Japanese from zero · N3 Lesson 17
Osaka again
〜は〜で有名 ・ 〜を始め ・ 〜を中心に ・ 〜から〜にかけて
In this lesson, you will learn to say what a place is famous for with 〜は〜で有名, to name the best-known example first with 〜を始め, to say what something centers on with 〜を中心に, and to give a rough stretch of time or place with 〜から〜にかけて. Lisa and Sakura spend Obon at Tanaka's grandparents' house in Osaka, their second visit, and Tanaka's Kansai dialect comes out at the table.
By the end you will be able to say
大阪は 食べ物で 有名です。Osaka is famous for its food.
たこ焼きを 始め、大阪には おいしい 食べ物が たくさん あります。Osaka has lots of good food, takoyaki first of all.
関西弁は 大阪や 京都を 中心に 話す 言葉です。Kansai dialect is spoken mainly around Osaka and Kyoto.
お盆は 八月十三日から 十六日に かけてです。Obon runs from the 13th through the 16th of August.
お盆には 祖父母を 始め、親戚が みんな 集まります。At Obon all the relatives gather, starting with my grandparents.
The grammar in this lesson
- 〜は〜で有名 — famous for — X は Y で 有名です says that X is famous for Y.
- 〜を始め — starting with, first of all — Noun + を 始め names the best-known example first and says there are more like it.
- 〜を中心に — centered on, mainly — Noun + を 中心に says what something is centered on or mostly about.
- 〜から〜にかけて — from A through B — A から B に かけて covers a rough stretch of time or place from about A to about B.