Japanese · Intermediate (B1) · Chapter 5 of 12
Hopes and wishes
夢と希望Yume to kibō
Talk about plans, dreams and hopes in Japanese: ～ようと思う, ～になりたい, ～てほしい, ～といいな, ～ように and a first look at ～たら.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Say what you are thinking of doing and what you want to become
- Say what you want someone else to do with ～てほしい
- Express hopes with ～といいな and good wishes with ～ますように
- Talk about what will happen when or if something happens with ～たら
Listen
At home in Nagano, Hana, 17, tells her father that she wants to study abroad in Canada. They speak casually. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Hana
お父さん、ちょっと話があるんだけど。
Otōsan, chotto hanashi ga aru n da kedo.
Dad, there's something I want to talk to you about.
Dad
うん、どうした？
Un, dō shita?
Sure, what is it?
Hana
実は、高校を卒業したら、カナダに留学しようと思っているの。
Jitsu wa, kōkō o sotsugyō shitara, Kanada ni ryūgaku shiyō to omotte iru no.
Actually, when I finish high school, I'm thinking of going to study in Canada.
Dad
カナダ？急だな。日本の大学の受験はどうするんだ？
Kanada? Kyū da na. Nihon no daigaku no juken wa dō suru n da?
Canada? That's sudden. What about the entrance exams for Japanese universities?
Hana
急じゃないよ。ずっと前から、英語を使う仕事がしたいと思っていたの。将来は英語の先生になりたい。それが私の夢。
Kyū ja nai yo. Zutto mae kara, Eigo o tsukau shigoto ga shitai to omotte ita no. Shōrai wa Eigo no sensei ni naritai. Sore ga watashi no yume.
It's not sudden. I've wanted a job where I use English for a long time. In the future I want to become an English teacher. That's my dream.
Dad
そうか。でも、留学はお金がかかるよ。それに、一人で大丈夫か？心配だな。
Sō ka. Demo, ryūgaku wa okane ga kakaru yo. Sore ni, hitori de daijōbu ka? Shinpai da na.
I see. But studying abroad costs a lot of money. And will you be all right on your own? I'm worried.
Hana
奨学金の試験があって、合格したら、お金はあまりかからないの。
Shōgakukin no shiken ga atte, gōkaku shitara, okane wa amari kakaranai no.
There's an exam for a scholarship, and if I pass, it won't cost much.
Dad
その試験は難しいのか？
Sono shiken wa muzukashii no ka?
Is the exam difficult?
Hana
うん。でも、挑戦してみたい。目標は秋の試験。一回で受かりたいから、それまではゲームも我慢する。
Un. Demo, chōsen shite mitai. Mokuhyō wa aki no shiken. Ikkai de ukaritai kara, sore made wa gēmu mo gaman suru.
Yes. But I want to give it a try. My goal is the exam in the autumn. I want to pass first time, so until then I'll even give up video games.
Dad
本当に行きたいんだな。わかった。自分で決めたことだから、お父さんは応援するよ。
Hontō ni ikitai n da na. Wakatta. Jibun de kimeta koto da kara, otōsan wa ōen suru yo.
You really want to go, don't you. All right. You decided this yourself, so I'll support you.
Hana
ありがとう。お母さんにも応援してほしいな。
Arigatō. Okāsan ni mo ōen shite hoshii na.
Thank you. I'd like Mum to support me too.
Dad
今夜、一緒にお母さんにも話そう。それから週末は神社に行って、合格できるようにお願いしよう。
Kon'ya, issho ni okāsan ni mo hanasō. Sorekara shūmatsu wa jinja ni itte, gōkaku dekiru yō ni onegai shiyō.
Let's talk to Mum together tonight. And at the weekend, let's go to the shrine and pray that you pass.
Understand
Plans and dreams: ～ようと思う, ～たいと思っている, ～になりたい
The volitional (, ) + (to omou) means “I'm thinking of doing”: (ryūgaku shiyō to omou), I think I'll study abroad. With (to omotte iru), it is a plan you have had for a while: , I've been thinking of studying abroad.
In the same way, ～たいと思っている (-tai to omotte iru) is a softer, more thought-through way of saying “I want to”: (Eigo o tsukau shigoto ga shitai to omotte ita), I've long wanted a job where I use English.
“To become” is (ni naru), so “I want to become” is a noun + (ni naritai): (sensei ni naritai), I want to become a teacher.
- 来年、日本語の試験を受けようと思っています。Rainen, Nihongo no shiken o ukeyō to omotte imasu.I'm thinking of taking a Japanese exam next year.
- 子供のとき、医者になりたいと思っていました。Kodomo no toki, isha ni naritai to omotte imashita.When I was a child, I wanted to become a doctor.
Hopes and wishes: ～といいな, ～てほしい, ～ように
To say what you hope will happen, add (to ii na) or (tara ii na) to a verb: (ukaru to ii na), (ukattara ii na), I hope I pass. Politely: ～といいですね (to ii desu ne), I hope you …
～てほしい (-te hoshii) after the te-form means “I want someone to do”. The person takes (ni): (okāsan ni ōen shite hoshii), I want Mum to support me. Don't use it directly to someone above you: it sounds demanding.
～ますように (-masu yō ni) is a wish or prayer, written on cards at shrines and in messages: (gōkaku shimasu yō ni), may I pass. With (onegai suru) or (inoru, to pray), use the plain form: (gōkaku dekiru yō ni onegai suru), to pray that you can pass.
| Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| (Ashita hareru to ii na.) | I hope it's sunny tomorrow. |
| (Shiken ni ukattara ii na.) | It would be nice if I passed the exam. |
| (Chichi ni kite hoshii.) | I want my father to come. |
| (Minna ga genki de imasu yō ni.) | May everyone stay well. |
When and if: ～たら
Add (ra) to the plain past to make the たら-form: (sotsugyō shitara), (ittara), (takakattara); after a noun or a な-adjective, (dattara). It looks like a past, but it is about the future.
When the first part is sure to happen, means “when, once”: (kōkō o sotsugyō shitara), when I finish high school. When it may or may not happen, it means “if”: (gōkaku shitara), if I pass. With (tsuku), to arrive: (ie ni tsuitara), when you get home. You'll compare with the other “if” forms in chapter 6.
- 家に着いたら、電話してね。Ie ni tsuitara, denwa shite ne.Call me when you get home.
- 明日雨だったら、家でゆっくりしよう。Ashita ame dattara, ie de yukkuri shiyō.If it rains tomorrow, let's take it easy at home.
More in the grammar: Wanting: ～たい and ほしい · Conditionals: ～ば, ～たら, ～と, ～なら
New words
- 留学ryūgakustudying abroad · りゅうがく; (ryūgaku suru), to study abroad; (okane ga kakaru), to cost (a lot of) money
- 受験jukentaking entrance exams · じゅけん; for school and university; any exam is a (shiken), and high school is (kōkō)
- 夢yumedream · ゆめ; both a hope and what you dream at night
- 心配shinpaiworry; worried · しんぱい; (shinpai da), I'm worried; (shinpai suru), to worry; (kyū da), it's sudden
- 奨学金shōgakukinscholarship · しょうがくきん; (muzukashii), difficult
- 合格gōkakupassing (an exam) · ごうかく; (gōkaku suru), to pass
- 挑戦chōsenchallenge, attempt · ちょうせん; (chōsen suru), to have a go at something hard
- 目標mokuhyōgoal, target · もくひょう; (zutto mae kara), for a long time now
- 受かるukaruto pass (an exam) · うかる; (shiken ni ukaru), less formal than
- 我慢gamanpatience; going without · がまん; (gaman suru), to put up with, to do without
- 自分jibunoneself · じぶん; (jibun de), by yourself, on your own
- 応援するōen suruto support, to cheer on · おうえんする
- ～てほしい-te hoshiiwant (someone) to do · (haha ni kite hoshii), I want my mother to come
- ～ようにyō niso that; may … · (gōkaku shimasu yō ni), may I pass; people pray for this at a (jinja), a shrine
Practise
1.Hana wants her mother to support her too. Which sentence says this?
2.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.When I finish high school, I'm thinking of studying abroad.
3.Match the Japanese with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
4.What does (shiken ni ukaru to ii na) mean?
5.How do you say “I want to become a teacher”?
6.You tell a friend: “Call me when you get home.” Which is right?
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
将来は先生になりたいと思っています。
Shōrai wa sensei ni naritai to omotte imasu.
In the future, I'd like to become a teacher.
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.