Japanese from zero · N1 Lesson 4
A room of her own
〜がてら ・ 〜まみれ ・ 〜ずくめ ・ 〜放題 ・ 〜なりに
In this lesson, you will learn to say that you did one thing while out doing another with 〜がてら, that something is covered all over in dirt or dust with 〜まみれ, that something is nothing but good (or all black) with 〜ずくめ, that something is done as much as anyone likes with 〜放題, and that someone does a thing in their own way with 〜なりに and 〜なりの. Lisa moves into a one-room apartment of her own, and the Satos come to help.
By the end you will be able to say
さとうさんは 散歩がてら、棚を 運びに 来て くれました。Mr. Sato came by on his walk to carry my shelves.
掃除の 後、私も ひろも ほこりまみれでした。After the cleaning, Hiro and I were both covered in dust.
新しい 仕事に 新しい 部屋。いいことずくめです。A new job and a new room. Nothing but good things.
一人だから、散らかし放題です。I live alone, so I can leave it as messy as I like.
家具の 配置は、私なりに 考えました。I worked out where the furniture goes in my own way.
The grammar in this lesson
- 〜がてら — while (out doing one thing), also — A する-noun or a verb's ます-stem + がてら says you fit a second thing into something you were doing anyway, usually a walk or a trip.
- 〜まみれ — covered all over in (something messy) — A noun + まみれ says something is covered all over in something wet, sticky or powdery, such as dust, sweat or mud.
- 〜ずくめ — nothing but; all (good things, black) — A noun + ずくめ says something is made up of nothing but that one thing, in a few set phrases such as いいことずくめ and 黒ずくめ.
- 〜放題 — as much as you like; left to run wild — A verb's ます-stem + 放題 says something is done as much as anyone likes, with nobody to stop it: a good deal in a shop, a mess in a room.
- 〜なりに / 〜なりの — in one's own way — A noun + なりに (before a verb) or なりの (before a noun) says someone does what they can in their own way, within their limits.