Japanese from zero · N2 Lesson 22
A visitor at the gallery
そう言えば ・ 〜とか（で） ・ どうやら ・ 〜に限って ・ もう少しで〜ところだった
In this lesson, you will learn to bring up something the talk reminds you of with そう言えば, to pass on something you heard with 〜とか and 〜とかで, to say how things seem with どうやら, to complain that something happens just when it shouldn't with 〜に限って, and to say something very nearly happened with もう少しで〜ところだった. On the second day of Sakura's exhibition, a visitor Lisa knows well walks into the gallery.
By the end you will be able to say
そう言えば、来週は 試験ですね。Come to think of it, the exam is next week.
部長は 絵が お好きだとか。I hear the manager likes paintings.
どうやら 道を 間違えた ようです。It seems we've taken the wrong way.
寝坊した 日に限って、試験が ある。The day I oversleep is always, of all days, the day of a test.
もう少しで 電車に 遅れる ところだった。I very nearly missed the train.
The grammar in this lesson
- そう言えば — come to think of it; that reminds me — そう言えば starts a sentence about something the conversation has just reminded you of.
- 〜とか（で） — I hear; something about — The plain form + とか at the end passes on something you heard but are not sure of; 〜とかで gives a reason you heard.
- どうやら — it seems; apparently — どうやら at the start, with ようだ, らしい or みたいだ at the end, says what things seem to be from what you can see.
- 〜に限って — of all (days, people); just when — Noun + に限って says that something annoying happens on exactly that day or with exactly that person.
- もう少しで〜ところだった — very nearly; almost — もう少しで + dictionary form + ところだった says something very nearly happened, but in the end it did not.