Zoom英会話クラス(金)

Lesson Notes April 4, 2025 (FRIDAY ZOOM)

Words & Phrases

• I just heard that it’s raining at Machida Station. I’ll need to keep an eye on my laundry here.

• It’s clouded over here.

• The cherry blossom have finally become full.

• The cherry blossoms have finally reached full bloom.

• I did a lot of walking around my area during COVID, so now I know it very well.

• I was watching YouTube for temples or shrines that aren’t very popular and have fewer people.

• The Imperial Palace gardens are open to the public, so I am going there tomorrow.

• Open to the public (phrase); Available for anyone to access or participate in, not restricted to a particular group.

• The museum is open to the public every day except Monday.

• The event will be open to the public and free of charge.

• The park is open to the public, allowing anyone to visit and enjoy the space.

• The sakura mochi is wrapped in a salted cherry leaf, giving it a unique taste.

• There is one shop that wraps sakura mochi in two salted cherry leaves.

Grammar

• We use “when” to ask about the time or date something happens. It means, “At what time or on what date does this happen?”

• “When is the park open?” — You’re asking for the specific time or date the park is open.

• We use “how long” to ask about how much time something lasts. It means, “For how much time does this happen?”

• “How long is the park open for?” — You’re asking how many days the park will be open.

• We use “how far” to ask about the distance between two places or objects. It helps us know how far it is to travel from one place to another.

• “How far is it from the start to the finish of Inui Street?” — You’re asking about the distance between the two points.

Appropriate Language

It’s perfectly fine for a Japanese student to use a Japanese word for certain things like

• Food – Many Japanese food names are commonly used in English, like sushi, ramen, tempura, and teriyaki. If everyone understands these, there’s no need to translate.

• Cultural terms – Words like kimono, samurai, or kawaii are part of global culture and often don’t need translation when the context is understood.

• Traditional arts – Terms like karaoke, ikebana (flower arranging), bonsai, and origami (paper folding) are widely recognized in many countries and don’t need to be explained.

Note: Use a simple explanation if you’re talking to someone who might not know the word. If they’re familiar with the word, you can just use the Japanese term. This way, everyone can understand what you’re talking about!