Mitsuha’s Quote “If We See Each Other, We’ll Know”

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Let’s learn Japanese with Mitsuha’s quote from Your Name (君の名は, Kimi no Na wa).

Video

Mitsuha’s Quote

Japanese: 確かなことが一つだけある。私たちは会えば絶対すぐにわかる。
Romaji: tashika na koto ga hitotsu dake aru. watashitachi wa aeba zettai suguni wakaru.
English: One thing is certain. If we see each other, we’ll definitely know.

Analysis

確かなことが一つだけある

確か is a na-adjective meaning “certain”, modifying the noun こと meaning “thing”. When a na-adjective modifies the following noun, the hiragana な should be attached. That’s why it’s called a “na” adjective. So 確かなこと means “certain thing” or “something certain”.

Something (noun) が (particle) ある (verb) means “something exists” or “there is something”.

And you can add the quantities between が and ある. In this case, the quantity is 一つ. The numeral in kanji read as ひと represents “one” and it’s followed by the counter suffix つ which is used to count general things or abstract things.

And it’s followed by だけ (particle) meaning “only” so 確かなことが一つだけある means “there is only one certain thing”.

私たちは会えば絶対すぐにわかる.

私たち (pronoun) means “we”.

The は particle shows the preceding word 私たち is the topic in this sentence.

会えば means “if (we) meet”. It’s the conditional form of the verb 会う meaning “to meet”. To make a verb conditional form, take the plain form of the verb and switch the last hiragana which is from the う-line to the え-line (う→え)and attach ば. So the conditional form of 会う is 会えば.

絶対 (adverb) means “definitely”.

すぐに (adverb) means “immediately”.

わかる (verb) means “to know, find out or figure out” used when you finally understand something or someone.

There are two adverbs in a row followed by the verb, but each adverb affects different things. すぐに (immediately) simply modifies the following verb わかる which makes “(we’ll) know immediately”. And 絶対 (definitely) affects the whole すぐにわかる part so it’s like “it is definite that we’ll know immediately”.

So 私たちは会えば絶対すぐにわかる directly means “if we meet, it is definite that we’ll know immediately”.

NOTE

すぐに can be replaced with すぐ when used to mean “immediately” or “soon”.

いたらすぐすぐに電話でんわして。

Call me as soon as you arrive.

すぐ can also express “short distance”. In this usage, it cannot be replaced with すぐに.

えきすぐすぐに)そこです。

The station is right there.

Examples

こと (“thing” that is abstract and intangible)

今日きょうは、やることがたくさんある。

kyō wa, yaru koto ga takusan aru.

Today, I have many things to do.

今日きょう一番いちばんうれしかったことなんですか。

kyō ichiban ureshikatta koto wa nan desu ka.

What made you happiest today?

いやことわすれて、たのしもう。

iya na koto wa wasurete, tanoshimō.

Forget about bad things and let’s enjoy.

Noun + が + Quantities + ある (there is/are)

冷蔵庫れいぞうこにゆでたまご一個いっこある

reizōko ni yudetamago ga ikko aru.

There is one boiled egg in the refrigerator.

約束やくそくしてほしいことふたある

yakusoku shite hoshii koto ga futatsu aru.

There are two things that I want you to promise.

みたいほんたくさんある

yomitai hon ga takusan aru.

There are many books that I want to read.

Verb Conditional ば (if)

このみちをまっすぐけばえききますよ。

kono michi o massugu ikeba, eki ni tsukimasu yo.

If you go straight this way, you’ll reach the station.

はやればはやきられる。

hayaku nereba, hayaku okirareru.

If you go to bed early, you can wake up early.

明日あしたまでにレポートを提出ていしゅつすれば問題もんだいない。

ashita made ni repōto o teishutsu sureba, mondai nai.

If you submit the report by tomorrow, you won’t have any problems.

NOTE

ば conditional sentences have the following rules.

  1. it’s used to express general truths, constant results, hypothetical conditions, and proverbs

    はるればさくらく (general truth/constant result)

    If the spring comes, cherry blossoms will bloom.

    仕事しごとはやわればきます (hypothetical condition)

    If I finish work early, I’ll go.

    めばみやこ (proverb)

    Home is where you make it (directly: once you live, it’s the city).

  2. the predicate in the main clause cannot be the speaker’s volition, invitations, requests, commands, etc.
    Except:
    – when the subject is different in each clause
    – when the if-clause has a stative predicate such as adjectives, stative verbs (ある, いる, できる, etc), potential verbs, etc.

    [WRONG] えきけば、電話でんわしてください (request)

    If you arrive at the station, please call me.

    ※着いたら is OK(駅に着いたら電話してください)

    彼女かのじょのぞめば(ぼく結婚けっこんしたい (different subject in each clause)

    If she wants, I want to marry her.

    さむければ暖房だんぼうをつけてください (stative predicate in the if-clause)

    If you are cold, please turn on the heater.

  3. it cannot be used for the single factual event in the past. However, it can be used for the habitual event or counterfactual event in the past

    [WRONG] 昨日きのういえかえれば、ははがおちゃれてくれた (single factual event)

    When I went home yesterday, my mother made me some tea.

    ※帰ったら is OK(昨日、家に帰ったら、母がお茶を淹れてくれた)

    いえかえれば、ははいつもちゃれてくれた (habitual event)

    When I went home, my mother always used to make me some tea.

    もっとやすければった (counterfactual event)

    If it had been cheaper, I would have bought it.

わかる (to know/find out/figure out)

一目ひとめてすぐに偽物にせものだとわかった

hitome mite sugu ni nisemono da to wakatta.

As soon as I took a glance at it, I found out it was fake.

今週末こんしゅうまつなにするの?  – まだわからない

konshūmatsu, nani suru no? – mada wakaranai.

What are you going to do this weekend? – I’m not sure yet.

そんな簡単かんたんなことは、ネットで調しらべればわかる

sonna kantan na koto wa, netto de shirabereba wakaru.

If you look it up on the internet, you can find out such an easy thing.

Suggested Quote from Your Name

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This Post Has 4 Comments

  1. Maria

    I couldnt be more thankful!!!!!!! This is a dream website!!! Keep doing we are learning witha big joy!!!:)

    1. Anzu

      Glad you liked our website! Thanks so much for your comment, Maria-san!

  2. osman

    Arigatou gozaimasu.. totemo jouzuna

    1. Anzu

      Douitashimashite 🙂 Thanks for your comment!

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