Verb + ところ

A verb + ところ can be used to indicate a moment in time, with the tense of the verb being used to determine exactly when that point exists. When ところ is followed by に, it acts as a time clause. When it's the subject or object of some verbs, it indicates the scene of that verb's action.

Non-past verb + ところ = ...is about to [verb]
Verb ている + ところ = ...is [verb]-ing, while [verb]-ing
Past tense verb + ところ = ...have just [verb]-ed

ちょうど勉強が終わったところに友達から電話がかかってきた。
Just when I had finished studying, I got a phonecall from my friend.

ライトとクラブへ行くところだから、何をしてるの？
I'm about to head to the club with Laito. What are you doing?

子犬が寝ているところを写真に撮った。とてもかわいい写真が撮れた。
I took a picture of the puppy just while he was sleeping. I was able to get such a cute picture.

リーさんがサッカーをしてるところのことを見るのが好きだね。
I like to watch Lee-san while he's in the midst of playing soccer.

気がする

The phrase (ような) 気がする can be used to express the meaning "I have a feeling that..." It generally means that the speaker is not certain about something, but has a feeling that it's true. The ような portion is entirely optional.

先生の説明を聞いて、分かったような気がしたけど、家に帰ってもう一度勉強し直したら、また分からなくなってしまった。
I heard sensei's explanation, and I felt that I understood it, but when I went home and studied over it once more, I just didn't understand it anymore.

リーさんはアリスが好きな気がしたけど、 バレンタインデーに何も贈らなかったんだ。
I had a feeling that Lee-san liked Alice, but he didn't get her anything for Valentine's Day.

2年生の日本語より3年生の日本語の方が簡単な気がする。
I feel that third year Japanese is easier than second year Japanese.

部屋のドアの外で人ような気がするから、見てくれない？
It seems like there's someone outside the door, so could you look for me?

虎視眈々 - Laito, Shuu, & Ruki

Hurray, another Diabolik Lovers song! This one seems quite different from their others, which generally contain at least some noticeable level of instrumentals. I kinda feel dirty liking it, but it's still a good song, and it was fun to translate with the English that's mixed in. Some notes:

• The title 虎視眈々 is read as "Koshitantan" and is generally translated as "Waiting to Pounce."
• This is the first and only song I've ever heard where Ruki sings. In all other songs he only does monologues. I wonder why, since he's actually a good singer.
• I don't think this song has a single mention of blood or sucking, but the guys still make it pretty obvious what they want.
• I laughed as I was translating Laito's middle finger line towards the end, the image of him basically saying "fuck you" to the others and running off with Yui.
• The single spoken line of dialogue near the end wasn't written in the lyrics, but I was able to understand and add it here because the exact same line is in Mr. Sadistic Night.

不安除くyour voice
甘くとろけたノイズ
脳内暗示 like a sweet candy

偉大な愛の暴動
計画なき犯行
生命の猛威 gimme your candy

二人きりだけの世界
what do you wanna do？重なる live
キミの息　侵され  we can fly...

受け入れて完全なCRIME
there's no lies　裸の愛

魅惑 1,2,3,　キミを単純に
奪い去ってしまう衝動　理性との共謀
CAN YOU FEEL　もっと感情に
強く触って壊して　乱　RUN　乱

キミと 1,2,3,　ずっと eyes on me
speed up　止まらない鼓動　キセキとの共存
CLOSE to me　もっと深くに堕ちて down...

健全な存在証明　必要なんてない no way
欲しがっちゃう意味　I MY ME
甘い甘いCANDY

震え止まんない症状　禁断のアレ　そう more
全身の歓喜 let's start！ you and me

迸る視線のバイブ
鳴り響く野望のチャイム
キミに触れ　その瞬間 over drive

「いらない全てはいらない」　なんて言わないで
you could be mine

誘惑 1,2,3,　キミが最高に
連れ去ってしまう頂上　飛び越えた想像
ride on me　さぁ you're going to be
共に果ててしまうまで down...

向かう先は all the night
手にするタイム　so 甘い
きらびやかな日々
意味　ギミー　その candy
震える生命　and daybreak
we stay  永遠 game

手に触れたその瞬間　気付いて
交わる心(おもい)　始まる in your way
繰り返し目を合わせた先で
弾け飛ぶ世界は in my way
キミを手に入れる　そう it's time
中指を立てたこの合図

「終わらせるわけないだぞ」

魅惑 1,2,3,　キミを単純に
奪い去ってしまう衝動　理性との共謀
CAN YOU FEEL　もっと感情に
強く触って壊して　乱　RUN　乱

キミと 1,2,3,　ずっと eyes on me
speed up　止まらない鼓動　キセキとの共存
CLOSE to me　もっと深くに堕ちて down...

***

The apprehension having left your voice
A deliciously alluring noise
An idea swirling within my mind, like a sweet candy

This great rebellion of love
An utterly spontaneous crime
The fury of your existence, gimme your candy

A world for just the two of us
What do you wanna do? We shall live side by side
Your breath sweeping over me, we can fly, fly, fly...

A perfectly flawless crime that you shall endure
There's no lies, just a love so pure

This captivation 1, 2, 3, the desire to simply
Steal you away, a conspiracy coinciding with your sense of reason
Can you feel, this growing surge of emotions
Let it break you as you feel it deeply within, (riot) run (riot)

Here with you 1, 2, 3, now keep your eyes on me
Speed up this never-ending beat, a wondrous synchronicity
Close to me, continue to fall even deeper, down, down, down, down, down...

Proof that you're living a virtuous life, there's certainly no need for that, no way
This meaning that you seem to desire, "I MY ME"
Like sweet, sweet candy

Stricken with an unrelenting trembling, a forbidden tenacity, and there shall be more
This feeling of delight throughout your entire body, let's start! You and me

The vibe of your outpouring gaze
The chime of this resounding sense of ambition
The moment we touch, I'm sent into overdrive

Don't try to tell me that "you don't need any of it"
You could be mine

Such temptation 1, 2, 3, this peak of undoubtedly
Stealing you away, my imagination positively soaring
Ride on me, that's right, you're going to be
Going until the very end with me, down, down, down, down...

Our destination now is "all night"
This time we share is so sweet
Positively dazzling day after day
The meaning of it all, gimme your candy
Your trembling existence, and at daybreak
We'll stay forever in this game

The moment that our hands touch, now realize
Our feelings collide and begin anew, in your way
Our eyes having met time and time again
And now the world shall burst open, in my way
Seizing you for myself, yes, it's time
This middle finger I've raised is the sign

"There's no way I'll let this end now"

This captivation 1, 2, 3, a desire to simply
Steal you away, a conspiracy coinciding with your sense of reason
Can you feel, this growing surge of emotions
Let it break you as you feel it deeply within, (riot) run (riot)

Here with you 1, 2, 3, now keep your eyes on me
Speed up this never-ending beat, a wondrous synchronicity
Close to me, continue to fall even deeper, down, down, down, down, down...

ほとんど

The word ほとんど can be used with nouns and verbs to express "almost all" or "most of..." When used with negative forms, it becomes "hardly (ever)" or "almost none..." It can't be used to say something like "I almost forgot" because its usage is intended for amounts.

昨日は疲れていたから、1日中ほとんど寝ていました。
Yesterday was exhausting, so I slept almost all day today.

おいしい料理だったが、お腹が痛くてほとんど食べられなかった。
The cooking was delicious, but my stomach hurt and I could eat hardly anything.

彼はこの大学の有名人だ。ほとんどの人が彼のことを知っている。
He is this university's celebrity. Almost everyone knows about him.

今日の試験のほとんどの問題が、宿題と同じだった。
Almost all of the questions on the test today were the same as the homework.

たらいいのに

The structure たらいいのに can be used to express the speaker's wish. Verbs here are sometimes in the potential form, with the speaker often saying something like "I wish I could [verb]..." The verbs also typically refer to the speaker's action.

寮の部屋がもっと静かだったらいいのに。うるさくて勉強が出来ない。
I wish my dorm room were more quiet. It's loud and I can't study.

この映画はつまらない。アヤトと帰れたらいいのになあ。
This movie is boring. I wish I could go back home with Ayato.

寂しいなあ。恋人ができたらいいのになあ。
I'm so lonely. I wish I had a sweetheart.

母が料理したステーキとジャガイモを食べられたらいいのに。
I wish I could eat the steak and potatoes that my mom cooked.

Noun + 的

Adding the suffix 的 to a noun will change that noun into a na-adjective, although the na is sometimes omitted when the word is used to modify a noun. The suffix acts like the "-al" or "-ic" endings we have in English, as in "technological." It can also simply mean "like", as in 日本的 for "Japan-like."

京都や奈良は歴史的な建物がたくさんある伝統的な町です。
Kyoto and Nara are traditional towns that have a lot of historical buildings.

一般的に、英語は難しい言語そうだと思う。
In general, I think English seems like a difficult language.

私は技術的なことはよく分からないので、他の人に聞いて下さい。
I don't understand technological things very well, so ask someone else, please.

先輩とか後輩ことは日本的ですよね。
Things like senpai and kouhai are very Japanese.

Noun + らしい

Adding らしい to the end of a noun can mean that something or someone is representative of that noun. It's often intended to convey that someone possesses the positive characteristics of that noun. It can also express a simpler meaning of "seeming" or "appearing."

剣道はとても日本らしいスポーツだと思う。
I think Kendo is a very Japanese-like sport.

リーさんはアリスちゃんがすごく女らしいってけど、違うと思う。
Lee-san said that Alice-chan is very feminine, but I think he's wrong.

今年の夏は寒い日が続いて、ぜんぜん夏らしくありません。
The cold days of this year's summer are continuing, and it doesn't feel summer-like at all.

スバル君に始めて会って、男らしそうだね。
The first time I met Subaru-kun, he seemed really masculine.

と同じで / と違って

A noun + と同じで can be used to express "just like [noun]." On the other side, a noun + と違って can be used to express "unlike [noun]" or "different from [noun]."

多くの国と違って、日本では20歳にならないと投票できない。
Unlike a lot of countries, in Japan you can't vote until you've reached age 20.

私の猫と同じで、リーさんの犬が木を登るのが好きですね。
Just like my cat, Lee-san's dog likes to climb trees.

母と同じで、私のえびのアレルギーがあるので、えびは食べられないんです。
I can't eat shrimp because of my allergy, just like my mom.

セイジと違って、田中はとても静かな人そうだなぁ。
Unlike Seiji, I hear that Tanaka is a really quiet person.

をもとにして

A noun + をもとにして can be used to express "based on [noun]." The して portion is optional here. If the phrase is being used to describe another noun (for example, "a book based on my childhood"), then した is used instead.

日本のマンガをもとにしてたくさんのアニメやゲームが作られている。
There are lots of anime and games made that are based on Japanese manga.

去年リーさんは中国の留学生の時をもとに論文を書いたんだ。
Last year, Lee-san wrote an essay based on his time as a foreign exchange student in China.

これは、私の子供の時の経験をもとにした小説です。
This is a novel based on my experiences when I was a child.

母に買った映画は実際にあった話をもとにしたそうだな。
I hear that the movie I bought for my mom was based on a true story.

に違いない

Adding に違いない to the end of a plain form sentence indicates that the speaker is certain that something is true or is the case. This is typically used in more formal or written speech.

スミスさんは日本に10年も住んでいたから、日本語が上手に話せるに違いない。
Since Smith-san lived in Japan for as many as 10 years, I'm sure he can speak Japanese well.

日曜日にコンビニで彼氏と見たに違いない。
I'm certain that I saw her at the konbini with her boyfriend on Sunday.

あの二人はとても仲が良かったから、卒業した後、結婚したに違いない。
Since those two were so close, I'm certain that they got married after graduation.

明日は晴れるはずだから、アヤトはビーチに行きたくないに違いない。
It's supposed to be sunny tomorrow, so I'm sure Ayato doesn't want to go to the beach.

ところが

ところが can be used at the beginning of a sentence or phrase to express that something unexpected based on the previous context has occurred. This occurrence must be beyond the speaker's control. It's often translated as "but" or "however."

先生のオフィスアワーに研究室に行った。ところが、先生はいらっしゃらなかった。
I went to sensei's office during office hours, but he wasn't there.

昨日、アザにコンビにで商品をたくさん買っていた。ところが、家に行った時、いなかったんだ。
Yesterday I bought a bunch of goods for Aza at the konbini. But when I went to her house, she wasn't there.

試験のために徹夜をするつもりでコーヒーをたくさん飲んだ。ところが、すぐ寝てしまった。
I drank a lot of coffee so I could stay up all night for this exam. But I fell asleep quickly.

もちが大好きなの。ところが、リーさんが作るもちは嫌いんだよ。
I really like mochi. But I hate the mochi that Lee-san made.

Noun/Adjective + 化

Adding the suffix 化 after a noun or no-adjective will add the meaning "-ization" or "-ification." It often refers to something "becoming" or changing to another state.

この大学は外国人の学生が多くて、国際化が進んでいる。
There are lots of foreign students at this college. Its internationalization has really advanced.

「デスノート」というマンガはアニメ化もゲーム化もされました。
The manga called "Death Note" has been turned into both anime and games.

一人の人しか言わないことを一般化すろのは、よくありませんよ。
It's not good to generalize something that just one person says.

英語の言葉をカタカナ化すると、元の言葉が全然分からなくなる場合がある。例えば、「テーマ」とか「アワー」のような言葉だ。
When English speech is changed to katakana, there are cases where you can't understand the original word at all. For example, words like「テーマ」for "theme" and「アワー」for "hour."

ついに

The word ついに is an adverb that can mean "at last", "finally", or "in the end." It's generally used to convey that something has finally happened (or hasn't happened) after a long period of waiting, longing for it, or trying to make it happen, while you've potentially suffered in the process.

4年間頑張って勉強して、ついに卒業の日が来た。うれしいけれど、ちょっと寂しい。
For four years I worked so hard to study, and finally my graduation day has come. I'm really happy, but also a little sad.

ついに、リーさん富士山に登ってことが出来て、気持ちは高揚したんだ。
At last, Lee-san was able to climb Mt. Fuji, and his spirits soared.

兄は長い間頑張ってきたが、ついにプロのフットボール選手になる夢をあきらめた。
My older brother worked so hard for such a long time, but in the end he gave up on his dream to become a professional football player.

夕べ、ついにアヤト来た！素敵な人なんだろう。
Last night, finally, Ayato came! He's so dreamy~.

Noun + さえ + Conditional Verb

The structure [Noun + さえ + Conditional Verb] can be used to make a statement where "the condition presented in the clause is the only condition to make the statement in the main clause true." That is, it translates like "if only..." or "as long as..." さえ replaces the particles を and が here, but other particles can co-exist with it.

いい友達さえいれば、他に欲しいものはありません。
If I just had a good friend, I wouldn't want anything else.

ライトがケーキさえ焼いてくれれば、誕生日はいいんでしょ。
If only Laito would bake a cake for me, it'd be a good birthday.

雪さえ降らなければ、車の運転は怖くない。
If only it didn't snow, then I wouldn't be afraid of driving a car.

私はお金持ち夫さえいれば、本当に幸せんだよね。
If I just had a rich husband, I would be truly happy.

以上 and 以下

The words 以上 and 以下 can be paired with something like a number + counter or a demonstrative pronoun (like これ) to mean "X or more" and "X or less", respectively. The sentences in Tobira demonstrated some other important grammar points that I liked, so I'm going to use those here.

健康のためには、毎日6時間以上寝るようにした方がいいそうだ。
For the sake of your health, I hear that you should make an effort to get 6 or more hours of sleep every day.

アメリカでは R 指定の映画は、18歳以上の人しか見られません。
In America, only people who are 18 years or older can see R-rated movies.

あまりお金がないので、プレゼントは50ドル以下の物にしようと思う。
Since I don't have much money, I think I'm going to do a gift that's less than $50.

コースを開くためには、学生が五人以上必要です。それ以下の場合は、キャンセルです。
In order for a course to open, there needs to be five or more students. If there are less than that, it's cancelled.

をはじめ

A noun + をはじめ can be used to list that noun as a single representative example from a list of items. That noun also sounds like it has more emphasis being placed on it.

私の家族は父をはじめみんな辛いものが大好きだ。
Everyone in my family, like my dad, loves spicy food.

大学でリーさんをはじめたくさんの学生がクラブにする。
At college, there are lots of students like Lee-san who do clubs.

日本に留学中は、ホームステイの家族をはじめ色々な人にお世話になった。
I was grateful for a lot of people during my studying abroad in Japan, starting with my homestay family.

来週のマラソンでアレックスをはじめたくさんの人が走っている。
Alex and lots of other people will be running in the marathon next weekend.

Expressing "At Least"

There are a few ways to express the concept of "at least" in Japanese. First, you can follow a number + counter word pattern (or a quantity word like 少し) with は, which will provide the "at least" meaning. You can also add だけは, ぐらいは, or くらいは after a noun to give the same meaning.

1週間に1回はプールで泳ぐようにしている。
I make an effort to go swimming at the pool at least once a week.

リーさんは1週間に4回はジムに行きたいと言ってた。
Lee-san said he wants to go to the gym at least four times a week.

くだけた話し方はまだあまり慣れていないけれど、少しは話せるようになった。
I'm not very used to the casual way of speaking yet, but I've gotten to where I can speak it at least a little.

私は時々1日に2回は朝ごはんを食べたいんだよ。
Sometimes I want to eat breakfast at least twice a day.

Sentence のは X の方だ

The structure [Sentence のは X の方だ] can be used to "emphasize that it is X that makes the proposition in the sentence true." It can translate as something like "It is X that is..." with emphasis on the X.

ひらがなとカタカナでは、難しいのはカタカナの方だ。
Between hiragana and katakana, katakana is the difficult one.

一番素敵な人のはアヤトの方だわね。
Ayato is the most handsome one, isn't he.

あのレストランは静かだ。でも、食べ物がおいしいのはこのレストランの方だと思う。
That restaurant is quiet. But I think this restaurant is the one that has delicious food.

夏と冬では、大嫌いのは冬の方だよ。
Between summer and winter, winter is the one I hate the most.

当たり

The word 当たり can be added to a counter as a suffix to give a "per" type meaning. The structure used is often one of the following:

Number + Counter 当たり Number + Counter
Example: 1時間当たり10ドル = $10 per hour

Number + Counter 当たりの Noun
Example: 一人当たりのコスト = Cost per person

夏休みに1か月アルバイトをして15万円もらった。1日当たり5千円もらったことになる。
During summer break I worked a part time job for a month and made 150,000 yen. That ends up being 5,000 yen per day.

子供が10人います。みかんは30個ありますから、一人当たり何個食べられますか？
There are ten kids. Since there are 30 oranges, how many can each kid eat?

This is a difficult lesson to do examples for because I don't know counters well at all, so I'll have to do some more reading on them.

うちに

うちに can be used after a noun, adjective, or plain non-past verb to convey the meaning "while still..." When used with a negative verb, the meaning changes to "before..." When used with na-adjectives, there must be a な placed between the two, and with nouns a の must be used.

The word 間に can be used very similarly, although it cannot be used with negative verbs. Another difference is the implied meaning - with うちに you are implying that "it is not possible, easy, or a good idea to do something after the time specified by the うちに clause." The same is not true for 間に.

熱いうちに、どうぞ召し上がって下さい。
Please eat it while it's still hot.

暑くならないうちに、犬の散歩をしてきた方がいいよ。
Before it gets hot, you'd better come take the dog for a walk.

両親は、元気なうちに外国に旅行することにした。
My parents decided to take a trip to a foreign country while they're still lively.

子どものうちに外国語を勉強すると発音がよくなるそうだ。
It seems like you can improve your pronunciation if you study a foreign language while you're still a child.

Past Verb + ばかり

A verb in the plain past tense form + ばかり can be used to indicate that an action has just now occurred. To make it into a noun, just add の after ばかり (i.e., 買ったばかりのかばん for "the bag I just bought").

今、食べたばかりですから、お腹がいっぱいで、何も食べられません。
I just ate, so my stomach's full - I can't eat anything else.

リーさんは吸血鬼になったばかりだから、少し怒った。
Lee-san just became a vampire, so he's a little angry.

先週、一年生になったばかりの学生のためのオリエンテーションがあった。
Last week there was orientation for students who had just become first years.

トムが部屋で吐いたばかりだから、今そこで匂ってしまったんだ。
 Tom just threw up in his room, so now it stinks in there.

Die Is Cast - Kou Vs Yuma

Here's the first versus song that I've managed to finish translating. Can I just say that versus songs seem way harder in comparison to solos? With these, you have the boys going back and forth with dialogue, potentially splitting sentences with one another, and they just seem to use more complicated language in general. Some notes here:

• I noted this in another translation, but "die is cast" originates as a Latin phrase and is generally used to mean that things have reached a point of no return. That point is actually critical in this song because the theme appears to be taking (dangerous) risks together.
• Twice in the song, they say 賽は投擲られたよ (in romaji it's "sai wa, nagerareta yo"), which is actually them saying "die is cast" in Japanese, right before it's echoed in English in the background.
• "Ante" is another Latin-originating word that's used here to mean "risk" or "stakes" (like in the phrase "up the ante").
• These guys are pretty serious about their risk-taking. And tormenting Yui. When Yuma says 「ほら、出してみろ」, it basically comes across as him telling her to strip.
• When Kou says  「全部ちょうだい」 in the dialogue - ちょうだい is humble language which is used for yourself when you're with someone considered "higher" than you in social rankings. It sounds like he's using this teasingly or mockingly towards Yui, since they normally talk down to her.

ネムレナイ　ヨルナラ
オワラナイ　Playing with fireーーー・・・・・・・・

目を逸らし、クスぶってるね、パラレルさ
他の声で、誤魔化せなくて　Spooky Night

シェア出来ず　ガラス越しには　触れない
星屑が　乱反射して　眩しくて

いずれにしても 　キミ次第なら　ほら暴いてみて
あらゆるアソビ　試行錯誤みたい　賭け合おうよ

独り善がりなら　的外れさ　（燃えあがってみましょう）
素知らぬ顔なら　変えてみせる　（オラついてみましょう）

「ねぇ、本当はさーー・・・・・・」
「ハマりてぇんだろ？」

スリルだけ　求めてよ　舌足らずのフレーズで　Doubt!!!

絡み合う　掌と
謎めいてる　クチビル　Raise!!!
賽は　投擲られたよ

受話器には　いつかの嘘が　貼り付いて
タラレバの 　繰り返しなら　Camouflage

欲しいモノなら　ぼく次第でしょ？　ねえ、笑ってみて
知らない痛み　与えて見たい　その裏側

誰でもいいなら　迷わないさ　（噛みついてみましょう）
ここまで来たなら　最後までね　（尻止がりしましょう）

「ほら、出してみろ」
「可愛がってあげるーー・・・・・・」

リスクでは、飽き足らず　ハメを壊す　ヤバ過ぎる　Bite!!!

溢れてる　ナミダすら
悦んでる　異常な  Ante!!!
夜は　開示さないよ

「欲しいモンがあるなら」
「ねぇ、投げ出してみてよ」
「何も賭けないで」
「手に入れようなんて都合いいよね」
「その血――……」
「全部ちょうだい」

聳えたヤマを　崩してみたい　Sir　どうなる？

「たまらないよね」
「この感じ」
「さあ、一緒に」
「壊そうぜーーー・・・・・・・・」

スリルだけ　求めてよ　舌足らずのフレーズで　Doubt!!!

絡み合う　掌と　謎めいてる　クチビル　Raise!!!

リスクでは、飽き足らず　ハメを外す　ヤバ過ぎる　Bite!!!

溢れてる　ナミダすら
悦んでる　異常な  Ante!!!
賽は　投擲られたよ

吸い尽くされーーーーー・・・・・・・・・

***

On these sleepless nights
Endlessly playing with fire~~

Averting my eyes as we seclude ourselves in parallel
Another voice shall not deceive me on this spooky night

Without being able to share, there's no way to feel beyond the glass
Stardust, dazzling in its diffused reflection

In any case, if it all depends on you, why don't you divulge your secrets?
If you want to do nothing but toy around, then let's take that risk together

Already acting complacent, you just don't get it (then let's intensify it)
If you're trying to play innocent, then I'll see that you change (give yourself over to me)

"Mm, it's true..."
"You're crazy about it, aren't you?"

It's purely the thrill you desire, a phrase you utter with a shred of doubt

The palms of our hands intertwined
Now raise those mystifying lips of yours
And so the die is cast (die is cast)

Clinging to your lies from that day over the phone
Harboring an endless cycle of "what ifs" as your camouflage

If there's something that you're wanting then you'll have to come to me, so try to smile
I ache to give you this unknown pain, hidden within the shadows

If you're okay with just anybody, then I won't hesitate to do it (why don't we try some biting?)
If you've come this far, then you'll go until the very end (let's make it even better, now)

"Reveal yourself to me!"
"I'll simply torment you~~"

Never satisfied with merely the risk alone, so I'll shatter this plight of yours with an extraordinarily dangerous bite

Even if you're so woefully flooded with tears
I'll continue to take delight in these absurd risks
This night shall never end (die is cast)

"If there's something you want"
"Then you'll have to abandon yourself for it"
"Risk everything"
"Gain it however you can"
"That blood of yours"
"Shall I drink it all, madame?"

If you want to topple this soaring peak of ours, Sir, what will happen?

"It's truly irresistible"
"This feeling..."
"Then, together--"
"We'll destroy you"

It's purely the thrill you desire, a phrase you utter with a shred of doubt

The palms of our hands intertwined, now raise those mystifying lips of yours

Never satisfied with merely the risk alone, and so with utter abandonment, I'll cast this extraordinarily dangerous bite

Even if you're so woefully flooded with tears
I'll continue to take delight in these absurd risks
And so the die is cast (die is cast)

I'll suck you to pure exhaustion~~~

できれば

The words できれば and できたら literally mean "if it's possible", but they are also often used when you want to ask a favor of someone and soften your request. In this case it comes out as "if you don't mind" or "if it's alright." できれば is the slightly more formal of the two.

できれば医者になりたいが、授業料が高いので難しいかもしれない。
If it's possible I want to become a doctor, but since tuition is so expensive, it may be difficult.

明日仕事に行く前に、できればお手洗いで流しを直してくれませんか？
Before you go to work tomorrow, if you don't mind, could you fix the sink in the bathroom?

ケーキは私が焼くから、山下さんは、できたら果物を持って来てくれない？
Yamashita-san, since I'm baking the cake, could you bring the fruit for me, if you don't mind?

明日学校のあとで、できたらその血をもらうの？
After school tomorrow, could I get some of your blood, if that's alright?

血極 Night - Ayato Sakamaki

Another wonderful song from Diabolik Lovers, this time sung by the beloved Ayato Sakamaki. He's my favorite of the brothers (although a couple others are very close behind him) and I haven't translated a solo song of his before, so this should be fun.

I think every time I translate a song now, I'm going to write some notes beforehand to explain any difficulties or peculiarities within the lyrics. So, here we go.

• 血極 isn't an actual word. It combines 血 for blood and 極 for something like "extreme." Given the sadistic, bloody vampire context, I stuck them together with the best English translation I could. 
• I learned that もうこれ以上はないぐらいに is used to intensify whatever it's referencing, so I had to come up with a non-literal English version to match this. 
• インサニア and グローリア are both Latin words ("insania" and "gloria") that translate to madness/insanity and glory, respectively.

窓辺に忍び寄るヤバめな Siren、
壊れた鏡を見ればハッと醒めない？
オマエの細い躰を抱きしめて
あの日の影を祓う為のインサニア

何を恐れて、何を求めてるの、八方塞がり
「その痛みだけが、生きる意味だから」
 潤んだ瞳を見れば　無性に噛みたくなる
You Wanna My Sadistic ーーーーー・・・・
「トコトン、イジめてやるよ・・・・」

あまりにも（あまりにも）あまりにも（あまりにも）血極 NIGHT
その傷跡に狂ったまま迸るーーー・・・・
心砕かれて　もうこれ以上はないぐらいに

Bite & Vomit (Bright Red Blood)
Bite & Vomit (Bright Red Blood)
Bite & Vomit (Bright Red Blood)

そう「愛」なんて生易しいフレーズ

（フッ）喜んでんじゃねぇよーーー・・・

心を支配する歪んだ想い、
古びた自分、出来ればジッと見つめて
期待に潰れた肢体を投げ出して、
あの夜の月を消していけば、グローリア

愛を信じて、愛を嫌う嘘つきさ　やっぱり死んだら？
「この 願いだけは、叶えたいから」と
掠れた声の先は、四面楚歌の状況さ
You Wanna My Sadistic ーーーーー・・・・
「結局欲しいんだろ？・・・・・・」

これからも（これからも）これからも（これからも）血極 NIGHT
この牙のまま、突き刺してく、そうだろうーーーーー・・・・？
理屈じゃないんだ、もうこれ以上はないぐらいに

Bite & Vomit (Bright Red Blood)
Bite & Vomit (Bright Red Blood)
Bite & Vomit (Bright Red Blood)

なあ「欲」なんてありきたりなフレーズ
（フッ）傷ついてんじゃねぇよーーーーー・・・・・

You Wanna My Sadistic ーーーーー・・・・

「バーか、感じてんじゃねぇよ・・・・・」

あまりにも　あまりにも
血極 NIGHT、その傷跡に狂ったまま迸るーーー・・・・

心砕かれて　もうこれ以上はないぐらい

Bite & Vomit (Bright Red Blood)
Bite & Vomit (Bright Red Blood)
Bite & Vomit (Bright Red Blood)

そう「愛」なんて生易しいフレーズ
（フッ）喜んでんじゃねぇよーーー・・・
イジめ抜いてやるーーーーーー・・・・・

***

Creeping along the window, a somewhat precarious siren
If you gaze into this broken mirror, won't you suddenly come to your senses?
Tightly embracing your slender body
An insanity to cleanse the shadows of that day

Whatever it is you fear, whatever it is you desire, you're cornered now
"Because that pain alone is the meaning of your existence"
Looking into your faded eyes makes me truly ache to bite you
You wanna my sadistic
"I'll torment you to the very end~"

So much (too much) so much (too much), this bloody night of ecstasy
Gushing from the many scars that remain strewn about your body
Your heart is so woefully broken beyond repair

Bite and vomit (bright red blood)
Bite and vomit (bright red blood)
Bite and vomit (bright red blood)

Ah, this "love" is such a simple phrase
(Ha) There's no way you'll enjoy it~

These distorted thoughts that dominate my heart
Gazing upon your worn self, if you're able to remain still
You shall sacrifice your body, crushed by anticipation
If the moon is erased upon that night, there will be glory

This love that you believed in, this love you claim to hate, what if it dies, anyway?
"Because I only want to grant this single wish"
The ragged voice you held, as you were forsaken by everybody
You wanna my sadistic
"You want it after all, don't you?~"

Even after this (even still) Even after this (even still), this bloody night of ecstasy
These fangs shall remain thrust into you, isn't that right?
There's no way I can help myself at this point

Bite and vomit (bright red blood)
Bite and vomit (bright red blood)
Bite and vomit (bright red blood)

Ah, this "greed" is such an ordinary phrase
(Ha) It won't hurt at all~

You wanna my sadistic

"Idiot, you won't even feel it~"

So much, too much
This bloody night of ecstasy, gushing from the many scars that remain strewn about your body

Your heart is so woefully broken beyond repair

Bite and vomit (bright red blood)
Bite and vomit (bright red blood)
Bite and vomit (bright red blood)

Ah, this "love" is such a simple phrase
(Ha) There's no way you'll enjoy it~
And so I'll continue to torment you to the very end~~

Question Word ~ても

When ても is used with a question word, the meaning transitions to something like "no matter ~" or "without regard to." This holds true even when the question word and the ても portion are split up by other words, and in fact that's often how it appears.

世界中、どこに行っても、マクドナルドが食べられる。
Around the world, no matter where you go, you can eat at McDonald's.

この漢字は何回覚えても、すぐに忘れてしまう。
No matter how many times I memorize this kanji, I instantly forget it.

試合に負けてどんなにくやしくても、泣いてはいけない。
No matter how frustrated you are in losing a game, you must not cry.

この問題はいくら考えても分からない。
No matter how much I think about this problem, I don't get it.

それで

それで comes at the beginning of a sentence prior to a stated fact, conclusion, or decision. It translates as "because of that", "that's why", "so", or other similar meanings.

Now this sounds awfully similar to から usage, but you can't always use それで where you can use から. それで can't precede opinions, judgments, requests, or commands. So while から can fill in for それで, the reverse is not always true.

今日は試験が二つもあったんです。それで、昨日はコンサートに行けませんでした。
I have two tests today. That's why I couldn't go to the concert yesterday.

田中はヴァンパイアハンターんだよ。それで、逆巻兄弟は彼が大嫌いんだ。
Tanaka is a vampire hunter. That's why the Sakamaki brothers hate him.

昨日はとても天気が悪くて、寒かった。それで、試合を見に来た人が少なかった。
The weather was really bad yesterday - it was cold. Because of that, there weren't many people who came to see the game.

世界でパンダがあまりいないんです。それで、動物園でたくさんがいるんですよ。
There aren't many pandas in the world. For this reason, a lot of them are in zoos.

んだけど / ですが

A sentence + んだけど / ですが can be used as a "preliminary remark by the speaker to inform the hearer of the speaker's desire, the current situation, etc." Following this statement, there is often a question related to that desire/situation, asking for advice, or making some other type of request. Although けど and が translate to English as "but", we wouldn't necessarily use "but" when translating these sentences because it provides a different type of open-ended meaning.

先生、この文法がよく分からないんですが・・・
Sensei, I don't understand this grammar very well, so... (could you please explain it to me?)

今夜の月がきれいんですが、一緒に見に行きませんか？
The moon is beautiful tonight, so do you want to go see it together?

友達の誕生日にプレゼントを送りたいんだけど、何がいいと思う。
I want to send my friend a present for his birthday, so what do you think would be good?

この映画、面白そうなんだけど、一緒に見に行かない？
This movie looks interesting, so why don't we go see it together?

I know that I used "so" in all of these translations, which may make it sound like these sentences need から instead. But から implies a stronger "because" or "since" meaning in the first half of the sentence, which isn't really the case with these situations.

ということなの

The pattern X は Y ということなの can be used to express that "X means Y", or simply "X is Y." It carries a more formal sound and is typically used in text.

外国語を勉強するということは、他の国の文化を勉強するということなのだ。
Studying a foreign language means studying the culture of another country.

お金持ちになることは、幸せになれるということなのだろうか。
I wonder if becoming rich means that I can be happy.

バレンタインデーにチョコレートをくれたということは、彼女は君が好きだということなんだよ。
Her giving you chocolate on Valentine's Day means that she likes you.

と言える

A speaker may end a sentence with と言える (often followed by でしょう or だろう) to express something like "it can probably be said that." It's used in formal situations to soften an opinion that's being stated.

日本語を勉強してる外国人は多くなってきていると言えるだろう。
It can be said that there's grown to be a great number of foreigners who are studying Japanese.

ユイによると、彼らがサディストだと言えるでしょ。
According to Yui, it's probably safe to say that those guys are sadists.

現代はコンピュータがなければ暮らしにくい時代になったと言えるだろう。
You could say that nowadays, we've reached a period where daily life is difficult if you don't have a computer.

リーさんは世界で一番美しい人の一つだと言えるでしょう。
It can be probably said that Lee-san is one of the most beautiful people in the world.

そういう / こういう / ああいう

そういう, こういう, and ああいう can be used to refer to someone/something the speaker sees or perceives. The first is for something near the listener, the second is for something near the speaker, and the third is for something further away from both.

These words can also be used to refer to someone/something that the speaker has just mentioned. Here are some guidelines:

• そういう - used when the speaker has just mentioned someone/something
•  こういう - used when the speaker has stated something factual about someone/something
•  ああいう - used when the information that either party mentioned is known to both

日本人は丁寧で親切だ。そういう話をよく聞く。
Japanese people are really polite and kind. I often hear that kind of story.

面白くて元気が出る、そういう本を探しています。
Something interesting and lively - that's the kind of book I'm looking for.

動物園でパンダの赤ちゃんが3匹生まれたそうだ。こういうニュースはうれしい。
I hear that three baby pandas were born at the zoo. I'm so glad to hear that kind of news.

トム：日本のスポーツクラブの先輩と後輩の関係って面白いね。
山田：うん、ああいう関係って、他の国ではあまり見られないだろうね。
Tom: The relationship between senpai and kouhai in Japanese sports clubs is interesting.
Yamada: Yeah, that kind of relationship isn't seen very much in other countries.

In this case I wrote out all the examples Tobira gave for this grammar point so I can better understand the usage for each one. I also need to research why the verb 出る is used in that second sentence, because that confused me initially.

Verbs Ending in ずに

If you take a verb and conjugate it to the plain negative form, then drop the ない and add ずに, the meaning becomes "without [verb-ing]" or "instead of [verb-ing]." This form is synonymous with the verb form ないで, and the に is sometimes dropped. Of course, する is an exception verb here, and it becomes せずに.

辞書を見ずに新聞が読めるようになりたいです。
I want to get to where I can read a newspaper without looking at a dictionary.

妹が晩ご飯を食べずに、部屋に行って泣いたんだ。
My little sister went to her room without eating dinner and cried.

両親に相談せずに、留学することを決めてしまった。
Without consulting my parents, I've decided that I'm going to study abroad.

スバルは何も言わずに笑った、プレゼントをくれた。
Without saying anything, Subaru laughed and gave me a present.

のではないでしょう / だろうか and じゃないかな

Adding one of the following phrases at the end of a sentence can express the speaker's/writer's conjecture or opinion on a matter in an indecisive fashion:

• のではないでしょうか
• のではないだろうか
• んじゃないかな

The first two are only used in written language, with the second being the more formal of them. The third is obviously more casual. It often translates as something like "I think that..." or "Isn't it that...?"

地球温暖化問題はもっと大きくなっていくのではないでしょうか。
Global warming will continue to become a bigger problem, will it not?

もっと日本語を勉強したほうがいいんじゃないかな。
I guess maybe I should do more Japanese studying.

あのクラスは、毎日宿題や小テストがあるので、大変なのではないだろうか。
I think that this class is tough, since we have homework and quizzes every day.

猫と住んでるはいいんじゃないかな。
Living with a cat is nice, I think.

ある + Noun

ある + noun can be used to refer to a specific instance of something, without actually naming that instance. For example, if I'm complaining about "some celebrity that's on TV", I could use ある有名人 in my sentence.

ある日、突然、日本人が話す普通の日本語が分かるようになった。
One day, I suddenly got to where I could understand normal Japanese that Japanese people speak.

今ある子が外に庭で立ってるんだよ。
Some kid is standing outside in the garden right now.

昔、昔、ある所に、おじいさんとおばあさんが住んでいました。
Once upon a time in a faraway land, there lived an old man and old woman.

クリスマスに友達がある有名人の抱き枕をくれた。
For Christmas, my friend gave me some celebrity body pillow.

Non-Past Verb + ように

A non-past verb + ように can be used to state a purpose or the manner in which something is to be done. It often translates as "so that", in the sense of "You need to speak loudly so that people can hear you."

This is quite similar to ために, although there are instances where ために can be used and ように cannot. One example is the following sentence:

新しい車を買うために、お金をためています。
I'm saving money in order to buy a new car.

In this case, ために is used because both 新しい車を買う and お金をためています are actions that can be controlled by the same subject. ように is to be used in the case that a certain consequence will arise as the result of an action, where there is not direct control. Thus ように cannot be used above, but both ために and ように can be used in the sentence below:

学生が勉強する ( ために / ように )、先生は毎日宿題を出します。
Sensei gives homework every day so that the students study.

朝寝坊をしないように、目覚まし時計をセットしておきます。
I set my alarm clock (in preparation) so that I don't oversleep.

先生は、学生が分かるようにやさしい単語を使って説明した。
Sensei gave an explanation using simple language so that the students would understand.

日本で働きたいのなら、日本の会社に就職できるように、日本語をもっと練習しておいた方がいいですよ。
If you want to work in Japan, then in order to be able to get a job with a Japanese company, you should practice your Japanese more.

Verb Stem + 合う

A verb stem + 合う forms a compound verb with the added meaning of "to each other." The exact translation will depend on the original verb used, like 話し合う as "to talk to each other" or "to discuss." Sentences with this type of verb often also use お互いに which also means "each other" or "one another."

この問題について、グループで話し合って下さい。
Discuss this problem in groups, please.

毎日学校で、リーさんとアリスお互いにほめ合うんだなぁ。
Every day at school, Lee-san and Alice compliment each other.

大きな災害の時は、みんなで助け合うことが大切だ。
When there's a major disaster, it's important for everyone to help one another.

アヤトとライトはずっと見詰め合ってるんだね。
Ayato and Laito have been staring at each other for a long time.

まず - First of All

The word まず is used at the beginning of a sentence or phrase to mean "first of all", "to begin with", or simply "first." How simple!

朝、起きたら、私はまずコーヒーを飲む。
When I get up in the morning, the first thing I do is drink coffee.

学校に着いたら、まず先生に話さなくちゃよ。
When you get to school, you need to talk to your teacher first-thing.

今日はみそ汁を作ります。まず、次の材料を準備して下さい。
I'm going to make miso soup today. To begin, please prepare these ingredients.

まず、お兄さんに謝らなきゃんだよ。
First of all, you need to apologize to your brother.

なんて and など

なんて can be used for a few purposes in Japanese. First, it can be placed after a noun or verb phrase to serve as a more colloquial version of など for the usual "things/people/etc. like" meaning.

Second, it can serve to add emphasis within a sentence. In this case, it can be placed after a noun or sentence to emphasize your feelings on it (surprise, disgust, happiness, etc). It can also be used to look down on something, belittle it, or again emphasize a given quality.

Note that など can also be used to add emphasis in the same way as なんて, but again, なんて is more colloquial.

今日、小テストがあるなんて、知らなかった。
I had no idea there was a quiz today.

すしが嫌いな日本人なんて聞いたことがない。
I've never heard of a Japanese person who dislikes sushi.

ローラーブレードなんて簡単だよ。スケートの方が難しいと思うよ。
Rollerblading is just easy. Skating is more difficult, I think.

こんなまずい料理をおいしいなどと言ったのは誰だ？
Who the hell said that this terrible dish tasted good?

The translation of that last sentence was taken from here. This is an example of など being used to add emphasis in the same way as なんて, although I'm not sure if the "hell" part of it is too strong. I'm going to further study these points for clarification.

考えられている / 思われている

A plain form sentence + と考えられている / 思われている can be used "to introduce a generally-accepted opinion regarding some matter." The former is generally used for something concluded via logic, while the latter is more for intuition. Note that they are used to indicate the speaker's or writer's opinion.

日本の食べ物は体にいいと考えられているが、実は、てんぷらやトンカツなど、油をたくさん使うカロリーの高い料理も多い。
It's thought that Japanese food is good for you, but in reality, there are lots of high-calorie foods like tempura and tonkatsu that use a lot of oil.

オーストラリアのビーチは世界で一番きれいなビーチと思われている。
It's thought that Australia's beaches are the most beautiful in the world.

将来は、宇宙にも人間が住めるようになるだろうと考えられている。
In the future, it's thought that humans will come to be able to live in outer space, as well.

いずれに猫が一世を風靡すると思われている。
It's thought that cats will take over the world someday.

毎～のように

The phrase 毎 X のように, where X serves as a time word like day, week, month, etc., is used to mean "almost every..." So 毎日のように would mean "almost every day."

映画が好きなので、毎週のように映画を見に行っています。
Since I love movies, I go to see one almost every week.

毎年のように友達とビーチに行ってる。
I go to the beach with friends almost every year.

このサイトにアクセスすると、毎回のようにフリーズしてしまう。
Whenever I access this site, it freezes almost every time.

毎日のように鍵を置くか忘れちゃう。
I forget where I put my keys almost every day.

Volitional + とする and とした

The volitional form of a verb + とする can be used to express someone attempting to do something. This differs from using みる to try something because みる is about "trying something out", such as trying a new food for the first time. とする is about attempting to perform an action.

明日仕事があるんだから、早く寝ようとする。
Since I have work tomorrow, I'm going to try to sleep early.

赤ちゃんはお母さんに歩きに行こうとしている。
The baby is trying to walk over to his mom.

The する portion of this phrase can be made past tense to describe a scenario where someone tried to do something but failed, or where someone was going to do something but didn't, for some other reason. The phrase is often [verb] + としたけど to mean "I was going to do X, but..." or "I tried to do X but..."

ケーキを作ろうとしたけれど、卵がなかったから、作れなかった。
I was going to make a cake, but since I didn't have any eggs, I couldn't.

早く寝ようとしたけど、結局は徹夜した。
I tried to go to sleep early, but I ended up staying up all night.

電車に乗ろうとしたら、目の前でドアが閉まってしまった。
When I went to get on the train, the door shut right in front of my eyes.

リーさんがアリスにキスしようとしたけど、殴られた。
Lee-san tried to kiss Alice, but he got punched.

なるべく

Placing なるべく before a verb phrase can add the meaning "as much as possible" to that phrase. If there's an adverb modifying the phrase, then なるべく would generally mean "as [adverb] as possible" for that verb phrase.

作文を書く時は、なるべく漢字を使うようにして下さい。
When writing an essay, please make an effort to use kanji as much as possible.

宿題がない週末は、なるべく家を掃除するんだよ。
On weekends when I have no homework, I clean the house as much as possible.

なるべく辞書を使わないで、この記事を読んでみて下さい。
Please try to read this article using a dictionary as little as possible.

ライトに会うと、なるべく抱くんよね。
Whenever I see Laito, I hug him as much as possible.

かな as "I wonder"

かな can be added to the end of a sentence to mark a question or remark that's addressed to either oneself, or those in the speaker's current group. It's often translated as "I wonder..."

春休みは何をしようかなあ。
I wonder what I should do for spring break.

シュウは誰か好きかな。
I wonder if Shuu likes someone.

このアパート、よさそうだけど、ちょっと高すぎるかな。
This apartment seems nice, but I wonder if it's too expensive.

今日アヤトとライトは学校に行ったかな。
I wonder if Ayato and Laito went to school today.

ようにする

A plain, non-past verb + ようにする can be used to indicate "one's conscious effort to do something for some purpose." It's often used to describe habitual actions, although it can also reference a single action or event. It can be translated as "make an effort to do [verb]" or "try one's best to do [verb]."

先生今日は授業に遅れてすみませんでした。明日からもっと早く家を出るようにします。
Sensei, I'm sorry I was late for class today. Starting tomorrow I'll do my best to leave home earlier.

仕事に間に合うようにしたほうがいいよ。
You'd better make an effort to be on time for work.

環境のために、紙をリサイクルするようにしてください。
Please make an effort to recycle paper for the sake of the environment.

日本語のクラスを取ったら、各テストに勉強するようにするよ。
If I take a Japanese class, I'll do my best to study for each test.

くれる and もらえる

I've reviewed this before in a Genki chapter, but reviewing grammar never hurts. A verb in the て form plus くれる, もらえる, くれない, or もらえない translates to something like "could you" or "would you", asking for a favor. It's used with rising intonation to make a request during casual conversation.

初めてケーキを焼いたんだけど、ちょっと食べてみてくれる？
I baked a cake for the first time, so could you try a little for me?

ライト、かぎを取ってもらえない？
Laito, could you get my keys for me?

もし時間があったら、明日空港に迎えに来てもらえない？
If you have time tomorrow, could you pick me up at the airport?

トキにえさをやりてくれない？
Could you feed Toki for me?

ように頼む / 言う

The phrase ように頼む / 言う is used to indirectly quote a request or command that was made. It's likely evident from the verbs themselves, but ように頼む translates more naturally as "to ask someone to [verb]" while ように言う is more like "to tell someone to [verb]."

The structure used here is generally [present tense verb] + ように頼む / 言う. An affirmative ように頼む request is often preceded by a verb in the てくれる form. Negative requests or commands simply use the verb in the ない form.

先生は学生に「漢字を覚えなさい」と言いました。
The teacher told the students, "Memorize the kanji."

先生は学生に漢字を覚えるように言いました。
The teacher told the students to memorize the kanji.

These examples should provide a better understanding of what this phrase actually does. Rather than directly quoting what the teacher said, we're giving a secondhand account (essentially paraphrasing) of what he told them.

パーティーをしていたら、隣のアパートの人に静かにするように言われてしまいました。
When we had the party, we were told by the people in the next apartment to be quiet.

アヤトに買い物に行くならきれいなドレスを買ってくれるように頼んだ。
I asked Ayato to buy me a beautiful dress if he goes shopping.

ウェイターにデザートメニューを持って来てくれるように頼もうか？
How about we ask the waiter to bring over the dessert menu?

スバルは学校の後に家に帰るように言われてた。
I was told by Subaru to come home after school.

ことになった

A non-past verb + ことになった can be used to express that "a situation has changed due to some external force (e.g., a decision was made by someone other than the speaker)." It's important to remember that the speaker did not make the decision that caused the situation to change. Let's compare a couple other similar grammar points to distinguish them.

ことにする - The speaker or subject made a decision to do something.

ことになっている - Something has been decided and the result of that decision is still in effect.

 ことになった - Something was decided in general, and perhaps associated with a single action.

日本にあるオフィスで働くことになったので、日本に引っ越すことになりました。
It's been decided that I'm going to move to Japan since I'll be working at the office there.

来学期田中先生は英語の文学を教えることになった。
It turns out that Tanaka-sensei will teach English literature next semester.

環境をよくするため、来月からリサイクルキャンペーンをすることになった。
The help improve the environment, it's been decided that we'll have a recycling campaign next month.

来週化学のクラスに微生物を勉強することになった。
It turns out that we're going to study microorganisms in science class next week.

More on ていく and てくる

Previously I learned about how ていく and てくる are used to indicate the direction of movement with a verb, or indicate a sequence of actions. The following are examples of each:

図書館で本を借りて来る。
I'll go to the library to borrow some books (and will come back).

買い物する前に、銀行でお金をおそして行く。
Before shopping, I'll get some cash from the bank (and then go shopping).

But ていく and てくる can also be used as helper verbs to indicate the temporal direction of something from the speaker's viewpoint. てくる can indicate that an action or process began in the past and is continuing in the present, or that something has begun to take place.

日本語の文法が面白くなってきました。
I'm beginning to find Japanese grammar interesting.
It's gotten to where I find Japanese grammar interesting.

I did two translations there, one from Tobira and one of my own, to give something a bit more literal that pairs with くる's meaning. Thinking of it as "it's gotten to where", "it's come to where", or "it has become" fit well here because they're talking about something that's begun to take place and yet will still continue.

ていく, on the other hand, can be used to indicate that an action or state will continue from the present and into the future.

今学期は一週間に10ずつ新しい漢字を勉強していきます。
This term we are going to study ten new kanji a week.

It's a little harder to offer an alternate translation here, but ていく can often be thought of as "continue" or "to go on [verb]-ing."

最近、ちょっと暖かくなってきました。
Lately it's beginning to get a little warm.

技術が発達したために、生活がとても便利になってきた。
Since technology has developed, life's gotten to where it's really convenient.

この地方は北にあるので、夏は午前4時前に空が明るくなってくる。
Since this area is in the north, in the summer the sky is beginning to get bright before 4 AM.

これから、もっと暖かくなっていきます。
From now on it'll start to get warmer.

ゴールデンレトリバーは大型の犬だから、もっと大きくなっていきますよ。
Since golden retrievers are a large type of dog, they'll continue to get bigger.

ロボットがもっと人々の生活を助けるようになっていくだろう。
Robots will continue to help out more with more with people's daily lives.

をしている For Descriptions

The pattern [Noun 1は + Adjective + Noun 2 + をしている] is used to describe a feature of someone or something. It generally focuses on a certain attribute, like describing a person's eyes, an animal's ears, etc. That structure looks a bit convoluted, so let me give an example.

馬は足が長い。
馬は長い足をしている。

These sentences are synonymous. Both of them are stating that horses have long legs, just with slightly different grammar. Thus, the をしている portion is probably best translated as "have."

One last thing is that している often becomes した when the phrase modifies a noun.

このオペラ歌手は、本当にきれいな声をしていますね。
This opera singer really has a beautiful voice.

兄の娘は大きい耳をしてるよね。
My brother's daughter has huge ears.

フレンチブルドッグは短い足をした犬だ。それに、面白い顔をしている。
French bulldogs are dogs that have short legs. They also have funny faces.

今日はスバルに会って、すごくきれいなくちびるをしてるんわね。
I met Subaru today, and he has such pretty lips.

ことになっている

A plain, non-past verb + ことになっている is used to mean that "something has been decided and the result of that decision is still in effect." In my head I sometimes read it as "It has become that..." because that kinda sounds like a formal way of announcing a new rule or decision that's in place. This grammar point is commonly used in such scenarios, along with stating one's schedule.

授業を休む時は先生に連絡しなくてはいけないことになっているが、忘れてしまった。
It's a rule that if we miss class, we have to contact the teacher, but I forgot.

子どもがこのレストランに入ってはいけないことになっているんだよ。
It's been decided that kids cannot enter this restaurant.

私の家では食事の後、自分が使ったお皿を洗うことになっている。
At home after we eat now, we're supposed to wash the dishes we used ourselves.

その美術館の中時に、写真を取ってはいけないことになっているよ。
It's been decided that you're not supposed to take pictures when you're in the museum.

として to Indicate Role

A noun + として can be used to indicate the role, occupation, or capacity of someone or something. It often functions like the word "as" in English, as in "I was working as a waitress for awhile."

この携帯電話は電話をするだけでなく、カメラとしても使える。
Not only can you use this cell phone for calls, but you can also use it as a camera.

トイレである鏡は赤ちゃんにおもちゃとして効くね。
The mirror in the bathroom also works as a toy for the baby.

私の友達はフランスでファッションモデルとして働いています。
My friend works as a fashion model in France.

部屋である机は収納として使われている。
The desk in my room is used as storage.

More on なら

Previously I learned that なら can be used as a contextual "if" type word, although it can't be used universally to express an if statement. As Tobira says, "it's used when the speaker supposes that something is the case or is true and makes a statement, suggestion, etc. based on that supposition.

の is added before なら if the supposition is based on hearsay, i.e., if the speaker has heard what they're saying from someone or somewhere else.

One difference between なら and たら, another "if" form: The sentence structure [Sentence 1 + (if word) + Sentence 2] is often used. In the case of  なら, the action or event in Sentence 1 does not need to take place before that in Sentence 2. However, when using たら, the action in Sentence 1 does have to take place before that in Sentence 2. An example:

本を読むなら、電気をつけなさい。
If you're going to read a book, turn on the light.

Since the "turn on the light" action would have to take place before the "read a book" action, the たら "if" form could not be used here.

車を運転するのなら、お酒を飲んではいけません。
If it's true that you're driving a car, then you must not drink.

日本語なら、一日中に勉強出来るよ。
If it's Japanese, then I can study all day long.

日本に行くのなら、JRパスを買っておいた方がいいですよ。
If you do go to Japan, then you should buy a JR pass (in preparation).

部屋でゴミがたくさんあるのなら、捨てなきゃよ。
If there really is a lot of trash in your room, you need to throw it away.

それに to Provide Additional Info

それに can be used at the start of a sentence or mid-sentence to mean something like "in addition", "furthermore", "and", or similar types of "additional language." It means that you're about to provide extra info on whatever you were talking about.

日本語を勉強し始めた時、ひらがなとカタカナ、それに漢字を覚えなくてはいけなかったので、とても大変だった。でも、やめなくてよかった。
When I first started studying Japanese, I had to memorize hiragana, katakana, and on top of that, kanji, so it was really tough. But I'm glad I didn't quit.

リーさんはすごくかっこよくて、頭がいいよね。それに富んでるんだよ！
Lee-san is really handsome and smart. And on top of that, he's rich!

そのアルバイトはあまり大変じゃないし、それに給料もいい。
That job's not very difficult, and the pay is good too.

明日仕事では親分にお茶をいれなきゃ。それに昼ごはんを払わなきゃ。
Yesterday at work I had to make tea for my boss. And then I had to pay for his lunch.

型 As a Suffix

The word 型 can be added to a noun or a select few adjectives to function as something meaning "style", "type", "model", "design", or other similar words. It reads as がた when used as a suffix like this.

ドラえもんは、実はネコ型ロボットなんです。知っていましたか？
Doraemon is really just a cat-type robot. Did you know that?

妹の誕生日に ドラゴン型の毛布を作ってあげたんだ。
I made my little sister a dragon-pattern blanket for her birthday.

父は1950年型のキャデラックのクラシックカーを持っています。
My dad has a 1950 style classic Cadillac car.

毎日学校でリーさんは車型の弁当を持っている。
Every day at school, Lee-san has a car-shaped bento.

同じぐらい / くらい

The particle ぐらい / くらい can be used after 同じ to express "approximately the same" or "about the same." The structure is often noun + と同じ + ぐらい / くらい. As a side note, I looked up the usage of ぐらい versus くらい and people stated that they're interchangeable, although ぐらい sounds more colloquial.

今、私が住んでいるアパートの広さは、この部屋と同じぐらいです。
The size of the apartment I'm living in now is about the same as this room.

東京の物価はニューヨークと同じぐらい高い。
Tokyo's prices are about as expensive as New York's.

そのロボットは人間と同じぐらい上手に自転車に乗れる。
That robot can ride a bike about as well as a human.

田中君は僕達と同じぐらいの年だと思うよ。
I think Tanaka-kun and I are about the same age.

他に as "Other Than" or "In Addition To"

A noun + の他に is typically used to mean "in addition to [noun]" or "besides [noun]." It can also be used with verbs and adjectives to mean "in addition to [verb]-ing" or "in addition to being [adjective]", respectively. In some contexts it's used to mean "except for" or "other than."

このクラスにはキムさんの他に韓国語が出来る学生がいますか？
Is there a student in this class who can speak Korean besides Kim?

今日は授業に出る他は、何も予定がない。
Besides going to class today, I don't have any other plans.

日本では、日本語を勉強する他に、色々な所に旅行にも行きたいと思っている。
In Japan, in addition to studying Japanese, I think I also want to go traveling to various places.

週末は宿題がたくさんあったので、勉強の他には何も出来なかった。
I had a lot of homework this weekend, so I couldn't do anything else besides studying.

Tobira Sentence Dissection - 10/16/2017

I've been having trouble with a few sentences in Tobira in chapter two, so I figured it was worth making a post about them as I figured them out. Here's one that I was stumbling over:

これは相手の気持ちを大切にする日本人の考え方が日本語に表れている表現の一つですから、「。。。」が使えるようになると、会話が上手に聞こえます。

これは - This
相手の気持ちを大切にする - valuing a person's feelings
日本人の考え方 - Japanese way of thinking/mindset
日本語に - in Japanese
表れている - embodying
表現の一つ - one of the expressions
「。。。」が使えるようになると - when you're able to use "..."
会話が - conversations
上手に - well, better
聞こえます - able to be heard

Put all those broken pieces together and we get:

This is one of the expressions in Japanese that embodies the Japanese mindset of valuing a person's feelings. So when you're able to use "...", the conversation is able to be heard well.

At the start of the sentence, "this" is referring to "...", where you let your sentence trail off and allow the other person to infer the meaning, rather than directly saying something that could be perceived as hurtful.

何 + Counter + か

Using 何 + a counter + か results in a quantifier meaning "some." For example, 何枚か would be like "some sheets of paper."

いく can also be used instead of 何, though it's not very common these days other than in いくつ and いく人.

おみやげにＴシャツを何枚か買った。
I bought some t-shirts for souvenirs.

先生は図書館で本を何冊かくれたんだ。
Sensei gave me some books at the library.

おいしい日本のみかんをいくつかもらいました。
I got some delicious Japanese mandarin oranges.

今朝学校の前に犬が何匹かいたんだよ。
There were some dogs in front of the school this morning.

では / じゃなくて

The structure Noun1 + じゃなくて + Noun2 can be used to indicate that a piece of information is incorrect, and then afterwards, present the correct information. It translates as something like "Not A, but B."

This structure can also be used with phrases. In writing, it's often written as ではなくて or ではなく.

私が取っているのは、中国語ではなくて日本語です。
The one I'm taking is not Chinese, but Japanese.

アリスの誕生日にもらったプレゼントはコンサートのチケットじゃなくてパーキングのチケットだったんだ。
The present that Alice got for her birthday wasn't concert tickets, but a parking ticket.

これはアメリカについての本だが、英語ではなく、スペイン語で書かれている。
This is a book about America, and yet it's not written in English, but in Spanish.

庭で見つけた動物は熊じゃなくて小さい犬だったんだよ。
The animal I found in my yard was not a bear, but a little dog.

場合 for Describing Situations

Using 場合 plus は or には will form an adverbial phrase that translates as something like "In the case of..." or "When..." It's similar to 時 in the following sentences (from Tobira):

雨の (場合 / 時) は、ピクニックはしません。
If it rains, we won't have the picnic.

分からない (場合 / 時) は、行って下さい。
If you don't understand, please tell me.

However, 場合 cannot be used like 時 if the situation described refers to a specific instance or time, like in the following sentence:

私が行った時には、ミーティングが始まっていた。
When I went there, the meeting had begun.

So again, 場合 is best used in a hypothetical scenario that does not refer to a specific occasion or instance occurring.

明日になっても犬が見つからない場合は、ペットレスキューセンターに探しに行きましょう。
If we still can't find my dog tomorrow, let's go search at the pet rescue center.

君は学校に来る場合、赤いシャツを着たなぁ。
In case you come to school tomorrow, wear a red shirt.

東京に来る場合は、連絡して下さい。会いに行きますから。
If you come to Tokyo, let me know so we can meet up.

雪の場合でも、クラブはまたビーチに行くつもりなんだよ。
Even if it snows, the club is still planning on going to the beach.

必要 to Express Necessity

Use a plain, non-past verb + 必要がある to express "I need to do X" or "it is necessary to do X." To express the negative form, 必要はない is used, with the は often replacing が.

寮に住めば、食堂でご飯が食べられるから、自分で料理する必要はありません。
If you live in the dorms, you can eat your meals in the cafeteria, so you don't need to cook yourself.

リーさんのパーティーでお酒を飲めば、帰ってくる前にタクシーを呼ぶ必要があるんだ。
If you drink at Lee-san's party, you need to call a taxi before coming home.

海外旅行に行く前にパスポートを取る必要があります。
Before traveling overseas, you need to get your passport.

今晩はそのステージに行ったら、パンツを履く必要があるんだよ。
If we're going to that concert tonight, you need to put on pants.

また as Again or Also

The word また can be used in a sentence to mean "again", "also", or "additionally." It's generally used at the beginning of the sentence or phrase that it's paired with, regardless of which meaning is being expressed.

あのコンサートはすごく楽しかったから、また来週に行きたいんだよ。
That concert was really fun, so I want to go again next week.

また朝寝坊してしまって、また授業に遅れた。
I overslept again, so I was late for class again.

リーさんはやさしく、頼もしいんです。また、日本語が上手ですよ。
Lee-san is very kind and trustworthy. His Japanese is good, too.

トマトはおいしいし、色々な料理に使える。また、体にもいい食べ物だ。
Tomatoes are delicious and can be used in a variety of cooking. They're also a good food for your body.

ようになる

Tobira states that ようになる is used to "indicate a gradual change over a certain period of time." It essentially expresses the idea that someone has come to the point where they do (or can do) something, or don't (or cannot) do something. This grammar is often used with the potential form of verbs.

Verb + ないようになる is pretty similar to Verb + なくなる, except the former expresses a more gradual change over a period of time. It must be used with the plain form of a non-past verb.

日本人の友達ができてから、日本語が上手に話せるのようになった。
Since I've made a Japanese friend, I've come to be able to speak Japanese well.

息子を養ってから、寝れないことに慣れるようになった。
Since I adopted my son, I've gotten used to not being able to sleep.

父は病気になってから、お酒を飲まないようになった。
Since my dad got sick, he's gotten to the point where he's stopped drinking.

この子は赤ちゃんのころはよく泣いていたが、４歳になって、あまり泣かないようになった。
When this kid was a baby he cried all the time, but since he turned 4, he's gotten to where he doesn't cry very much anymore.

でしょう and だろう

I'm already somewhat familiar with the usage of でしょう and だろう, but it can't hurt to review.

When でしょう or だろう are used with rising intonation, they are asking for the listener's confirmation. When used with falling intonation, they indicate conjecture. This may be obvious, but でしょう is more polite and more commonly used by girls, and だろう by guys. The final う is often dropped in casual speech.

このケーキ、おいしいだろう。有名な店で買ったんだ。高かったんだよ。
This cake is delicious, isn't it? I got it at a famous restaurant. It was expensive.

アヤトと兄弟はすごくかっこういいでしょ。
Ayato and his brothers are so hot, aren't they?

田中さんもあの映画、見たんですか？私も先週見たんですよ。とってもよかったでしょう。
Tanaka-san, did you see that movie too? I saw it last week and it was so good, wasn't it?

昨日見つけた犬はかわいかったんだろう！
The dog I found yesterday was so cute, wasn't he?

Noun か Noun か

The structure A か B か, where A and B are either nouns or phrases, is used to "present alternatives", as Tobira says. It generally translates as something like "either A or B" or "whether A or B." If B is followed by a particle, the second か is usually dropped.

東京から九州まで新幹線で行くか飛行機で行くか、まだ決めていないんです。
I haven't decided whether to fly or take the bullet train from Tokyo to Kyushu.

その店がおいしかったかまずかったか覚えていますか？
Do you remember whether that restaurant was good or bad?

最近のケータイは複雑すぎて、便利か便利じゃないか分からない。
The latest cell phone is too complicated. I don't know whether it's convenient or not.

私は毎朝ジュースか水を飲む。
I drink either juice or water every morning.

ために for Reason or Cause

If  ために is preceded by an i-adjective, na-adjective, or past form of a verb, then it generally indicates reason or cause. In sentences like these it could easily be replaced by から or ので, although ために is more formal than either of those. It's easy to confuse the meanings that ために holds though, so the best way to determine what it means is via context.

コンピュータが壊れたために、レポートが書けませんでした。
My computer broke, so I couldn't write the report.

アリスほしがってるテレビが高すぎるために、本を買おうと思います。
The TV that Alice wants is too expensive, so I'm going to buy her a book.

今年はあまり雪が降らない。そのためにスキーが出来ない。
It didn't snow very much this year. Because of that, we can't ski.

あいつは弟を殴ったために、やっつけに行くんだ。
That guy hit my little brother, so I'm going to go beat him.

Gensou No Kyrie - Shiki

This is a character song from my favorite Dance With Devils character - Shiki. He's a depraved individual, but I love him for it. This song is likely my favorite out of all the DWD character themes, and it suits him quite well.

A note on "Alea iacta est" - it's a Latin phrase that's translated as "The die is cast." It's generally used to mean that things have passed a point of no return. It's funny because there's a Diabolik Lovers versus song I'm currently translating whose title is "Die is Cast." Must be popular among depraved boys.

白と黒の狭間、眠る揺籃(クレイドル)で
窓からの木漏れ日を憎んでた
耳触りが悪い　鎮魂歌(レクイエム)だけ
求め、茨の道、歩くのさ────………

Alea iacta est!! Alea iacta est!! Alea iacta est!!
染まりかけた悪意に、そう恥じらいなど！！

炎の渦中(なか)で　焼かれるキミを
取り合う遊戯(ゲーム)は、もうすでに終わって
昏い眼光の末路(ゆくすえ)は、決して教えてはならない
望みを喪失(な)くし、討たれたボクが
信じた「遊戯(ゲーム)」も、すでに終わって

響いてる幻想(メロディ)は、合せた鏡の様
そんなキリエを Ah 愛して
歌う────………

頬を張れば見えた？ 醒めた「誘惑」なら
空の端、沈(しず)みかけた太陽さ
肌触りの良さは　天鵞絨(ヴェルヴェット)の様
薔薇の棘刺された痛みだね────………

Alea iacta est!! Alea iacta est!! Alea iacta est!!
凍りついた善意に、そう躊躇いなど！！

煙に巻かれ、平伏す愛を
眺めて審判(ジャッジ)は、あの日に決まった
罪に歪んでる涙なら、決して乾きはしないから
来世を求め、蔑むふたり
厳しい「審判(ジャッジ)」を、天が降して

響いてる幻想(メロディ)は、合せた鏡の様
そんなキリエを Ah 愛して
歌う────………

Alea iacta est!! Alea iacta est!! Alea iacta est!!
錆び付いてた総意を、そう裏切るのさ！！

炎の渦中(なか)で　焼かれるキミを
取り合う遊戯(ゲーム)は、もうすでに終わって
昏い眼光の末路(ゆくすえ)は、決して教えてはならない
望みを喪失(な)くし、討たれたボクが
信じた「遊戯(ゲーム)」も、すでに終わって

響いてる幻想(メロディ)は、合せた鏡の様
そんなキリエを Ah 愛して　歌う────………
壊す────……… 壊す────………
Ah「世界(すべて)」を、壊す────………

「………ゾクゾクするねぇ」

In between this black and white, asleep within a cradle
Hating the sunlight that pours in through the window
This detestable noise, little more than a requiem
And so as I wish, I'll take a walk along this thorny path...

Alea iacta est!! Alea iacta est!! Alea iacta est!!
This malice deeply tainted before you, ah you hold such shame

Fighting for you as you're burned amidst the flames
But this game is already over
Never can I reveal to you this sorrowful judgment of your fate
Any hope you held for my defeat is gone
This "game" of ours has already ended

A resonating melody of illusions, as if reflected within a mirror
Such a Kyrie, ah, it's loved
Now sing...

Do you see something upon my face? This temptation has awakened
The sun has begun to sink deep into the sky
Like the texture of a luscious velvet
It's the painful prick of a thorn from a wild rose...

Alea iacta est!! Alea iacta est!! Alea iacta est!!
Your virtuous mind has frozen, and now you hesitate

Gazing upon an elusive, revering love before you
This judgment was decided on that fateful day
And so never will I dry those tears, distorted by sin
Desirous of another world, the two of us are held in contempt
An unsparing judgment passed down from heaven

A resonating melody of illusions, as if reflected within a mirror
Such a Kyrie, ah, it's loved
Now sing...

Alea iacta est!! Alea iacta est!! Alea iacta est!!
Their harmony has crumbled, and now we shall betray them

Fighting for you as you're burned amidst the flames
But this game is already over
Never can I reveal to you this sorrowful judgment of your fate
Any hope you held for my defeat is gone
This "game" of ours has already ended

A resonating melody of illusions, as if reflected within a mirror
Such a Kyrie, ah, it's loved, now sing...
Destroy... destroy...
Ah, destroy it all...

"Thrilling, isn't it?"

ために for Purpose

In some contexts, the word ために can be used in a sentence to demonstrate sake or purpose. This is the case if it's preceded by a noun or non-past verb. It can hold several meanings, such as "in order to", "for the purpose of", "for the sake of", or just "for."

父は家族のためにいっしょうけんめい働いている。
Dad works as hard as he can for the sake of our family.

私は健康のため、エレベーター乗らないで階段を使うことにしています。
For the sake of my health, I've decided that I'll use the stairs and stop riding the elevator.

日本中を安く旅行するために、JR バスを買おうと思っている。
In order to cheaply travel throughout Japan, I've decided to buy a JR bus pass.

これは敬語の使い方を練習するためのサイトだ。
This is a site for practicing how to use keigo.

の代わりに

The phrase の代わりに is used after a noun to express "instead of" or "in place of" and show that that noun is being replaced by something else. That "something else" is generally listed later in the sentence. If the context is clear, the noun + の part before 代わりに can be dropped.

今お姉さんはクラブがいるから、代わりに私が晩ご飯を作るんだ。
My big sister is at her club right now, so I'm cooking dinner instead.

ペンの代わりに鉛筆を使って書いてください。
Please use a pencil to write instead of a pen.

レストランで魚の代わりにラーメンを食べると思う。
At the restaurant I think I'll have ramen instead of fish.

最近、日本でも現金の代わりにカードを使う人が多くなった。
Recently, even in Japan there are many people who use cards instead of cash.

にとって

X にとって means something like "to X" or "for X." So 私にとって would be like "To me..." before I go on to describe something that is personally true for me. X is often a person, geographic unit, or organization, according to Tobira.

僕にとって忘れられない場所は、彼女と初めて会った喫茶店です。
For me, a place that I can't forget is the cafe where I met my girlfriend for the first time.

私にとって、最も難しいことは別れを告げるのことだ。
For me, the most difficult thing is saying goodbye.

きみにとって、一番大切なものは何？
What's the most important thing to you? 

私にとって一番大切なものは私の猫だが、猫にとって一番大切なものは食べ物ようだ。
To me, the most important thing is my cat, but to my cat, it seems like the most important thing is food.

Using 一つ as "One of the..."

The following formula can be used to express something like "X is one of the..."

Noun は Plural Noun の 一つ / 一人

An equivalent example in English would be something like "Cats are one of the most popular pets." The counter word needs to be used in accordance with whatever your plural noun is, so 一人 if you're talking about people, etc.

アラビア語は最も難しい言葉の一つだと言われています。
It's said that Arabic is one of the most difficult languages.

ソフィアヴェラガラは最も人気がある女優の一人と思う。
I think that Sofia Veragara is one of the most popular actresses.

漢字は日本語の勉強で最も大切なものの一つです。
When it comes to studying Japanese, kanji is one of the most important parts.

ファンフィクションを書くのは私が一番好きなことの一つだよ。
Writing fanfiction is one of my favorite things.

など to Express "Etc"

The word など can be used after listing multiple nouns or phrases to have an effect like "etc."

Noun 1 や Noun 2 など = Noun 1, Noun 2, and others or Noun1, Noun 2, etc

Noun 1 や Noun 2 などの Noun 3 = Noun 3 such as Noun 2 and Noun 1

日本の食べ物の中では、すしやてんぷらなどが好きです。
I like Japanese foods like sushi and tempura.

今学期は日本語やアジアの歴史などのクラスを取っています。
This semester I'm taking classes like Japanese and Asian history.

夏休みはイタリアやギリシャなどに行こうと思っています。
For summer break, I've decided that I'll go to places like Italy and Greece.

日本語には、「いらっしゃいます」 や 「召し上がります」 など、色々な敬語がある。
In Japanese, 「いらっしゃいます」 and 「召し上がります」 are various examples of keigo.

More on Have To/Must

I know I've already been over the grammar points for expressing "have to" or "must", but Tobira has added a few details that are worth mentioning. First, both of the following two forms can be used interchangeably:

～なければ　いけない / ならない
～なくては　いけない / ならない

The first is shortened to なきゃ while the second is shortened to なくちゃ. I know I posted those forms earlier, but I didn't realize where each was coming from, so that makes more sense now. Also, ならない can be shortened to なんない.

Next, although いけない and ならない can both be used, ならない is "commonly used when the speaker states his/her sense of obligation, while いけない is commonly used when the sense of obligation is directed toward the hearer (i.e., when the speaker wants to impose a certain obligation on the hearer)." Thanks, Tobira.

国民はみんな税金を払わなければなりません。
All citizens must pay taxes.

このクラスの学生は十二時半に食堂に行かなければいけないんだ。
Students of this class have to go to the cafeteria at 12:30.

今朝、朝寝坊してクラスに遅れちゃったから、明日はもっと早く起きなくちゃ。
I overslept this morning and was late for class, so tomorrow I should get up earlier.

リーさんはケーキが欲しいと言ってたから、店に行って買わなくちゃ。
Lee-san said he wants a cake, so I have to go to the store and buy it.

というのは to Explain Meaning

A noun or phrase + というのは, followed by another noun/phrase/sentence + のこと or ということ means something like "X means..." or "The meaning of X is..." It's used to provide the meaning or definition of a word or phrase.

パソコンというのは、パーソナルコンピュータのことです。
"PC" means "personal computer."

A: あのう、すみません。学生証というのは何ことですか？
B: 学生証というのは、Student ID のことですよ。

A: Um, excuse me. What does 学生証 mean?
B: 学生証 means your Student ID.

A: 子猫というのは、何ことですか？
B: 子猫というのは、赤ちゃんの猫のことです。

A: What does 子猫 mean?
B: It means a baby cat.

留学するというのは、外国で勉強するということだ。
留学 means studying in a foreign country.

「話せる」というのは、「話すことができる」という意味だ。
The meaning of 話せる is "being able to speak."

Imperative Form

I find it kind of odd that I haven't formally done a lesson on this yet, considering how common imperative speech is in things like anime and manga. But it's time now, because this is a fun verb form.

The imperative form can be classified as rude Japanese, because it's an intentionally rude way to command someone to do something. It is indeed more rude than a command given with なさい. For the positive form, the following conjugations are used:

Ichidan Verbs

• Change the final る to ろ
• 食べる -> 食べろ
• 覚える -> 覚えろ

Godan Verbs

• Change the final sound to the え equivalent
• 走る -> 走れ
• 行く -> 行け

Exceptions

• する -> しろ
• くる -> こい

For the negative form, simply add な to the end of the verb. This is for any type of verb - ichidan, godan, or exceptions.

苦しめ、もっと苦しめ！
Suffer, suffer more!

触るな、貴様！
Don't touch me!

我慢しろ。
Be patient.

ねぇ、死ぬな！
Don't die!

だけでなく to Express "Not Only..."

The structure [Noun/sentence + だけでなく, Noun/sentence も] can be used to express something like "Not only X, but also Y." The だけでなく portion can be either that or だけじゃなくて. The second noun or sentence can also have a particle paired with it before the も.

京都は古いお寺があるだけでなく、きれいな景色でも有名です。
Kyoto not only has old temples, but it's also famous for its beautiful scenery.

このアパートは駅から近くて便利なだけじゃなくて、家賃も安いから、借りることにした。
Not only is this apartment close to the station and convenient, but it also has cheap rent, so I decided to rent it.

その映画は面白いだけじゃなくて、音楽もいいよ。
Not only is this movie interesting, but it also has good music.

日本語はひらがなだけでなく、カタカナや漢字も覚えなくてはいけません。
With Japanese, you must learn not only hiragana, but also katakana and kanji.

One note about that last sentence there. Notice the 覚えなくてはいけません part? I was initially confused because I mistook it for the grammar used to say "you must not do X." In reality, it means "you must do X." Why?

Verb's て form + はいけません = "You must not do X"

Verb's negative て form + はいけません = "You must do X"

Confusing, isn't it? The double negative results in the positive meaning for "you must do." It's just like the other "have to" verb conjugations I learned in Genki.