Small, but Powerful Words

This is a list of small but powerful words. Click the for sound files.

LET'S START !

1. やっぱり yappari (or yahari ) -

MEANINGS : As expected, of course!, just as suspected

EXAMPLES:
やっぱりコーラが好き。 yappari ko-ra ga suki. Of course! I like cola.	USAGE # 1 Maybe you haven't had a cola for a long time and it tastes good. So this means 'remembering' something that you like or dislike after experiencing it again.
やっぱり yappari I should have known! (as expected)	USAGE # 2 When you catch someone doing something sneaky

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2. でしょう deshou -

MEANINGS : Isn't that right? You agree don't you?

EXAMPLES:
いいでしょう。 ii deshou. This is good, isn't it? Isn't this good?	This can be used in a variety of situations. Eating cake, choosing the right clothes...
日本語が難しい、でしょう？ nihongo ga muzukashii, deshou? Japanese is difficult, right?	In this case it is used as a kind of tag on to make sure people agree with your position.
ちょっと 危ない でしょう。 chotto abunai deshou. It's a little dangerous, isn't it?	In this case the deshou is used mainly to soften the feel of the sentence. Instead of saying, "That's dangerous!" it has a feel of, "It's a little dangerous, isn't it?"

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3. ね ne - I believe, I suppose, isn't it? Don't you think so?

NOTE: You can see by the many options above that this one-letter word is packed with vitamin enriched POWER! I think the use of ne may be a shibboleth for non-native speakers for correct usage.

EXAMPLES:
暑いですね。 atsui desu ne. It's hot, isn't it.	This little guy's meaning changes with the intonation of the speaker.

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4. にくい ・ やすい nikui (something is difficult) / yasui - (something is easy)

USAGE : Attach this after - masu form of verbs. (The - masu form means to take the polite masu form and dropping the - masu . That's all... Example: tabe masu -> tabe + nikui = tabenikui [difficult to eat])

EXAMPLES:
このステーキは食べ にく いです。 kono sute-ki wa tabe nikui desu. This steak is hard to eat.	Take the -masu form of a verb (taberu -> tabemasu), drop the masu (tabe-) and add ' nikui ' or ' yasui ' ( tabenikui = hard to eat; tabeyasui = easy to eat)
このパソコンは使いやすいです。 kono pasokon wa tsukaiyasui desu. This computer is easy to use.	tsukaimasu ('to use' masu form) --> tsukai- --> tsukai+yasui pasokon is a mix of Perso nal + Com puter

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5. なるほど naruhodo - I see, I understand, indeed

MEANINGS :

EXAMPLES:
このボタンを押せば、ドリンクが出てきます。 kono botan o oseba, dorinku ga dete kimasu. If you push this button, the drink will come out. ああ、なるほど。 aa naruhodo. Oh, I see.	Whenever something is explained and you see the logic, naruhodo is used. It is also used to show that you agree with the speaker's explanation or thoughts.

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6. きのせい ki no sei - just my imagination

MEANINGS :

EXAMPLES:
今の音は何だろう？ ima no oto wa nan darou? What was that sound just now? 気のせい、でしょう？ ki no sei, deshou? It's just your imagination, isn't it?	This useful phrase can be used in a variety of situations where you let your imagination get the best of you. The ki in kinosei is 気 which has many meanings, but in this case it perhaps means one's heart or feelings.

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7. 念のため nen no tame - just in case, just to make sure

MEANINGS :

EXAMPLES:
たぶん電気を消したけど、念のためにも一度チェックします。 tabun denki o keshita kedo, nen no tame ni mo ichi do chekku shimasu. I am pretty sure I turned off the lights, but just in case I will check one more time.	Not too difficult just use it when you want to say 'just in case.'
念のために、薬を忘れないでね。 nen no tame ni, kusuri o wasurenaide ne. Just in case, don't forget the medicine.	Here the ne is added to give a soft touch.

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8. つもり tsumori - plan, intention, going to do (something)

MEANINGS :

EXAMPLES:
ビーチへ行くつもりです。 bi-chi e iku tsumori desu. I am planning to go to the beach.	plain (dictionary form) verb + tsumori

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9. つ まり tsumari - that is, to put it plainly

MEANINGS :

EXAMPLES:
つまり、犯人はあなたです。 tsumari, han nin wa anata desu. To put it together, the criminal is you.	You can use tsumari when summing up something that you have already said or bringing a conclusion to what you said.

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10. できるだけ dekiru dake - as much as one can; as much as possible

MEANINGS :

EXAMPLES:
できるだけ たくさん食べてね。 dekiru dake takusan tabete ne. If you can, please eat a lot.	Here again the ne is used to soften the sentence.

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11. なるべく narubeku - as ~ as one can; if possible

MEANINGS :

EXAMPLES:
なるべく 早く来てください。 naru beku hayaku kite kudasai. Please come as fast as possible.

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12. わざと wazato - on purpose, purposely

MEANINGS :

EXAMPLES:
わざとでしょう。 wazato deshou. (I) did it on purpose, you know.	This phrase can be useful when covering up a mistake to make it look like it was intended. I saw a juggler in Yokohama once who after dropping a lit torch belted out, 'wazato deshou!'
あなたはわざと嘘をつきましたか？ anata wa wazato uso o tsukimashita ka? Did you intentionally lie?

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