2021-Feb-8 Level 4 明日、長男の受験なんだよね。

Lesson Dialogues

Situation 1

Yamamoto-san and Kawaguchi-san are talking at the office.

山本(やまもと):あー。明日(あした)長男(ちょうなん)受験(じゅけん)なんだよね。うまくいくか、心配(しんぱい)だなあ。

Yamamoto: Oh. My oldest son is taking his entrance examination tomorrow. I'm worried about whether he'll do well.

  • 長男(ちょうなん) eldest son
  • 受験(じゅけん) taking an examination (esp. school and university entrance)); 受験(じゅけん)する to take an examination

川口(かわぐち):え?山本(やまもと)さんの長男(ちょうなん)って、もうそんな年齢(ねんれい)でしたっけ?

Kawaguchi: Huh? Is your oldest son really that old already, Yamamoto-san?

  • 年齢(ねんれい) age

山本(やまもと):まだ(みっ)つなんだけどさ。幼稚園(ようちえん)受験(じゅけん)なんだよ。

Yamamoto: He's only three years old, actually. It's an examination to get into kindergarten.

  • 幼稚園(ようちえん) preschool; kindergarten

川口(かわぐち):えー!幼稚園(ようちえん)で、もう受験(じゅけん)ですか?すごいですねえ。

Kawaguchi: What!? He's already taking an entrance examination at the age of a kindergartner? That's amazing.

    山本(やまもと):いやー。うちの(おく)さんが必死(ひっし)でさ。(おれ)はあんまり興味(きょうみ)ないんだけど…。

    Yamamoto: Well, my wife is desperate. I'm not really interested...

    • (おく)さん wife
    • 必死(ひっし) desperate

    川口(かわぐち):あれ、そうなんですか。幼稚園(ようちえん)受験(じゅけん)って、(なに)をするんですか?

    Kawaguchi: Oh? Is that so? What does a kindergarten entrance examination consist of? (What does a child do at the entrance examination for kindergartners?))

      山本(やまもと):まず挨拶(あいさつ)だね。それから、自分(じぶん)名前(なまえ)年齢(ねんれい)()うとかかな。

      Yamamoto: First, the examinee will greet the examiners. After that, they'll probably say their name and age.

      • 挨拶(あいさつ) greeting; 挨拶(あいさつ)する to greet

      川口(かわぐち):へー。それぐらいなら、頑張(がんば)ればできそうですね。

      Kawaguchi: I see. If that's all there is to it, he'll probably be able to do it if he tries hard.

        山本(やまもと):うちで(おく)さんが必死(ひっし)になって(おぼ)えさせてるよ。まあうちの()挨拶(あいさつ)元々(もともと)できるんだけどね。

        Yamamoto: My wife is desperately making him memorize them. Well, our kid has always been able to say greetings anyway.

          川口(かわぐち):なるほど。じゃあ、そんなに心配(しんぱい)いらないじゃないですか。

          Kawaguchi: I see. If that's the case, you don't have to worry that much, do you?

            山本(やまもと):いや、(おや)(たい)する面接(めんせつ)もあるんだよ。それが心配(しんぱい)なんだよなあ。

            Yamamoto: Well, they interview the parents as well. That's what I'm worried about.

            • ~に(たい)する to, towards; for; against: 日本(にほん)はアメリカに(たい)する攻撃(こうげき)をした。Japan attacked against the US.
            • 面接(めんせつ) interview; 面接(めんせつ)する to interview

            川口(かわぐち):え、山本(やまもと)さんも面接(めんせつ)されるんですか?それは頑張(がんば)らないと!

            Kawaguchi: What? You'll be interviewed as well, Yamamoto-san? You'll have to do your best!

              山本(やまもと):あー。心配(しんぱい)で、今日(きょう)()れなさそうだよ…。

              Yamamoto: Gosh. I'm so worried I don't think I'll be able to sleep today...

                Situation 2

                Kohei and Keisuke are talking at university.

                コウヘイ:はー。そろそろ就職(しゅうしょく)のこと、ちゃんと(かんが)えないといけないね。

                Kohei: Ah... It's about time that we have to think properly about getting a job, isn't it?

                • そろそろ soon; slowly
                • 就職(しゅうしょく) finding employment, getting a job; 就職(しゅうしょく)する to find employment, to get a job

                ケイスケ:そっかー。そろそろそんな時期(じき)かー。コウヘイはどうするの?

                Keisuke: Oh, is it? It's about time we do that, huh? What are you going to do, Kohei?

                  コウヘイ:まだはっきり()まってないんだよね。とりあえず、資格(しかく)勉強(べんきょう)はしてるけどさ。

                  Kohei: I haven't made up my mind clearly. For now, I'm just studying for a qualification.

                  • 資格(しかく) qualification; capacity

                  ケイスケ:そうなんだ。(なん)資格(しかく)

                  Keisuke: I see. What qualification is that?

                    コウヘイ:経営(けいえい)(かん)する資格(しかく)就職(しゅうしょく)するとしても、()ってて(こま)ることはないからさ。

                    Kohei: A qualification related to management. After all, even if I get a job, it won't hurt me to have it.

                    • 経営(けいえい) management 経営(けいえい)する to manage, to run
                    • ~としても assuming; even if

                    ケイスケ:すごいなあ。しっかりしてるなあ。

                    Keisuke: That's amazing. You've really got it together.

                      コウヘイ:ケイスケは?結局(けっきょく)父親(ちちおや)会社(かいしゃ)()ぐの?

                      Kohei: What about you, Keisuke? Are you going to inherit your father's company after all?

                      • () to succeed; to take over

                      ケイスケ:うーん。(おれ)もまだ()めてないんだよね。父親(ちちおや)()いでほしいみたいだけど。

                      Keisuke: Hmm. I haven't decided either, but it seems like my father wants me to inherit the company.

                        コウヘイ:あれ。っていうか、兄弟(きょうだい)はいるの?

                        Kohei: Huh? Come to think of it, do you have any siblings?

                        • 兄弟(きょうだい) brother; sister; sibling

                        ケイスケ:いや、いないんだよ。兄弟(きょうだい)がいたら、また(はなし)(ちが)ってたと(おも)うんだけどな。

                        Keisuke: No, I don't. If I had a sibling, things would probably have been different.

                          コウヘイ:そっかー。それなら父親(ちちおや)も、ケイスケに期待(きたい)してると(おも)うな。

                          Kohei: I see. If that's the case, I guess your father has high expectations of you, Keisuke.

                            ケイスケ:まあ()ぐとしても、最初(さいしょ)普通(ふつう)就職(しゅうしょく)しようと(おも)ってる。

                            Keisuke: Well, even if I were to inherit the company, I'm thinking of getting a job to start with normally (as many people do)).

                              コウヘイ:けどさ、会社(かいしゃ)()ぐってことは、いつかは経営(けいえい)するってことじゃん!

                              Kohei: But, you know, inheriting the company means that you'll manage it someday, right?

                                ケイスケ:まあ、そうだね。(おれ)資格(しかく)勉強(べんきょう)すべきかなあ。

                                Keisuke: Well, that's right. Maybe I should study for a qualification too.

                                • ~べし、べき must; should (it could be a mild form of command in spoken Japanese)): 日本(にほん)()くべし。You should go to Japan; 日本(にほん)()くべきだと(おも)う。I think I should go to Japan.

                                Step 2 - Take the Quiz

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                                Step 3 - Writing Exercises (Optional)

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                                4 Comments
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                                Mark
                                Mark
                                4 years ago

                                Situation 3, line 3, why did he say 三つ and not 三歳?

                                Situation 2, 10th line, what purpose do また and 話し serve?

                                Hana-Sensei
                                Editor
                                Hana-Sensei
                                4 years ago
                                Reply to  Mark

                                つ is a very handy counterword.
                                It basically works as a “piece of …”, but nowadays it can be used more widely.
                                But we only use it for ages when we talk about the age of a child from 1 to 9 years old.

                                また here works as “perhaps” or “otherwise”
                                話は違う here means “a different story”, so I think literal translation works here.
                                “Perhaps it would be a different story.”

                                Mark
                                Mark
                                4 years ago
                                Reply to  Hana-Sensei

                                Aaah, 話し meant story. I see now. Thank you!

                                Hana-Sensei
                                Editor
                                Hana-Sensei
                                4 years ago
                                Reply to  Mark

                                Yes, but it’s 話, not 話し.
                                話し is a conjugation of 話す (verb).

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