📖 Study Guide
Learn Japanese through stories.
These stories include Japanese culture,
daily life, travel experiences,
and conversations between people.
1. Read the English text.
2. Read the Japanese text.
3. Use Romaji if needed.
4. Review the vocabulary.
🌸 Story
Sakura and Sumire are looking at the tree-lined path in their school’s courtyard.
The ground is covered with red and yellow fallen leaves.
さくらとすみれが、学校の中庭の並木道を見ていると。
足元には、赤や黄色の落ち葉がいっぱい。
Sakura to Sumire ga, gakkou no nakaniwa no namikimichi o mite iru to.
Ashimoto ni wa, aka ya kiiro no ochiba ga ippai.
before they fall?
どうして色が変わるの？
doushite iro ga kawaru no?
They were all green in summer, right?
夏は、みんな緑色だったでしょ？
Natsu wa, minna midoriiro datta desho?
some turn yellow, and some turn red.
I wonder who decides that. 🤔
黄色になったり、赤くなったり。
誰が決めてるんだろう？🤔
kiiro ni nattari, akaku nattari.
Dare ga kimeterun darou? 🤔
But it really is a mystery.
でも、確かに不思議だね。
Demo, tashika ni fushigi da ne.
the colors changing inside the leaves, nya.
色の変化が関係しているにゃ。
iro no henka ga kankei shite iru nya.
There are colors inside the leaves?
葉っぱの中に、色が入ってるの？
Happa no naka ni, iro ga haitteru no?
Leaves have something in them
that makes them look green, nya.
葉っぱには、
緑色に見えるもとがあるにゃ。
Happa ni wa,
midoriiro ni mieru moto ga aru nya.
When autumn comes, the days get shorter
and the temperature starts to drop.
Then that green pigment
gradually decreases, nya.
秋になって日が短くなり、
気温が下がってくると、
その緑色のもとが
少しずつ減っていくにゃ。
Aki ni natte hi ga mijikaku nari,
kion ga sagatte kuru to,
sono midoriiro no moto ga
sukoshi zutsu hette iku nya.
Then what happens
when the green color disappears?
じゃあ、緑色がなくなったら、
どうなるの？
Jaa, midoriiro ga nakunattara,
dou naru no?
can become easier to see, nya.
黄色い色が目立つことがあるにゃ。
kiiroi iro ga medatsu koto ga aru nya.
Yellow was there all along?! 😳
黄色って、最初からいたの！？😳
Kiiro tte, saisho kara ita no!? 😳
It was hiding behind the green all this time.
ずっと緑色に隠れていたんだね。
Zutto midoriiro ni kakurete itan da ne.
Was red hiding too?
赤も隠れてたの？
Aka mo kakureteta no?
when autumn comes, nya.
秋になって新しく作られることがあるにゃ。
aki ni natte atarashiku tsukurareru koto ga aru nya.
So yellow and red
appear in different ways!
黄色と赤では、
色の変わり方が違うんだね！
Kiiro to aka de wa,
iro no kawarikata ga chigaun da ne!
Green says,
“It’s almost time for someone else to take over!”
緑色が、
「そろそろ交代しまーす！」って。
Midoriiro ga,
“Sorosoro koutai shimaasu!” tte.
“I’ve been waiting all this time!”
Then red says,
“I’m joining in now!”
Is that how it works? 🤭
「ずっと待ってましたー！」
赤は、
「今から参加しまーす！」
ってこと？🤭
“Zutto mattemashitaa!”
Aka wa,
“Ima kara sanka shimaasu!”
Tte koto? 🤭
That’s a fun way
to remember how the colors change, nya.
色の変化を覚えるには、
面白い考え方だにゃ。
Iro no henka o oboeru ni wa,
omoshiroi kangaekata da nya.
also depends on the type of tree, right?
色の変わり方は違うんだよね。
iro no kawarikata wa chigaun da yo ne.
Not all leaves turn the same color, nya.
みんなが同じ色になるわけではないにゃ。
Minna ga onaji iro ni naru wake de wa nai nya.
…Oh!
Look at this leaf!
Only half of it is yellow!
……あっ！
この葉っぱ、
半分だけ黄色いよ！
…A!
Kono happa,
hanbun dake kiiroi yo!
Looking at leaves
is a little more fun now, isn’t it? 😊
葉っぱを見るのが、
ちょっと楽しくなったね😊
Happa o miru no ga,
chotto tanoshiku natta ne. 😊
💭 Story Note
When Colors Take Turns
In this story, Sakura imagines the colors of autumn leaves as people taking turns.
Green says, “It’s time for someone else to take over!”
Yellow says, “I’ve been waiting!”
And red says, “I’m joining in now!”
In Japanese, “交代（こうたい / koutai）” means taking turns or switching places.
Sakura uses this word playfully, as if the colors are passing their roles to one another.
This is an example of personification, a way of giving human feelings or actions to things that are not human.
Personification is used in both Japanese and English.
It makes the changing colors of autumn leaves feel like a little story.
📚 Vocabulary
Here are some words and expressions from this story.
| English | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| fallen leaves | 落ち葉 | ochiba |
| autumn leaves / autumn colors | 紅葉 | kouyou |
| to change | 変わる | kawaru |
| to be hidden | 隠れる | kakureru |
| taking turns / switching roles | 交代 | koutai |
「交代」(koutai)
means “taking turns”
or “switching roles.”
It is used when one person
takes over from another.
For example,
people can take turns
doing a job,
playing a game,
or using something.
In this story,
Sakura imagines the colors
of autumn leaves taking turns.
Green finishes its role,
yellow has been waiting,
and red joins in.
This is a playful way
of using 「交代」.
For example:
「そろそろ交代しよう。」
Sorosoro koutai shiyou.
“Let’s switch soon.”
「次は私と交代してね。」
Tsugi wa watashi to koutai shite ne.
“Switch places with me next, okay?”
「交代」 is useful
when people take turns
or pass a role
from one person to another.
🔰 Mix Words and Feel Their Meaning｜ことばを混ぜて、感覚をつかもう
Today’s word is 「交代」(koutai).
Try mixing it into English:
“It’s your turn to 交代 with me.”
“Let’s 交代 after this game.”
“Green and yellow are taking turns.
It’s a color 交代!”
「交代」 means
“taking turns”
or “switching roles.”
The goal is not to make
perfect Japanese or English.
Think about the feeling of 「交代」.
One person finishes a role,
and another person takes over.
In this story,
Sakura imagines green,
yellow, and red
taking turns inside the leaves.
So when you hear 「交代」,
imagine someone saying,
“My turn is over.
Now it’s your turn!” 🍂
コメント