Hello! Minasan! Welcome to "Dictation for Every Day" (D4E: version 5) a.k.a. Mainichi no Kikitori
Workbook
PDF Workbook (volume 1, 2, and 3) is available from
[here]!
It includes the notes of words, phrases and grammars.
News and Story
2024.07.14: Volume 3, episode 101-150 starts.
An episode is updated every day.
A.E.A.D. (An Expression A Day)
If you want to learn Japanese expressions more,
visit the A.E.A.D. (An Expression A Day) page:
AEAD Search.
2026.07.07 Tue #818: I think I like this.
この味、好きかも。
Kono aji, suki kamo.
I think I like this.
A「これこれ、食べてみてみて」 B「うん、この味、好きかも」
A: Here, try this. B: Yeah, I think I like this.
'Kono aji, suki kamo' is a casual spoken expression used when the speaker suddenly realizes that they may like the taste of something. 'Kamo' does more than express possibility; it softens the speaker's immediate discovery of a new preference. Rather than confidently saying 'I like it,' the speaker is reacting to the moment with the feeling, 'Oh, I think I like this.'
2026.07.06 Mon #817: At least, have some tea before you go.
せめて、お茶でも飲んでいかない？
Semete, ocha demo nonde ikanai?
At least, have some tea before you go.
A「そろそろ帰らないと」 B「そんなに忙がしいの？ せめて、お茶でも飲んでいかない？」
A: I should be heading back soon. B: Are you that busy? At least, have some tea before you go.
'Semete, ocha demo nonde ikanai?' is a casual spoken expression used when the speaker really wishes the visitor could stay longer, but accepts that this may not be possible. 'Semete' softens the speaker's wish into a minimum request: if nothing else, at least have some tea before you go. 'Ocha demo' does not emphasize tea itself; rather, it is a gentle invitation to stay a little longer before leaving.
2026.07.05 Sun #816: No matter how you look at it, it's clear that...
どう見ても、...
Dou mite mo, ...
No matter how you look at it, it's clear that...
A「この計画、本当に成功すると思う？」 B「いやぁ、どう見ても、失敗するよ」
A: Do you really think this plan will succeed? B: No, no matter how you look at it, it's going to fail.
'Dou mite mo' is a casual spoken expression used when the speaker presents a judgment as obvious, without explicitly saying 'clearly' or 'obviously.' It is not limited to visual observation. It is also used when the speaker feels that the conclusion follows from the overall situation. In English, 'No matter how you look at it' uses a general 'you,' not necessarily the specific listener. It means that no matter who looks at the situation, or from what angle, the same conclusion follows. In the example, the speaker presents the failure of the plan not merely as a personal opinion, but as something that anyone would conclude.
2026.07.04 Sat #815: Things did a complete 180.
180度、変わっちゃいました。
180-do, kawacchaimashita.
Things did a complete 180.
A「なんか、方針が180度、変わっちゃいましたね」 B「しかたないよ、予算がないんだから」
A: Somehow, the policy has changed 180 degrees. B: It can't be helped; we don't have the budget.
'180-do, kawacchaimashita' is a casual spoken expression used when a situation, policy, opinion, or other matter has changed so drastically that it seems to have gone in the opposite direction. '180 degrees' is used metaphorically to mean 'a complete reversal.' 'Kawacchaimashita' is the colloquial form of 'kawatte shimaimashita,' often conveying surprise or disappointment about the unexpected change. In the example, the speaker is reacting to a major change in policy.
2026.07.03 Fri #814: You could at least clean your own room.
A: Okay, you can take care of the rest. B: Wait a minute. You could at least clean your own room.
'Heya no souji gurai, yatte kureta tte ii n janai' is a casual spoken expression used when the speaker feels that the other person should at least do something that is considered a minimum responsibility. 'Gurai' suggests that the task is not asking too much, and 'yatte kureta tte ii n janai' carries the feeling of 'You could at least do that.' Rather than giving a direct command, the speaker expresses mild dissatisfaction while implying that the responsibility naturally belongs to the listener.
Let's practice every day!
Let's learn Japanese through dictation practice!
PDF Workbook (volume 1 and 2) is available from
[here]!
It includes the notes of words, phrases and grammars.
This is the dictation practice site operated by Japanese Language Teaching Section, Tokyo Institute of Technology.
This practice involves a variety of natural expressions in daily conversation.
You can practice 10 sentences a day depending on your language ability.
It's a very simple exercise. You just follow the audio you hear and type in Roman letters.
Your comments and bug reports are very welcome. Please submit from here.
Zen and the Art of Dictation
Let's learn Japanese through drill and practice!
You will practice 10 sentences in an episode.
It's a very simple exercise.
You just follow the audio you hear and type in roman letters.
The first objective is to learn the basic Japanese sounds
and hiragana/katakana combinations.
You can practice as many times as possible.
The more you practice, the better you will get.
Please regularly contribute your time to this practice.
It is important to practice every day rather than to practice a lot at once.
The following is the psychological evidence of the importance of regular practice:
Figure 1: The forgetting curve described by Hermann Ebbinghaus.
Here, b represents 'Savings' expressed as a percentage, and t represents time in minutes, counting from one minute before end of learning. The constants c and k are 1.25 and 1.84 respectively. Savings is defined as the relative amount of time saved on the second learning trial as a result of having had the first. A savings of 100% would indicate that all items were still known from the first trial. A 75% savings would mean that relearning missed items required 25% as long as the original learning session (to learn all items). 'Savings' is thus, analogous to retention rate.
Drill for Every Day (D4E: V5)
