Each book contains two versions of a biography of a great Japanese figure such as Tezuka Osamu, the godfather of Japanese manga. One version is in simple Japanese for beginners using mostly JLPT N5 and N4 grammar and vocabulary. The other version is in natural Japanese best for intermediates. However, beginners who rigorously engage with the vocabulary, grammar, and the initial essay should find themselves well-prepared to approach the intermediate essay as well.
Before each version of the essay, you'll find a comprehensive vocabulary list and detailed grammatical breakdowns akin to what's illustrated in this lesson.
(to become able to; to come to)
Verb [plain form] + ようになる
This construction is used to express a change that has taken place over time, often as a result of practice, learning, or some form of adaptation. It means "to become able to" or "to come to be in a state where one can."
Sentence from Essay:
このころから、日本で数多くのアニメが作られるようになりました。
Translation and Vocabulary
From around this time, in Japan, many animations started to be made.
このころから from this time; since around this time [このころ (around this time) + から (from; since)]
作られる - to be made; to be produced [passive form of 作る (to make)]
ようになる - have come to; have started to [ようになる (to come to; to begin to) + ました (past tense marker)]
Example Sentences:
日本に来てから、日本語が話せるようになりました。
Translation and Vocabulary
I have become able to speak Japanese since coming to Japan.
日本 - Japan
来て- to come [て-form of 来る (to come)]
日本語 - Japanese (language)
話せる - can speak; able to speak [potential form of 話す (to speak)]
ようになる – to become doing ~ [indicates a change of a state or condition]
自転車に乗れるようになった。
Translation and Vocabulary
I have become able to ride a bicycle.
自転車 - bicycle
に - (particle indicating direction or purpose)
乗れる - can ride [potential form of 乗る (to ride)]
ようになった - have become able to [past of ようになる]
[Subject Marker]
Noun + が + Verb
The particle が is used to mark the subject of the sentence or the subject of a clause. It identifies who or what is performing the action or is in a particular state. While it doesn’t always correspond with what we would call the “subject” in English, you can still think of it as “marking the subject of the phrase.” For example, in the sentence provided, you can think of the が as marking 虫 (bugs/insects) is the subject of the “liking.”
Sentence from Essay:
彼は虫が大好きで「虫」という字を名前につけ加えてペンネームにしました。
Translation and Vocabulary
He loved insects, and added the character for "insect" to his name to create his pen name.
彼 - he; him
虫 - insect; bug
大好き - very fond of; to love [大 (big; greatly) + 好き (fond of); used to express a strong liking]
で and; being [て-form of the copula だ, used here to link two clauses]
字 - character; letter
名前 - name
つけ加えて adding; having added [つける (to attach) + 加える (to add) in te-form, indicating continuation or cause]
ペンネーム - pen name
にしました decided upon
Example Sentences:
犬が吠えています。
Translation and Vocabulary
The dog is barking.
犬 - dog
が (subject marker)
吠えています – is barking [吠えている which is the continuous form:”-ing” of 吠える (to bark); “て-form V + いる/います” describes ongoing action or state)]
彼女が昼ご飯を作っています。
Translation and Vocabulary
She is making lunch.
彼女 - she
昼ご飯 - lunch
作っています – is making; is cooking [作って(て-form of 作る (to make) + います (polite form of いる) which indicates ongoing action]
[To continue doing something]
-Masu Stem of Verb + 続ける
働き続ける (a compound verb) is formed by the “ます-stem of 働く (to work) + 続ける (to continue)”. Add 続ける to add “continue” to the meaning of a verb.
Sentence from Essay:
しかし、あまりに忙しく寝る間もなく働き続けたせいか、ガンのため、60歳の若さで亡くなりました。
Translation and Vocabulary
However, possibly because he was too busy and continued working without enough time to sleep, he passed away at the young age of 60 due to cancer.
しかし - however; but
あまりに too; excessively [used with negative consequence]
忙しく busy; busily [忙しい (busy) in adverbial form]寝る - to sleep; for sleep [the plain present form is used to modify the following word as in “time to sleep/time for sleep]
寝る間もなく without even time to sleep [寝る (to sleep) + 間 (time; interval) + もなく (without; not even)]
働き続けた continued to work [past of 働き続ける (to continue working)]
せいか perhaps due to; possibly because of [せい (cause; reason) + か (question particle indicating uncertainty)]
ガン - cancer
60歳の at the age of 60 [60歳 (60 years old) + の (indicative of specification)]
若さ youth; young age [若い (young) in noun form]
で at [particle indicating cause or reason]
亡くなりました - passed away; deceased [polite past form of 亡くなる (to pass away); more polite and gentle compared to 死ぬ (to die)]
Example Sentences:
彼女は毎日走り続けています。
Translation and Vocabulary
She continues to run every day.
彼女 - she
毎日 - every day
走り- to run [ます-stem of 走る (to run)]
続けて - to continue [て-form of 続ける]
います – is ~ing [polite form of いる]
勉強を続けることが大切です。
Translation and Vocabulary
It's important to continue studying.
勉強 - study; learning
続ける - to continue
こと – [nominalizing particle turning the preceding phrase into noun state, and is functioning as “~ing” or “to ~” here]
大切 – important
[Using; by means of]
Noun + で
"で" is used to indicate the means by which something is done. In this case, the anime was broadcast "on television."
Sentence from Essay:
1963年にテレビで放送され、大成功を収めました。
Translation and Vocabulary
It was broadcast on television in 1963 and achieved great success.
1963年 - 1963
に [time/location particle]
テレビで – on television [テレビ (tv) で (on)]
放送され broadcasted; was aired [passive form of 放送する (to broadcast)]
大成功 - great success
収めました - obtained; reaped; achieved [polite past form of 収める (to obtain; to reap; to achieve)]
話しましょう- let’s speak; let’s talk [volitional form of 話します which is the polite form of 話す (to speak); “話し (ます-stem of 話す + ましょう (volitional form of ます)”]
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