Starting a First Lesson Slowly | Learn Japanese in English

Sentence explanations

1. 授業の前は緊張します。

   I feel nervous before class.

   授業

   class; lesson

   前

   before; front

   緊張します

   feel nervous

   More detail

   授業 means “class” or “lesson” here. It is a noun. In 授業の前, the particle の links it to 前, forming the pattern Aの前 (“before A”): 授業の前 means “before class.” 前 means “before” in this time expression; its basic meaning also includes “front” in other contexts. The pattern Aの前 is reusable for a time before an event or activity. Example: 食事の前に手を洗います。 — “I wash my hands before a meal.” 緊張します means “feel nervous” here. Its plain-form base is 緊張する; します is the polite nonpast form of する in this verb. The nonpast form can describe a present state or a repeated tendency, so the fixed translation appropriately uses “feel nervous.” Japanese verbs do not change form for the speaker’s person, so the subject is understood from context rather than from します itself. Together, 授業の前 sets the time, and は marks that time phrase as the topic: “As for before class …” The predicate 緊張します states the speaker’s feeling. Thus the whole utterance means “I feel nervous before class.”

2. その気持ちは普通です。グループは親しみやすいです。

   That feeling is normal. The group is friendly.

   その

   that

   気持ち

   feeling

   普通

   normal

   グループ

   group

   親しみやすい

   friendly

   More detail

   その is a demonstrative determiner meaning “that” before a noun. Here it specifies 気持ち, giving “that feeling”; its grammatical form does not itself identify a person or number. 気持ち is a noun meaning a feeling or state of mind. A useful pattern is その + noun, as in その本 (“that book”). 普通 means normal or ordinary here. With です, 普通です makes a polite predicate: “is normal.” 普通 can also describe something as ordinary rather than unusual, depending on context. グループ is a noun meaning group. It is a loanword written in katakana. Example: 小さいグループです。 — “It is a small group.” 親しみやすい means friendly or approachable here. It describes someone or something that is easy to feel familiar with. The ending 〜やすい forms an adjective meaning “easy to …”; in this word, the complete expression 親しみやすい is the useful form. Example: この先生は親しみやすいです。 — “This teacher is approachable.” The first sentence combines その気持ち (“that feeling”) with 普通です (“is normal”), producing “That feeling is normal.” The second combines グループは (“as for the group”) with 親しみやすいです (“is friendly/approachable”), producing “The group is friendly.” は marks the topic, and です gives the statements a polite tone.

3. それを聞いてうれしいです。

   I am glad to hear that.

   それ

   that; it

   聞いて

   hear; hearing

   うれしい

   glad; happy

   です

   am; is

   More detail

   それ means “that” or “it” here. It is a demonstrative pronoun referring to something already identifiable in the situation; the fixed translation supports the reading “that.” Japanese demonstratives include これ “this,” それ “that,” and あれ “that over there,” with the choice depending on the speaker’s viewpoint and discourse context. 聞いて is the form of 聞く, “to hear” or “to listen.” Its -て form links this action to what follows. In this sentence, それを聞いて means “hearing that” and supplies the situation or reason connected with being glad. を marks それ as the object of 聞く. うれしい is an i-adjective meaning “glad” or “happy.” Its base form is also うれしい; it does not change for the speaker’s gender or number. For example, うれしくない means “not glad,” using the negative form of this adjective. です is the polite predicate ending. After an i-adjective such as うれしい, it adds polite style; it does not mean that the adjective changes according to an English subject such as “I” or “she.” Japanese commonly omits the subject when it is understood, and the fixed translation identifies the speaker as the person who is glad. Together, それを聞いて (“hearing that”) and うれしいです (“am glad,” politely) produce the whole meaning: “I am glad to hear that.”

4. 最初はゆっくり進めます。

   We take things slowly at first.

   最初は

   at first

   ゆっくり

   slowly

   進めます

   proceed

   More detail

   最初は means “at first” here. 最初 is “the beginning” or “the first stage,” and は marks it as the topic, often giving the frame “as for the beginning.” In a reusable pattern, Nは can set the time or topic: 最初は簡単です。 means “It is easy at first.” ゆっくり means “slowly” here. It is an adverb, so it describes how the action is carried out. It can also mean “at an unhurried pace”; for example, ゆっくり話してください。 means “Please speak slowly.” 進めます is the polite nonpast form of 進める, “to move something forward,” “to advance something,” or “to proceed with something.” The polite ending ます makes the statement polite; the nonpast form can describe a present or future plan, so it is compatible with “we take things slowly.” Japanese does not show the subject in this verb form, so 進めます by itself does not grammatically specify “we”; the translation supplies that intended perspective. Because 進める is normally transitive, the thing being advanced can be understood from context even though it is not stated here. Its related intransitive verb is 進む, “to move forward” or “to progress”: 計画を進めます。 means “We move the plan forward.” Together, 最初は sets the time frame, ゆっくり describes the manner, and 進めます states the polite action. The complete utterance means “We take things slowly at first.”

5. それはいいですね。

   That sounds good.

   それは

   that (as the topic)

   いい

   good

   ですね

   is ..., right?

   More detail

   それは uses それ as a demonstrative pronoun meaning “that,” with は marking it as the topic. The fixed translation supports “that” as the thing being evaluated, without identifying it more specifically. The pattern Xは is reusable when setting X as the topic. いい is the adjective meaning “good” here. Its useful forms include いい “good,” よくない “not good,” and よかった “was good” or “was fortunate,” depending on context. For example, これはよくないです。 means “This is not good.” Although いい is the usual modern form, related inflections use よく-, as in よくない, and よかった. ですね combines polite です with the sentence-final particle ね. After an adjective, です makes the statement polite, while ね presents it as something inviting agreement or shared recognition. The pattern Xですね can be reused for a polite observation such as 簡単ですね。 — “It’s easy, isn’t it?” Together, それはいいですね。 means “That sounds good.” The topic is “that,” いい evaluates it positively, and polite ですね gives the evaluation a conversational, agreement-oriented effect.

6. 最初の部分は簡単です。

   The first part is easy.

   最初の

   first

   部分

   part

   簡単です

   is easy

   More detail

   最初の means “first” here and modifies the noun that follows it. 最初 is the noun-like word for “beginning” or “first,” and の links it to a following noun: 最初の部分 = “the first part.” Example: 最初のページ — “the first page.” 部分 is a noun meaning “part” or “section.” It identifies a portion of a larger thing; the sentence specifies which portion with 最初の. Example: この部分は重要です。 — “This part is important.” 簡単です describes the part as easy or simple. 簡単 is a な-adjective, and です is the polite present form used here to state a current property. In a less formal style, the predicate can be 簡単だ; in polite speech, 簡単です is appropriate. Example: この問題は簡単です。 — “This problem is easy.” Together, 最初の部分 identifies “the first part,” and 簡単です states that this part is easy. Thus the whole utterance means “The first part is easy.”