Choosing a Simple Review Routine | Learn Japanese in English

Sentence explanations

1. 今日のレッスンを復習したいです。

   I want to review today's lesson.

   今日

   today

   レッスン

   lesson

   復習したいです

   want to review

   More detail

   今日 means “today.” It is a time noun and can modify another noun with の: 今日のレッスン means “today’s lesson.” Example: 今日は忙しいです。 — “I am busy today.” Here は marks “today” as the topic. レッスン means “lesson.” It is a loanword noun. In 今日のレッスンを, の links 今日 to レッスン, and を marks the lesson as the object of the action that follows. Example: レッスンを始めます。 — “I will start the lesson.” 復習したいです expresses a polite wish to review. The base verb is 復習する (“to review”). Its verb stem 復習し combines with たい to form 復習したい (“want to review”); した here is not the past form being combined with たい. です adds politeness to this statement. Example: 日本語を勉強したいです。 — “I want to study Japanese.” The reusable pattern is ［object］を［verb stem］たいです: “I want to [verb].” Thus, 今日のレッスンを identifies what the speaker wants to review, and 復習したいです states that desire politely. Together, 今日のレッスンを復習したいです。 means “I want to review today’s lesson.”

2. でも、どこから始めればよいかわかりません。

   But I am not sure where to start.

   でも

   but

   どこ

   where

   から

   from

   始めればよい

   should start

   わかりません

   am not sure

   More detail

   でも means “but” here and marks a contrast with the preceding wish to review the lesson. It is a common connective placed at the beginning of a sentence; the following statement explains the difficulty or limitation. どこ means “where.” It asks about a place or point, and in this sentence it asks about the starting point rather than identifying a particular place. から follows どこ and means “from.” Together, どこから means “from where” or, naturally, “where to start from.” The same pattern can describe a starting point in time or in an activity, not only a physical location. For example: 朝から始めます。 — “I’ll start from the morning.” 始めればよい expresses “should start” or “would be the right way to start.” The verb is 始める, “to start”; 始めれば is its conditional form, and よい means “good” or “suitable.” The pattern V-ばよい asks or explains what action is appropriate: 何を読めばよいですか。 — “What should I read?” Here, 始めればよい is part of an embedded question, so it does not itself give an instruction to start; it identifies the action the speaker is unsure about. わかりません is the polite negative form of わかる, “to understand” or “to know.” In this sentence, it means that the speaker does not know which starting point is appropriate, naturally rendered as “I am not sure.” The polite form is suitable for a respectful or neutral conversation. Together, どこから始めればよいかわかりません means “I am not sure where to start.” Japanese places the embedded question before わかりません: “where I should start” + “I do not know.” With the opening でも, the whole utterance is: “But I am not sure where to start.”

3. 実際の場面に直接つながるノートから始めましょう。

   Start with the notes that connect directly to real situations.

   実際の

   actual; real

   場面

   situation; scene

   直接

   directly

   つながる

   connect; be connected

   ノート

   notes

   始めましょう

   let’s start

   More detail

   実際の means “real” or “actual” here. 実際 is a noun meaning reality or actuality, and の links it to the noun it describes: 実際の場面 means “real situations” or “actual scenes.” The form 実際な is not used for this noun-modifying pattern. 場面 is a noun for a situation, scene, or setting. In this sentence it refers to real situations in which the learned material may be used, as indicated by the fixed translation. Example: その場面を覚えています。 — “I remember that scene.” 直接 means “directly.” It commonly works as an adverb before a verb, as in 直接話します — “I will speak directly.” Here it modifies つながる, so the connection is direct rather than indirect. つながる is the dictionary form of an intransitive verb meaning “to connect,” “to be connected,” or “to lead to.” In 実際の場面に直接つながる, に marks what the connection leads to: “connect directly to real situations.” The related transitive verb is つなぐ, “to connect something,” but that is not the form used here. Example: この道は駅につながります。 — “This road leads to the station.” ノート is a noun meaning “notes” or “a notebook,” depending on context. Here the fixed translation identifies notes as the material being used as the starting point. から after it marks the starting point: ノートから means “from the notes” or “starting with the notes.” 始めましょう is the polite volitional form of 始める, “to start” or “to begin.” It proposes an action: “let’s start.” The polite present form is 始めます (“start”), while 始めましょう invites the speaker and listener to begin together. Example: ここから始めましょう。 — “Let’s start from here.” Together, 実際の場面に直接つながる describes the notes as notes that connect directly to real situations. ノートから identifies those notes as the starting point, and 始めましょう makes a polite proposal to begin with them. The whole utterance therefore means: “Let’s start with the notes that connect directly to real situations.”

4. いつも全部読み直しますが、時間がかかりすぎます。

   I usually reread everything, but that takes too much time.

   いつも

   usually

   全部

   everything

   読み直します

   reread

   が

   but

   時間

   time

   かかりすぎます

   takes too much

   More detail

   いつも means “usually” here and modifies the repeated action that follows. It can also mean “always” in a context of complete regularity; the fixed translation supports the less absolute reading “usually.” Example: いつも朝に勉強します。 — “I usually study in the morning.” 全部 means “everything” or “all of it.” Here it is the object of 読み直します, so the meaning is “reread everything.” It is a quantity expression, not the name of a particular thing. Example: 全部食べました。 — “I ate all of it.” 読み直します means “reread.” Its useful base form is 読み直す: 読む (“read”) plus 直す (“do again” or “redo”) in this compound. The observed form has the polite nonpast ending -ます; in this sentence, that form describes the speaker’s usual practice. Example: この文を読み直します。 — “I reread this sentence.” が connects the first clause to the contrasting second clause. Although が can also mark a subject in other sentences, its role here is clause-linking “but”: the speaker usually rereads everything, yet the time required is excessive. 時間 means “time.” In this sentence it is part of the common pattern 時間がかかる, literally involving “time” and meaning “take time.” Example: 準備に時間がかかります。 — “Preparation takes time.” かかりすぎます means “takes too much” in this context. Its base form is かかる, and かかりすぎる combines the verb stem かかり- with すぎる, “be excessive” or “do too much”; -ます makes the result polite and nonpast. The relevant excess is the amount of time required. The full pattern is 時間がかかりすぎます — “it takes too much time.” Together, いつも全部読み直します says “I usually reread everything.” The subject is not stated in the Japanese sentence, but the fixed translation identifies it as “I.” After が, 時間がかかりすぎます says that this activity requires an excessive amount of time. Thus the whole utterance means: “I usually reread everything, but that takes too much time.”

5. 短い会話で使える部分を選びましょう。

   Choose the parts you can use in a short conversation.

   短い

   short

   会話

   conversation

   使える

   can use

   部分

   part

   選びましょう

   let’s choose

   More detail

   短い means “short” here and directly modifies 会話. It is an i-adjective: the attributive form is 短い会話 (“a short conversation”), while a negative form is 短くない (“not short”). 会話 means “conversation.” Japanese nouns generally do not mark singular versus plural, so this form can refer to a conversation or conversations; the fixed translation presents the relevant setting as a short conversation. The particle で after it marks the setting or situation: 短い会話で means “in a short conversation” or “for use in a short conversation.” 使える means “can use” in the fixed translation. It is the nonpast potential form related to 使う (“to use”). In 使える部分, it comes before 部分 and describes which parts are usable: Japanese relative clauses do not require a separate relative pronoun. Depending on context, 使える can also mean “be usable,” but here the intended meaning is that the learner can use the parts. 部分 means “part” or “section.” Japanese does not obligatorily mark its number, so 部分 can correspond to “part” or “parts”; the fixed translation selects the plural reading. The object marker を shows that these parts are what is selected. 選びましょう means “let’s choose.” It is the polite volitional form of 選ぶ (“to choose”), presenting the choice as a polite proposal or invitation. Compare the plain volitional 選ぼう, also meaning “let’s choose” in a less formal style. The structure is 短い会話で (“in a short conversation”) + 使える部分 (“parts that you can use”) + を (object marker) + 選びましょう (“let’s choose”). Together, the utterance means: “Let’s choose the parts you can use in a short conversation.”

6. 話す練習をする前に、例文を書いてもよいですね。

   We could write example sentences before we practice speaking.

   話す

   speak; talk

   練習をする

   practice

   前に

   before

   例文

   example sentence

   書いて

   write

   もよいですね

   may; is it okay?

   More detail

   話す means “to speak” or “to talk.” It is the dictionary form, useful for naming the activity or for modifying another expression. Here it is combined with 練習をする to specify what kind of practice is meant. 練習をする means “to practice.” 練習 is “practice,” and する is the verb “to do,” so this is a common noun + する construction. The form する is non-past and can describe a present or future activity; here the activity is future relative to writing the example sentences. With 話す, the combined meaning is “practice speaking.” 前に means “before.” The noun or activity before it identifies what must happen first: 話す練習をする前に means “before practicing speaking.” In this sentence, the clause ending in 前に sets the time for the main clause that follows. 例文 means “example sentence.” It is a noun and is the object of 書いて, so the sentence proposes writing example sentences. The plural reading in the English translation is compatible with Japanese, which does not require a plural ending here; 例文 can refer to one or more example sentences depending on context. 書いて is the connective form of 書く, “to write.” 書く is the dictionary form, and its て form is 書いて. Before もよい, this form links the action “write” to the permission construction: 書いてもよい means “it is acceptable to write” or “one may write.” もよいですね expresses that an action is acceptable, with ですね adding a gentle request for agreement or confirmation. In this utterance, 書いてもよいですね is naturally understood as “we could write [them],” matching the fixed translation. The も belongs to the permission pattern 〜てもよい; it is not the ordinary object marker. A more conversational alternative is 〜てもいい, but the observed wording is よい. Together, 話す練習をする前に establishes “before we practice speaking.” The main action is 例文を書いてもよいですね: “we could write example sentences.” Thus the whole utterance proposes writing example sentences before beginning speaking practice, while gently checking agreement.

7. 例文を声に出して言うと、その表現を会話で使えるかどうかわかります。

   Saying the example sentences aloud will show whether you can use the phrases in conversation.

   例文

   example sentence(s)

   声に出して

   aloud

   言う

   say

   その

   that

   表現

   expression

   会話

   conversation

   使える

   can use

   かどうか

   whether or not

   わかります

   can tell

   More detail

   例文 means an example sentence. It is a noun, and 例文を marks it as the object of the action that follows. Japanese does not mark singular versus plural here, so the form can refer to one or more example sentences. Example: 例文を読みます。 means “I read an example sentence” or “I read example sentences,” depending on context. 声に出して comes from the expression 声に出す, “to put into one’s voice” or “to say aloud.” 出して is its て-form, linking this manner of speaking to 言う: 声に出して言う means “say aloud.” This is a useful pattern for describing an action performed in a particular way. Example: 答えを声に出して言ってください。 means “Please say the answer aloud.” 言う is the plain dictionary form of “say.” Here it follows 声に出して, so the two forms together describe saying the example sentence aloud. The form 言うと is not a polite ending: と connects the preceding condition or event to its result, giving “when/if you say ...” in this sentence. Example: 毎日言うと、覚えやすくなります。 means “If you say it every day, it becomes easier to remember.” その is an attributive demonstrative meaning “that” or “the ... just referred to.” In this utterance, it modifies 表現; the fixed translation identifies the intended object as the phrase or expression being discussed. その itself does not state a noun’s number or gender, and it must come before the noun it modifies. 表現 means “expression” or “phrase.” 表現を marks the expression as the object of 使える: it is the thing whose use is being evaluated. Example: この表現を使います。 means “I use this expression.” 会話 means “conversation.” With で, 会話で identifies the setting or context in which something is used: “in conversation.” The particle で here does not mean motion to a place; it marks the situation where the use occurs. Example: 会話でその言葉を使いました。 means “I used that word in conversation.” 使える is the potential form of 使う, “to use,” and means “can use” here. The change is 使う → 使える; the final る belongs to the potential form, not to 表現. Thus 会話で使える means “can use in conversation.” Example: この言葉は仕事で使えます。 means “I can use this word at work.” かどうか follows a clause and turns it into an embedded “whether or not” question. Here 会話で使えるかどうか means “whether or not [someone] can use it in conversation.” The question is embedded inside the larger sentence, so the sentence does not end with the direct-question pattern か alone. Example: 明日来るかどうか知りません。 means “I do not know whether or not [someone] will come tomorrow.” わかります is the polite nonpast form of わかる, “understand” or “become clear.” At the end of this sentence, it means that the result becomes clear or can be determined: “you can tell.” The Japanese subject is not stated explicitly; the fixed translation supplies the intended learner-oriented reading. Together, 例文を声に出して言うと means “when you say the example sentences aloud.” その表現を会話で使えるかどうか is the embedded question “whether you can use that expression in conversation,” and final わかります says that this becomes clear. The whole utterance therefore means: “Saying the example sentences aloud will show whether you can use the expressions in conversation.”

8. ページ全体をもう一度書き写すより、そのほうが役に立ちそうです。

   That sounds more useful than copying the whole page again.

   ページ

   page

   全体

   whole; entirety

   もう一度

   again; one more time

   書き写す

   copy out; transcribe

   より

   than; rather than

   そのほうが

   that option; that way

   役に立ちそうです

   seems likely to be useful

   More detail

   ページ means “page.” It is a noun and can combine with other words to specify a particular page, such as このページ (“this page”). 全体 means “the whole” or “the entirety.” In ページ全体, it follows the noun and makes the phrase mean “the whole page,” rather than one part of it. 全体 can also follow other nouns in the same pattern, as in 町全体 (“the whole town”). もう一度 means “again” or “one more time.” It marks a repeated action: もう一度読んでください。 means “Please read it one more time.” 書き写す means “to copy out” or “to transcribe” something by writing it. It is a verb whose dictionary form ends in す; in this sentence, the dictionary-form verb is followed by より to form a comparison: 文を書き写す means “copy out a sentence.” This is different from simply 書く (“write”), which does not by itself mean copying an existing text. より marks the basis of comparison. The pattern AよりBのほうが... means “B is more ... than A.” Here, ページ全体をもう一度書き写すより means “rather than copying the whole page again.” The verb phrase before より is the activity being compared. そのほうが refers to the option already under discussion and marks that option as the subject of the comparison. その is a demonstrative modifier, while ほう turns the idea into “that option” or “that way.” The exact option is supplied by the surrounding context rather than named inside this sentence. 役に立ちそうです means “seems likely to be useful.” The basic expression is 役に立つ (“to be useful”); 立ち is the stem form of 立つ used before そうです here. ～そうです after this verb form expresses an appearance or prediction based on what seems likely, and です gives the ending a polite style. For example, この方法は役に立ちそうです。 means “This method seems likely to be useful.” Together, ページ全体をもう一度書き写すより sets up the activity used as the comparison basis: copying the entire page again. そのほうが役に立ちそうです says that the option already being discussed seems more useful. The whole utterance therefore means, “That sounds more useful than copying the whole page again.”

9. どの点がわかっていて、どの点にもっと練習が必要かもわかります。

   It also shows which points are clear and which ones need more practice.

   どの点

   which points

   わかっていて

   are clear

   どの点に

   which points

   もっと

   more

   練習

   practice

   必要

   necessary

   も

   also

   わかります

   can tell

   More detail

   どの点 means “which point(s)” or “which aspect(s).” どの asks for a choice within a relevant set, while 点 literally means a point or aspect. The same form appears again later, where it introduces the second part of the comparison. わかっていて is the connective form of わかる, “to understand” or “to be clear/known.” Here it says which aspects are already clear. The -て form links this clause to the following clause; it does not by itself mark past time. Example: ここがわかっていて、ここがまだわかりません。 — “I understand this part, but I still do not understand this part.” どの点に again asks “which point(s),” and に marks the point to which the state expressed by 必要 applies. In the embedded question どの点にもっと練習が必要か, the meaning is “which points need more practice.” もっと means “more” or “to a greater extent.” It modifies the amount of practice needed here. Example: もっと練習します。 — “I will practice more.” 練習 means “practice.” It can function as a noun and also combine with する to mean “to practice”: 練習する — “to practice.” In this sentence it is the thing that is needed, not the verb form 練習する. 必要 means “necessary” or “needed.” In 練習が必要, the particle が marks practice as what is needed, while 必要 describes its necessity. The phrase もっと練習が必要 therefore means “more practice is needed.” Example: 休憩が必要です。 — “A break is necessary.” も adds this embedded question to the information already understood: “also.” The form かも here is not the separate expression meaning “might”; it is the question marker か followed by additive も. Thus どの点にもっと練習が必要かも means “also which points need more practice.” わかります is the polite non-past form of わかる, meaning “understand,” “know,” or, as in the translation, “can tell.” With an embedded question ending in か, it means that the speaker can identify the answer to that question. Example: 何が必要かわかります。 — “I can tell what is needed.” Together, どの点がわかっていて identifies the aspects that are clear, while どの点にもっと練習が必要か identifies the aspects requiring additional practice. The embedded-question marker か, followed by additive も, makes both kinds of information something the speaker can identify: わかります. The whole utterance therefore means, “It also shows which points are clear and which ones need more practice.”

10. 授業の後で、それぞれ役に立つ表現をいくつか選んで、試してみましょう。

    Let's each choose a few useful phrases and test them after class.

    授業

    class

    の後で

    after

    それぞれ

    each

    役に立つ

    be useful

    表現

    phrase; expression

    いくつか

    a few; several

    選んで

    choose, and

    試してみましょう

    let’s try

    More detail

    授業 means “class” here. It is a noun and can be reused in compounds or time expressions, such as 授業の前 (“before class”) and 授業の後 (“after class”). の後で places an event after the noun phrase before の: 授業の後で means “after class.” 後 means “back” or “later” in other contexts, but here it marks the later time, and で marks the time at which the following action occurs. Example: 仕事の後で休みます。 — “I rest after work.” それぞれ means “each” or “respectively.” In this sentence, the fixed translation supports the distributed reading “each [of us]”; it does not itself identify the participants by a noun. It is an adverb, so it describes how the choosing is distributed rather than changing form for number or gender. 役に立つ means “be useful” or “be helpful.” 役に立つ表現 is a useful pattern: a clause before a noun describes that noun, so it means “expressions that are useful.” The verb is 立つ, whose basic meaning is “stand,” but the fixed expression 役に立つ has the meaning “be useful.” Example: この本は役に立ちます。 — “This book is useful.” 表現 means “phrase” or “expression.” It is a noun; here it is the thing being selected and then tried. Example: 新しい表現を覚えます。 — “I learn a new expression.” いくつか means “a few” or “several.” It indicates an unspecified small number, not an exact count. Here it comes after 表現を in 表現をいくつか選んで and indicates how many expressions are selected. The expression いくつかの表現 is also possible, with の linking it directly to the noun. 選んで is the て-form of 選ぶ (“choose”). The て-form links this action to what follows: “choose … and …” Here the choosing comes before trying. Example: 一つ選んでください。 — “Please choose one.” 試してみましょう combines 試す (“try; test”), the auxiliary みる, and ましょう. 試してみる literally uses the “see” form after a て-form, but as a construction it means “try doing something” or “give something a try.” ましょう presents a suggestion or proposal, “let’s …,” so this form means “let’s try them.” Example: この方法を試してみましょう。 — “Let’s try this method.” Together, 授業の後で sets the time, それぞれ distributes the action among the participants, and 役に立つ表現をいくつか選んで means “choose a few useful phrases.” The linked 試してみましょう adds the proposal to try them, producing: “Let’s each choose a few useful phrases and test them after class.”

11. 短い習慣のほうが、長い復習計画より繰り返しやすいです。

    A short routine will be easier to repeat than a long review plan.

    短い

    short

    習慣

    routine; habit

    のほうが

    the one that is more …

    長い

    long

    復習

    review

    計画

    plan

    繰り返しやすい

    easy to repeat

    More detail

    短い means “short” here and describes 習慣. It is an い-adjective: the form before a noun is also 短い. Its opposite is 長い (“long”). Example: 短い文 — “a short sentence.” 習慣 means “routine” or “habit,” a repeated practice. In this sentence it is the noun being compared. Example: 毎日の習慣 — “a daily habit.” のほうが marks the side judged more applicable in a comparison. The pattern Aのほうが Bより … means “A is more … than B” or, with a suitability expression, “A is easier/more suitable … than B.” Here, 短い習慣のほうが identifies the short routine as the easier option. 長い means “long” and describes 復習計画. Like 短い, it is an い-adjective and can directly modify a noun: 長い休み — “a long break.” 復習 means “review,” especially going over learned material again. It combines with 計画 to form 復習計画, “review plan.” Example: 復習をする — “to review.” 計画 means “plan.” In 復習計画, it is the head noun: the phrase is a plan for review, not a review that is itself a plan. 繰り返しやすい means “easy to repeat.” 繰り返す is the base verb “to repeat”; its verb stem 繰り返し combines with やすい to express that an action is easy to do. This construction attaches to a verb stem: 読みやすい means “easy to read.” The observed form describes the routine’s repeatability; it does not say that someone has already repeated it. Putting the parts together, 短い習慣のほうが、長い復習計画より sets up the comparison “a short routine rather than a long review plan,” and 繰り返しやすいです says that it is easy to repeat. The whole utterance means: “A short routine will be easier to repeat than a long review plan.” です gives the sentence a polite ending.