Small Daily Health Changes | Learn Japanese in English

Sentence explanations

1. もっと健康的な毎日の習慣がほしいです。

   I want a healthier daily routine.

   もっと

   more

   健康的な

   healthy

   毎日の

   daily

   習慣

   routine

   ほしいです

   want

   More detail

   もっと means “more” and modifies 健康的な to make the description comparative in this sentence: “healthier,” rather than simply “healthy.” It can also modify other adjectives or adverbs when a greater degree is intended. 健康的な means “healthy” here. The form 健康的 is a な-adjective: before a noun, it takes な, as in 健康的な習慣 (“a healthy habit/routine”). The word being described is 習慣, not 毎日. 毎日の means “daily” or “of every day” and directly modifies the following noun. 毎日 means “every day” when used as a time expression; adding の makes it attributive, linking it to a noun, as in 毎日の生活 (“daily life”). 習慣 means “habit” or “routine.” Here it is the thing the speaker wants. A useful pattern is 名詞がほしいです, meaning “I want a noun.” For example, 新しい本がほしいです。 means “I want a new book.” ほしいです expresses the speaker’s desire for something. ほしい is an i-adjective, and です adds polite style; it is not the ordinary verb meaning “want” used with an object in English. In this sentence, the desired item is marked by が: 習慣がほしいです means “I want a routine.” Together, もっと健康的な describes the desired kind of 毎日の習慣, and 習慣がほしいです states the speaker’s desire for it. The whole utterance means “I want a healthier daily routine.”

2. 続けられる小さな変化から始めましょう。

   Start with small changes you can stick with.

   続けられる

   you can stick with

   小さな

   small

   変化

   change

   から始めましょう

   let’s start with

   More detail

   続けられる means “that you can stick with” here. It comes from 続ける (“to continue; to keep doing”) in its potential form, expressing ability: 続けられる = “can continue” or “can keep up.” In this sentence it modifies 変化, so the changes are ones the listener can maintain. This is the potential reading supported by the fixed translation, rather than a passive reading. 小さな means “small” and appears directly before the noun it describes. It is the attributive form used here; Japanese adjectives do not change for noun gender or number. 小さい is the common predicative form, as in 変化は小さい (“The change is small”), while 小さな変化 is the compact noun-modifying pattern “a small change.” 変化 is the noun “change” or “changes.” Japanese nouns do not normally mark singular versus plural, so this form can refer to one change or multiple changes; the fixed English translation uses the plural naturally in context. から始めましょう expresses “let’s start with.” から marks the starting point or source, and 始めましょう is the polite volitional form of 始める (“to start; to begin”), used for a suggestion such as “let’s start.” For example, ここから始めましょう。 means “Let’s start here.” Together, 続けられる小さな変化 is “small changes you can stick with,” and から始めましょう says to use those changes as the starting point. The whole utterance therefore means: “Start with small changes you can stick with.”

3. 仕事中にもっと水を飲めます。

   I can drink more water while I'm at work.

   仕事

   work; job

   もっと

   more

   水

   water

   飲めます

   can drink

   More detail

   仕事 means “work” or “one’s job.” Here it combines with 中 and に in 仕事中に, meaning “while at work” or “during work.” The pattern N中に can mark a time period during which something happens. Example: 会議中に電話しないでください。 — “Please do not make phone calls during the meeting.” もっと means “more” or “to a greater extent.” It comes before the word it modifies: もっと水 means “more water.” It can also modify actions, as in もっと勉強します — “I will study more.” 水 means “water.” It is a noun and commonly appears with the object marker を: 水を飲む — “drink water.” The amount is not specified by 水 itself; もっと adds the meaning “more” here. 飲めます means “can drink.” It is the polite non-past form of 飲める, the potential form of 飲む (“to drink”). The potential form expresses ability or possibility: 飲む → 飲める → polite 飲めます. The polite form 飲みます means “drink” or “will drink,” while 飲めます means “can drink.” Example: ここで水が飲めます。 — “You can drink water here.” Together, 仕事中に sets the time, もっと水を identifies the greater amount of water as the object, and 飲めます expresses ability. The whole utterance means: “I can drink more water while I’m at work.”

4. それで、午後も元気でいられるかもしれません。

   That may help your energy in the afternoon.

   それで

   so; that way

   午後

   afternoon

   も

   also; too

   元気で

   well; energetic

   いられる

   can remain; can stay

   かもしれません

   may; might

   More detail

   それで links this sentence to what came before and means “so” or “that way.” Here it presents the possibility in the rest of the sentence as a consequence of the preceding situation. Example: それで、間に合いました。 — “So, I made it in time.” 午後 means “afternoon.” Japanese time expressions commonly appear before the rest of the clause without a separate preposition. Example: 午後に会いましょう。 — “Let’s meet in the afternoon.” も follows 午後 and adds the meaning “also” or “too”: the afternoon is included as an additional time. In this sentence, 午後も means “in the afternoon too,” with the broader intended sense that one may maintain energy then as well. 元気で is the て-form of 元気だ, meaning “energetic” or “well” here. The で form connects this state to the following verb. 元気な人 means “an energetic person,” while 元気でいる means “to remain well/energetic.” いられる is the potential form of いる, “to be/stay” for a living subject. いる → いられる changes the meaning from simply remaining in a state to “can remain in a state.” Japanese potential forms can express ability or a possible favorable condition; here it is part of 元気でいられる, “can stay energetic.” かもしれません expresses possibility: “may” or “might.” The polite form is かもしれません; the less formal form is かもしれない. It follows the preceding clause and makes the whole proposition tentative rather than certain. Example: 明日は雨かもしれません。 — “It might rain tomorrow.” Together, それで gives the consequence, 午後も marks the afternoon as an additional time, and 元気でいられるかもしれません says that remaining energetic may be possible. The complete intended meaning is: “That may help your energy in the afternoon.”

5. 夕食の後に、運動もしたほうがいいですか。

   Should I also exercise after dinner?

   夕食

   dinner

   の後に

   after

   運動

   exercise

   も

   also

   したほうがいいですか

   should one do it?

   More detail

   夕食 means “dinner.” It is a noun and can combine with time expressions, as in 夕食の後 (“after dinner”). の後に expresses a time sequence: の後 is “after,” and に marks the point in time when the next event occurs. The pattern Aの後にB means “B after A.” Here, A is 夕食, and B is the activity mentioned later. 運動 means “exercise.” It is a noun, and it can also be used with する as 運動する (“to exercise”). In this sentence, it is the activity being considered; the form した later supplies the “do” part of the recommendation pattern. も adds the meaning “also” or “too” to the element it follows. Here it follows 運動, so the speaker is asking about exercising as an additional activity, not merely asking whether exercise is possible. したほうがいいですか is a polite question using the pattern V-たほうがいいですか, meaning “should one do V?” or, with the subject understood from the translation, “should I do V?” した is the past form of する (“to do”), but in this pattern it does not place the recommended action in the past. ほうがいい literally presents one option as the better choice. The polite ending ですか makes the whole recommendation a question. With 運動, the underlying pattern is 運動したほうがいいですか (“Should I exercise?”). Putting the parts together, 夕食の後に sets the time as “after dinner,” 運動も adds exercise as another activity, and したほうがいいですか asks whether doing it is advisable. The complete utterance therefore means: “Should I also exercise after dinner?” The subject is not stated in the Japanese wording; the fixed translation identifies it here as the speaker (“I”).

6. 短い散歩からなら、無理なく始められそうです。

   A short walk would be a manageable start.

   短い

   short

   散歩

   walk

   からなら

   if starting from

   無理なく

   without difficulty

   始められそうです

   seems possible to start

   More detail

   短い means “short” here and describes 散歩. It is the i-adjective 短い; its noun-modifying form is the same, so 短い散歩 means “a short walk.” Its opposite is 長い (“long”). Example: 短い休憩を取ります。 — “I’ll take a short break.” 散歩 is “a walk” or “a stroll,” used here as a noun. It can also combine with する: 散歩する means “to go for a walk.” Example: 毎朝、散歩します。 — “I go for a walk every morning.” からなら presents the proposed starting point as a condition. 散歩から means “starting with a walk,” and なら adds “if it is that” or “in the case of that.” Thus 短い散歩からなら means “if starting with a short walk” or, naturally here, “a short walk would be a manageable starting point.” Here から marks the starting point; it does not express a numeric meaning. 無理なく means “without strain” or “without overdoing it.” It is an adverbial form built from 無理 (“strain,” “excess,” or “unreasonableness”) with なく, and it describes how the starting can be done. It is not the adverbial form of 無理ない. Example: 無理なく続けてください。 — “Please continue without overdoing it.” 始められそうです expresses an apparent or likely ability to start. The base verb is 始める (“to start”); its potential form is 始められる (“can start”), and そうです attached here gives “seems likely to be able to start” or “looks manageable to start.” The polite ending です makes the statement polite. This differs from 始めそうです, which means “looks as though [someone] will start” and does not itself express ability. Together, 短い散歩からなら sets a low-pressure starting point, 無理なく says that it can be done without strain, and 始められそうです says that starting in this way seems feasible. The whole utterance is therefore: “A short walk would be a manageable start.”

7. 行くのを忘れないように、玄関のそばに靴を置けます。

   I can put my shoes by the door so I remember to go.

   行く

   go

   忘れないように

   so as not to forget

   玄関

   entryway

   そば

   beside; near

   靴

   shoes

   置けます

   can put; can place

   More detail

   行く means “to go.” It is the dictionary form of the verb; it appears here inside a purpose expression, not as a command. A useful contrast is 行きます, the polite non-past form: 毎日歩きに行きます。 means “I go for a walk every day.” 忘れないように means “so as not to forget.” 忘れない is the negative form of 忘れる (“to forget”), and ように marks a purpose or desired prevention. The pattern V-ないように is reusable for taking action to avoid something: 忘れないようにメモします。 means “I take notes so I will not forget.” Here, 行く is the thing that should not be forgotten. 玄関 means “entryway” or “entrance area.” It commonly refers to the entrance part of a home or building. In this sentence, it is the place associated with the door in the fixed translation. そば means “near” or “beside.” With に, as in 玄関のそばに, it marks the location where something is placed. Nのそば means “near N”; for example, 駅のそば means “near the station.” 靴 means “shoes.” Japanese uses this noun without marking a plural form, so the context and translation identify the intended item as the speaker’s shoes here. Example: 靴を脱ぎます。 means “I take off my shoes.” 置けます means “can put” or “can place.” It is the polite non-past potential form of 置く (“to put/place”): 置く → 置ける → 置けます. The potential form expresses ability or feasibility, while ます adds polite style. The object being placed is marked by を, and the destination or location is marked by に. Together, 行くのを忘れないように gives the purpose “so as not to forget to go.” 玄関のそばに gives the location “by the entryway,” and 靴を置けます says that the speaker can place the shoes there. The whole utterance therefore means: “I can put my shoes by the door so I remember to go.”

8. それなら現実的で、続けやすそうです。

   That sounds realistic and easy to keep up.

   それなら

   if that’s the case; then

   現実的で

   realistic and

   続けやすそうです

   seems easy to keep up

   More detail

   それなら means “if that is the case” or, as a transition, “then.” なら treats the preceding situation or proposal as the condition for what follows. Here it refers to the situation under discussion, without adding a new participant or outcome. 現実的で means “realistic and.” 現実的 is a na-adjective meaning “realistic” or “practical”; its plain copular form is 現実的だ. The で form connects this description to the next one: 現実的で、… = “it is realistic, and …” The で here is a connective form, not a location or means marker. 続けやすそうです expresses “seems easy to keep up.” 続ける means “to continue” or “to keep doing.” Its verb stem is 続け, and 続け + やすい forms 続けやすい, “easy to continue.” The pattern verb stem + やすい is reusable with other verbs, such as 読みやすい (“easy to read”). Here, そうです is the appearance/impression form attached to the adjective stem 続けやす—the final い of 続けやすい is removed before そうです is added. Thus 続けやすそうです means “seems easy to keep up.” This differs from hearsay そうです, which follows a plain form and means “I hear that …” or “it is said that …” in the relevant context. Example: この方法は続けやすいです。 — “This method is easy to keep up.” This gives the assessment directly, without the impression marker. Together, それなら sets the transition, 現実的で describes the situation as realistic, and 続けやすそうです presents ease of continuing as an impression. The complete meaning is: “That sounds realistic and easy to keep up.”