Japanese from zero · N2 Lesson 38
A toast
〜ようではないか ・ ばかり (about) ・ 〜抜きにして/〜抜きで ・ 〜げ
In this lesson, you will learn the speech-like 'let's' of an older manager, 〜ようではないか, to give a rough amount with ばかり, to leave something out with 〜抜きで and set a topic aside with 〜は 抜きにして, and to say how someone looks with 〜げ. It is late March, and Mori takes the students who got offers out to dinner.
By the end you will be able to say
今夜は 大いに 食べようではないか。Tonight, let's eat our fill!
部長は 三十分ばかり 遅れて 来ました。The manager came about thirty minutes late.
すしは わさび抜きで おねがいします。Sushi without wasabi, please.
堅い 話は 抜きにして、楽しみましょう。Let's leave the serious talk out and enjoy ourselves.
今夜の 宴会で、部長は 満足げに 笑って いた。At tonight's dinner, the manager was smiling, looking pleased.
The grammar in this lesson
- 〜ようではないか — let's (in a speech) — The volitional form + ではないか is a strong, speech-like 'let's', said by a leader to a group.
- ばかり — about (after an amount) — After a number or an amount, ばかり means 'about; or so'.
- 〜抜きで / 〜抜きにして — without; leaving out — Noun + 抜きで is 'without it'; Noun + は 抜きにして sets a topic aside.
- 〜げ — looking ~ — げ after a feeling word means 'looking ~': how someone's feeling shows from outside.