Mother West Wind "Why" Stories — Page 88

Vocabulary

に

ni — Particle indicating direction, location, or time

しっぽ

shippo — Tail of an animal

が

ga — Subject marker particle in Japanese sentences

ある

aru — To exist; to have (for inanimate things)

か

ka — Question marker particle at end of sentence

どうか

dō ka — Whether or not; please (making a request)

さえ

sae — Even; as long as; only (emphatic particle)

確かめ

tashikame — To confirm; to verify; to make sure

られ

rare — Passive or potential verb suffix form

なかった

nakatta — Did not; was not (past negative form)

とき

toki — Time; moment; when something happens

彼

kare — He; him; boyfriend

どれほど

dore hodo — How much; to what extent

驚いた

odoroita — Was surprised; was astonished (past tense)

想像

sōzō — Imagination; to imagine; mental image

し

shi — Verb stem connector; and; also (conjunction use)

て

te — Te-form connector linking verbs or clauses

み

mi — Try doing (as in してみる, try and see)

ください

kudasai — Please do (polite request form)

の

no — Possessive particle; nominalizer in Japanese

つもり

tsumori — Intention; plan; expectation to do something

も

mo — Also; too; even (inclusive particle)

しれ

shire — May; might (as in かもしれない, might be)

ない

nai — Negative form; not; does not exist

ほん

hon — Book; real; true (depending on context)

と

to — And; with; quotation particle in Japanese

思える

omoeru — To seem; to be able to think or feel

もの

mono — Thing; object; used for emphasis or reason

あった

atta — There was; existed (past tense of ある)

は

wa — Topic marker particle highlighting sentence subject

それ

sore — That; that thing (near the listener)

確信

kakushin — Conviction; certainty; firm belief in something

持て

mote — Can hold; can have (potential form of 持つ)

もし

moshi — If; supposing; in case (conditional opener)

だ

da — Copula; is; am; are (plain form)

したら

shitara — If one does; when one did (conditional form)

あまり

amari — Too much; not very (with negative); excessively

馬鹿げ

bakage — Foolish; absurd; ridiculous (stem form)

小さかった

chiisakatta — Was small; was little (past adjective form)

で

de — At; by means of; particle of location or means

自分

jibun — Oneself; myself; yourself (reflexive pronoun)

を

wo — Object marker particle in Japanese sentences

恥じる

hajiru — To feel ashamed; to be embarrassed about something

理由

riyū — Reason; cause; grounds for something

感じた

kanjita — Felt; experienced a feeling (past tense)

家

ie / uchi — House; home; one's residence

へ

e — Directional particle indicating movement toward

向かい

mukai — Heading toward; facing; opposite side

始めた

hajimeta — Started; began doing something (past tense)

まだ

mada — Still; not yet; continuing state

その

sono — That (adjective); the aforementioned thing

こと

koto — Thing; matter; fact (abstract noun)

考え

kangae — Thought; idea; thinking (noun or verb stem)

いた

ita — Was; were; existed (past of いる)

途中

tochū — On the way; in the middle of something

立ち止まり

tachitomari — Stopped walking; paused in one's tracks

ほほえみ

hohoemi — Smile; gentle grin (noun form)

池

ike — Pond; small lake or pool of water

道

michi — Road; path; way; street

開い

hiraite / hiraita — Opened; spread open (verb stem/past)

いる

iru — To exist; to be (animate beings)

見

mi — See; look (verb stem of 見る)

つい

tsui — Unintentionally; just now; before one knows

カエル

kaeru — Frog (the amphibian animal)

じいさん

jiisan — Old man; grandfather (informal address)

聞こう

kikō — Let's ask; let's listen (volitional form)

突然

totsuzen — Suddenly; all of a sudden; unexpectedly

決心

kesshin — Decision; resolution; determination to do

した

shita — Did; performed an action (past tense)

ぴょんぴょん

pyonpyon — Hopping; bouncing repeatedly (onomatopoeia)

跳ね

hane — Jump; hop; splash (verb stem of 跳ねる)

ながら

nagara — While doing; simultaneously doing two actions

出発

shuppatsu — Departure; setting off on a journey

ああ

ā — Ah; oh (exclamation of realization or emotion)

ほとり

hotori — Shore; edge; vicinity of water body

着く

tsuku — To arrive; to reach a destination

や

ya — As soon as; or; listing particle

いなや

inaya — No sooner than; as soon as (formal expression)

息

iki — Breath; breathing

切らし

kirashi — Out of breath; having exhausted (stem form)

言った

itta — Said; spoke (past tense of 言う)

一

ichi / hito — One; the number one

二分

nifun — Two minutes (unit of time)

間

aida / kan — Between; interval; period of time

黙っ

damatte — Silently; without speaking (stem/te-form)

見つめた

mitsumeta — Stared at; gazed intently (past tense)

から

kara — From; after; because (particle)

とても

totemo — Very; extremely; quite (adverb)

ゆっくり

yukkuri — Slowly; leisurely; without hurry

尋ね

tazune — Ask; inquire (verb stem of 尋ねる)

た

ta — Past tense verb ending in Japanese

目

me — Eye; eyesight; vision

何

nani / nan — What; which (interrogative word)

ため

tame — For; sake of; purpose; benefit of

ん

n — Explanatory or seeking confirmation particle

だい

dai — Casual question ending (masculine speech)

見え

mie — Can see; is visible (stem of 見える)

かい

kai — Casual question particle (friendly inquiry)

いいえ

iie — No; a negative response (polite)

本当

hontō — Really; truly; genuine; truth

判断

handan — Judgment; decision; assessment of a situation

でき

deki — Can do; is possible (stem of できる)

です

desu — Polite copula; is; am; are (formal)

至って

itatte — Extremely; very; utterly; to the utmost degree

正直

shōjiki — Honest; frank; straightforward in manner

答えた

kotaeta — Answered; replied (past tense of 答える)

最初

saisho — First; beginning; at the start

思った

omotta — Thought; felt (past tense of 思う)

けど

kedo — But; however; though (casual conjunction)

思っ

omotte — Thinking; having thought (te-form stem)

呼ぶ

yobu — To call; to invite; to summon someone

十分

jūbun — Sufficient; enough; ten minutes (context-dependent)

じゃ

ja — Well then; so; casual form of では

よう

yō — Like; seem; in order to (various uses)

思え

omoe — Can think; seems (potential/imperative of 思う)

ます

masu — Polite verb ending in Japanese (present/future)

まあ

mā — Well; I suppose; somewhat (softening expression)

そう

sō — So; like that; in that way

思わ

omowa — Think; feel (negative base of 思う)

なく

naku — Without; not being (negative adverbial form)

よ

yo — Assertion particle adding emphasis or assertion

言い返し

iikaeши — Talked back; replied sharply; retorted

そし

soshi — And then; and so (archaic/literary connector)

戒め

imashime — Warning; admonition; caution to oneself

持っ

motte — Holding; having (te-form of 持つ)

困惑

konwaku — Bewilderment; confusion; perplexity

様子

yōsu — Appearance; state; situation; manner

叫ん

sakende — Shouted; cried out (te-form base of 叫ぶ)

な

na — Sentence-ending particle for emphasis or emotion