Description:

It’s Thanksgiving and Black Friday season in the US. Yumi talks a little about what she and her family is doing and compares that with Japanese holidays.

KEY VOCABULARY:

感謝祭とブラックフライデー Thanksgiving and Black Friday

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-112

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-112-m

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Daylight savings time in America is the one thing all Americans can agree to hate, and yet… they still can’t seem to come together long enough to pass a law to rid themselves of the twice-a-year menace. Yumi shares her thoughts and hope that this “Fall back” will be the last.

KEY VOCABULARY:

夏時間(なつじかん) summer time

早起(はやお)き rising early

時刻(じこく) time; the hour

有効(ゆうこう) valid; effective

電力(でんりょく)の節約(せつやく) saving energy

目的(もくてき) goal; purpose

実際(じっさい)に actually

徐々(じょじょ)に gradually

連動(れんどう) working together; being linked (to)

時計(とけい)の針(はり) hands of a clock

昼夜(ちゅうや) day and night

逆転(ぎゃくてん) sudden change; reversal

交通事故(こうつうじこ) traffic accident

採用(さいよう) use; adoption

説(せつ)がある there is a theory

公務員(こうむいん) civil servant

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-111

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-111-m

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www.MakotoPlus.com

Yumi’s family band! It was one of her dreams and recently her family had a chance to perform. Listen as she tells us her thoughts on families coming together to perform.

KEY VOCABULARY:

弾(ひ)きます to play (stringed instrument such as piano or guitar)

中級(ちゅうきゅう)の初(はつ)め beginning of intermediate stage

音符(おんぷ) musical notes

伴奏(ばんそう) (musical) accompaniment

演奏(えんそう) (musical) performance

上手(うま)い下手(へた)  skillful or unskilled

素人(しろうと)の私(わたし) an amateur such as I am

長男(ちょうなん) eldest son

担当(たんとう)の人(ひと) person in charge

急遽(きゅうきょ) hurriedly; in a hurry

いろいろ原因(げんいん) various causes

感動的(かんどうてき) impressive; moving

録音(ろくおん) audio recording

録画(ろくが) video recording

年(とし)を経(へ)るにしたがって as the years go by

成長(せいちょう) growth; becoming an adult

出番(でばん) one’s turn on stage; one’s shift

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-110

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-110-m

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Fall is a great time for families to get together and have fun. In this episode, Yumi shares a little about a recent multi-family getogether. There was much talking, children playing, and then… someone brought out a rope for a game of tug-of-war.

KEY VOCABULARY:

遊(あそ)びに行(い)く to go visit (someone); to have fun with

ちっちゃい子(こ)どもさん  a small child

それぞれ思(おも)い思(おも)いに  as each one likes; as each one pleases

しばらくすると a little later; after that

綱引(つなひき)き tug of war

力持(ちからも)ち strong person

小柄(こがら) small frame; small person

偶然(ぐうぜん)  coincidence; chance

相手(あいて)チ(ち)ーム(む) the other team; opponent’s team

隙(すき)  chance; opportunity; gap; break; interval

粘(ねば)り勝(が)ち  hard-fought win; winning through perseverance

体力(たいりょく)のある to have physical strength

持久力(じきゅうりょく)のある to have endurance; stamina

ハの字(じ)  the “ha” character (shape)

運動靴(うんどうぐつ) athletic shoes

腕力(わんりょく) physical strength; arm strength

全日本(ぜんにほん) all Japan

運動会(うんどうかい) athletic meet; sports field 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-109

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-109-m

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Most years, Yumi takes her family to a nearby farm to experience cows, goats, fun outdoor activities, and homemade ice cream. Clay… didn’t do very well in the heat. Listen as Yumi talks about this year’s trip, and her thoughts on cows.

KEY VOCABULARY:

秋(あき) fall; autumn

牧場(ぼくじょう) farm

先日(せんじつ) the other day

同士(どうし) fellow (cousin); mutual

写真(しゃしん) photograph

インスタ映(ば)え looking good on Instagram

メイン main (reason)

本物(ほんもの)の a real…

の影響(えいきょう) the influence of

経営(けいえい)が苦(くる)しい  business is suffering

気分(きぶん)が悪(わる)い feel bad

滞在(たいざい)する to stay

牛肉(ぎゅうにく) beef

乳製品(にゅうせいひん) dairy products

牛革(ぎゅうかわ) cowhide

牛(ぎゅう)タン cow tongue

焼(や)き肉(にく) grilled meat

悪趣味(あくしゅみ) bad taste

ぽつぽつと斑点(はんてん)  spots and specks

模様(もよう) pattern

手作(てづく)りのアイスクリーム handmade

産地直送(さんちちょくそう) direct from the farm fresh

大満足(だいまんぞく) deeply satisfied

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-108

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-108-m

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www.MakotoPlus.com

The taste of fall has come and Yumi shares her thoughts about what this time of the year means in Japan. For more fun autumn words, please see our new lesson page here: https://thejapanesepage.com/no-aki-the-autumn-of-japanese-expressions-for-fall/

KEY VOCABULARY:

秋(あき) fall; autumn

特(とく)に especially

大喜(おおよろこ)び great joy

南部(なんぶ) southern part

秋(あき)らしく飾(かざ)ります fall decor

実(み) fruit

柔(やわ)らかく  soft

涼(すず)しい cool

苦手(にがて) not good at

玄関(げんかん) entrance (of a house)

に比(くら)べる compared to

繊維質(せんいしつ) dietary fiber

砂糖(さとう) sugar

代表的(だいひょうてき) representative of

一方(いっぽう) on one hand

煮(に) boil

蒸(むし) steam

大好物(だいこうぶつ) favorite thing

味覚(みかく)の秋(あき)  autumn of taste

食欲(しょくよく)の秋(あき) autumn of appetite

さつまいも sweet potato

柿(かき) persimmon

栗(くり) chestnut

ギンナン ginkgo nut

カツオ skipjack tuna; bonito

秋刀魚(さんま) mackerel pike (fish)

数(かぞ)え切(き)れない countless

一択(いったく) singular choice; only choice

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-107

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-107-m

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Become a Makoto+ member and get show notes with a complete transcript, translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF.

www.MakotoPlus.com

Hurricanes and typhoons. Not much fun, but both Japan and where Yumi currently lives, Florida, experience them annually. Japan not only has typhoons but other natural disasters— particularly earthquakes. Therefore, Yumi reasons, Japanese people tend to have a higher sense of crisis and therefore make tons of preparations. Listen as she compares Japan and Florida’s preparations for bad weather.

KEY VOCABULARY:

台風(たいふう)とハリケーン typhoons and hurricanes

同(おな)じもの same thing

気象現象(きしょうげんしょう) weather phenomena

熱帯(ねったい) tropics

低気圧(ていきあつ) low (atmospheric) pressure; low-pressure system

毎年(まいとし) every year

大型(おおがた) large-scale

中部(ちゅうぶ) central region

北中部(ほくちゅうぶ) north central

直撃(ちょくげき) direct hit

被害(ひがい) damage

食料(しょくりょう) foodstuffs; food

戦々恐々(せんせんきょうきょう) trembling with fear; filled with trepidation

やや強(つよ)かった somewhat strong; a little strong

ホッとしました to feel relieved

9月中旬(がつちゅうじゅん) middle of September

ドキドキ heart beating fast; thrilled; scared

によると according to

一安心(ひとあんしん) feeling of relief; peace of mind

海岸(かいがん) coast; beach

川岸(かわぎし) riverbank

護岸工事(ごがんこうじ) levee protection works

建設(けんせつ) construction

テトラポット concrete breakwater objects that look like large jacks off the coast in Japan

堤防(ていぼう) embankment; levee

自然(しぜん)のまま natural; as nature intended

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-106

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-106-m

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Become a Makoto+ member and get show notes with a complete transcript, translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF.

www.MakotoPlus.com

The exciting conclusion of Yumi’s “cleaning the dryer vent” two-part series. Okay, maybe not too exciting, but there are a number of useful vocabulary words (see below), and she ends with a lesson how this relates to learning Japanese.

KEY VOCABULARY:

詰(つ)まっている clogged

乾燥機(かんそうき) dryer

穴(あな) hole

私自身(わたしじしん) myself

直(なお)したい want to fix

ホームセンター DIY store; home improvement store

業務用(ぎょうむよう) industrial use

大型掃除機(おおがたそうじき) large-sized vacuum cleaner

馬力(ばりき) horse power

吸(す)い込(こ)む to suck up; to inhale; to breathe in

節約(せつやく) economizing; saving money

無駄(むだ) waste; no use; pointlessness

一切(いっさい)ありません none whatsoever; not at all

真空(しんくう) vacuum

隙間(すきま) crack; opening; gap

一旦(いったん) once; for a moment; temporarily

真(ま)っ黒(くろ)い pitch black

空気(くうき)が通(とお)っている air is flowing through

通常通(つうじょうどお)り as usual; as normal

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-105

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-105-m

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www.MakotoPlus.com

Yumi is a do-it-yourselfer. With the help of YouTube, she has learned how to fix quite a few things around the house. But this time, it was a big challenge. The dryer’s vent going outside was clogged and the length and angle of the vent made reaching the clog very difficult. Listen as she describes the challenge.

KEY VOCABULARY:

乾燥機(かんそうき) dryer

調子(ちょうし)が悪(わる)い in bad shape; not doing well; out of condition

洗濯物(せんたくもの) laundry; the washing

乾(かわ)かす to dry

一般的(いっぱんてき) general

生乾(なまがわ)き half-dried

湿(しめ)ってる damp; moist; wet

点滅(てんめつ) flashing; blinking

説明書(せつめいしょ) manual; printed instructions

熱風(ねっぷう) hot air

詰(つ)まっている clogged

空気(くうき) air

火事(かじ) fire

危険性(きけんせい)がある hazardous; risky

検索(けんさく) search

距離(きょり) distance

謳(うた)い文句(もんく)  promotional line; catchphrase; slogan; advertised claim

素人(しろうと) amateur

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-104

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-104-m

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Last week, a friend of ours brought his son over to talk about Japan. This young man really wants to move to Japan. Yumi felt a little nostalgic after the meeting. His strong desire to learn Japanese and live in Japan reminded her of her husband Clay when he was younger. Today, she tells a little more about this son and the challenges he has to overcome.

KEY VOCABULARY:

前回(ぜんかい) last time; last episode

息子(むすこ)くん (other person’s) son

我(わ)が家(や) my home; our house

遊(あそ)びに来(き)た came to visit

若者(わかもの) young man

憧(あこが)れている  longing for; admiring; attracted by

田舎町(いなかまち) small town; country small town

同(おな)じ年頃(としごろ) about the same age

あっという間(ま)に in no time

話(はな)し相手(あいて) conversation partner; someone to talk to

文化(ぶんか)に浸(ひた)りたい to want to be immersed in (Japanese) culture

軍隊(ぐんたい) military

眼科(がんか)の先生(せんせい)  Ophthalmologist; eye doctor

基地(きち) (military) base

ポロリ(ぽろり)と漏(も)らした let slip

宣言(せんげん) declaration

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-103

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-103-m

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Become a Makoto+ member and get show notes with a complete transcript, translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF.

www.MakotoPlus.com