Learn Japanese with the podcast "Nihongo no Tane"
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Have you ever tried listening to a Japanese podcast? Podcasts are very useful for learning and challenging yourself. Today, I want to introduce you to “Nihongo no Tane,” a podcast we publish especially for intermediate-level Japanese students. However, even if you're a beginner, I recommend giving it a try.
Listening to it will allow you to pick up natural Japanese and hear the rhythm of someone speaking in a regular conversation (well, more like a monologue in this case).
Want this article in Spanish? Aprende japonés con el Podcast "Nihongo no Tane"
On this page, we will explore some interesting grammar points and expressions that appear in the podcast.
But before we do that, we'll start by learning some key vocabulary from the podcast. I recommend not skipping this part to make listening easier later on:
- 飽きられてしまいます They will get tired of [飽きる (get tired of); passive form + しまう (end up); ます (polite form)]
- 組み合わせて Combine [組み合わせる (combine); て form (conjunctive form)]
- 高度な Advanced
- 真似はできません They cannot imitate [真似 (imitation); は (topic marker); できません (cannot do)]
- 結婚したばかり Just married [結婚する (to get married); した (past tense); ばかり (just)]
- 引っ越しをきっかけに Triggered by the move [引っ越し (move); を (object marker); きっかけ (trigger; opportunity); に (context particle)]
- 処分しまして Got rid of [処分する (to get rid of); し (root form); まして (polite form)]
- 手元にあるのは What I have on hand [手元 (on hand); に (location particle); ある (to have); の (nominalizer); は (topic marker)]
- 印刷したもの Printed thing [印刷する (to print); した (past tense); もの (thing)]
- 訳したもの Translated thing [訳す (to translate); した (past tense); もの (thing)]
- 手の込んだもの Elaborate thing [手の込む (to elaborate); だ (past tense); もの (thing)]
- 複雑な Complex
- 書いてあったら If it is written [書く (to write); て form + ある (to be); たら (conditional)]
- パパっと Quickly [onomatopoeic word indicating speed]
- さっと炒めるだけ Just stir-fry quickly [さっと (quickly); 炒める (to stir-fry); だけ (only)]
- いまいち Not quite good; not very good [slang]
- ひき肉 Ground meat, etc.
- 刻んだもの Chopped things [刻む (to chop); だ (past tense); もの (thing)]
- 詰め込んで Stuffed [詰め込む (to stuff); て form (conjunctive form)]
- 喜ばれるもの Thing that pleases [喜ぶ (to please); passive form; もの (thing)]
- 好み Preference
- 一人ずつ One by one [一人 (one person); ずつ (each)]
- 野菜しか食べません Only eat vegetables [野菜 (vegetables); しか (only); 食べません (do not eat)]
- 全員バラバラ All different [全員 (everyone); バラバラ (different)]
- 少なくとも At least
- 食べてもらえれば If they can eat [食べる (to eat); ても (conditional); もらえる (potential form); ば (if)]
After reviewing the vocabulary words, please try your hand at this quiz:
Japanese Vocabulary Quiz
Now that you have a basic understanding of the key vocabulary words heard in the podcast, let's listen to the actual podcast! You can watch it in this video, with subtitles in Japanese or English or Spanish, or you can listen to the audio on your favorite podcast player (e.g.: Podbean, Spotify, etc.)
Some grammar points used in the podcast
〜ために
Example: このポッドキャストは、日本語を勉強している人のために作りました (This podcast is for those who are learning Japanese)
Explanation: ために is used to indicate the purpose or goal of an action. Here, 人のために translates to "for the people."
このポッドキャストは、日本語を勉強している人のために作りました。
This podcast is for those who are learning Japanese.
- このポッドキャスト this podcast
- は as for [topic marker]
- 日本語を勉強している人のため for the people who are studying Japanese [日本語 (Japanese) + を (direct object marker) + 勉強している (studying; in the progressive form) + 人 (people) + の (descriptive possessive particle) + ため (for; for the sake of)]
- に for [particle indicating direction or purpose]
- 作りました made [作る (to make) in the past tense]
[Note: "日本語を勉強している人のために" specifies that the purpose of creating the podcast is to benefit people who are studying Japanese.]
〜てしまう (〜てしまいます)
Example: 飽きられてしまいます (they will get tired of)
Explanation: The structure 〜てしまう is used to express actions that are out of the speaker's control or that result in an undesirable situation. In this case, 飽きる (to get tired of) becomes 飽きられてしまう, indicating that "they will get tired of something" unintentionally.
同じものを毎日毎日作っていては飽きられてしまいます。
If I cooked the same thing every day, my family would get tired of it.
- 同じもの the same thing
- を direct object marker
- 毎日毎日every day
- 作っていて is making [作る (to make) in the て form + いる (continuative form indicating action in progress)]
- は as for [contrast marker]
- 飽きられて gets tired of [飽きる (to get tired of) in passive form]
- しまいます completely; unfortunately [しまう is an auxiliary verb indicating completion or regret]
[Note: "飽きられてしまいます" indicates that others will completely get tired of it, often with a nuance of regret or undesirability.]
- 飽きる verb - to get tired of, to become bored
- られる auxiliary - passive form
- てしまう auxiliary - indicating completion or regret
- ます auxiliary - polite ending
- This is a complex verb form combining several grammatical elements:
- The base verb 飽きる (あきる) means "to get tired of" or "to become bored"
- られる adds a passive meaning, implying that the subject is being "gotten tired of" by others
- てしまう expresses completion of an action, often with a nuance of regret or unfortunate outcome
- ます is added for politeness
- The overall meaning conveys that someone or something ends up being gotten tired of, often implying this is an unfortunate or undesirable outcome
〜たばかり
Example: 結婚したばかり (just married)
Explanation: ばかり is used to indicate that an action happened recently. In 結婚したばかり, it means "just married" or "we just got married."
結婚したばかりの頃は何にも料理はできませんでした。
When I just got married, I couldn't cook anything.
- 結婚したばかりの頃 just after getting married [結婚 (to get married) + した (past form of する to do) + ばかり (just after) + の (associative and limiting particle) + 頃 (time; period)]
- は as for [contrast marker]
- 何にも nothing [何 (what; anything) + にも (not even; negative intensifier)]
- 料理は as for cooking [料理 (cooking; food) + は (subject marker)]
- できませんでした couldn't do [できる (to be able to do) in negative past form]
[Note: "何にも" intensifies the negation, implying that I couldn't do anything at all related to cooking.]
〜てもらう 〜ば (conditional)
Example: 食べてもらえれば (If they can eat)
Explanation: てもらう is used when you want someone to do something for you, and ば is used to create a conditional sentence. In this case, 食べてもらえれば translates to "if they can eat," showing a desire for others to eat what you have prepared.
まあ、それぞれ好きなものを好きなときに食べてもらえれば
Well, if everyone eats what they like when they want...
- まあ well; then [まあ is an expression used to start a sentence, indicating consideration or resignation]
- それぞれ each one; each person
- 好きなもの what they like [好き (like) + な (particle that turns 好き into an adjective) + もの (thing)]
- を direct object marker
- 好きなときに when they want [好き (like) + な (particle that turns 好き into an adjective) + とき (time; moment) + に (time particle)]
- 食べてもらえれば if they can eat [食べる (to eat) in the て form + もらう(to receive the favor) in conditional ば (indicating a condition)]
[Note: "食べてもらえれば" implies that if each person could eat what they like when they want, it would be good for everyone.]
きっかけに
Example: 引っ越しをきっかけに (Provoked by the move)
Explanation: きっかけに is used to indicate the cause or reason why something happens. In this example, it means "because of the move" or "provoked by the move."
何冊も買ってず～っと本棚に並べてあったんですが、引っ越しをきっかけに処分しました。
I bought many books, and they sat on the shelf for a long time, but because of the move, I got rid of them.
- 何冊も many books [何冊 (how many books; several books) + も (particle indicating a large quantity)]
- 買って bought and [買う (to buy) in て form, connecting to a subsequent action]
- ず～っと for a long time [ずっと (for a long time; continuously)]
- 本棚に on the bookshelf [本棚 (bookshelf) + に (particle indicating direction or place)]
- 並べてあった were lined up [並べる (to line up; to arrange) in て form + ある (to exist in a resultant state)]
- んですが but [んです (explanatory particle) + が (but)]
- 引っ越しを with the move [引っ越し (move) + を (direct object marker)]
- きっかけに as an opportunity [きっかけ (opportunity; reason) + に (particle indicating reason or cause)]
- 処分しました got rid of them [処分する (to dispose of) in past tense] [Note: in the podcast it actually says 処分しまして and the sentence continues, but I cut it here to keep it concise]
〜たら
Example: 「これは嫌い。」と言ったらもう作りません (If they say, "I don't like this," I won't make it anymore)
Explanation: たら is used to indicate a condition or supposition. In this case, と言ったら means "if they say," indicating a condition that will affect the outcome.
娘や息子が「嫌い。」って言ったり、「いまいち。」と言ったらもう作りません。
If my daughter or son says, "I don't like it," or "It's not great," I won't make it anymore.
- 娘や息子が my children [娘 (daughter) + や (and) + 息子 (son) + が (subject marker)]
- 「嫌い。」って言ったり say "I don't like it" [嫌い (dislike; hate) + って (colloquial form of と indicating a quote) + 言う (to say) in たり form to list actions]
- 「いまいち。」と言ったら say "It's not great" [いまいち (not so good; unsatisfactory) + と (indicating a quote) + 言う (to say) in conditional たら (if)]
- もう作りません I won't make it anymore [もう (already; anymore) + 作る (to make) in negative future/present form]
〜とか
Example: さっと炒めるだけとか、さっと混ぜてさっとオーブンに入れて作るとか (just a quick stir-fry, or quickly mixing and putting it in the oven)
Explanation: とか is used to give non-exhaustive examples. Here, it shows various options for quick cooking.
とにかく、パパっと作れる、さっと炒めるだけとか、さっと混ぜてさっとオーブンに入れて作るとか、そういう感じのものが好きです。
Anyway, I like things that can be made quickly, like just stir-frying quickly or mixing quickly and putting it in the oven.
- とにかく anyway; in any case
- パパっと作れる can be made quickly [パパっと (quickly; with speed) + 作れる (can be made; potential form of 作る to make)]
- さっと炒めるだけ just stir-fry quickly [さっと (quickly; lightly) + 炒める (to stir-fry) + だけ (just)]
- とか or; for example
- さっと混ぜて quickly mix [さっと (quickly; lightly) + 混ぜる (to mix) in て form]
- さっとオーブンに入れて quickly put in the oven [さっと (quickly; lightly) + オーブン (oven) + に (direction particle) + 入れる (to put) in て form]
- 作るとか or make [作る (to make) + とか (for example; or [repeated to list examples])]
- そういう感じのもの things like that [そういう (like that; such) + 感じ (feeling; type)]
- が (subject marker)
- 好きです I like [好き (like) + です (polite form of the verb "to be")]
[Note: "さっと" and "パパっと" are expressions indicating quickness and ease, while "とか" is used to list examples. "そういう感じのもの" refers to things of the type mentioned earlier.]
〜って (colloquial particle)
Example: まあ、これって結構難しいこと (This is quite difficult)
Explanation: The particle って is a colloquial form of と, used to quote or emphasize something that has just been mentioned. In this example, これって emphasizes "this" before the statement 結構難しいこと (it's quite difficult), giving it a more casual and conversational tone.
これって結構難しいこと
This is actually quite difficult.
- これって this [これ (this) + って (particle emphasizing or indicating the topic colloquially)]
- 結構難しい quite difficult [結構 (quite; considerably) + 難しい (difficult)]
- こと matter; thing [こと (matter; thing)]
[Note: "結構" is used to emphasize that something is more significant than it might seem.]
〜かどうか
Example: 作って喜ばれるかどうかっていうのも大切なことです (It's important whether the food makes people happy or not)
Explanation: かどうか is used to express whether something is true or not, similar to "if... or not" in English. In this example, 喜ばれるかどうか means "whether it makes people happy or not."
さ、そのシンプルイズベストな作り方なんですけれども、作って喜ばれるかどうかっていうのも大切なことです。
So, regarding this simple-is-best way of cooking, it's also important whether it makes people happy or not.
- さ well; then [さ is a colloquial expression used to draw attention or start a sentence]
- そのシンプルイズベストな作り方 the simple-is-best way of making [その (that) + シンプルイズベスト (simple is best) + な (particle turning シンプルイズベスト into an adjective) + 作り方 (way of making)]
- なんですけれども but it is [なんです (explanatory form) + けれども (but; however); used to soften an explanation politely]
- 作って喜ばれるかどうか whether making it will make someone happy [作る (to make) in て form + 喜ばれる (to make happy; in passive form) + かどうか (whether; indirect question)]
- っていうのも is also [っていう (colloquial form of という, indicating a quote or explanation) + の (explanatory particle) + も (also)]
- 大切なこと an important matter [大切 (important) + な (particle turning 大切 into an adjective) + こと (thing; matter)]
[Note: "かどうか" is used to indicate doubt or whether something will happen.]
Conclusion
These are just some of the grammar points and expressions found in the podcast "Nihongo no Tane." Listening to and analyzing authentic content like this is an excellent way to improve your understanding of Japanese and to become familiar with its use in real contexts. Listen to many more to improve your Japanese!
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