Japanese from zero · N3 Lesson 1
A new year, a new room
〜中 ・ 〜ぶりに ・ 〜ずつ ・ 〜に 慣れる ・ だけど
In this lesson, you will learn to say that something is going on right now or must be done before a time runs out with 〜中, that you are doing something for the first time in a while with 〜ぶりに, how much each person takes with 〜ずつ, what you have or have not gotten used to with 〜に 慣れる, and to say 'but' casually with だけど. It is April of Lisa's second year, and she and Minju move into an apartment together.
By the end you will be able to say
二週間ぶりに ともだちに 会いました。I saw my friend for the first time in two weeks.
家賃は 二人で 半分ずつ 払います。The two of us pay half the rent each.
新しい 生活に 少しずつ 慣れて います。I'm getting used to my new life little by little.
今週中に 荷物を 片付けます。I'll put my things away by the end of this week.
小さい へやだけど、私は 好きです。It's a small room, but I like it.
The grammar in this lesson
- 〜中 (ちゅう / じゅう) — in the middle of; by the end of; all through — 中 after a noun means 'in the middle of' (授業中), 'before the end of' (今週中に) or, read じゅう, 'all through' (一日中).
- 〜ぶりに — for the first time in (a length of time) — A length of time + ぶりに says something happens again after a gap that long.
- 〜ずつ — each; ... at a time — An amount + ずつ shares it out equally (半分ずつ, half each) or spreads it out (少しずつ, a little at a time).
- 〜に 慣れる — to get used to — Noun + に 慣れる means to get used to something; an action takes こと first: 早く 起きる ことに 慣れる.
- だけど — but (casual) — だけど means 'but' in casual talk: at the start of a sentence, or right after a noun or a な-adjective.