase, if it's okay with.

If it's okay with you, I'd like to go too.


If it's okay with Jim, can I eat this?


Day 60 Grammar Cards:

1. Even (lowest expectations)
(noun) +
(verb) +
2. If it's okay
[]

Day 61: As Long As, All You Have to Do Is

As long you as do your best, nothing can go wrong! Today's grammar will seem
a bit intimidating at first, because there are a few steps, but actually it's quite
easy to use once we realize a few things. Do you remember the meaning of ? It
was: the only thing necessary.


To say as long as with nouns, use plus the E-Form conditional of or . When we
combine with the E-Form conditional, we are literally saying if the only thing
necessary exists. As I'm sure you already know, we will use for animate nouns,
and for inanimate nouns. Let's take a look at the grammar structure and some
examples:

(noun) + () + (result)

As long as you have money, it will be okay.


As long as Jim is here, it will be okay.


We can also make this negative, by changing the E-Form conditional into the
negative:

As long as you don't have bad intentions, it will be okay.


As long as Jim isn't here, it will be okay.



For verbs, the grammar is slightly different. We use the I-Form in place of the
noun, and use the E-Form conditional of instead of or . The literal translation of
this is: if the only thing necessary happens, which can usually be translated as all
you have to do it, or as long as. Let's take a look at the grammar structure and
some examples:

I-Form + + (result)

All you have to do is earn money, it will be okay.
As long as you earn money, it will be okay.


As long as Jim goes, it will be okay.


Again, we can make these negative by changing the E-form conditional into the
negative:

All you have to do is not earn money, it will be okay.
As long as you don't earn money, it will be okay.


As long as Jim doesn't go, it will be okay.


[] isn't the only result we can have, of course, but the result needs to be
something positive. Translations of the sentences will vary depending on the
results:

If only you had asked more politely, I would have lent it to you.


As long as you don't complain, you can come along.


Day 61 Grammar Cards:
1. As long as (noun)
Affirmative: (noun) + () + (result)
Negative: (noun) + () + (result)
2. As long as (verb) / All you have to do is (verb)

Affirmative: I-Form + + (result)
Negative: I-Form + + (result)

Day 62: At Most, No More Than, At Best, At Least


shows the limit of things, and is often used with time, distance, or amounts. It
can usually be translated as at most, no more than, or, depending on the context,
at best. is placed before the amount. It is usually paired with ~ (only), and less
commonly, the affirmative version (only):

This will take (at most / no more than) one hour.


This will take at most one hour.


I have (at best / no more than) a hundred yen.


I have at best a hundred yen.


is also used with your expectations or estimations. In this usage, you don't need
or , but you need to say that it is your estimation by adding , , or . Again, the
English translation depends on the context, some English translations sound
much more natural than others.

Until he recovers, it will be (at most / no more than) a year, right?


He can drive (at best / at most / no more than) 5km, right?


I thought that baby was (at most / at best / no more than) a year old.


I think he earns (at most / at best / no more than) a hundred million yen.

We can use to express our minimal desires. This is often used in requests, or to
show our minimal expectations about what someone should do.

You should eat vegetables at least twice a day.


He could have at least bought me a new one.



can be used with quantities to show we are certain about the minimum amount.
In English we use phrases like at least, no fewer than, no less than.

She owns at least three houses.


He has no less than a hundred million yen in savings.


Day 62 Grammar Cards:
1. At most / At best
[] (UK)
2. At least (desires)

3. At least (certainty with a quantity)
Number +

Day 63: Behavior


The word has a very interesting definition. If you look it up, the dictionary will
say that it is a verb that means to behave as if one were. Sounds a little strange
right? You use this word to describe other people's behavior, and it is sometimes
not translated at all. This word is often used to describe other people's desires.
Up until now, you've probably been using the Tai-Form, which is okay, but
using this implies you know what the other person is thinking, and that's sort of
rude in Japanese, to presume you know someone so well. Because of this, we
will combine the Tai-Form with , to say that you don't know for certain what
someone wants, but you can infer from their behavior. We construct this by
dropping the final from the Tai-Form before adding .

She wants to go to Disneyland.
(Lit. She is behaving as if she wants to go to Disneyland.)


He wants to eat ice cream.
(Lit. He is behaving as if she wants to eat ice cream.)


You will only use this grammar with statements, because when you are asking a
question, you aren't presuming to know anything, so you can simply make your
questions about other people with the Tai-Form.

Does she want to go to Disneyland?


Does he want to eat ice cream?


To use this word with adjectives, we drop the final from I-Adjectives and add
to the end. For Na- and No-Adjectives we simply add . When we use it with
adjectives, it will often be translated as act or be. Because describes behavior, it
can't be used for all adjectives, after all, it's impossible to behave orange. As
mentioned in Volume One, can be used with adjective commands for adjectives

that describe behavior or emotions.

He is acting scared, isn't he?

Don't be shy.


Day 63 Grammar Cards:
1. Other people's desires
Tai-Form drop add
2. Acting / Behaving
(I-Adjective) drop add
(Na- No-Adjective) add

Day 64: Tend to


We can use the I-Form + to show that something tends to, with a negative
nuance. This suffix is expressing our certainty, so it sometimes can be translated
as tends to, usually, often, etc. It turns the verb into a noun, so we need to add
the copula.

This train tends to be late.


He tends to get angry a lot.


When we want to say tends to with adjectives or nouns, use the verb (to
become) where we say be or feel in English. Since we are using , the adjective in
the English translation will be an adverb in Japanese.

Winter tends to make me feel sad.


Without motivation, everyone tends to be lazy.



We can also use the noun [] (tendency / trend) as a suffix to the U-Form. When
we do this, it will change the verb into a noun, so we need to say that the
tendency exists. This can be used with positive or negative sentences. [] is
slightly more formal than .

This train tends to be late.


Recently, young people tend to complain about economics.

Day 64 Grammar Cards:
1. Tend to (negative nuance)
I-Form + [] (UK)
2. Have a tendency
U-Form + [] +

Day 65: Reading 12

Reading 12 Vocabulary:
1) plastic Gundam models
2) [] to invite / to ask
6) [] back / reverse side
7) [] completion
7) [] to ask / to inquire
8) [] drawer
8) [] glue
9) [] to finish / to be completed
10) [] parts / components
16) [] expectation / prediction
19) [] in the middle of / en route
19) [] to escape / to leave / to come out
23) [] to injure / to hurt someone's feelings
27) [] to give up

Reading 12:



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Day 66: Look, Sound, Seem Part 1

In English we use words like look, appear, sound, to show how something seems
or what something is like. We use these words based on which of our senses are
being used, or how we received the information. In Japanese, there are a few
different words for seem, but the rules for each word are different. With the
exception of one word, every word for seem that we will learn in the next few
lessons are homonyms with other words. Because of this, you can easily become
confused when hearing these words, so take care to study these next lessons
well!


The most common word used to mean seem is []. You might recognize the
kanji, which is used for the honorific suffix . The additional core meanings of
this kanji are way and manner. This word describes how something looks, or
what it is similar to, so it's best to translate this as looks like, or appears to be.

The first set of rules are for when appears at the end of a sentence. When we
attach it to the end of a sentence, we also need to add or . The verb will take the
casual conjugation, and the politeness will be determined by the copula.

It looks like he bought a new car.


It seems like the company went bankrupt.



The next set of rules apply when using with clauses. We can attach to connect
clauses to show how something was done. When we do this, the translation can
be like, as though, or as if:

He was talking (like / as though / as if) he had become the boss.


She is eating (like / as though / as if) she is starving to death.

This construction is often paired with the verbs [] (to say) and [] (to hear) to
indicate how something was said or how it sounded:

She said it like someone had died.


It sounded like there was an accident.


When we attach to a noun, we need to place in front of it.

She appears to be a singer.


This seems to be a toy.



Noun + is often used as a Na-Adjective to describe appearance or behavior.

He was talking like the boss.
(Lit. He was talking with boss like words.)


She was dressed like a princess.
(Lit. She was wearing princess like clothes.)


is often paired with (), and when it is, has the same basic meaning as (), but
slightly more vague, because we aren't saying this kind of, but rather, like this
kind of. Compare the following examples.

This kind of thing is wrong.

Something like this kind of thing is wrong.


Those kinds of words are polite.


Those kinds of words like that are polite.


Again, means manner or way, because of this, (in what way) is often used to
ask how to do something. Up until now, you may have just been using , which
every Japanese speaker will understand, but a more natural way to ask how to do
is to use .

How do you make this dish?


Day 66 Grammar Cards:
1. look / sound / seem like (sentence)
End of sentence
2. look / sound / seem (like / as though /as if)
(sentence) + + (sentence)
3. look / sound / seem like a (noun)
(noun) +
(noun) + (used as an adjective)
4. like (this / that) kind of
()
5. how

Day 67: Look, Sound, Seem Part 2


We can use to mean seem. This words differentiates itself from the others by
having the nuance that something seems likely, there is a nuance of probability,
we are stating our guess or a conjecture. The first thing to note is that we cannot
use this word with nouns. This word is used most commonly with adjectives.
When we use it with an I-Adjective, we need to drop the final . For negative I-
Adjectives, we drop the in and add .

That looks delicious.


That doesn't look delicious.


This sounds like fun.


This doesn't sound like fun.


The adjective [] (good) is special, we need to change the final to , even in the
affirmative.

Sounds good.


Doesn't sound good.


Another special idiomatic case of this is the adjective (cute). If we add to this, it
translates to: You poor thing. If you want to say that something looks cute, you
can just say by itself.

With Na-Adjectives in affirmative sentences, simply add to the end of the
adjective.

It looks easy.


It seems convenient, doesn't it?


With Na-Adjectives in negative sentences, we conjugate the copula, dropping
and adding .

It doesn't look easy.


It doesn't seem convenient, does it?


If we use with a verb, we attach it to the I-Form.

It seems like it will rain.


It seems like he is getting a promotion.


If we use with a negative verb, we drop the in and add . This is the same thing
we did with the adjectives. The special verbs (to do) and [] (to come) follow the
same rules.

It seems like it won't rain.


It seems like he isn't getting a promotion.

It seems likely that he won't come.


We can also use with Tai-Form verbs, to say seems like ~ want to. The final in
the Tai-Form will be dropped, just like adjectives.

It seems like he wants to eat sushi, doesn't it?


It seems like she doesn't want to go outside.


Day 67 Grammar Cards:
1. look / sound / seem (likely) (I-Adjective)
Affirmative: drop add
Negative: drop add
2. look / sound / seem (likely) (Na- No-Adjective)
Affirmative: add
Negative: add
3. look / sound / seem good (likely)
[]
4. You poor thing.
[] (UK)
5. look / sound / seem (likely) (verb)
Affirmative: I-Form +
Negative: Nai-Form + drop add
Tai-Form: drop add
Negative Tai-Form: drop add
6. Doesn't look / sound / seem (likely) (

[]

Day 68: Look, Sound, Seem Part 3


In English we have the suffix -ish to describe how something seems. In
Japanese, they use the slang word . This only attaches to nouns and is only used
in casual conversations.

That's childish.


He talks like a woman.



By now you may be able to recognize the kanji , which means spirit or energy.
It's used in the word [] (feeling). It's this word from which we will derive the
next suffix: . is a suffix that can attach itself to emotional I-adjectives, to say
that someone is getting that feeling. For example, you cannot use this with the
adjective red, because the color red is not an emotional feeling, and the subject
must be a person, because robots and other inanimate things don't have feelings.
This grammar is actually quite rare, and usually interchangeable with , which we
learned yesterday.

We will drop the final before adding . Adding this suffix will turn the word into
a Na-Adjective. Let's look at some examples:

fun → fun feeling

→
→


sad → sad feeling

→
→


The adjective [] is an exception and becomes [].

When we use this in sentences, the translations usually won't include the word
feeling, but the meaning is implied. Please study the following examples:

I saw children playing happily at the park.
(Lit. I saw children playing with a fun feeling at the park.)


She won't stop saying sad (feeling) things.


We can use with Tai-Form verbs, to say that you get the feeling that someone
wants to do something. When we use it with the Tai-Form, we have to drop the
final . This construction is rare, however. Instead of using this construction, most
speakers will use or .

He looked like he wanted to say something.


He looked like he wanted to say something.


He looked like he wanted to say something.


Day 68 Grammar Cards:
1. ~ish

~

2. Type of feeling (emotional I-Adjective)
drop add
3. Type of feeling (good)
[]
4. to look like wanting to (verb)
Tai-Form drop add

Day 69: Look, Sound, Seem Part 4


We can use to mean look, sound, or seem. This is a very casual way to say look,
sound, and seem, and used only in conversation. You will use it for things you
directly experience. Of course, it comes from the verb to see, so we will usually
use this to describe how things appear or resemble. Don't confuse this with []
(want to see) or with the Te-Form construction we learned to say to try: . We
can't conjugate this word like an adjective either. We need to use a negative or
past form of or .

It looks like snow, doesn't it?


It doesn't look like snow, does it?



For our direct experiences, we can also use the Te-Form + , or an adverb + .
Don't confuse this with the meaning can see. When we use this construction, it
can only be used with descriptive verbs or adjectives.

He looks like he lost weight.


She's looking very nice.



The phrase means completely or totally. This is the same meaning as [] but is
only used in sentences with a negative nuance, and shows your own personal
judgment.

We are completely opposed to that strategy.

I'm not like you at all.


has a secondary meaning of just like or as if. However, for this secondary
meaning, we need to add , so actually, even though it is listed as a definition in
the dictionary, itself doesn't have the meaning like, but rather, it is often used in
sentences to emphasize .

His behavior was just like my father.


This is just like a dream.


The translation as if for shows a contrast with reality. To emphasize that the
behavior contrasts with reality, we need to add after the verb. This changes the
clause into a question, which shows the contrast. For nouns, we need to use the
verb . It may be easier to translate these types of sentences if you think of them
as two separate sentences in English.

She is talking as if she is dying.
(Lit. Is she dying? She is talking like she is.)


He is drinking as if he were a king.
(Lit. Is he a king? He is drinking like he is.)


Day 69 Grammar Cards:
1. (casual) look / seem / sound
+ ()
2. look / seem / sound (descriptive direct experience)
Te-Form +
(adverb) +
3. completely / totally (negative nuance)
[] (UK)

4. just like
5. as if

Day 70: Look, Sound, Seem Part 5

The words we will learn today are often used to report hearsay, that is,
information you are not the primary source of.


has a nuance of showing your expectations, your judgment of a situation based
on evidence. In English, the conjugation of seem controls the tense of the
sentence, but the Japanese sentence will modify the verb.

It seems like she will come.


It seems like she won't come.
It doesn't seem like she will come.


It seems like she came.


It seems like she didn't come.


With nouns, can be used as a suffix, similar to , and can be conjugated like an
adjective, to make negative, past, and negative past forms. Conjugations of are
usually used with pronouns.

You're not hungry? That doesn't seem like you.


You didn't seem like yourself yesterday.



We can use to report things that we are not the primary source of, that is, we use
it to report information that we heard, hearsay. We are not sure if the information

is 100% accurate. It varies slightly from in that you aren't including any of your
personal judgments or feelings, you are simply reporting. Note that we have
already learned as a translation for seem, but this version has different rules. For
this construction, we simply place it at the end of a sentence and follow it with
or .

It seems like she won't come.
I heard that she won't come.


It seems there was a traffic accident.
I heard that there was a traffic accident.


Day 70 Grammar Card:
1. look / sound / seem / like (hearsay / expectations)

End of sentence

Day 71: In Order to, So That, Hopes

We've already learned one way to say in order to, and that is to use . But, there
are a couple more ways we need to learn.


To say that you are doing something in order to do something else, or that you
are doing something so that you can do something else, we will use the U-Form
+ . The word order is the opposite of English, that is, Japanese places the hope or
desire first, and the action that we do to achieve the goal second.

I study every day in order to be able to speak Japanese.
I study every day so that I can speak Japanese.


I'm dieting in order to lose weight.


If you remember that means to seem, then it may help you understand why this
is used for these translations. It is literally saying To seem like I can speak
Japanese, and, To seem like I lose weight. This grammar illustrates the latent
humbleness that is ingrained in the Japanese language. People don't study in
order to speak, they study so they can seem like they can speak! More seriously,
this grammar is used to express your hopes and desires, so using it in place of
explicitly expresses your desire to achieve the goal rather than just stating what
you are doing.

If a sentence ends with with nothing following it, then it expresses a hope or
desire on the part of the speaker. This can also be followed by the command , but
it is often dropped. Depending on the context, the translation for the sentence
can be very different. It can be used as a command, or to express wants or hopes.

You should study every day.
I hope you study every day.
I want you to study every day.
Please study every day.

Please don't forget anything.


Day 71 Grammar Cards:
1. In order to (desires)
U-Form + + (action)
2. Express hopes / Commands
End of sentence ()

Day 72: Be Sure to, Try to, Reach the Point


We've already learned that at the end of a sentence is used to express our hopes
and desires, but depending on the conjugation of , the translation can change a
bit. As we learned yesterday, pairing it with expresses a command. Paired with
an unconjugated , you can use it to talk about yourself, with the translation: be
sure to or try to. If we conjugate it into the continuous , it shows we are currently
trying to behave in a certain way. Compared to the O-Form + , this grammar has
the nuance of making a continuous effort, so it is often used to express that you
are trying to do something over a longer period of time, you are making an effort
to change.

If I take a vacation to New York, I'll be sure to go to Central Park.


You should try to ask more politely.


I am trying not to eat carbohydrates.


Trying to understand modern physics is difficult.



When we want to say we are trying not to do something, we can also use the
Mai-Form + . Remember that the Mai-Form is actually just the negative O-Form.
The nuance is in the timing of the events. In the following first example with ,
we are saying in general, over a longer period of time, but in the second example
with , the listener is in a situation where they are currently about to feel pain.

When you feel pain, try not to cry.


When you feel pain, try not to cry.

When we pair with the verb [](to become) it means that you have reached the
point where you can do something. Before you couldn't do it, but now you can.

After five years, I've reached the point where I can eat octopus.
I couldn't before, but after five years I can eat octopus.


I can run 10km now. (But I couldn't before)

Day 72 Grammar Cards:
1. (Be / Make) sure to
End of sentence
2. Trying to (in general)

3. (Be / Make) sure not to / try not to (currently)
Mai-Form +
4. To reach the point where
End of sentence

Day 73: Deduce, Change of Plans, Somehow or Other


In English we have phrases like It follows that and We can see that to express
how we can deduce an outcome from the circumstances. In Japanese we can do
this with . Let's think about the phrase for a second. With this phrase, we are
literally saying something became, a change in our thinking happened due to
new information. In English, we often won't explicitly say this, and even in
Japanese, you can drop this without changing the meaning of the sentence much.

If what you said is true, then (we can deduce that) he is a liar.


(It follows that) Taking those measures would bankrupt this company.


In English we have great phrases like end up doing and turn out that which
indicate that an unexpected change occurred and our end result is different from
our previous assumption. In other languages these phrases are very difficult to
translate, but lucky for you, it's very simple in Japanese! We just learned that
shows a deduction, so it's easy to see how this can also translate to show a
change in plans, with new information, we are able to deduce that the plans are
different.

It turns out that I'm being transferred to Tokyo.


They ended up postponing the match.


I thought about joining, but I ended up staying home.


I thought he couldn't come, but it turns out that his work was canceled and
will come.

is yet another way to say seem, but implies that you don't really understand the
reason why. This is why it also has the definition of somehow or other.

Somehow or other, it turned out that I'm being transferred to Tokyo.


It seems that they ended up postponing the match.


I don't know why, but (somehow / it seems that) he got disqualified.

I seem to have dropped my wallet somehow.


Day 73 Grammar Cards:
1. Deduce an outcome / Change of plans
2. Seem / Somehow or other

Day 74: Feel, Worry, Care, Interest

Do you feel like studying today? Of course you do! In today's lesson we will
learn many phrases using the word []. In addition to spirit and energy, this kanji
also means feeling and mood. For today's phrases, let's work with the additional
core meanings of feeling and mood. All of the phases today vary only slightly,
but have completely different meanings, so be sure to study this lesson carefully.


With [], something is making you feel a certain way. Notice that [] is the
subject of the sentence, so it is the thing doing the action, making your feel a
certain way. In English, we usually say I feel like, I have a feeling that, or I'm
getting the feeling that. This will follow the verb that you are feeling.

I feel like tonight is going to be fun.
I have a feeling that tonight is going to be fun.
I am getting the feeling that tonight is going to be fun.


I feel like he is angry.
I have a feeling that he is angry.
I am getting the feeling that he is angry.


We can also add to show a lesser degree of certainty.

I feel like everyone is looking at me.


I feel like she is lying.



When becomes , it shows something is being focused on your [] (energy), or
rather, your energy is being focused somewhere. This can translate to care about
or worry about. In English care has a positive nuance and worry has a negative
nuance, but in Japanese [] is neutral. Because of this, if we translate to care, it

doesn't mean it is motivating you to actually do something, and if we translate to
worry, it doesn't mean you have a bad outlook, both just mean your energy is
focused there. In Japanese, the verbs with a stronger nuance are [] (to care) and [
] (to worry).

She (worries / cares) about global warming.
(Lit. She focuses energy toward global warming).


She cares about her appearance.
(Lit. She focuses energy toward her appearance.)


Don't worry about that!
(Lit. Don't focus your energy on that.)


It's okay. (I don't care / I'm not worried).



If you care about something and you are actually willing to do something about
it, you have to spend your energy! [] translates to care about, with the nuance
that you are actually willing to do something. It takes energy! This is similar to
using [].

She cares about global warming. (And wants to help.)


She cares about poor children. (And wants to help.)



If something has become the focus of your energy, you are obsessing over it. It
has overtaken your thoughts. [] is mostly used in negative situations, taking the
translation worry, but can sometimes be used just to say that [] has come about.

This is similar to using [].

She is worried about people that don't believe in global warming.


She worries about her appearance.



Remember that can also mean have? If you have feelings for something, that
means that you are interested in something. Just like English, you can say that
you have feelings for someone to say that you are romantically interested in
them. This meaning is also used with many compound words such as []
(popular), [] (willingness / motivation), [] (courage).

I am interested in studying abroad.


Are you interested in studying French?


If you are interested in joining, please let me know.


Are you interested in my younger sister?



[] means feeling or mood. Only animate objects can feel the [].

This hotel has a good atmosphere, doesn't it?
(Lit. Whenever you are in this hotel, it's a good feeling, right?)


Well, meeting him puts me in a bad mood.

(Lit. Whenever you meet him, it's a bad feeling.)


We can combine [] with the Tai-Form or U-Form to show that we are in the
mood for doing something. We can translate this to feel like doing. The U-Form
can only be used when talking about yourself, but the Tai-Form can be for
either:

Do you feel like studying?
Are you in the mood for studying?


I feel like going outside.
I am in the mood for going outside.


Day 74 Grammar Cards:
1. Feel like / Have a feeling that
[]
2. Focus energy toward (care / worry)
[]
3. Spend energy (care)
[]
4. Worry about
[]
5. Be interested in
[]
6. Feel like doing / In the mood for
Tai-Form + []
U-Form + [] (only yourself)

Day 75: Reading 13

Reading 13 Vocabulary:
1) [] wedding reception
2) [] to attend
5) [] second hand clothing store
10) [] to go crazy
11) [] to drink / to drain a cup
19) [] suddenly
19) crash / bang / thud
22) [] waiter / waitress
26) [] staff entrance
29) [] to pull

Reading 13:



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Day 76: Appreciation, Disappointment, On Purpose

In today's lesson, we will learn a couple words that have multiple meanings
which are completely opposite. It may seem strange, but as you get into more
advanced studies, you will find words like this, which have completely opposite
meanings depending on the context.


The word means with trouble or at great pains, and is usually used to show your
disappointment, but can also be used to show your appreciation for someone’s
kindness. It implies that a lot of effort was put into the action, and we are
showing our disappointment or excitement based on that effort. The English
translations for this word can be almost anything:

Even though we practiced every day, it was for nothing, our team lost the
tournament.


I'm full, but thank you for taking the time to make me lunch.

means expressly, or specially, and is also used to show your appreciation. It
refers to the action or behavior itself, while can be used for someone's kindness
or personality. It implies that someone went out of their way, or took the trouble
to do something. In the following example using , the focus is on the act of
making the lunch, rather than the person's kindness:

Thank you for going out of your way to make me lunch.


She took the time to show me how to use the computer.


You can also add to a sentence with to express the phrases don't bother to or
don't go out of your way to.

Don't bother to send me the email.

Don't go out of your way to send me the email.


Don't go out of your way to go meet him, he can take a taxi.



looks similar to , but it means to do something on purpose:

I hit him on purpose.


It was an accident, I didn't do it on purpose!


Day 76 Grammar Cards:
1. Show disappointment or appreciation
[] (UK)
2. Show appreciation for actions
[] (UK)
3. Don't bother to

4. On purpose
[] (UK)

Day 77: Reason, Cause


If you look up in the dictionary, it will tell you the word is a noun that means a
conclusion from reasoning. has a lot of uses when we are giving reasons for
something, so it can often take the translation of why, because, or cause.
However, depending on the context of the sentence, the translation can be almost
anything.

Ask him why.
Ask him the cause.


Is that why?
That was the cause?


It's not because I'm sleepy!


For this reason, I can't help you.


is often used with the negative copula to say that something is beyond
reasoning, but be careful with the translations, though it would be easy to say
something like There is no cause / reason, sentences are most often not
translated this way.

Not everyone needs to buy a car.
(Lit. There is no cause / reason for everyone to buy a car.)


It's not like he can speak Spanish.
(There's no cause / reason for him to be able to speak Spanish.)

Again, means a conclusion from reasoning, but can be translated into almost
anything depending on the context of the sentence. In the following example we
are literally saying that you can't conclude from judgment of the evidence that
the new policy measures caused the economic improvement.

The economic advancement isn't due to the new political policy measures.



We can say doesn't exist to express the impossibility of something happening.
This can be used with the particles or :

There's no way I can lose!
(Lit. There's no cause for me to lose.)


It's impossible to wake up that early.



Finally, we can make an idiomatic expression that means impossible to, must
not, or can't afford to by combining with the negative version of . Note how the
following example can be translated three different ways.

If you want to lose weight, being lazy is impossible.
If you want to lose weight, you must not be lazy.
If you want to lose weight, you can't afford to be lazy.


It's impossible to pass this up!
You must not pass this up!
You can't afford to pass this up!

Day 77 Grammar Cards:
1. To conclude from reasoning

[] (UK)
2. Express impossibility

3. impossible to / must not / can't afford to
()

Day 78: Extent


If you remember, means about or approximately. It has a few more idiomatic
uses that we need to learn. While it can be pronounced both ways, it is usually
pronounced as the voiced version .

The first use of this word has a very similar translations to using to express
extent. This construction is:

(sentence) + + (adjective)

I can't believe how fast the bullet train is.


Hiragana is simple enough to memorize in a month.


How fast is the bullet train? It's so fast that it is about at the level that you can't
believe it. How easy is hiragana? It's so easy that it is about the level to where it
can be memorized in a month. As you can see in these examples, doesn't have a
word to word translation. Just remember that this grammar construction is used
to show the extent of something.

Let's look at another example that combines with nouns. We can express what
we feel is the bare minimum with the following construction:

(noun) + + (sentence)

People that can't even speak simple English will have trouble in America.


This sentence is saying that English is the minimum level ability you need to
avoid trouble in America. But take a look at the verb, it isn't avoid trouble, it is
to be in trouble []. is used here to say that people who don't have the bare
minimum requirement will face the consequences of the following clause.

We can also use this to show something is about the only ~ from a group. The
construction is:

(group) + + (choice) +

As for English, “Hello” is about it.


About all that I can say in English is “Hello”.


Comedies are about the only TV shows I like.


Comedies are about the only TV shows that I watch.


Day 78 Grammar Cards:
1. To what extent
(sentence) + + (adjective)
2. The minimum requirement
(noun) + + (sentence)
3. About the only
(group) + + (choice) +

Day 79: Reading 14

Reading 14 Vocabulary:
4) [] to kick
6) [] to hit / to strike
9) [] to throw
12) [] to the right
12) [] to jump
15) pro
21) [] bone

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Day 80: Decisions


In English, when we make a decision with nouns, we use phrases like I'll have or
I'll take. In Japanese they use . This is just the verb plus the particle . If we were
to translate this literally, it would be something like I'll do to. It's sounds a bit
funny, but it's pretty easy. Let's look at some examples:

I'll take the box.


I'll have the steak.



When we want to make a decision with a verb, we need to turn it into a noun by
using the U-Form and adding .

I decided to study every day.


I decided to help him.



If the decision was made by someone else, and not by you, we use instead. We
learned previously that can translate to end up or turn out that, and we can see
here how this can also be translated that someone or something else made a
decision, which changed the situation.

It was decided that I help him.
(Someone) decided that I help him.


It was decided that personnel would be transferred.
Someone decided that the staff would be reassigned.

Day 80 Grammar Cards:
1. to decide (noun)
(noun) +
(verb) U-Form +
2. to decide to (made by a 3rd party)
U-Form +