復習 - Review: Sept 5th - 16th

Let's review some of the key words and phrases we have looked at so far. I think the best way to review vocabulary is to try and use it in a sentence. It's also a good idea to ask someone Japanese to look at your sentences for you, to be sure you are using the vocabulary correctly. Here are my efforts, in kanji, hiragana (spaced out for readability) and then in English. Each header links back to the original post.

1. 孤児院

インチャチャンボの孤児院の資金を調達するためのイベントを用意したい。

インチャチャンボ の こじいん の しきん を ちょうたつする ための イベント を よういしたい。
I want to organize a fundraising event for the orphange Intyatyambo.

2. 淀む

パーティーで日本語で 一言言わなければならない。人前で話すのは凄く恥ずかしいので淀みなく話せるかわからない。

パーティーで　にほんごで　ひとこと　いわなければならない。ひとまえで　はなすのは　すごく　はずかしい　ので　よどみなくはなせるか　わからない。

I have to say a few words in Japanese at the party. I'm really shy of speaking in public so I don't no if I can speak without faltering.

3. 焦る

仮病を使って会社を休んだのが上司にばれそうになって焦った。

けびょう　を　つかって　かいしゃ　を　やすんだ　のが　じょうし　に　ばれそう　になって　あせった。

I was in a panic because it looked like my boss might find out I pretended to be sick to take a day off work.

4. 鯖を読む

This next example is a good example of why you need someone to check your sentences for you. My first attempt went like this:

面接官にいい印象をつけるために今までの仕事の経験について鯖を読んだ。

What I intended to say was: In order to impress the interviewer I lied about my work experience. However, it turns out you can only use this expression if the lie concerns something numerical such as your age or your height. Here's the corrected version:

面接官にいい印象をつけるために今の仕事の勤続年数を鯖を読んだ。

めんせつかんに　いい　いんしょうを　つける　ために　いまの　しごとの　きんぞくねんすうを　さばをよんだ。

In order to impress the interviewer I lied about the number of years I have worked at my current job.

5. 　憂さ晴らし

Here again my first attempt wasn't quite perfect, but I learnt something useful from it. I originally wrote:

憂さ晴らしに鴨川で散歩しょう。
うさばらしに　かもがわで　さんぽしょう。

Let's take our mind off things with a stroll by the Kamogawa.

However, it seems that 気晴らし (kibarashi - to amuse or divert oneself) is more suited to this sentence than 憂さ晴らし. 憂さ晴らし (to let off steam) requires something a little more energetic or passionate than merely strolling by the river:

憂さ晴らしにカラオケで熱唱した。
うさばらしにカラオケでねっしょうした。

I let off steam by singing my heart out at karaoke.

6.　洒落

I asked a Japanese friend the difference between 冗談 (joudan) and 洒落 (share). 冗談 it seems is a joke but 洒落 is a joke that is a little bit smarter, usually a play on words with a bit of a twist to it. Then she started quoting Hamlet at me, but we won't go there. Here's my example sentence:

駄洒落を言うのはやめて欲しい。
だじゃれ　を　いう　のは　やめてほしい。

I wish you'd stop coming out with those awful jokes.