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Let’s learn Japanese with Aerith’s quote from Final Fantasy VII Remake (ファイナルファンタジーVII, FF7).

Video

Aerith’s Quote

Japanese: 好きにならないで。もしそうなっても気のせいだよ。
Romaji: suki ni naranai de. moshi sō natte mo kinosei dayo.
English: Don’t fall in love with me. Even if you think you have, it’s not real.

Analysis

好きにならないで

好き is the na-adjective meaning “likeable”, に is the target particle and ならない is the nai-form of the verb なる meaning “to become”.

Na-adjective such as 静か (quiet), 元気 (cheerful) and so on, followed by になる is used when the state becomes different so 静かになる means “to become quiet” and 元気になる means “to become cheerful”. And 好きになる is used when you start to like someone so it can be translated as “to fall in love”.

And a verb nai-form followed by で is used to ask someone not to do something in casual speech.

So 好きにならないで means “Don’t fall in love with me”.

もしそうなっても気のせいだよ

A verb te-form followed by も means “even if” and もし at the beginning of a sentence is used to emphasize that it’s based on the speaker’s hypothesis.

そう (adverb) is used to avoid repeating a phrase mentioned earlier which is in this case 好きに, and なって is the te-form of なる.

So もしそうなっても is equivalent to もし好きになっても meaning “even if you fall in love with me”.

気のせい (noun) literally means “because of mind” which can be translated as “one’s imagination” or “not real”.

だ (auxiliary verb) attached to a noun or na-adjective makes the statement affirmative and declarative.

よ (particle) is used to emphasize your opinion and make the listener aware of it. By using this particle, she is trying to make him believe that his feelings for her is not real.

So もしそうなっても気のせいだよ means “Even if you fall in love with me, it’s your imagination” or “Even if you think you have (fallen in love with me), it’s not real”.

Examples

Na-Adjective + になる (to become …)

先生せんせいが入はいってきて、教室きょうしつが静しずかになった。

sensei ga haitte kite, kyōshitsu ga sizuka ni natta.

The teacher came in and the class became quiet.

ラジオを聞きくと元気げんきになる。

rajio o kiku to, genki ni naru.

When I listen to the radio, I become cheerful.

仕事しごとを辞やめて、自由じゆうになった。

shigoto o yamete, jiyū ni natta,

I quit the job and I became free.

Verb Nai-Form + で (don’t …)

ここでタバコを吸すわないで。

koko de tabako o suwanai de.

Don’t smoke here.

勝手かってに写真しゃしんを撮とらないで。

katte ni shashin o toranai de.

Don’t take a picture without permission.

電車でんしゃの中なかで食たべないで。

densha no naka de tabenai de.

Don’t eat on the train.

もし + Verb Te-Form + も (even if …)

もし宝たからくじが当あたっても、使つかい道みちがわからない。

moshi takarakuji ga atatte mo, tukaimichi ga wakaranai.

Even if I won the lottery, I wouldn’t know how to spend it.

もし誰だれか来きても、ドアを開あけてはいけないよ。

moshi dareka kite mo, doa o akete wa ikenai yo.

Even if someone comes, you shouldn’t open the door.

もし今いま、世界せかいが終おわっても、後悔こうかいはない。

moshi ima, sekai ga owatte mo, kōkai wa nai.

Even if the world ended now, I wouldn’t regret.

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