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Let’s learn Japanese with Danpei Tange’s quote from Tomorrow’s Joe (Ashita no Joe).

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Danpei Tange’s Quote

Japanese: 立て！立つんだ、ジョー！
Romaji: tate! tatsunda, jō!
English: Stand up! Stand up, Joe!

Analysis

立て is the imperative form of 立つ meaning “to stand up”. So he is strongly commanding Joe to stand up as the Japanese imperative form sounds quite strong and forceful.

立つんだ is a combination of a verb dictionary form 立つ and んだ which is the broken version of のだ. A verb dictionary form followed by んだ or のだ can be used to give commands in a bit of an old-fashioned way. In English, it could be translated to “You WILL stand up!” which is not grammatically imperative but it expresses a strong command. It also sounds more encouraging and persuasive than the normal imperative form. When it’s used as a command, it sounds a bit dramatic and cheesy, so in a daily conversation you wouldn’t hear this so often, although it is often used in anime and dramas.

It can also be used to express your strong will when you want to encourage yourself. 

Examples

Verb Dictionary Form + のだ/んだ (command)

早はやくこっちに来くるんだ！

hayaku kocchi ni kuru nda!

Come here quickly!

知しっていることを全部ぜんぶ話はなすんだ！

shitteiru koto o zenbu hanasu nda!

Tell us everything you know!

爆発ばくはつするぞ！ここから離はなれるんだ！

bakuhatsu suru zo! koko kara hanareru nda!

It’s going to explode! Get away from here!

Verb Dictionary Form + のだ/んだ (strong will)

頑張がんばって勉強べんきょうして、試験しけんに合格ごうかくするんだ！

ganbatte benkyō shite, shiken ni gōkaku suru nda!

I will study hard and pass the exam!

東京とうきょうに行いって東京とうきょうスカイツリーに登のぼるんだ！

tōkyō ni itte tōkyō skai tsurī ni noboru nda!

I will go to Tokyo and go up the Tokyo Skytree!

今年ことしこそ、彼女かのじょを作つくるんだ！

kotoshi koso kanojo o tsukuru nda!

I will definitely get a girlfriend this year!

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