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#reading practice
onigiriforears · 9 months
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Pitch, Please Pt. 1 [new series alert]
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This was launched on the Seitokai IG (seitokaisnihongo). Keep reading this post to get information that is written on the graphics (and the IG caption).
This is a new series that I've been working on for a bit! It'll be discussing pitch accent, dialects, listening comprehension, and anything else that may fall within that category.
If there's a particular dialect that you'd like for us to cover in this series, feel free to stick it in the reblogs, my inbox, my asks, on the Seitokai instagram, or the Seitokai discord server!
Without further ado, here is what the posts say above!
Pitch, Please! Let's talk about pitch accent.
What is it?
Pitch accent, known as 高低アクセント(kōtei akusento) in Japanese, refers to when a language uses pitch to distinguish between homonyms rather than stress/volume. For example: あめ, meaning rain (high pitch to low) vs あめ, meaning candy (low pitch to high pitch).
Pitch accent can vary by region and dialect. The previous example was based on standard/Tokyo dialect. However, the pitch accent is swapped with the Kansai dialect. あめ, meaning rain goes from low pitch to high and あめ, meaning candy goes from high pitch to low.
There are four (4) pitch accent patterns: 平板 (へいばん), 頭高 (あたまだか), 中高 (なかだか), and 尾高 (おだか). These will be discussed in further detail in a later post within this series.
How to work on it?
Listen to native speakers (podcasts, news channels, videos, etc.)
Converse with native speakers (if possible)
Mimic the correct pronunciation
Be willing to ask for help and accept correction
Resources
Online Japanese Accent Dictionary & Prosody Tutor Suzuki-kun
NHK Japanese Language Pronunciation and Accent Dictionary
Renshuu.org, Kanshudo.com, Forvo.com
Dogen's Japanese Phonetics Video Series
MIA add-on for Anki
MacOS dictionary
HelloTalk
If you're looking for fellow learners, there are over 500 of us in the Seitokai discord server (shameless plug) and we'd love to have you!
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bieups · 6 months
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단군신화 // The Myth of Dangun
Posting later as I often do, but since yesterday was 개천절 (National Foundation Day; celebrated on Oct. 3rd), I wanted to share the Korean foundation myth~
First, here's some important vocab for this story!
신화 - myth
환인 - Hwanin: the god of the Heavens
환웅 - Hwanung: the son of the god Hwanin, he came down to earth to help people
단군왕검 - Dangun Wanggeom: the son of Hwanung & Ungnyeo, he is the legendary founder of Gojoseon (the first Korean kingdom)
웅녀 - Ungnyeo: a bear who turned into a woman
곰 - bear
호랑이 - tiger
동굴 - cave
마늘 - garlic
쑥 - mugwort
And here's a cute video from the Korean Cultural Center of LA telling the story:
youtube
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finnishfun · 2 months
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Reading practice
Salmanterin Terttu ja juustoinen mysteeri
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I bought this book last March in Finland and already read it about 3 times, but just got to posting the "new" words.
piinkova - hard, tough tiuhaan - frequently parahtaa - to cry out ruohonkorsi - blade of grass lehtipuhallin - leaf blower tyköistuva - tight-fitting (clothes) määkäistä - to bleat (goat) hanuri - accordion kummeksua - to wonder uljas - brave kelloseppä - clockmaker vieteri - spring (e.g. in a watch) ramppikuume - stage fright vesikello - blister eltaantua - to become spoiled (food) puoltaa - to support nirso - picky haarahyppy - jumping jack pässi - ram (male sheep) mittatilaustyö - tailor-made work kutunjuusto - goat cheese kuitti - worn out heittomerkki - apostrophe lintsata - to skip class toppuutella - to calm sb down roisto - villain hätyyttää - to shoo karmi - frame (window) ruoansulatus - digestion tuurata - to substitute rotsi - jacket kortteli - block, neighborhood
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ich-bin-der-baer · 1 year
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Reading Practice: Phantome der Nacht: 100 Jahre Nosferatu in Berlin
die Ausstellung -- exhibition die Besatzung -- crew der (die) Blutsauger(in) -- bloodsucker der Expressionismus -- expressionism der Fingernagel (pl. die Fingernägel) -- fingernail die Fledermaus -- bat die Gänsehaut -- goosebumps das Grauen -- horror der Horrorfilm (pl. die Horrorfilme) -- horror film das Meisterwerk -- masterpiece die Pest -- plague das Phantom (pl. die Phantome) -- phantom das Plakat (pl. die Plakate) -- poster die Radierung -- etching der Sarg -- coffin der Vampir -- vampire
anmuten -- to seem; to appear bewerben -- to promote; to advertise feiern -- to celebrate (sich) lösen -- to disintegrate; to dissolve (sich) stürzen -- to plunge überleben -- to survive verwandeln -- to transform
alptraumhaft -- nightmarish friedlich -- peaceful gequält -- tormented hager -- gaunt spitz -- pointy träge -- lethargic; sluggish trügerisch -- deceptive unheimlich -- eerie; creepy
zum Leben erwecken -- to bring to life in (jemandes) Rolle schlüpfen -- to slip into the role (of someone) blinder Passagier -- stowaway (jemanden) das Fürchten lehren -- to teach (someone) the meaning of fear einen Schatten werfen -- to cast a shadow
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malaidarling · 4 months
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28.11.23, 1:26 am // i read लालची बंदर (the greedy monkey) on hyplern. it took me about 10 minutes to read 121 words. very slow, but i haven’t read in hindi for a long while, so i’m actually quite proud of how much i’ve retained.
the most difficult sentence i came across, as well as some vocab:
लेकिन बदकिस्मती से सुराख़ इतना छोटा था की वो अपनी मुट्ठी नहीं निकाल सका।
lekin badakismatee se suraakh itana chhota tha kee vo apanee mutthee nahin nikaal saka.
meaning: but unfortunately (due to bad luck), the opening was so small that [the monkey] could not get his fist back out.
मुट्ठी - fist
चट्टान - rock
गेहूँ - wheat
सुराख़ - hole, opening, eyelet, orifice
बदकिस्मती - bad luck, misfortune
अलबत्ता - however
ढीली - loose
लालची - greedy
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nihongononsense · 9 months
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Reading Practice 練習
「駅」という字は「馬」と「尺」を合わせてできた感じである。もともと「うまや」と読まれ、馬を乗り換えるところという意味であった。人は昔、馬に荷物や人を運ばせ、馬が疲れると、「うまや」で別の馬に乗り換えたのである。
Breakdown:
「駅」という字は「馬」と「尺」を合わせてできた感じである。 The character "駅" (eki) is made up by combining the characters "馬" (uma) and "尺" (shaku).
もともと「うまや」と読まれ、馬を乗り換えるところという意味であった。 Originally, it was read as "umaya" and meant a place to change horses.
人は昔、馬に荷物や人を運ばせ、馬が疲れると、「うまや」で別の馬に乗り換えたのである。In the past, people used to have horses carry luggage or people. When the horse got tired, they would switch to another horse at the "umaya".
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facets-and-rainbows · 2 years
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Reading practice: Yami Bakura sure has an interesting definition of fun
My yugioh obsession continues unabated.
Which means I've just reread a page of manga that I hadn't read in years and remembered that it's, like, one of my favorite villainous moments ever.
So here's Yami Bakura doing a fun little subversion of the "finally, a worthy opponent!" villain speech, in Japanese with my translations and detailed vocab/grammar notes explaining each sentence:
Okay, so this is near the end of the series, where we're having a card game To The Death between main character Yugi (who would normally be possessed by the spirit of a guy who's really good at card games during a card game, but he's going this one alone) and final boss villain Yami Bakura.
Bakura was seriously underestimating Yugi until this turn, and now he's getting his ass kicked a bit. So he says:
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なるほどなぁ... 器の方もそれなりのスキルを持ち合わせていたようだぜ... Well whaddaya know...Looks like the vessel has some skills of his own!
なるほど I see!
な emphasis - he draws it out long like なぁ
器(うつわ)vessel
~の方 Literally "in the direction of ~" Figuratively, it highlights one of several options. Hey look, there's some skills over here by the vessel too! 器の方 = The vessel (as opposed to the guy who usually handles the card games)
も also
それなりの~ its own~, ~in its own way
スキル skill
を makes スキル the object of 持ち合わせる (it's what Yugi has)
持ち合わせる(もちあわせる)have on hand, be equipped with
持ち合わせていた was having, has had - Yugi has had these skills just lying around all along! Who knew!
~ようだ it seems like~
ぜ emphasis (rough/informal, makes the sentence sound really assertive. I think ぜ might be Yami Bakura's favorite particle tbh, he says it so much)
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戦い甲斐があるってことにデュエリストは少なからず昂揚感を持つもの...だが... Any duelist would get a good thrill from battling a worthy opponent...But...
戦う(たたかう)fight, battle
verb stem甲斐がある(~がいがある)to be worth verbing
って contraction of ~という "called~" Marks a quote or just kind of works as a filler when you're defining things. "that thing called '戦い甲斐がある'"
こと thing, state of things (~ってこと = the situation where ~, that whole "~" thing)
戦い甲斐があるってこと = "that thing where [an opponent] is worth fighting"
に at, in (duelists take pleasure IN dueling worthy opponents)
決闘者(デュエリスト)duelist. It's the English word duelist written in katakana because English Is Cool (tm), but with the Japanese word 決闘者 still hanging around as a built-in definition. Manga spelling is wild, man.
は makes duelist the topic of the sentence
少なからず more than a little, considerably
昂揚感(こうようかん)elation, exhilaration, rapture
を makes 昂揚感 the object of 持つ (it's what the duelists have)
持つ(もつ)have
デュエリストは少なからず昂揚感を持つ duelists have more than a little exhilaration [in a challenging duel]
もの thing. Nounは~ものだ, literally "Noun is a thing that~" means that nouns are generally ~, nouns ought to ~. Here, it's a duelist's nature to enjoy dueling a worthy opponent.
だが But
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あいにくオレはただの殺戮者でね... Too bad I'm just a cutthroat killer, eh?
あいにく unfortunately
オレ I, me
は makes オレ the topic of the sentence
ただの just a~, a mere ~
殺戮者(さつりくしゃ)murderer, butcher (殺戮 "slaughter/massacre/bloodbath" plus 者 person - this is an uncommon and extra violent word for murderer)
で "is, and" - the てform of だ "is/am/are", which is used to connect it to other sentences. "I'm just a murderer, soooooo...."
ね soft emphasis ("sentence, y'know?")
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貴様をぶっ殺したあと昂揚感に浸らせてもらうぜ Guess I'll just have to revel in the thrill of slaughtering you! オレ様のターン! My turn!
貴様(きさま)a rude and insulting way to say "you"
を makes 貴様 the object of ぶっ殺す
ぶっ殺す(ぶっころす)kill, slaughter, annihilate (殺す "kill" plus a prefix ぶっ that makes it extra violent and intense)
ぶっ殺した killed, has killed
(verbた)あと after verb has happened
貴様をぶっ殺したあと = Once I've killed you, I'll...
昂揚感(こうようかん)elation, exhilaration, rapture
に in (he's gonna revel IN this feeling)
浸る(ひたる)soak, be immersed, bask/revel in - used for both liquids and feelings
浸らせる make/let someone be immersed
verbてもらう to get someone to verb for me (もらう means "I receive" and receiving a verb means someone does it for you like a favor)
昂揚感に浸らせてもらう is literally something like "I'll have you let me bask in ecstasy." Figuratively "I'm just gonna go ahead and bask in ecstasy." Telling Yugi "you'll let me do this" rather than asking.
ぜ emphasis/assertiveness
オレ様 (おれさま)a deeply self-absorbed way to say "I/me" - he's using the honorific suffix さま on himself. The great and honorable me. My majesty.
の ~'s, belonging to~ (オレ様の = my)
ターン turn
I love this page so much. It's just so unhinged.
This guy seriously just said he's a sadistic murderer first and a gamer second. In a series where you murder people almost exclusively by beating them at games.
And then keeps playing the game.
Like bro. Just stab him or something at that point.
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tarotworld · 1 year
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Reading practice!
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These are 3 random cards that I picked from my deck. How would YOU interpret these 3 cards together? What story are they telling? What kind of reading are you creating? Is it a love reading? Financial? Mental? What kind of vibes are you getting from these cards? Let me know! 💕
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happi-feliz · 7 days
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I got good reading practice from reading this. I'm going to see esta pelicua en sabado con my famila.
I'll make a habit to read more movie reviews in spanish now, starting with mi peliculas favoritas para divirtido.
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adito-lang · 2 months
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20.01. - 22.01.24 寒稽古 mid-winter training
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Translation and Vocab
The coldest period of the year is the half-month from the "Major Cold" to the "Start of Spring" [ca. Jan. 20 - Feb. 4]. During this time, kangeiko mid-winter training takes place. Mid-winter training is an event that people learning Japanese martial arts, especially kendō and karate, take part in. It begins around 6am, and during the whole training the students stand barefoot on the cold floor of the dōjō. When my younger sister was in high school, she joined a kendō club, so she participated in mid-winter training. She said it was tough because in the cold it hurt more than usual when she was hit with the bamboo sword. Mid-winter training is mental training for overcoming pain. However, after mid-winter training, she had fun eating hot ozōni and oshiruko with her teammates.
寒稽古(かんげいこ)mid-winter training done in the martial arts in the early morning during the coldest time of the year
大寒(だいかん)"Major Cold" (around Jan. 20, coldest time of year)
立春(りっしゅん)"Start of Spring" (according to the traditional lunisolar calendar, approx. Feb. 4)
武道(ぶどう)martial arts
裸足で(はだしで)barefoot
竹刀(しない)bamboo sword (for kendō)
叩く(たたく)to hit; to strike
打ち勝つ(うちかつ)to overcome
精神(せいしん)mentality; mind
修業(しゅぎょう)training; pursuit of knowledge
お雑煮(おぞうに)soup containing rice cakes and vegetables
お汁粉(おしるこ)sweet red-bean soup with mochi
youtube
​Seems like kangeiko for karate also includes events where members have to wade into cold water - feel so sorry for that little boy who just wants to get to a hot onsen 🙈
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Questions about the text ⬇️
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Answer and Translation
1. 寒稽古はいつ行われますか。When is mid-winter training held?
一年で最も寒いと言われる時期、大寒と立春の間に行われます。It is held during what is called the coldest period of the year, between taikan and risshun.
2. 日本人なら誰でも寒稽古をしますか。Does every Japanese person do mid-winter training?
いいえ、武道、特に剣道や空手を習っている人がします。No, people practicing martial arts, especially kendō and karate, do it.
3. 寒稽古の時、靴か草履を履いてもいいですか。Is it okay to wear shoes or zōri (rice-straw sandals) during mid-winter training?
いいえ、裸足で稽古をします。No, one does the training barefoot.
4. 剣道の寒稽古で辛いことは、例えば何ですか。What are examples of difficult things during mid-winter training in kendō?
例えば、竹刀で叩かれるのが、寒い時はいつより痛いので、辛いです。For example, it's difficult because being hit by the bamboo sword hurts more than usual when it's cold.
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onigiriforears · 1 year
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日本の歴史366 Day 11
1月11日 Summary:
Have you ever heard of the Japanese proverb "Give salt to your enemies?" No? Well, neither did I until today. This phrase comes from the time that Uesugi Kenshin (daimyo of Echigo Province during the Sengoku period) delivered salt to his longtime rival, Takeda Shingen, (daimyo of the Kai province) after everyone else had blocked him from salt imports. Uesugi says that wars are to be fought with bows and arrows, not salt. Uesugi doesn't believe in using such underhanded tactics to win war (supposedly lmao).
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Vocab beneath break:
上杉 謙信 うえすぎ けんしん Uesugi Kenshin (daimyō who ruled Echigo Province in the Sengoku period)
敵に塩を送くる てきにしおをおくる lit. send an enemy salt/give salt to your enemies (to help an enemy in need)
卑怯な手を使う ひきょうなてをつかう to play a dirty trick; to use underhanded methods; to hit below the belt; to play foul
許す ゆるす to forgive; to pardon; to excuse; to tolerate
武士 ぶし samurai; warrior
弓 ゆみ bow (weapon)​; archery
刀 かたな sword (esp. Japanese single-edged); katan
戦う たたかう to make war (on); to wage war (against); to go to war (with); to fight (with); to do battle (against)
敵 てき opponent; rival; adversary​; enemy
今川氏 いまがわし Imagawa clan
北条氏 ほうじょうし Houjo clan
止める とめる to prevent; to suppress
苦しい くるしい painful; difficult; tough; hard
立場 たちば position; situation
武田 信玄 たけだ しんげん Takeda Shingen (daimyo of Kai Province during the Sengoku period of Japan)
救いの手 すくいのて helping hand; help; support; aid
差し伸べる さしのべる to offer (e.g. aid, help, etc.)​
長年 ながねん long time; many years
宿敵 しゅくてき old enemy; longtime enemy; arch-enemy; arch-nemesis; longstanding foe
貴公 きこう you (primarily used by males when addressing their male equals or inferiors)
争う あらそう to compete; to contest; to contend
弓矢 ゆみや bow and arrow
あらず not​
泣かせる なかせる to make someone cry; to move someone to tears​
当時 とうじ at that time; in those days
人々 ひとびと people; men and women; everybody; each person
命 いのち life; life force; most important thing
保つ たもつ to keep; to preserve
命を保つ いのちをたもつ to preserve life
大切 たいせつ important; precious; valuable
手紙 てがみ letter; missive
必要 ひつよう necessary; needed; essential; indispensable
約束 やくそく promise; agreement; arrangement; one's word;
ライバル rival
宿命 しゅくめい fate; destiny; predestination
大事 だいじ important; serious; crucial; valuable
流通 りゅうつう circulation (of money, goods, etc.); distribution
困る こまる to be troubled; to have difficulty; to be in a fix; to be in straitened circumstances; to be badly off
何たる なんたる what (e.g. "what rudeness")​; what (something) is like​
白黒をつける しろくろをつける to determine whether something is right or wrong; to make something clear; to settle a matter​
苦しめる くるしめる to torment; to pain; to inflict (physical) pain; to hurt; to harass; to cause (emotional) pain; to afflict; to distress; to bother; to trouble; to stump; to baffle
ひきょう cowardly; unfair
きわまりない extremely; in the extreme; knows no bounds (e.g. rudeness); unparalleled; boundless; limitless
心配 しんぱい worry; concern; anxiety
いくらでも as many as one likes; as much as one likes; great many; plenty (of)
正々堂々 せいせいどうどう fair and square; open and aboveboard
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bieups · 8 months
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Where has this been all my life?? This site/app is perfect for beginners/intermediate learners looking for more reading practice!
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finnishfun · 2 years
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Finnish book recommendations #1
I thought to start a kind of post series about Finnish books I read, maybe give ideas to others or get new recommendations.
My first book is the one I most recently read.
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Author: Minna Lindgren
Title: Kuolema Ehtoolehdossa (English translation:  The Lavender Ladies Detective Agency: Death in Sunset Grove)
Read in: Finnish
Apparently this is a trilogy, and not very recent (the books were published between 2013-2015). I found it through the Hungarian translation being published this year.
The story is set in a home for old people (not like a nursing home, this is more like a block of flats where everyone has their own place) called Ehtoolehto. The two main characters are two old ladies in their nineties, Irma and Siiri. When some people die under mysterious circumstances, they try to investigate what is behind it.
But as opposed to what the English edition suggests, this is not really a detective story, and definitely not a “Finnish Miss Marple”. There is actually very little of that kind of investigation. They do try to find out what is happening, but most of the story is not really about that. It’s mostly the old ladies talking about their day (having coffee together, riding the tram, talking to their neighbors) and memories of their lives. For me it was more like reading a lot about how being old sucks because you have all kinds of health problems and most of your family is dead. But they present it in their own funny and positive way. Still it’s the kind of Finnish mindset that I seem to like reading.
Although some of the secrets are revealed by the end of the book (I found it a bit too long compared to how little was happening), I’m sure there is more to come. I will probably read the next books sometime a bit later.
From a language point of view it was not a hard read. I looked up some words (e.g. they used medical expressions or things that related to the past so maybe old words not so much in use any more) - but I ran into some technical issues as I lost my notes in the reading app so I couldn’t make a post about them. It was also interesting to read about uniquely Finnish things and understanding some references.
I started reading the English version too at the beginning, but it annoyed me for trying to be too much of a detective story. It felt like the translator even changed sentences and added stuff to make it more like that. Also, some Finnish things were explained within the text (that obviously needed no explanation to Finnish readers in the original), which worked but was still a bit weird and would probably should have been in footnotes. So in the end I didn’t read on in English because it wasn’t really helpful, but I still understood a lot in Finnish.
I still recommend this book to anyone who would like to read such a story, but don’t expect a detective story! :)
I thought to do maybe one of these posts a week, but I’ll see what I come up with next. :)
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ich-bin-der-baer · 1 year
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Reading Practice: Stare: Faszinierende Schwarmwolken
der Abflug -- migration; departure das Bild (pl. die Bilder) -- picture der Bruchteil (pl. die Bruchteile) -- fraction die Brutzeit -- breeding season die Dämmerung -- twilight die Flügelspanne -- wingspan die Form -- form; shape der Formationsflug (pl. die Formationsflüge) -- formation flight das Futter -- feed; food der Geräuschpegel -- noise level der Greifvogel -- bird of prey; raptor die Hauptnahrungsquelle -- main food source der Himmel -- sky der Kot -- excrement die Mücke -- mosquito das Naturschauspiel -- natural spectacle der (die) Ornithologe (Ornithologin) -- ornithologist der Pottwal -- sperm whale die Schaulustige (pl.) -- onlookers der Schwarm (pl. die Schwärme) -- flock der Sonnenuntergang -- sunset der Star (pl. die Stare) -- starling der Störenfried (pl. die Störenfriede) -- troublemaker der Streit -- dispute der Vogel (pl. die Vögel) -- bird das Winterquartier -- winter home die Wolke -- cloud
(jemandem etwas) erschweren -- to make (something) more difficult (for somebody) erzeugen -- to produce; to create sich verdichten -- to become thicker; to intensify (jemanden aus etwas) vertreiben -- to drive (somebody) away (from something)
faszinierend -- fascinating ohrenbetäubend -- deafening pulsierend -- pulsating schlagartig -- suddenly; abruptly
mit den Flügeln schlagen -- to flap one's wings
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gettingready2read · 4 months
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A Day So Gray by Marie Lamba
Experience the world through colors through this story of two friends. They use vocabulary to name the colors and explore objects.
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The story of the two girls helps work on reading and narrative skills and following along with parts of a story. Their journey throughout the book encourages playing and a love for nature!
Extend the Book with a Colorful Sweater Craft!
Make your sweater as colorful as possible to cheer up the gray days!
You will need:
White paper
colored pencils
crayons
markers
glitter glue is optional!
Draw a sweater, cut it out, then decorate it with as many colors as possible or using the colors mentioned in the story.
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Check out A Day So Gray
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danlearnjapanese · 4 months
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(Has read Tearmoon Empire light novel in English. Knows the story pretty well.)
(Has Tearmoon Empire ebook in the original Japanese open, found for Kindle using the evil of the Amazon app, and choosing Japanese language while searching)
(Also has unabridged Tearmoon Empire audiobook in the original Japanese, acquired similarly, ready to play at 0.7x speed)
(Hears boss music)
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