Reviewing Words with Cards | Learn Japanese in English

Sentence explanations

1. この単語を復習したいです。

   I want to review these words.

   この

   this; these

   単語

   word; vocabulary item

   復習したいです

   want to review

   More detail

   この points to something relatively near the speaker and modifies the noun that follows. Japanese demonstratives such as この do not change for grammatical gender or number; the fixed translation’s “these” is supported by the noun context, but この itself does not state a numeric count. The contrasting forms are この “this/these …” before a noun, その “that/those …” near the listener or previously mentioned, and あの “that/those …” away from both. 単語 means a word or vocabulary item. In this utterance, この単語 means “these words” according to the fixed translation; Japanese allows the noun to remain unchanged whether the context concerns one item or more than one. 単語 is also used in the compound 単語カード, “word card” or “vocabulary card,” as seen in the following context. 復習したいです expresses a polite desire to review. The useful base expression is 復習する, “to review”: 復習 is combined with する to form the verb. For verbs ending in する, the desire form is made with したい, so 復習する becomes 復習したい; たい expresses the speaker’s wish to do the action. です adds a polite sentence ending here. Example: 本を読みたいです。 — “I want to read a book.” Together, この単語 identifies the words being discussed, and 復習したいです says that the speaker wants to review them. The complete utterance therefore means “I want to review these words.”

2. この単語カードを使いましょう。

   Let's use these word cards.

   この

   this; these

   単語カード

   word card(s)

   使いましょう

   let’s use

   More detail

   この means “this/these” when it directly modifies a noun. Japanese does not mark ordinary noun plurality here, so the English choice between “this” and “these” comes from the noun and context; in this sentence, the translation identifies multiple word cards. The form この is used before a noun, as in この本 (“this book”). 単語カード is a compound noun: 単語 means “word” and カード means “card,” giving “word card.” Japanese nouns do not normally change form to mark singular versus plural, so 単語カード can mean “word card” or “word cards”; the fixed translation selects the plural reading here. 使いましょう comes from the verb 使う, “to use.” Its pattern is 使い + ましょう: the -ましょう form politely proposes an action shared by the speaker and listener, corresponding here to “let’s use.” For example, これを使いましょう。 means “Let’s use this.” This is different from the plain dictionary form 使う (“use/will use”), which does not itself make the same polite proposal. In the full sentence, この identifies the cards, 単語カード names them, and を marks them as the object of 使う. Together, この単語カードを使いましょう。 means “Let’s use these word cards.”

3. これは覚えていません。

   I can't remember this one.

   これは

   this one (as the topic)

   覚えていません

   don't remember

   More detail

   これは consists of これ plus the topic marker は. これ is the demonstrative pronoun meaning “this one” here; it can refer to a thing without changing for grammatical gender or number. は marks this item as the topic, setting up what is said about it. The pronunciation of は is wa when it functions as this particle. 覚えていません is the polite negative form of 覚えている, used here for not remembering. The lexical verb is 覚える (“remember” or “learn”); 覚えている presents the resulting state of having something in memory, while 覚えていない means “not remember.” The polite negative ending changes that to 覚えていません. For example, 名前を覚えていません。 means “I don’t remember the name.” Together, これは identifies “this one” as the topic, and 覚えていません says that the speaker does not have it in memory. Thus the whole utterance means “I can’t remember this one.” The polite form is suitable for a courteous learning interaction.

4. 例文を見てください。

   Look at the example sentence.

   例文

   example sentence

   見てください

   please look

   More detail

   例文 means “example sentence” here. It is a noun: 例文 can be used wherever a noun is needed, such as 例文を見ます。 (“I look at the example sentence.”). The particle を follows it in the utterance and marks it as the object of the action. 見てください is a polite request meaning “please look.” The base verb is 見る (“to look” or “to see”); its て-form is 見て, and 見てください uses that form with ください to request the action. For example, ここを見てください。 means “Please look here.” This request construction is different from the plain form 見る, which is not itself a request. Together, 例文 + を identifies what should be looked at, and 見てください politely requests that action. Thus the whole utterance means “Look at the example sentence.”

5. その文で覚えられます。

   The sentence helps me remember it.

   その

   that

   文

   sentence

   覚えられます

   can remember it

   More detail

   その modifies the following noun and means “that” in this sentence. The demonstrative itself does not identify a person; here, together with 文, it points to the sentence being used. 文 means “sentence.” It is a noun and can be used in reusable combinations such as 例文 (“example sentence”). In その文, it is the thing referred to as “that sentence.” 覚えられます comes from 覚える (“to remember; memorize”). Its potential form is 覚えられる (“can remember”), and the polite nonpast form is 覚えられます. The form expresses ability or possibility, not a simple statement that remembering definitely happens. For example, この単語を覚えられます。 means “I can remember this word.” The particle で after その文 marks the means or resource used: その文で means “with that sentence” or “by using that sentence.” Japanese often omits the subject when it is understood, so the sentence does not separately state the person who can remember. Together, その文で (“with that sentence”) and 覚えられます (“can remember it”) produce the fixed meaning: “The sentence helps me remember it.”

6. 別のカードを使って、まず例文を見てください。

   Try another card and check the example first.

   別の

   another; different

   カード

   card

   使って

   using; use and

   まず

   first

   例文

   example sentence

   見てください

   please look; please check

   More detail

   別の comes before the noun it describes and means “another” or “different” here. It presents the card as one other than the one already in focus. A reusable pattern is 別の + noun: 別の方法 means “another method.” カード is the noun “card.” In this sentence it is the object selected for the action of using. Japanese nouns do not change form for singular or plural, so カード itself does not state how many cards are involved. 使って is the te-form of 使う (“to use”). The te-form links this action to what follows; with 別のカード, it gives the means or accompanying action: “using another card, …” The same form can connect actions, as in 本を読んで、寝ます (“I read a book and go to bed”). まず means “first” or “to begin with.” It sets the order of the requested actions. It does not mean that the example sentence itself is “first” in some inherent sense; it tells the listener to do this before a later step. 例文 is a compound noun meaning “example sentence”: 例 is “example,” and 文 is “sentence.” It refers to the sentence being viewed, not to the card. For example, 例文を読んでください means “Please read the example sentence.” 見てください is a polite request meaning “please look” or, in this context, “please check.” 見て is the te-form of 見る (“to look at/see”), followed by ください, which makes a request. The construction Vてください is a reusable polite way to ask someone to do V; 読んでください means “please read.” Together, 別のカードを使って says “using another card,” まず places the next action first, and 例文を見てください asks the listener to look at or check the example sentence. The complete utterance is therefore: “Try another card and check the example first.”

7. 今、次のカードを使ってみます。

   I will try the next card now.

   今

   now

   次の

   next

   カード

   card

   使ってみます

   will try using it

   More detail

   今 means “now” and places the action at the present time. It commonly appears near the beginning of a sentence, as here. Example: 今、読みます。— “I’ll read now.” 次の means “next” and comes before the noun it describes. 次 is “next” or “the following,” and の links it to the following noun: 次のカード = “the next card.” This expression identifies the card as the one that follows in the relevant sequence; it does not by itself state a numerical count. カード is the noun “card,” a loanword written in katakana. It can be used in reusable compounds such as 単語カード (“word card”). In this sentence it is the object of the action. 使ってみます expresses trying to use something. The base verb is 使う (“to use”). Its て-form, 使って, combines with みる in the construction 〜てみる, literally “try and see,” meaning “try doing ~.” Here みます is the polite nonpast form of みる; with an intentional action, the whole form can refer to what the speaker is about to do, matching “I will try using it.” The object is marked by を: カードを使ってみます = “I’ll try using the card.” Together, 今 + 次のカードを + 使ってみます gives: “I will try using the next card now.” The polite ending ます makes the utterance polite; it does not alone encode a separate future tense.

8. まず文を読んで、それから単語を言ってください。

   Read the sentence first, then say the word.

   まず

   first

   文

   sentence

   読んで

   read

   それから

   then; after that

   単語

   word

   言ってください

   please say

   More detail

   まず means “first” and marks the first step in an ordered instruction. A reusable pattern is まず X、… = “first, X; …”. 文 means “sentence.” It is a noun; for example, 文を読む means “read a sentence.” The particle を marks 文 as the object of the reading action here. 読んで is the て-form of 読む (“to read”). The て-form can connect actions in sequence: 文を読んで、それから… means “read the sentence, and then…”. The form 読む is the plain dictionary form; 読んで is the form used for this connection, not a separate verb. それから means “then” or “after that.” It explicitly moves from the first action to the next one. Here it follows the clause about reading, so it introduces the later action. 単語 means “word,” especially a vocabulary word in this learning context. It is a noun, and 単語を言う means “say a word,” with を marking the word as the object of 言う. 言ってください is a polite request meaning “please say.” 言って is the て-form of 言う (“to say”); adding ください makes the request polite. This form addresses the listener, asking them to perform the action. Together, まず文を読んで sets the first requested action, それから marks the transition, and 単語を言ってください gives the polite request for the second action. The whole utterance means: “Read the sentence first, then say the word.”