お風呂＆温泉 ( = Ofuro & Onsen) Learn Japanese from a TV commercial

お風呂 ( = ofuro) bath

「あ〜さっぱりした！」

= Aa sappari shita!

= “Boy I felt so refreshed!”

「いいお湯だったよ。お先に！」

= Ii oyu datta yo. Osaki ni!

= “It was nice and warm water.(→The bath felt good!) Thank you for letting me go first!”

:maggie-small: From Maggie’s picture above

♦さっぱりした ( = sappari shita) Felt very refreshed or clean (past tense)

This is a very common line that Japanese say after they take bath or after they get their hair cut or change out of their dirty clothes into clean clothes.

Also you can say this when you describe refreshing taste. さっぱりした味 ( = sappari shita aji)

♦「いいお湯だった」( = Ii oyu datta) It was nice warm water!

いい ( = ii) ：good

（お）湯 ( = (o)yu) : hot water

だった　( = datta) : was (でした。( = deshita) is more polite.)

♦「お先に！」( = Osakini! ) Thank you for letting me go first!

You say this to a person who lets you go first or was waiting for you to finish something before them.

「お先に失礼しました！」

= Osaki ni shitsurei shimashita.

is more polite.

If you want to say “Go ahead!” and let someone go before you:

「お先にどうぞ！」

= Osaki ni douzo

= “Please go ahead!”

Or if you want to use something or leave / go before someone, you say,

「お先に失礼します！」

= Osaki ni shitsurei shimasu

= “I am sorry to leave early!” “I am sorry to use this before you!”

→We also say this to our coworkers if we leave work before them.

 

OK, today we will use a TV commercial to learn Japanese.

You will be surprised how much you can learn from such a short TV commercial.

Did you know that lots of Hollywood movie stars routinely appear in Japanese TV commercials.

This is one of my favorites. Tommy Lee Jones is an alien and he was sent to the earth, (in this case Japan), to do some research!

It is part of a long running series of commercials. In every commercial he changes his job (presumably to help him do his research better). In this one he is working at a hot-spring 「温泉」( = onsen) hotel.

宇宙人ジョーンズ ( = Uchuujin jounzu)　Alien Jones

地球調査中 ( = Chikyuu chousa chuu.) researching the earth

K : 客 ( = kyaku) a customer

J: ジョーンズ ( = Jounzu) Jones

会話（ = kaiwa) Dialogue

J: 「いらっしゃいませ！」

=Irasshaimase!

= “Welcome! ”　”Thank you for coming!”

K : 「….この雪景色が綺麗ですねえ。」

=….Kono yukigeshiki ga kirei desunee.

= This snowscape is so beautiful.

J: 「この惑星の住人は温泉と呼ばれる場所に来ると…」

=Kono wakusei no juunin wa onsen to yobareru basho ni kuruto..

= When people on this planet come to a place called “onsen (hot-spring)”

K;「つるつるになりますよ、これ！」

=Tsurutsuru ni narimasu yo, kore!

= “This hot spring makes my skin silky smooth! “

J:「何故妙にテンションが上がるのだろうか。」

=Naze myou ni tenshon ga agaru no darou ka.

= “It’s curious why they get so excited (when they come to hot springs.).”

K : 「う〜ん、口の中に甘みがぱあっと広がってですねえ….」

= Uun.. Kuchi no naka ni amami ga paatto hirogatte desunee..

= ”Umm… the sweetness (of the food) spreads in my mouth and..”

K : 「あ〜やりませんか？」

= Ah,  yarimasen ka?

= ”Ah, do you wanna play (with me)? ”

J: 「ただ、この惑星の温泉卓球は…」

= Tada kono wakusei no onsen no takkyuu wa.

= “But the table tennis at the hot springs on this planet is…”

K : 「番頭さん、ただ者じゃないねえ..」

= Bantou san, tadamono jya nai nee.

= “Manager, you are not just a common sort of guy! “

K : 「あ〜〜〜」

= Aaaa..

= ”Ah….!”

J: 「楽しい！」

= Tanoshii

= “Fun!”

このろくでもない

= Kono rokudemo nai

= This darn (but)

すばらしき世界。

= Subarashiki sekai

= Wonderful world

:n: Vocabulary and grammar

•宇宙人（ = uchuu jin）alien

•宇宙( = uchuu) universe

•宇宙飛行士 ( = uchuu hikoushi) astronaut

•地球 ( = chikyuu) the earth

地  (chi/ji) earth, ground

rrrr:球   (kyuu/tama) globe

•調査 ( = chousa)　：to research,to investigate,study

rrrr:調   (chou/shirberu)  to check、to look up, to search

Grammar :

~中 ( = chuu)  in middle of , verb + ing, during some action.

調査中 ( = chousa chuu)  to be researching (now)

食事中 ( = shokuji chuu)  to be eating (now) during a meal

Ex. 「マギーは今、食事中です。」

= Maggie wa ima shokuji chuu desu.

= Maggie is eating right now.

Ex. 「食事中にテレビを観てはいけません。」

= Shokuji chuu ni terebi wo mite wa ikemasen.

= “Don’t watch TV during a meal.”

食事  ( = shokuji) meal, to eat

• 勉強中  ( = benkyou chuu) : to be studying

勉強（ = benkyou) study

• 工事中  ( = kouji chuu)：under construction

工事 ( = kouji) construction

• （電話が）話し中 ( = denwa ga hanashi chuu) : (the telephone line is ) busy

cf. 真っ最中 ( = massaichuu) at the middle of / right in the middle of some action

Ex.「マギーはテレビを観ている真っ最中です。」

= Maggie wa terevi wo miteiru massaichuu desu.

= Maggie is right in the middle of watching TV.

Note: 最中 ( = saichuu)：in the middle of some action

You can emphasize more by adding 真っ ( = mah) in front.

Remember 真っ+  color in my color lesson?

真っ黒  ( = makkuro) very black,  真っ赤  ( = makka) very red)

• 惑星  ( = wakusei) a planet

• 住人 ( = juunin) dwellers,inhabitant

→住（juu/sumu) to live

→人 (nin/hito) person/people

• 温泉 ( = onsen) hot spring

→温   (on/atatakai/atatameru) : warm / to warm up/temperature

→泉   (sen/izumi): spring/fountain

Culture note :

Japan has lots of volcanos and they have developed nice hot spring resorts all over Japan.

It is supposed to be really good for your health and skin because it has lots of good minerals. We love to go there on our vacations to relax. We often hear the conversations like this one:

「ああ〜疲れた！温泉にでも行ってゆっくりしたい！」

= Aa…tsukareta onsen ni demo itte yukkuri shitai!

= “Gosh, I am so tired. I feel like going to hot-spring and just relax!”
Most of the onsens are public baths. (It considered sanitry and considerate to wash and rinse our bodies outside before stepping into the common (public) bathtubs.) We are not inhibited about taking off our clothes and becoming naked in a public bath. They are separated into 男湯 ( = otokoo yu) for men and 女湯( = onna yu) for women.

Occassionaly there is 混浴風呂 ( = konyoku buro) bath that men and women take bath together, mixed bathing

混 ( = kon/majiru/mazeru) means to mix 浴 （= yoku/abiru) to bathes

Also there are 露天風呂 ( = roten buro) open air bath.

While you stay there, you eat good food, take baths and drink and take more baths…Many people take baths three times a day, in the morning, before dinner and after dinner.

• 温泉と呼ばれる場所

= onsen to yobareru basho

= a place called “onsen”(=hot spring)

*〜と呼ばれる + noun  ( = to yobareru) : noun called ~

* 場所  ( = asho) a place

 Ex.マギー先生と呼ばれる犬

= Maggie sensei to yobareru inu

=  a dog called “Maggie-sensei”.

 

• 〜（する）と ( = (suru) to) When (the subject) does something+ result

Ex.あまり食べると太る  ( = Amari taberu to futoru) If I eat too much, I get fat.

• 〜来ると ( = ~kuru to) When (the subject) comes+ result

Ex. 春が来ると暖かくなる

= Haru ga kuru to atatakaku naru.

= When spring comes, it will be warmer.

Ex. 生徒達は、先生が教室に入って来ると静かになる。

= Seito tachi wa senesei ga kyoushitsu ni haitte kuru to shizuka ni naru.

= When the teacher comes into the classroom, the students get quieter.

• 雪景色  ( = yuki gesihki) snow scape

→雪  (yuki/setsu)   snow
→ 景色  ( = keshiki/geshiki) scene, scenery, view, landscape

• 綺麗  ( = kirei)  beautiful, pretty

Ex. マギーは綺麗ですね。

= Maggie wa kirei desu ne.

:kkk: Very very useful sentence!

• つるつる  ( = tsuru tsuru) We use it when we describe something smooth, like silky skin.

Ex. 彼女の肌はつるつるだ。

= Kanojo no hada wa tsuru tsuru da.

=  Her skin is smooth.

Ex. このクリームを使うと肌がつるつるになる。

=Kono kuriimu wo tsukau to hada ga tsuru tsuru ni naru.

=  This cream makes our skin smooth.

つるつる（ = tsuru tsuru) also is used for something slippery.

Ex「床がつるつるしているから気をつけて！」

= Yuka ga tsuru tsuru shiteiru kara ki wo tsuke te!

=  Be careful. The floor is slippery.

•何故  ( = naze )　Why?

• 妙に ( = myou ni) oddly, curiously, surprisingly, in a strange way, unusually

Ex. 秋は、何故妙に物悲しくなるのだろう。

= Aki wa naze myou ni monoganashiku naru no darou.

= “Why do I feel sad for some reason in autumn?”

•テンションが上がる   ( = tenshon ga agaru) : to get excited, raise one’s spirits, be psyched up

テンション ( = tenshon) is originally from the English word, “tension”. But it differs in meaning.

When you see or hear something pleasant or exciting, you say

「テンション（が）上がる。」

= tenshon (ga) agaru

=  “to be excited!” “psyched up” or “hyped up”

他動詞  ( = tadoushi)    transitive verb

上げる ( = ageru) to raise to turn up

下げる ( = sageru) to let down, to turn down, to get down

自動詞  ( = jidoushi) intransitive verb

上がる  ( = agaru) to go up

下がる ( = sagaru) to go down

 

On the contrary, when you see or hear something depressing, you say 「テンション（が）下がる。」( = tenshon (ga) sagaru!) which means “to lose one’s motivation” or “to be depressed.”

•口の中に広がる  ( = kuchi no naka ni hirogaru)

口の中  ( = kuchi no naka) inside of mouth

広がる ( = hirogaru) to spread, extend, expand

:yy: Cultural note:

You will be surprised to see the amount of TV shows that introduce delicious or special food in Japan.

That is called 「グルメ番組」( = gurume bangumi) Gourmet program.

They introduce lost of nice restaurants in the city and local areas. There are special reporters for that kind of programs who are called as グルメレポーター( = gurume repootaa) We simply see them eating delicious food and they have to know how to describe the food in a professional way. 「~が口の中（一杯に）広がる」 ( =  ga kuchi no naka (ippai) ni hirogaru) is one of the typical lines to describe the taste. Or 「この味はまったりしていて…」（ = Kono aji wa mattari shiteite.) It tastes very mild and…is another typical line for this kind of show.

So this scene is funny because the customer sounds like one of the reporters.

• やりませんか？ ( = Yarimasenka?)

一緒に〜をやりませんか？

= Issho ni ~ wo yarimasen ka?

一緒に〜をしませんか？

= Issho ni ~ wo shimasen ka?

•やる ( = yaru) to do   (basic form)

やります  ( = yarimasu) (basic polite form)

やりませんか？  ( = yarimasen ka?) (when you ask/invite someone to do something)

やりません 。( = yarimasen.) (negative form)

•する ( = suru)   to do   (basic form)

→します( = shimasu.)

(basic polite form)

→しませんか？( = shimasen ka?)

(when you ask/invite someone to do somehting)

しません。( = shimasen)(negative form)

What’s the difference between 「やる」( = yaru)  and　「する」 ( =  suru) ?

They both mean to do (something.) Some says 「する」( = suru)   is more polite than「やる」 ( = yaru) . That could be true in certain cases but usually 「やる」“yaru” is to do something more special than 「する」 ( = suru) .

私がやります。( = Watashi ga yarimasu.

私がします。( = Watashi ga shimasu.) “I will do (it).”

Note : Have you seen the popular TV series, “Heroes”? Hiro’s famous line is「やった！」( = Yatta!)

It is a very casual expression but everybody uses it. It means, “I did it!” “I made it!” ”All right!””Great!” or “Yes!!” We used it when things work out great.

•一緒に  ( = issho ni)   together, with me (us)

Do you want to do ~ with me? (together)?

It is a useful phrase when you want to invite someone to do something with you.

•ただ、( = tada) but, however, simply

•温泉卓球 ( = onsen takkyuu) table tennis in a hot-spring hotel.

 Many of the big hot-spring hotels have karaoke, game corner and table tennis tables for customers.

It is kind of old fashioned to play table tennis in hotels nowadays. There is a comedy movie called 「卓球温泉」 ( = takkyuu onsen) , hot-spring spas which have table tennis, about a group of people who want to promote an old hot-spring town using a table tennis tournament. As you can see in the video, people who stay in Japanese hotels can go anywhere in 浴衣  ( = yukata) (casual kimono) and they even play table tennis wearing 浴衣 ( = yukata).

•番頭（さん）(  = bantou-san) Head clerk of the hotel, bath attendant, manager

•ただ者 ( = tadamono) an ordinary person

Usually use this word in a negative form

ただ者ではない  ( = tadamono dewa nai) or ただ者じゃない ( = tadamono ja nai)

means “Not just an ordinary person”. (You must have hidden your special ability or background.)

ただ者じゃないねえ..( = tadamono ja nai nee) : You add “ね(え)”  ( = ne(e)) in conversation when you want to express your feelings or opinions.

Ex. 「いいね（え）..」

＝Ii ne(e)

= “This(It’s/That’s) good/nice!”

•楽しい  ( = tanoshii) fun, pleasant, amusing (i-adjective)

Grammar :

~は楽しい（です） ( =~wa tanoshii (desu))~ is/are fun

Ex. 旅行は楽しい(です）。

= Ryokou wa tanoshii (desu))

= Travelling is fun.

→楽しい ( = tanoshii) + noun

Ex. 楽しい旅行  ( = tanoshii ryokou) a fun trip

Past tense

~は楽しかった（です）

= ~wa tanoshi katta(desu))

=  ~ was/were fun (+desu = more polite)

Ex. 旅行は楽しかった(です）。

= Ryokou wa tanoshikatta(desu)

Ex. 旅行は楽しかった？

= Ryokou wa tanoshikatta?

= Was the trip fun?

or

Ex. 御旅行は楽しかったですか？

= Goryokou wa tanoshikatta desuka?

= Was your trip fun?

(more polite)

楽しかった ( = tanoshikatta) + noun

Ex. 楽しかった旅行 ( = tanoshikatta ryokou) A fun trip

(Past tense :It implies the trip is already over.)

楽しい旅行だった。

=Tanoshii ryokou datta.　

=“It was a fun trip.“

楽しい旅行でした。 ( = Tanoshii ryokou deshita.) “It was a fun trip.”(more polite)

•ろくでもない ( = rokudemo nai) darn, worthless

ろくでなし ( = rokudenashi) (This is a kind of old fashioned way to insult someone. ) good-for-nothing

Ex. 「このろくでなし（が）！」( = Kono rokudenashi (ga)!) ”You, asshole (bastard)!”

•素晴らしき ( = subarashiki) wonderful = 素晴らしい ( = subarashii) wonderful

素晴らしき世界 ( = subarashiki sekai) wonderful  = 素晴らしい世界 ( = subarashii sekai) wonderful

Note: 素晴らしき ( = subarashiki) and 素晴らしい ( = subarashii) both mean “wonderful” and it can modify the nouns.

While you can say 「この世界は素晴らしい。」( = Kono sekai wa subarashii),

you can’t finish the sentence with “rashiki”:

「この世界は素晴らしき。」( = Kono sekai wa subarashiki)

マギー先生より  =Maggie-sensei yori =  From Maggie-sensei,

日本の温泉に行ったことありますか？

= Nihon no onsen ni itta koto arimasuka?

= Have you ever been to a Japanese hot-springs?)

私には温度が高すぎますが、温泉に浸かった後の御馳走は美味しいよ！

= Watashi niwa ondo ga takasugi masu ga, onsen ni tsukatta ato no gochisou wa oishii yo!

= It is too hot for me but I will tell you that the meal after taking a bath is just delicious!

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