ＨＥＬＬＯ！ Ｉ　ＡＭ　ＱＵＩＺＢＯ™！ Welcome to the eighteenth instalment of Kiki+Koko: Let’s NihonGO!! Online’s Japanese Word of the Weekday. Throughout the month of January, we have been providing you with Japanese vocabulary every weekday, leaving weekends for you to either rest your language learning processors or get more information on the concepts that were presented using the ever-growing amount of Japanese language learning resources on ieindigoeast.com. If your goal is to become proficient in Japanese language, then simply learning phrases and vocabulary alone may not help you reach your goals. However, with our lessons and articles, you can apply those words and collocations to grammatical concepts as well as learn about cultural concepts that will help you understand the usage and meaning of many unique expressions or customs.

Even if you have not joined us for this challenge’s original airing, you can benefit from this special corner any time of the year. The purpose of this challenge is to get into the positive habit of learning something new everyday. However, learning does not necessarily mean you will master each phrase that you learn. It is important to return to revise/study these terms and phrases as well as practise them regularly by speaking them aloud and applying your kinaesthetic senses by writing them down. And, do not worry if you have ever missed a day. It is better to retread previous steps than to discontinue a journey simply because of a detour.

Consistently keeping up with your studies in order to reach your Japanese language learning goals objectively takes quite a bit of hard work and effort. And, the more effort you apply now, the more smoothly your studies will continue in the future. When talking about your Japanese language learning journey, you will be sure to use today’s vocabulary word quite often.

Without further ado, let us NihonGO!!

Word(s) of the Weekday:

努力【どりょく】
doryoku

Noun (名詞)、suru verb (「名詞＋する」の動詞)、Transitive Verb（他動詞）

1. hard work; effort; exertion; endeavour; striving

JLPT N3|common words (常用語)

Ｄｏ　ｎｏｔ　ｔｏｕｃｈ　ｔｈａｔ　ｄｉａｌ！ We will be right back with special Japanese example sentences and more after these messages.

We did not know that is what you are into. 
Now, back to more January Japanese Word of the Weekday w//ＱＵＩＺＢＯ™!

There are many words in Japanese language used to express hard work and effort. However, this seemed to be the most appropriate word to introduce. Now, it would not be useful for all of your efforts to go to waste by simply introducing this vocabulary word to you and then leaving it to you to memorise. Now, it is time to present to you a few example sentences which you may use as useful templates. And, even if you are familiar with this or any of the previous vocabulary words, you can utilise these as useful listening practice.

Example #1:

A:努力しても,効果がないなあ・・・
どりょくしても、こうかが　ないなあ・・・
Doryoku shitemo, kouka ga nai naa…

Even though I’m working hard, it’s not working…

B:どうしたの？
どうしたの？
Doushitano?
What’s wrong?

A:一年以上日本語を勉強しているんだが、まだに仮名は読みにくいのよ～
いちねんいじょう　にほんごを　べんきょうしているんだが、　まだに　かなは　よみにくいのよ～
ichinenijou nihongo wo benkyou shiteirunda ga, mada ni kana wa yominikui no yo~
I’ve been studying Japanese for over a year, but hiragana is still difficult to read~

B:効果がないってことじゃないの。いくつぐらい知っているの？
こうかがないってことじゃないの。いくつぐらい　しっているの？
kouka ga nai tte koto jyanai no. ikutsu gurai shitteiruno?
That doesn’t mean it’s not working. About how much do you know?

A:平仮名五十音がほとんど読めるのですが・・・
ひらがなごじゅうおんが　ほとんど　よめるのですが・・・
hiragana gojyuuon ga hotondo yomeru no desuga…
I can read most of the hiragana gojuuon, but…

B:ほら！捗が行ったそうだね！皆は同じペースで学習しない。

ほら！はかが　いったそうだね！　みんなは　おなじぺーすで　がくしゅうしない。
hora! haka ga itta sou da ne! minna wa onaji peesu de gakushuu shinai.

See! That seems like progress has been made! Everyone doesn’t learn at the same pace.

頑張っていることだけが重要だ。目標を達成するはずだろう。

がんばっていることだけが　じゅうようだ。もくひょうを　たっせいするはずだろう。
ganbatteiru koto dake ga jyuuyou da. mokuhyou wo tassei suru hazu darou.
All that matters is that you’re doing your best. You’ll reach your goals.

A:そうだよね。もうたくさんの事を学んだわねぇ・・・ありがとう。ウチは頑張り続けるのよ！

そうだよね。もうたくさんのことを　まなんだわねぇ・・・ありがとう。うちは　がんばりつづけるのよ！
sou da yo ne. mou takusan no koto wo mananda wa nee… arigatou. uchi wa ganbari tsudzukeru no yo!

You’re right… I’ve already learned a lot, huh… Thanks. I’m going to continue to do my best!

B:応援するよ！
おうえんするよ！
ouen suru yo!
I’m rooting for you!

Example #2:

A: 決めたのです！毎日、私は努力して自習するつもりで、日本語で流暢に話せるはずでしょう。
きめたのです！まいにち、わたしは　どりょくして　じしゅうするつもりで、にほんごでりゅうちょうにはなせるはずでしょう。
kimeta no desu! mainichi, watashi wa doryoku shite jishuu suru tsumori de, nihongo de ryuuchou ni hanaseru hazu deshou.
It is decided! Everyday, I will work hard and self-study, then I’ll be sure to be fluent in Japanese!

今年か来年か流暢に話せなくとも、努力すれば、絶対に目標を達成するはずでしょう！！！行くぞ！！

こんねんか　らいねんか　りゅうちょうに　はなせなくとも、どりょくすれば、ぜったいに　もくひょうを　たっせいするはずでしょう！！　行くぞ！！
konnenn ka rainenn ka ryuuchou ni hanasenakutomo, doryoku sureba, zettai ni mokuhyou wo tassei suru hazu deshou!! ikuzo!!
Even if I can’t speak fluently this year or the next year, if I work hard, I will definitely reach my goal!! Let’s go!!!

B:わあ、すげー、今流暢に話せたばかり～
わあ、すげー、いま　りゅうちょうに　はなせた　ばかり～
waa, sugee, ima ryuuchou ni hanaseta bakari~

Wow, amazing, you just talked fluently~

A:え！？ほんと？
え！？ほんと？
e!? honto?

What!? Really!?

B:始めからその力を持っていたよ、君。
はじめから　そのちからを　もっていたよ、きみ。
hajime kara sono chikara wo motteita yo, kimi.

You had the power all along, my dear.

A:ですよね。
ですよね。
Desuyone.
Innit.

B:違う、文字通り始めから日本語を喋れった。君はまったく努力しなかった。
ちがう、もじどおり　はじめから　にほんごを　しゃべれった。きみは　まったく　どりょくしなかった。
chigau, moji doori hajime kara nihongo wo shaberetta. kimi wa mattaku doryoku shinakatta.

No, you literally knew Japanese all along. You made no effort at all.

A:始めからその力を持っていたよね～
はじめからそのちからをもっていたよね～
hajime kara sono chikara wo motteita yo ne~

I had the power all along~

B:おやまあ・・・
おやまあ・・・
oyamaa…
Oh my gosh・・・

That is all for today’s instalment of Kiki+Koko: Let’s NihonGO!! Online’s Japanese Word of the Weekday! We hope that you will continue to join us for more of this special corner as well as more of our Japanese language and culture resources. Just because the activity of today is complete does not mean that your daily learning journey has to stop here. You can have a look at previous Word of the Week articles for even more Japanese vocabulary. You can be sure that you are caught up with the latest by visiting ieindigoeast.com, and clicking the sidebar link labelled 今週の単語 | Word of the Week, or go to ieindigoeast.com/kikiandkokoletsnihongo and scroll down until you see my monitor on the Word of the Week banner, and you can access the archives.

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