Word of the Week #6: nurse (a drink)

“He has been nursing that drink all night!” To nurse a drink is to drink it little by little. Someone might nurse a drink when he does not want to drink too much alcohol, or does not want to spend much money on drinks. (It doesn’t have to be an alcoholic drink,...

Word of the Week #5: fault (過失の責任、所為)

“Whose fault was the accident?” “It was his fault!” 「事故は誰のせいだった?」「彼のせいだ!」 We use this word to lay blame on someone (or maybe something) that caused something bad to happen. It is important not to blame everything on others, but also not to blame yourself for...

Word of the Week #4: behave (振る舞う)

“Children, stop behaving like a gang of monkeys!” 「子供たち、いたずらな猿のように振る舞うのはよしなさい!」 It is important to behave politely in formal situations. Adults usually know how to behave, but children sometimes behave badly when they are bored. At an important event, parents tell...

Word of the Week #3: exaggerate

“The fish I caught was about a mile long!” “Don’t exaggerate, there aren’t any fish that big!” 「俺が釣った魚の長さは1マイルくらいだった!」「大げさに言わないで、そんな大きい魚はいないよ!」 Sometimes we stretch the truth just a little bit. It’s not really a lie, but it’s not exactly true either. For example, we...

Word of the Week #2: hay fever (花粉症)

“Do you have a cold today?” “No, it’s hay fever.” 「今日は風邪をひいてるの?」「違うよ、花粉症です。」 Hay fever is similar to a cold, but it is caused by an allergic reaction to pollen. In spring, flowers and plants start to release pollen, and people with hay fever show symptoms such as...