ミトンズ: 「実は、犬と付き合っているの…」
= Mitonzu: “Jitsu wa, inu to tsukiatteiruno…”
=Mittens: “You know I am seeing a dog.”
フ:「うそっ! ほんとに?」
Fu : “Uso! Honto ni?”
Fu : “No way! Really?”
(マジひくわ～)
= Maji hikuwaa…
= Now that really creeps me out.
Hi everyone! Today we have two lovely cat teachers, ミトンズ ( = Mitonzu) and フ ( = Fu).
They have a secret 恋バナ ( = koibana), a love story, a romantic story.
Hmm… I wonder who she is dating …
**************************************
こんにちは！= Konnichiwa! = Hello!!
ミトンズとフです。= Mitonzu to Fu desu. = We are Mittens and Fu.
Today we will teach you ★相槌/ 相づち ( = aizuchi )★
The linguistic translation of 相槌 / 相づち ( = aizuchi ) is “back-channel feedback”. In other words, it’s a conversation gap filler — short and quick responses made while listening to someone to show your interest or willingness to hear their story or to encourage the speaker to keep talking. An example of this in English would be: “Right.”, “Uh-huh”, “Oh really?”, “I see.”, etc.
★the verb :
相槌を打つ = 相づちを打つ = aizuchi wo utsu
= to give back-channel feedback.
(The literal translation is “to hit the hammer”.)
We realized during our meeting with Maggie Sensei and Yukari that they nodded and used interjections much more than we usually do.
They said if we don’t do the same, they’ll feel uncomfortable because they won’t be able to tell if we are listening to them attentively or not.
So today we’ll learn a lot of different kinds of useful interjections. They’ll help you sound more natural and help the conversation along.
★To show you are listening:
When you listen to someone, you nod and say:
＊はい、(はい、はい….)
= Hai, (hai, hai…)
= Yes. / I see. / Uh-huh. / OK.
＊ええ、（ええ..)
= Ee… (Ee..)
= Yes. / I see. / Uh-huh. / OK.
↓
(casual)
＊うん、(うん、うん…)
= Un, (un, un)
= Yeah. / Uh-huh. / I see. /Mm-hm.
Note: はい ( = hai)，ええ ( = ee) and うん ( = un) are usually used as “Yes” to answer someone’s question. But in this case, you just say these to show the speaker that you are listening to them.
Sometimes you repeat はい ( = hai)，ええ ( = ee) and うん ( = un) a few times (or more.)
If you have a chance to listen to Japanese conversations, you will hear a lot of はい ( = hai)，ええ ( = ee) and うん ( = un) accompanied by nodding.
We will show you how to make gap fillers.
:u:
Ex.
A: 「明日の会議ですが、」
= Ashita no kaigi desuga,
= As for the meeting for tomorrow…
B: 「はい。」
= Hai.
= Yes.
A: 「村上さんがまだ大阪にいて、」
= Murakamisan ga mada Osaka ni ite,
= Mr. Murakami is still in Osaka and…
B: 「ええ。」
= Ee.
= OK.
A: 「２時から始めたいと思っているのですが、」
= Niji kara hajimetai to omotte iru nodesu ga,
= I would like to start at 2:00…
B: 「はい」
= Hai
= Sure.
A: 「みんなに知らせてくれますか？」
= Minna ni shirasete kuremasu ka?
= Could you tell everybody (about this)?
B: 「はい、わかりました。」
= Hai, wakarimashita.
= OK, I will take care of it.
OK, here are some more gap fillers. Some of them are very colloquial. You may not see them in your textbooks.
These are not just for verbal usage. You can use them when you write comments on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
★When you agree with what the speaker said / When you support the speaker’s point of view:
Ex. 「人生は楽しむためにあるんだよね。」
= Jinsei wa tanoshimu tame ni arunda yone.
= You have to enjoy your life, you know.
「そうですね。」
= Soudedsune.
= That’s right. / You should. / I agree.
***********
Ex. 「日本の温泉、最高！」
= Nihon no onsen, saikou!
= Japanese hot springs are the best!
↓
＊「そうですよね！」
= Soudesu yone!
= That’s right. / I agree.
(This shows stronger agreement than そうですね ( = Soudesune))
↓
(Casual but polite)
＊「ですよね！」
= Desu yo ne!
= That’s right! / I agree!
(casual / slightly feminine )
＊「だよね～」
= Dayonee~
= That’s right. / I agree.
Ex.「 あんな彼のことは忘れてもっといい人を見つける！」(casual)
=Anna kare no koto wa wasurete motto ii hito wo mitsukeru!
= I will forget about that guy and find someone better.
↓
Encouraging the speaker.
(casual)
＊そうだよ。
= Soudayo.
= That’s right. / I agree.
(casual)
＊「そうそう！」
= Sousou!
= That’s right! / I agree! / There you go!
***********
Ex. 「 マギー先生はいつも宿題を一杯だすけどチェックしないから宿題をやっても無駄だよね。」
= Maggie Sensei wa itsumo shukudai wo ippai dasukedo chekku shinai kara shukudai wo yatte mo muda dayone.
= Maggie Sensei always gives us homework but she never checks it. I think doing homework is a waste of time.
↓
What you said is right.
(casual)
＊「言えてる!」
= Ieteru!
= That’s right! / Exactly! / Right! / Tell me about it!
***********
Ex. 「週末、休みがないのはきついな。」(male)
= Shuumatsu, yasumi ga nai nowa kitsuina.
= It’s tough not being able to take a day off on the weekend.
:u:
(casual / male )
＊「だよな」
= Dayona!
= That’s right! / Exactly!
＊「まったく！」
= Mattaku!
= Exactly!
***********
Ex. 「やっぱりここのラーメンは美味しいなあ。」
= Yappari koko no raamen wa oishii naa.
= As I expected, the ramen here is the best.
↓
(casual)
*「でしょ！」
= Desho!
= Isn’t it? (I think so, too!/ I told you!)
(casual/ stronger)
*「でしょ! でしょ!」
= Desho! Desho!
= Isn’t it?!? / I told you it’s good!
********
★To share the same feeling. (You are on the same side of the speaker.)
Ex. ミトン 「私達は人間よりも日本語上手だもんね。」(casual)
= Miton “Watashitachi wa ningen yori mo nihongo jouzu damon ne.
= Mittens “Our Japanese is better than human beings’ Japanese, isn’t it?”
↓
(casual / girlie)
フ 「ね～！」
= Fu: “Nee!”
= Fu: “That’s right!”
★When you understand the speaker’s point or emphasize their feelings.
Ex. 「主人を亡くしてから家で一人でいるのが寂しくて…」
= Shujin wo nakushite kara ie de hitori de iru no ga sabishikute…
= Since I lost my husband, I feel really lonely staying home alone…
↓
＊「（お気持ち）よくわかります。」
= (Okimochi) Yoku wakarimasu.
= I know exactly how you feel. / I understand very much.
***********
Ex. 「彼のことを思うとご飯も喉に通らないんだ。」
= Kare no koto wo omouto gohan mo nodo ni tooranainda.
= When I think of him, I can’t even eat…
↓
(casual / a little feminine )
*「わかる～！」
= Wakaruu!
= I know (how you feel)!
(casual / a little feminine )
*「わかる、わかる！」
= Wakaru, wakaru!
= I know (how you feel)!
★When you encourage a speaker to talk more.
Ex. 「昨日、財布を家に忘れてきちゃってさあ。」
= Kinou, saifu wo ie ni wasurete kichatte saa.
= You know I left my wallet at home yesterday
(Note: さあ( = saa) is a casual suffix)
↓
＊「それでどうしたんですか？」
= Sorede doushitan desu ka?
= And what happened? / And what did you do?
(casual)
＊「それでどうしたの?」
= Sorede doushita no?
= And what happened? / And what did you do?
(casual)
*「えっ、それで？」
= Eh, sorede?
= And then what happened?
★To show you’re interested in something someone has just said:
Ex. 「これが私の描いた絵です。」
= Kore ga watashi no kaita e desu.
= This is the picture I draw.
↓
＊「ほお～」 /「 ほう 」( a bit old fashioned / older men use this more)
= Hoo…/ Hou…
= Wow…
Ex. 「これ、マギーからもらったの。」
= “Kore, Maggie kara morattano.
= I got this from Maggie.
↓
＊「へ～」（ヘー）
= Hee
= Oh…(I see…)
*「ふ〜ん」
= fuun.
= Oh…(I see…)
Note: へ〜 (=hee) changes the nuance depending on the intonation. When you say it enthusiastically, you show your interest and if you say it in a lower tone, you show your indifference.
ふ〜ん ( = fuun) is usually used when you are not that interested.
***********
Ex. 「彼、大阪に引っ越したらしいよ。」
= Kare, Osaka ni hikkoshitarashiiyo.
= I heard he moved to Osaka.
↓
＊「ヘ～そうなんだ。」
= Hee sounanda.
= Oh, really?
★When you just found out something or the reason something happened, etc.
Ex. 「電源が入っていないから動かなかったのです。」
= Dengen ga haitte inai kara ugokanakatta nodesu.
= It didn’t work because the power was off.
:u:
*「あ〜」
= Aaa~
= Oh… (that’s why it didn’t work…)
***********
Ex. 「いろいろあって会社をやめることにしました。」
= Iroiro atte kaisha wo yameru koto ni shimashita.
= Many things happened and I decided to leave the company
:u:
*「そうなんですか」
= Sounan desuka.
= Oh I see..
(casual)
*「ああ、そう。」
= Aa sou.
= Oh really./ Oh I see.
(more casual)
*「そっか～」
= Sokka~
= Oh I see…
★To show your surprise
Ex. 「彼が警察に捕まったらしいよ。」
= Kare ga keisatu ni tsukamatta rashii yo.
= I heard he was arrested by police.
↓
＊「まさか」
= Masaka
= No way! / It’s impossible!
＊「信じられないです。」
= Shinjirarenai desu.
= I can’t believe it.
↓
(casual)
＊「信じられない。」
= Shinjirarenai.
= I can’t believe it. / Unbelievable
(casual)
＊「うそっ！」
= Uso!
= No kidding! / Get out of here!
＊「本当ですか？」
= Hontou desu ka?
= Really? / Seriously?
↓
(casual)
＊「本当？」
= Hontou?
= Really? / Seriously? / No way!
↓
(more casual)
＊「ほんと？」
=Honto?
= Really? / Seriously? / No way!
Note: You can write REALLY both ways: 本当 (ほんとう / hontou) & ほんと (honto).
*******
Ex. 「ノビ太が静香ちゃんと付き合っているらしいよ。」
= Nobita ga Shizuka chan to tsukiatte iru rashii yo.
= I heard Nobita is seeing Shizuka.
↓
(casual / slang)
＊「マジで？」
= Maji de?
= Seriously? / No kidding! / No way!
＊「マジ？」
= Maji?
= Seriously? / No kidding! / No way!
＊「マジか！」(male speech)
= Majika!
= Seriously? / No kidding! / No way!
＊「ありえない！」
= Arienai!
= No way! / It can’t be!
***********
Ex. 「この時計、50万円もしたんだ。」
= Kono tokei, gojuuman-en mo shitanda.
= This watch cost me 500,000 yen.
↓
(casual)
＊「うわ～ 」(could be negative or positive)
= Uwaa
= Wow…
＊「え～っ？」
= Eehh?
= What???
＊「そんなに？」
= Sonnani?
= That much?
***********
Ex. 「納豆に砂糖を入れて食べてみたよ。」
= Nattou ni satou wo irete tabete mitayo.
= I tried Natto with sugar.
↓
(casual)
*「げ～っ！」
= Gee!
= Yikes!
Note: Maybe this is just how you react…
★When you hear exciting news:
Ex.「コンサートの券、余ったからあげる！」
= Konnsaato no ken, amatta kara ageru!
= I got an extra concert ticket so I will give one to you.
↓
(casual)
「わ～い！」
= Waai!!
= Yay!!
(casual)
＊「わ～やった～！！」
= Waa yattaa!!
= Yay! / Yippee!/ Yes!
(very casual)
＊「ええ～マジで？」
= Ee…maji de?
= No way!
****************
Ex.「東大に受かったよ。」
= Toudai ni ukatta yo!
= I passed Tokyo University!
↓
＊「すごいですね！」
= Sugoi desu ne!
= That’s great! / Good for you!
(casual)
＊「すごい！」
= Sugoi!
= Great!! / Wow! That’s great! / Awesome!
(variation)
＊「すご～い！」(feminine)
= Sugoooi!
= Woow! / Great! / Awesome!
＊「すごいなあ。」
= Sugoinaa.
= Woow! / Great! / Awesome!
＊スゲー (male speech/ a bit rough)
= Sugee!
= Wow! / That’s great! / Awesome!
****************
Ex.「明日からニューヨークに行くんだ。」
= Ahita kara nyuuyooku ni ikunda.
=I’m going to N.Y. from tomorrow.
↓
＊「わ～、いいですね～」
= Waa, ii desunee.
= Wow, that’s great! / Good for you! / I’m jealous!
(casual)
＊「わ～、いいなあ～」
= Waa, iinaa…
= Wow, that’s great! / Good for you! / I’m jealous!
(variation)
＊「わ～、いいね～」
= Waa, iinee.
= Wow, that’s great! / Good for you! / I’m jealous!
＊「それは楽しみですね。」
= Sore wa tanoshimi desune.
= That is very exciting!
(casual)
＊「それは楽しみだね。」
= Sore wa tanoshimi dane.
= That is very exciting!
(casual/male speech, a little rough)
＊「それは楽しみだな。」
= Sore wa tanoshimi dana.
= That is very exciting!
*********
Ex. 「実は、今年、結婚することになりました。」
= Jitsu wa, kotoshi kekkon suru koto ni narimashita.
= Actually, I am going to get married this year.
↓
＊「わ～!! 」
= Waa!!
= Wow!!
*「わ～おめでとう！」
= Waa omedetou!
= Wow! Congrats!
*「よかったですね。」
= Yokatta desune.
= I am very happy for you.
(casual)
＊「よかったね。」
= Yokattane.
= Good for you! / I’m happy for you!
(casual/male speech, a little rough)
＊「よかったな」
= Yokattana
= Good for you! / I’m happy for you!
★When you hear something unfortunate:
Ex.「実は、最近、クビになりました。」
= Jitsu wa, saikin, kubi ni narimashita.
= Actually, I got fired recently.
↓
＊「そうですか。」
= Soudesuka.
= Is that so? / Oh I see…
(casual)
＊「そう。」
= Sou…
= Oh is that so…. / Oh I see…
(casual/male speech, a little rough)
＊「そうか。」
= Souka,
= Oh is that so…. / I see…
******
Ex. 「アルゼンチンに行くんだけど３０時間もかかるんだって。」
= Aruzenchin ni ikundakedo sanjuujikan mo kakarun datte.
= I am going to Argentina, but it’s going to take 30 hours.
↓
＊「それはきついですね。」
= Sore wa kitsui desune.
= That’s tough, isn’t it?
↓
(casual)
＊「それはきついね。」
= Sore wa kitsuine.
= That’s tough, isn’t it?
↓
(casual/male speech, a little rough)
＊「それはきついな。」
= Sore wa kitsui na.
= That’s tough, isn’t it?
★When someone asks your opinion and you don’t know what to say:
Ex.「この問題についてどう思いますか？」
= Kono mondai ni tsuite dou omoimasu ka?
= What do you think about this problem?
↓
＊「そうですねえ。」
= Soudesunee.
= Well…. / Hmmm
(casual)
＊「う～ん…」
= Uunn…
= Well…. / Hmmm
★Showing feeling of disgust or surprise:
Ex. ミトンズ「彼、フのこと好きなんじゃない？」
Mitonzu: “Kare, Fu no koto sukinan janai?”
Mitttens: “I think he has a crush on you”
↓
(casual/girly/childish)
＊「やだ～！」
= Yadaa!!
= No way!
Note: やだ( = yada) is also used to show surprise.
*「やめてよ！」(feminine)
= Yamete yo!
= Now stop it!
★When you want to show doubt or disagreement
Ex. 「女性はやっぱり家にいてうちのことをやって欲しいんだよね。」
= Josei wa yappari ie ni ite uchi no koto wo yatte hoshiin dayone.
= After all I want women should stay home and do housework.
↓
＊「そうでしょうか？」
= Sou deshou ka?
= Is that so? (I don’t think so)
＊「そうかなあ。」
= Sou kanaa?
= I wonder if you are right.
★When you want to avoid expressing your opinion in a subtle way:
Ex. 「もう彼と別れた方がいいのかなあ。」
= Mou kare to wakareta hou ga ii no kanaa.
= Do you think I should break up with him now?
↓
＊「そうですね～…. 」
= Soudesunee…
= Well…..
Note: This might be very confusing but if you say そうですね ( = Soudesune), it means “Yes, you are right. You should break up with him.” and you give your opinion.
But if you stretch the last letter, ね～(=nee) (or ねええ=nee), the listener can tell you are not sure.
＊「う～ん…」
= Uuun…
= Hmm…
＊「まあねえ…」
= Maanee…
= You could be right but…
＊「さ～…」
= Saa…
= Well… I don’t know…
★From the picture :
ミトンズ「実は、犬と付き合っているの…」
= Mitonzu : “Jitsu wa inu to tsukiatteiruno…”
=Mittens : “You know I am seeing a dog.”
フ「うそっ！ほんとに？」
Fu : Uso! Honto ni?
Fu : No way! Really?
(マジひくわ) 😅
= Maji hikuwaa…
= Now that really creeps me out.
Note : マジひくわ。= Maji hiku wa. or マジでひくわ。= Maji de hiku wa.
is a very colloquial expression when you see / hear something too weird or creepy.
ミトンズ：「これで私達のレッスンを終わります。また皆とここで会えたらいいな。」
Mitonzu: Kore de watashitachi no ressun wo owarimasu. Mata mina to kokode aetara iina.
Mittens: Now we’ll wrap up this lesson. We hope to see you here again.
フ：「ホント！ホント！！」
Fu: Honto! Honto!!
Fu: I hope so, too!
********************************
マギー先生より = Maggie Sensei yori = From Maggie Sensei
聞き上手の人はモテるんだって。
= Kikijouzu no hito wa moterun datte.
= I heard good listeners are very popular with girls and boys.
みんなもこのレッスンで勉強して聞き上手になってね。
= Minna mo kono ressun de benkyou shite kikijouzu ni nattene.
= Hope you become a good listener by studying this lesson.
***
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13 Comments
Maggie先生、知識を教えてくれてありがとう！毎日このブログを読んで楽しいんだ。
お聞きしたいことはどうして「恋バナ」の「バナ」がカタカナで書かれているのか。
どうもありがとうございました！
@エライザ
こんにちは、エライザ！
「恋ばな」とひらがなで書いてもいいです。
スラングの言葉はカタカナで書くことが多いです。
恋ばな→恋の話（こいのはなし）・恋愛の話（れんあいのはなし）→casual contraction 恋ばな(こいばな）→ It looks lighter 恋バナ
hello maggie sensei :w:
can you make a lesson for:
1- the different usage of kakeru/kakaru ? by now I know the most common ones but lately I came across a korean movie named in Japanese (海にかかる霧）. I know the overall meaning is like the see overwhelmed by fog something like that,.. but I don’t know the exact meaning in Japanese.
2- tsui= by accident
3- making nouns from adjectives and verbs
4- I want to know the difference among : manabu/ benkyou suru/ narau/ osowaru?
@Roro
Hi Roro! Genki?
1. Ah, OK..
かかる is an intransitive verb
霧がかかる so the fog/mist covers the air →It describes the state of being foggy
Ex. 月に雲がかかる clouds is covering the moon
かける is a transitive verb
2. 3. 4 つい: OK, will add them in the list. I can’t promise that I will make all the lessons but will try to make some for you in future.
Please wait patiently.
ahha.. now I understand !JYANE!
thank you maggie sensei..
bty, there is something I want to ask you privately.. and don’t know how I should ask tell.. do you an email?
thanks again
@Roro
You’re welcome, Roro.
Well, I can’t give you my personal email here… If I do, some people may start to use it to ask me Japanese questions or ask me to translate something.
You don’t need to give me all the details here but can you just tell me what it is about?
I always read people’s comments before I release them. So if it is something personal, just add “Confidential”. I will not post it. So don’t worry.
And if I think I can help you, I will email you using your email address that you left when you left a comment.
(But please know that I don’t do translation or writing letters, thesis..)
thanks for the lesson maggie sensei,,,it help me a lot,,, do you have lesson for kekkou? thanks and more power God bless u,,,
@tommichael
Hello tomichael,
I am sure I have use the word “kekkou” a lot in the example sentences but I don’t have a particular lesson on the word.
What part is difficult for you? I can help you here.
thanks sensei,,, i dont know how to use in sentence,,, and i dont know what is the really meaning of kekkou,,, thanks again and God bls sensei…..
お久しぶり先生！元気でした？ :n:
I really hope you are doing fine. Thank you always for posting beneficial lessons. Please continue to do that.You’re the best teacher ever. Do you have any new pets?
I have the following questions:
1. “コンサートの券、余ったからあげる！”
I don’t understand “余った” what is the meaning of this verb and its plain form?
Please explain “から” its meaning here is “if”? I don’t understand.
2. “東大に受かったよ。” He means he passed the entrance exam? Also, how to say “I failed the entrance exam for 東大?
3. ” ミトンズ「彼、フのこと好きなんじゃない？」” What is “なん” here and what is its function in grammar?
4. About “ええ” which means “yes” is it formal? more than “はい”？Who uses it females or males?
5. About “あいづち” why is it written like this? is it wrong to write it as “あいずち”？
ＢＴＷ、How to say I’m looking forward to hearing from you?
ありがとう。
@Kuroineko
お久しぶり！はい、元気でしたよ！Kuroinekoさんも元気でしたか？
1. コンサートの券、余ったからあげる
I have extra concert ticket(s) so I will give it to you.
The plain form of 余った is 余る(=amaru) and it means “to be left over, to be in excess”
So the speaker has extra concert ticket(s) so he/she wants to give it to the listener.
から here is to give a reason = because, since, so.
2. 東大の試験に落ちた(=ochita) (受からなかった=ukaranakatta)
3. なん is a casual contraction of なの(=nano) 好きなのではないですか？→好きなんじゃないですか？→(more casual) 好きなんじゃない？
4. はい is more polite than ええ, but ええ is polite enough when you show you are listening.
5. Ahh good question! Maybe romaji is aizuchi and not aiduchi, it might be confusing.
The origin of the word, 相槌=(aizuchi), is more than two people pound molten metal taking a turn.
相(あい） means “together/ each other”+ 槌(=つち）means hammer.
So since it came from a word, つち=tsuchi, we use づ and not ず
Other example : A new moon, crescent moon is 三日月= みかづき not みかずき because the last kanji is つき
There are exceptions but you always have to pay attention to how you read the individual kanji.
レッスンを書いてくれてありがとう！！ !heartsippai!
ほとんどの表現が知っていたけど、どう使うかあまりわかりませんでした。とても助かりました！
＠あどり
最初のコメントありがとう！うまく相づちを打つ練習をしてくださいね。
（Note for you : 書いて→作って is more natural・表現が→表現を）