日本の季節
Japanese seasons
Tap an underlined word for its meaning.
Show English translation
Japan has four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. My favorite season is spring. When spring comes, the cherry blossoms bloom and they are very beautiful. I like eating bento while looking at the cherry blossoms in the park. Summer is hot, but it is fun because there are festivals and fireworks. In autumn, the leaves turn red and yellow, and the mountains are beautiful. Winter is cold, but when snow falls, everything turns white and looks beautiful. Every season of Japan's four seasons is special, and I love them all.
Show romaji
Nihon ni wa haru, natsu, aki, fuyu no yottsu no kisetsu ga arimasu. Watashi ga ichiban suki na kisetsu wa haru desu. Haru ni naru to, sakura no hana ga saite, totemo kirei desu. Kōen de sakura o mi nagara, obentō o taberu no ga suki desu. Natsu wa atsui desu ga, omatsuri ya hanabi ga atte tanoshii desu. Aki wa happa ga aka ya kīro ni natte, yama ga kirei desu. Fuyu wa samui desu ga, yuki ga furu to, atari ga shiroku natte kirei desu. Nihon no shiki wa dono kisetsu mo tokubetsu de, totemo suki desu.
Key vocabulary from this passage
Learn these 15 words first and the passage gets much easier to read.
season
きせつ · noun
日本には四つの季節があります。
Japan has four seasons.
cherry blossom
さくら · noun
春に桜がさきます。
Cherry blossoms bloom in spring.
park
こうえん · noun
公園で散歩します。
I take a walk in the park.
leaf, leaves
はっぱ · noun
秋に葉っぱが赤くなります。
Leaves turn red in autumn.
to fall (rain/snow)
ふる · verb
雪が降ります。
Snow falls.
special
とくべつ · na-adjective
今日は特別な日です。
Today is a special day.
hot (weather)
あつい · i-adjective
夏はとても暑いです。
Summer is very hot.
cold (weather)
さむい · i-adjective
冬はとても寒いです。
Winter is very cold.
spring / summer / autumn / winter
はる・なつ・あき・ふゆ · noun
私は秋が好きです。
I like autumn.
I like doing 〜
のがすき · grammar expression
桜を見るのが好きです。
I like looking at cherry blossoms.
but, however
ですが · conjunction
冬は寒いですが、きれいです。
Winter is cold, but beautiful.
every 〜, all 〜
どのも · expression
どの季節も好きです。
I like every season.
mountain
やま · noun
日本の山はきれいです。
Japan's mountains are beautiful.
to bloom, to blossom
さく · verb
春に花がさきます。
Flowers bloom in spring.
yellow
きいろ · noun/na-adjective
葉っぱが黄色になりました。
The leaves turned yellow.
Grammar in this passage
The 5 patterns this passage is built on, each with an example straight from the text.
〜になると
When it becomes 〜 / When 〜 arrives. Describes something that naturally happens when a season or time comes.
名詞 ＋ になると（例：春になると） Noun + ni naru to
春になると、桜がさいてきれいです。
When spring comes, the cherry blossoms bloom and it is beautiful.
〜のが好きです
I like doing 〜. Turns a verb into a noun so you can say you like the action.
動詞辞書形 ＋ のが好きです（例：食べる → 食べるのが好きです） Verb dictionary form + no ga suki desu
桜を見ながらお弁当を食べるのが好きです。
I like eating bento while looking at cherry blossoms.
〜ですが
〜 but 〜. Connects two contrasting ideas politely.
文 ＋ ですが ＋ 文（例：暑いですが、楽しいです） Sentence + desu ga + sentence
夏は暑いですが、お祭りがあって楽しいです。
Summer is hot, but there are festivals and it is fun.
〜ながら
While doing 〜. Two actions happening at the same time.
動詞ます形の語幹 ＋ ながら（例：見ます → 見ながら） Verb stem + nagara
桜を見ながら、お弁当を食べます。
I eat bento while looking at cherry blossoms.
どの〜も
Every 〜 / All 〜. Used to say something applies to all items in a group.
どの ＋ 名詞 ＋ も（例：どの季節も） dono + noun + mo
日本の四季はどの季節も特別です。
Every season of Japan's four seasons is special.