🧑🏫 LESSON 1: Using ～わけだ to explain reasons or logic
🎯 Goal: Explain why something is the way it is based on logic or prior info.
📘 Useful Vocabulary
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 熱がある | to have a fever |
| 遅れる | to be late |
| 忘れる | to forget |
| 疲れる | to be tired |
| だから | so / therefore |
🧠 Grammar
～わけだ = “That’s why…” / “It makes sense that…”
Used when deducing or giving a logical conclusion.
Examples:
熱があるのか。じゃ、学校を休むわけだね。 → Oh, you have a fever. So that’s why you’re staying home.
彼は日本に１０年住んでいた。日本語が上手なわけだ。 → He lived in Japan 10 years — no wonder his Japanese is good.
🗣 Practice
Think of cause-effect examples from your day and say them out loud using ～わけだ.
Watch a scene from a drama, pause, and explain what’s happening using ～わけだ.
🧑🏫 LESSON 2: Expressing contrast with ～ものの
🎯 Goal: Say “although / even though…” with nuance
📘 Vocabulary
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 知っている | to know |
| 難しい | difficult |
| 高い | expensive |
| 行く | to go |
| 必要 | necessary |
🧠 Grammar
～ものの = Although…, even though…
Formal/written form; softer than けれど or が.
Examples:
日本語は勉強したものの、まだ話すのが難しい。→ Although I studied Japanese, it’s still hard to speak.
彼の話は納得できるものの、全てを信じるわけにはいかない。→ Even though I understand his point, I can’t believe everything.
🗣 Practice
Write 2 sentences about your real experience: “Even though I did ___, ___ is still difficult.”
Find two “conflicting” facts from a news article and link them with ～ものの.
🧑🏫 LESSON 3: Expressing inevitability or being bound to with ～に決まっている
🎯 Goal: Show strong conviction or obviousness about something
📘 Vocabulary
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 嘘 | lie |
| 本当 | truth |
| 合格 | pass (exam) |
| 難しい | difficult |
| そんなはずない | that can’t be |
🧠 Grammar
～に決まっている = It’s obviously…, It must be…
Spoken form of expressing certainty or assumption.
Examples:
あんなの、嘘に決まっている！→ That’s obviously a lie!
難しい試験だから、合格できないに決まっている。→ It’s a hard exam, so I obviously can’t pass it.
🗣 Practice
Say 3 opinions about things you strongly believe in using に決まっている.
Roleplay a conversation where you’re reacting to shocking or fake news.
🧑🏫 LESSON 4: Expressing situations beyond your control with ～ずにはいられない
🎯 Goal: Express emotions/actions you can’t help but do
📘 Vocabulary
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 泣く | to cry |
| 笑う | to laugh |
| 忘れる | to forget |
| 感動する | to be moved |
| 聞く | to listen |
🧠 Grammar
Verb (ない-form w/o ない) + ずにはいられない
= “I can’t help but…” / “I can’t stop myself from…”
する → せずにはいられない
Examples:
この映画を見ると、泣かずにはいられない。→ I can’t help but cry when I watch this movie.
彼の話を聞くと、笑わずにはいられない。→ I can’t help but laugh when I hear his story.
🗣 Practice
Make 2 emotional sentences: “When I see/hear ___, I can’t help but ___”
Watch a song or emotional clip and write your reaction using ～ずにはいられない
🧑🏫 LESSON 5: Emphasizing unexpected situations with ～とは限らない
🎯 Goal: Say “not necessarily…” or “not always the case”
📘 Vocabulary
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 上手 | skillful |
| 日本人 | Japanese person |
| 成功 | success |
| 努力 | effort |
| お金持ち | rich person |
🧠 Grammar
～とは限らない = “It doesn’t necessarily mean that…”
Used to refute assumptions/stereotypes.
Examples:
日本人だからといって、日本語が上手だとは限らない。→ Just because they’re Japanese doesn’t mean they’re good at Japanese.
努力すれば成功するとは限らない。→ Just because you try hard doesn’t mean you’ll succeed.
🗣 Practice
Create 3 “not always true” phrases using ～とは限らない
Discuss stereotypes with a partner or reflect on common assumptions