review & speak
You made the effort of going through the story — this is what makes it stick before the next one washes it out: engage with the words and patterns, then produce them out loud.
Beginner · en→ja
1 · Vocabulary — the story's new words
The words this story used that are new at its level, sorted by meaning (Ctrl/Cmd+F to search). Save any of them to your word list — 19 new words here.
2 · Grammar — patterns from the story
copula — です links a subject to a noun or adjective (polite)Subj. + は + noun/adj. + です
わたしはせんせい«です»。
私は先生«です»。
I am a teacher.
subject marker — が marks the grammatical subjectSubject + が + verb
ねこ«が»きた。
猫«が»来た。
A cat came.
morphology — て-form (connective / gerund form of the verb)Verb in [-て / -で]
シャワーを«あびて»、きがえた。
シャワーを«浴びて»、着替えた。
I took a shower and changed clothes.
place/means marker — で marks where an action happens or the means usedPlace/Means + で + verb
としょかん«で»べんきょうします。
図書館«で»勉強します。
I study at the library.
polite verb ending — 〜ます is the polite non-past verb formVerb stem + ます
まいにちにほんごをべんきょうし«ます»。
毎日日本語を勉強し«ます»。
I study Japanese every day.
origin/cause marker — から marks starting point in time/space or reasonPoint + から / clause + から
きゅうじ«から»じゅぎょうがあります。
九時«から»授業があります。
There's class from nine o'clock.
morphology — polite past 〜ましたVerb stem + ました
きのうえいがを«みました»。
昨日映画を«見ました»。
I watched a movie yesterday.
morphology — い-adjective past 〜かったい-adj stem + かった
きのうは«さむかった»。
昨日は«寒かった»。
It was cold yesterday.
desire — 〜たい expresses the speaker's desire to do somethingVerb stem + たい
にほんにいき«たい»です。
日本に行き«たい»です。
I want to go to Japan.
3 · Practice A — build your own sentence
Use each pattern on your own life. Say it out loud, then peek at one valid version.
〜は伝統スポーツです
Say: 'Sumo is a traditional Japanese sport.'
〜ています
Say: 'Sumo wrestlers practice every day.'
〜と一緒に〜ます
Say: 'I watch sumo together with my father.'
〜ました
Say: 'My favorite wrestler won.'
〜たいです
Say: 'Someday I want to see real sumo.'
4 · Practice B — translate, then check
Your language → the language you're learning, using the story's words and patterns.
5 · The speech — say it out loud
A ~1-minute speech, not a monologue — the arc (open → explain → example → opinion → contrast → close) is what makes it sound human. Study the one help bank first; then pick an angle and say each line in the language you're learning, out loud — no cues next to the lines on purpose. ✨ = new for these speeches; everything else is review from the story.
help bank · key vocabulary
help bank · connectors — the glue, in talk order
help bank · grammar patterns
は〜です〜は〜です
相撲は日本の伝統スポーツです。— Sumo is a traditional Japanese sport.
〜ていますV-te + います
力士は毎日練習しています。— Sumo wrestlers practice every day.
〜ましたV-stem + ました
好きな力士が勝ちました。— My favorite wrestler won.
〜がいます〜がいます
土俵の上に二人の力士がいます。— There are two wrestlers on the ring.
〜たいですV-stem + たいです
いつか本物の相撲を見たいです。— Someday I want to see real sumo.
now perform it — pick an angle · all 5 use the one bank above, no new words
Describe what sumo is and what makes it special as a traditional Japanese sport
the speech — say each line in the language you're learning
① Open — say your topic
1.Today I want to talk about sumo.
2.Sumo is a traditional Japanese sport.
② What sumo looks like
3.Are sumo wrestlers big and strong?
4.Where do they fight?
③ The matches
5.How many wrestlers fight in a match?
6.Are the matches long or short?
④ Their training
7.Do sumo wrestlers train every day?
8.What do they do to become so strong?
⑤ The history and tradition
9.Does sumo have a long history?
10.Why is sumo important in Japan?
⑥ Close
11.Do you find sumo interesting?
12.That's all. Thank you!
⚠ stuck? model answers — try first, peek last