Until recently, Yumi’s family has only had one car. This is unusual in the part of Florida that she lives in. Most families have at least two cars. But Yumi and Clay both work from home and until their son got his driver’s license, they rarely had need for a second car. But now their son has his license, Yumi decided … it was time.

KEY VOCABULARY:

仮免許(かりめんきょ)  driver’s permit; learner’s permit

同乗(どうじょう)する ride along

運転免許(うんてんめんきょ) driver’s license

取得(しゅとく) obtainment

普通(ふつう) normal; common; ordinary

就職(しゅうしょく) する  get employed; come to employed

自動車学校(じどうしゃがっこう) driving school

随分(ずいぶん) very; considerably; extremely

のんき carefree; laid back; easygoing

必要(ひつよう)ない not necessary; not needed

経済的 economic

購入(こうにゅう)する purchase; buy

自体(じたい) itself

企業(きぎょう) business; corporation; enterprise

心配(しんぱい) worried; concerned [it’s used as adjective here but it can be noun as well]

安全運転(あんぜんうんてん) safe driving

子煩悩(こぼんのう)な very loving; very dedicated [used to describe very loving and dedicated parents]

奮発(ふんぱつ)する spend some generous amount of money than expected; be generous at gifting something than expected [奮発(splurge; generous spending; generous treat)]   

大奮発(だいふんぱつ) big splurge; super generous treat

勇気(ゆうき) courage; bravery

要(い)る need; require

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-123

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-123-m

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February 3rd was setsubun in Japan. The day that marks the end of winter and is followed by the beginning of spring. Listen as Yumi tells us a little bit about how this special occasion is celebrated in Japan.

KEY VOCABULARY:

節分(せつぶん) last day of winter in the traditional Japanese calendar

立春(りっしゅん) first day of spring in the traditional Japanese calendar

季節(きせつ)の変(か)わり目(め) time of change of seasons; time when season changes

邪気(じゃき) evil spirit; misfortune; bad vibes that cause illness or other misfortune  　　

煎(い)る roast (beans)

願(ねが)い事(ごと)  one’s wish; one’s desire; prayer

叶(かな)う come true; (wish) be answered

風習(ふうしゅう) traditional custom in a regional/ tribal culture

販売(はんばい)を始(はじ)める launch sales 

保育園(ほいくえん) nursery school and preschool (usually combined)

大泣(おおな)きする cry one’s eyes out; cry hard

幼児虐待(ようじぎゃくたい) child abuse

かわいそうになる feel sorry (for someone)

伝統行事(でんとうぎょうじ) traditional event

相対的(そうたいてき) relative

絶対(ぜったい) definite

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-122

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-122-m

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In today’s podcast, Yumi digs deep into an interesting superstition which caused the birth rates to plummet one year in the 1960s. It has to do with the Chinese Zodiac, the Edo period, and Natsume Souseki. Listen to find out about this fascinating bit of historical trivia.

KEY VOCABULARY:

十二支(じゅうにし) 12 animal signs of Chinese zodiac

干支(えと) 60 year cycle of 12 zodiac signs and 5 elements in Chinese astrology

暗記(あんき)する memorize

~歳違(さいちが)い  ~ years apart

ひと回り １２年 [one full cycle of 12 zodiac signs]　　

~年区切(ねんくぎ)り(で) by ~ year segment

マンモス校(こう) very large school; school with a large number of students

当(あ)たり前(まえ) usual; common; ordinary

少子化(しょうしか)  declining birth rate [少 (few; a little); 子 (child); 化 (change toward)]

根強(ねづよ)い  persistent; deep-rooted; deep-seated

迷信(めいしん) superstition

とんでもない  outrageous; terrible

江戸時代(えどじだい)  Edo period [the last era of ruling of samurai government]

八百屋(やおや)  produce store; fruits and vegetable store

小説家(しょうせつか) novelist; fiction writer

現代的(げんだいてき)な modern; contemporary

世代(せだい) generation

~年生(ねんう)まれ  born in year ~ [one word and it’s adjective]

気(き)にする worry (about)

明治時代(めいじじだい)  Meiji period [the first era after the fall of the samurai government]

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-121

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-121-m

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Yumi recently visited Silver Springs, a nature park in Florida which is famous for its glass bottom boats and manatees. Did you know manatees may have been mistaken for mermaids? Yumi then shares some stories about Japanese mermaids.

KEY VOCABULARY:

州立公園(しゅうりつこうえん)　state park

被害(ひがい)  damage; injury; harm

諦(あきら)める give up; abandon

水(みず)湧(わ)く spring out; gush out

水族館(すいぞくかん) aquarium

癒(いや)す heal

第一印象(だいいちいんしょう)  first impression

好奇心旺盛(こうきしんおうせい) full of curiosity; full of inquisitiveness 好奇  心(curiosity; inquisitiveness)  旺盛(vigorous; exuberant)　　

人魚(にんぎょ) mermaid

暗(くら)がり darkness

上半身(じょうはんしん) upper body

見世物小屋(みせものごや) show tent; circus tent; freak show 見世物(spectacle; exhibition; show) 小屋(hut)

購入(こうにゅう)する purchase

随分(ずいぶん) a lot; considerably; fairly

不老長寿(ふろうちょうじゅ)  immortality 不老 (no aging) 長寿(longevity)

子宝(こだから)  fertility

恵(めぐ)まれる to be gifted; to be blessed

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-120

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-120-m

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Sometimes simple analogies hit home the hardest. Learning a language is like breathing. It’s the small repetitive acts that keep us going and growing. Keep growing your Japanese little by little by studying, reading, and listening to Japanese daily.

KEY VOCABULARY:

新年(しんねん)の抱負(ほうふ) New Year’s resolution

一番(いちばん)最初(さいしょ)に the very first thing…

痩せたい want to lose weight

大成功(だいせいこう) big success

∼もつかの間(ま) ∼ was only short time

気(き)が緩(ゆる)む relax too much; lose an intention; become remiss

健康的(けんこうてき)に in healthy way；in healthy manner

瘦せ型体系 body type that is easy to lose weight

維持(いじ)する maintain; keep; sustain

参考にする refer to; learn from

一生懸命(いっしょうけんめい) with utmost effort; as one can

集中(しゅうちゅう)する concentrate; focus

短期間(たんきかん) short period of time

呼吸(こきゅう) breathing; breath

聖書(せいしょ) bible

毎日毎日(まいにちまいにち) every day; day after day

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-119

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-119-m

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www.MakotoPlus.com

In this short message, Yumi has some good news to share with the New Year.

KEY VOCABULARY:

令和(れいわ)5(５)年(ねん) Reiwa 5

西暦(せいれき) Western calendar

新年早々(しんねんそうそう) early in the New Year; at the beginning of the New Year

引(ひ)っ越(こ)し move (to a new house)

実家(じっか) one’s parent’s home; home where one grew up in

長(なが)い間(あいだ) long time

孫(まご) grandchildren

低学年(ていがくねん) early grade levels

節(ふし) occasion; time; section; passage; season; holiday

情報(じょうほう) information

長生(ながいけ)き long life

一期一会(いちごいちえ) once-in-a-life experience; an encounter that should be cherished

挨拶(あいさつ) greetings

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-118

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-118-m

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As the year 2022 comes to a close, Yumi thinks back on all the things that happened to her and her family this year.

KEY VOCABULARY:

今年(ことし) this year

最後(さいご) last; final

何(なに)も覚(おぼ)えていません don’t remember anything

性格(せいかく) personality; character

写真(しゃしん) photo

娘(むすめ) daughter

ウクレレ ukulele

いわゆる the so-called

弾(ひ)き語(がた)り singing to one’s own accompaniment

遊園地(ゆうえんち)  amusement park

成人式(せいじんしき) coming-of-age-ceremony

運動会(うんどうかい)  sports day

映画(えいが) movie

ブルーベリー狩(が)り blueberry picking

掃除(そうじ) cleaning

裏庭(うらにわ) backyard

教会(きょうかい) church

風邪(かぜ)気味(ぎみ)  slight cold

体験(たいけん) experience

笑(わら)い話(ばなし) funny story

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-117

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-117-m

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This year’s kanji has been selected. Out of 220,000 votes, the kanji for war or battle was chosen. Yumi talks about this as well as what’s been going on in Japan recently.

KEY VOCABULARY:

戦争(せんそう) war

漢字能力検定(かんじのうりょくけんてい)協会(きょうかい) Kanji Proficiency Test Association

戦(たたか)う to fight; to battle

全国(ぜんこく) all of the country; the whole country

印象(いんしょう) impression

同時多発(どうじたはつ)テロ  simultaneous attacks (particularly 9/11)

物騒(ぶっそう) troubled; disturbed

さらに in addition; moreover

大盛(おおも)り上(あ)がり  great excitement

優勝(ゆうしょう)候補(こうほ) favored candidate; best bet for the title; favored for victory

勝利(しょうり) victory

残念(ざんねん)ながら unfortunately

練習(れんしゅう)に練習(れんしゅう)を重(かさ)ねて practice upon practice

礼儀正(れいぎただ)しい polite; courteous

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-116

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-116-m

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www.MakotoPlus.com

Yumi’s daughter speaks Japanese, but sometimes incorrectly. In today’s episode, Yumi tells us how her daughter messes up “to give” in Japanese, and this spurred her to research how to best teach あげる・くれる・もらう(give and receive). Yumi discovered the key is to understand Japanese culture. Listen as she explains.

KEY VOCABULARY:

あげる・くれる・もらう To Give and Receive in Japanese

ゴチャまぜ mess; jumble; chaos

おやつ snack

ちょうだい please give me

日本(にほん)の文化(ぶんか) Japanese culture

考(かんが)え方(かた) way of thinking

内(うち)と外(そと) inside and outside

当(あ)たり前(まえ) natural; obvious; common

想像(そうぞう)する to imagine

真(ま)ん中(なか) in the middle

見事(みごと)に splendidly

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-115

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-115-m

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Yumi has a problem. The three large pecan trees in her backyard have produced tons of pecans. In this episode, she talks about what she’s doing with the pecans and then compares pecans to chestnuts in Japan.

KEY VOCABULARY:

ピーカン pecan

我(わ)が家(や) my house

裏庭(うらにわ) backyard

地面(じめん) ground

食(く)い込(こ)む bite into; to dig into; to encroach

敷(し)き詰(つ)められた to be covered with

季節(きせつ)外(はず)れ unseasonal

殻(から) shell

作業(さぎょう) work

単純(たんじゅん) simple

無(む)になれる become free from thoughts

自生(じせい)する growing wild

農家(のうか) farmer

栽培(さいばい) cultivate

脂肪分(しぼうぶん) fat content

脂質(ししつ) fats

栗(くり) chestnuts

甘露煮(かんろに) candied (chestnuts)

お菓子(かし) candy; sweets

縄文時代(じょうもんじだい) Jomon period (over 3000 years ago)

鬼皮(おにかわ) hard shell of a nut

渋皮(しぶかわ) inner skin of a chestnut

面倒(めんどう)くさい bothersome

リス squirrel

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-114

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-114-m

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www.MakotoPlus.com