ウサギと亀 The Tortoise and the Hare

VOCABULARY

あるところに aru tokoro ni in a certain place [a very common way to start a fairy tale in Japanese. Another clichéd opening line is むかしむかし a long time ago ]

うさぎ usagi rabbit

とto and

亀 kame turtle

いました imashita was, existed

に言いました ni iimashita said to (the ni shows direction—in this case, the rabbit said to the turtle)
あなたは anata wa (as for) you

世界で sekai de in the world

一番 ichi ban number one, the most [This is often used to mean ‘most’: 一番好き ichiban suki Liked the most] のろい noroi slow, dense [a bit more rude than osoi the common word for ‘slow’]

ね ne aren’t you [ne is very versatile; observe how it is used in different situations]

どうして doushite why?

そんなに sonnani to such an extent; that much

のろいん noroiN The ん is used often to explain or ask for an explanation of things; somewhat casual

だい dai ? Question ender; casual (use ですか instead)

VOCABULARY

に答えました ni kotaemashita answered to (rabbit)

VOCABULARY

なんてことをいうのですか？ Nante koto wo iu no desu ka? How could you say such a thing? (how rude!)

それなら sorenara if that is the case…

私と watashi to with me

競争 kyousou race

しましょう shimashou let’s (race) [the ましょう form is an easy way to say “Let’s…” For example, 食べましょう tabemashou Let’s eat; 遊びましょう asobimashou Let’s play.]

向こう mukou over there

小山 koyama small mountain, hill

ふもと fumoto base (of hill) [not a very important vocab word] まで made until, as far as (the hill)

どちら dochira who

先 saki before, first

つく tsuku arrive

勝負 shoubu challenge, fight

しましょう shimashou let’s (race)

よーし yo-shi Good! Ok!

やりましょう yarimashou let’s do it

競争 kyousou race

始めました hajimemashita started

VOCABULARY

追い抜いて oinuite overtake [This is an example of two verbs stuck together to combine the meaning: 追う (follow, pursue) + 抜く (leave, omit)]

どんどん dondon gradually, progressively

走っていきました hashitte ikimashita ran

VOCABULARY

~ながら nagara while (running)

心の中で kokoro no naka de in his heart; (he thought)

こう思いました kou omoimashita thought like this (こう is used to mean ‘like this’)

どんなに…いそいでも donnani isoidemo however fast [どんなに…～でも is a useful construction. For example: どんなに上手に隠れても、見つけるよ。 Donnani jouzu ni kakuretemo, mitsukeru yo.]

どうせ douse after all, in the end, anyway

夜まで yoru made until night

かかる kakaru take (time)

だろう darou think, suppose

このへん kono hen this area

ちょっと一休み chotto hito yasumi take a little break

しておこう shite okou decide to do (take a nap)

昼寝 hiru ne nap

始めました hajimemashita started

ぐーぐーぐー gu-gu-gu– sound of someone sleeping

VOCABULARY

その間 sono aida during that time

追い抜いて oinuite overtook

しまいました shimaimashita [a show of regret]

目をさます me o samasu wake up

と to “and this happened”; A leads to B

ゴール go-ru finish line; goal

まで made until

あと ato after

少し sukoshi little

ところ tokoro place, position

あと少しのところ ato sukoshi no tokoro just a little farther

VOCABULARY

しまった shimatta darn! I messed up!

寝すぎ nesugi overslept [～すぎ is a useful ender meaning “too much.” A few examples: 食べすぎ tabesugi eat too much; 言いすぎ iisugi say too much; 勉強しすぎ benkyou shisugi study too much (するー＞しすぎ)]

VOCABULARY

どんなに急いでも donnani isoidemo however fast

追いつけません oitsukemasen couldn’t overtake [追い付く oitsuku to overtake; 追い付ける oitsukeru can overtake; 追い付けません oitsukemasen can’t overtake]

VOCABULARY

先に saki ni ahead of [here it means ‘ahead timewise.’ The turtle passed the goal first. A very useful phrase is 先にどうぞ saki ni douzo Please go ahead (of me)]

ゴール go-ru goal, finish line

先にゴールした亀 saki ni go-ru shita kame the turtle who had already passed the finish line

に向かった ni mukatte faced; turn to face…

こう言いました kou iimashita said this [the こう implies ‘like the following’]

VOCABULARY

ずいぶん zuibun pretty much; fairly [You can use this with anything needing a ‘pretty…’ For example: ずいぶんあついですね。 It’s pretty hot, isn’t it?]

遅い osoi slow

さっき sakki past; just then (normally this is さき but can be pronounced さっき in speech)

自慢 jiman pride; boasting

さっきの自慢 sakki no jiman previous boasting

どうしたの？ doushita no? what happened to… [A more polite and very useful version would be どうしましたか？ doushimashita ka? What happened? Are you OK?]

VOCABULARY

なにも・・・ません nanimo…masen not at all

言い返せません iikaesemasen didn’t reply [This is another doubled verb: 言う iu (to say) + 返す kaesu (return)]

なにも言い返せませんでした nani mo iikasemasen deshita didn’t reply at all

おしまい oshimai the end