Manga

Let’s learn Japanese with our analysis of manga. We will analyse a manga snippet from Yotsubato! (よつばと!) Volume 3.

Manga Snippet

©よつばと! (電撃コミックス)

Sentences

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1. あした動物園に行こう
   ashita dōbutsuen ni ikō
   Let’s go to the zoo tomorrow.

2. ちょっと行った所に小さな動物園があるんだ
   chotto itta tokoro ni chiisana dōbutsuen ga arunda
   There’s a small zoo right down there.

3. よつばは動物園初めてだな
   yotsuba wa dōbutsuen hajimete da na
   It will be your first time at the zoo, right?

4. 知ってるか？
   shitteru ka?
   Do you know?

5. り、りろんはしってる
   ri, riron wa shitteru
   I- I know the theory.

6. 理論知ってんのか、すごいな
   riron shitten noka, sugoi na
   You know the thoery? Wow.

7. ライオンいるのか!?
   raion iru noka!?
   Will there be lions!?

8. しろくまは!?
   shirokuma wa!?
   How about polar bears!?

9. そーゆー大そうなのはいなかったと思うなぁ
   sōyū taisō na no wa inakatta to omou nā
   I don’t think they had anything impressive like that.

10. しろくま好きなのか？
    shirokuma suki nanoka?
    You like polar bears?

Analysis of Manga

1. 「あした動物園どうぶつえんに行いこう」

   • あした (noun) – tomorrow
   • 動物園 (noun) – zoo
   • に (particle) – indicates direction; to
   • 行こう (verb volitional-form) – let’s go

2. 「ちょっと行いった所ところに小ちいさな動物園どうぶつえんがあるんだ」

   • ちょっと (adverb) – a bit
   • 行った (verb) – go
   • 所 (noun) – place
   • に (particle) – indicates place; at
   • ※ちょっと行った所に is literally “at the place where you go a bit” = right down there
   • 小さな (adjective) – small
   • 動物園 (noun) – zoo
   • が (particle) – indicates subject
   • ある (verb) – there is (for inanimate objects)
   • んだ – makes a sentence into an explanation

3. 「よつばは動物園どうぶつえん初はじめてだな」

   • よつば (noun) – name of the main character meaning four (よつ) leaves (ば)
   • は (particle) – indicates sentence topic
   • 動物園 (noun) – zoo
   • 初めて (noun) – first time
   • だ (auxiliary) – makes a sentence declarative (attached to a noun or na-adjective)
   • な (particle) – indicates request for confirmation/agreement in male speech; right? yeah? EXAMPLES

4. 「知しってるか？」

   • 知ってる (verb) – know
   • か (particle) – indicates question (when used in casual speech, it sounds masculine)

5. 「り、りろんはしってる」

   • りろん (noun) – theory
   • は (particle) – indicates sentence topic
   • しってる (verb) – know

6. 「理論りろん知しってんのか、すごいな」

   • 理論 (noun) – theory
   • 知ってん (verb) – know (知ってる + の often becomes 知ってん + の in colloquial speech)
   • のか – expresses that you are impressed, surprised, moved, etc. by what you hear/see EXAMPLES
   • すごい (i-adjective) – awesome, amazing
   • な (particle) – expresses admiration, compliment, surprise, etc. EXAMPLES

7. 「ライオンいるのか!?」

   • ライオン (noun) – lion
   • いる (verb) – there is (for animate objects)
   • のか – indicates question about what you hear/see in male speech (Yotsuba is speaking like a boy) EXAMPLES

8. 「しろくまは!?」

   • しろくま (noun) – polar bear
   • は (particle) – indicates sentence topic

9. 「そーゆー大たいそうなのはいなかったと思おもうなぁ」

   • そーゆー (adjective) – that sort of
   • 大そうな (na-adjective) – great, impressive
   • の (particle) – makes an adjective into a noun​; one, thing
   • は (particle) – indicates sentence topic
   • いなかった (verb) – was not there (for animate objects)
   • と (particle) – used to make a quotation
   • 思う (verb) – think
   • なぁ (particle) – used to reduce the assertiveness/insistence of a statement EXAMPLES

10. 「しろくま好すきなのか？」

    • しろくま (noun) – polar bear
    • 好き (na-adjective) – like
    • なのか – indicates question about what you hear/see in male speech (attached to a noun or na-adjective)

Examples

な

indicates request for confirmation/agreement in male speech

探さがしていたものはこれだな。

sagashite ita mono wa kore da na.

This is the thing you were looking for, right?

一人ひとりで行いけるな？

hitori de ikeru na?

You can go by yourself, yeah?

expresses admiration, compliment, surprise, etc

毎日まいにちとても幸しあわせだなぁ。

mainichi totemo shiawase da nā.

Everyday, I am so happy.

夏休なつやすみにハワイに行いったの？いいなぁ〜！

natsuyasumi ni hawai ni itta no? iinā!

You went to Hawaii on summer holiday? How envious!

used to reduce the assertiveness/insistence of a statement

この企画きかくは失敗しっぱいだな。

kono kikaku wa shippai da na.

This project is a failure.

この味噌汁みそしる、ちょっとしょっぱいな。

kono misoshiru, chotto shoppai na.

This miso soup is a bit salty.

のか

expresses that you are impressed, surprised, moved, etc. by what you hear/see

もう宿題しゅくだい終おわったのか。早はやいなぁ！

mō shukudai owatta noka. hayai nā!

You have already finished your homework? That’s fast!

コンサート中止ちゅうしになったのかー。残念ざんねんだな。

consāto chūshi ni natta nokā. zannen da na.

The concert has been cancelled? That’s a shame.

indicates question about what you hear/see in male speech

熱ねつが三十八度さんじゅうはちど？そんなんで学校がっこうに行いけるのか？

netsu ga sanjūhachi do? sonnan de gakkō ni ikeru noka?

You have a fever of 38 degrees? Can you go to school like that?

明日あした試験しけんなのに、勉強べんきょうしなくていいのか？

ashita shiken nanoni, benkyō shinakute ii noka?

You are having an exam tomorrow. Don’t you have to study?

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