Lesson 6
Pairs & repetition
- 1 〜つ〜つ ~tsu ~tsu ~ing and ~ing by turns Two opposite actions taking turns, again and again — only in a few fixed pairs.
- 2 〜ては〜、〜ては〜 ~te wa ~, ~te wa ~ do ~ then ~, over and over The same 'A, then B' sequence happening again and again — often tiring, or getting nowhere.
- 3 〜かれ〜かれ ~kare ~kare whether ~ or ~ (it comes to the same) Two opposite adjectives — 遅かれ早かれ, 多かれ少なかれ, 良かれ悪しかれ — just three fixed phrases.
- 4 〜とも〜とも ~to mo ~to mo (can't say) whether ~ or ~ Two possibilities, and neither one is said or can be told apart — always followed by 言えない・言わない・つかない.
- 5 〜のやら〜のやら ~no yara ~no yara (I can't tell) whether ~ or ~ 'Is it this or that?' — confusion and mixed feelings, in spoken Japanese.
- 6 〔疑問詞〕〜のやら [gimonshi] ~no yara who knows when / what / how ~ Question word + のやら — a sighing 'who knows', said half to yourself.
- 7 Vます に Vて (V) ni (V) te ~ over and over / to the very limit The same verb twice with 「に」between — 考えに考えて, 待ちに待った: 'to the limit'.
- 8 N に N N ni N N with N (a classic pairing) Two things that always come together — ごはんにお味噌汁, ジーンズにTシャツ.
- 9 N という N N to iu N every single N / (this time) for sure N2's 'every N', plus the N1 twist: 今日という今日・今度という今度 = 'this time, for sure'.
Lesson check
All 9 forms of this lesson together — pick the right one from its look-alikes, the way the exam does. 6/8 completes the lesson.
🔒
「面接の前、彼は会社の前を行き＿戻り＿していた。」— fill the blanks.
💡 Hint:Two opposite actions by turns — a fixed pair.
行きつ戻りつ = back and forth (a fixed pair). 「ては」repeats an A→B sequence; 「に〜て」needs the same verb twice.
「作文を書い＿消し、書い＿消しして、やっと完成した。」— fill the blanks.
💡 Hint:Write → erase, that sequence again and again.
Vて + は + V₂: 書いては消し = write, then erase, over and over. 「つ〜つ」is only for fixed pairs (no 書きつ消しつ).
「遅＿早＿、本当のことはみんなに知られるだろう。」— fill the blanks.
💡 Hint:The fixed phrase for 'sooner or later'.
遅かれ早かれ = sooner or later, it will happen. Drop い, add かれ — only three fixed pairs.
「部長は私の案に、賛成＿反対＿言わなかった。」— fill the blanks.
💡 Hint:言わなかった follows — said neither.
N + とも, twice + 言わない: 賛成とも反対とも言わなかった. With 「のやら」it would need 「賛成なのやら」and わからない after it.
A promotion, but with a far-off transfer. To a friend: 「喜んでいい＿悲しんでいい＿。」
💡 Hint:Spoken: 'happy or sad, I can't tell'.
のやら〜のやら = this or that, I'm torn (spoken). 「とも〜とも」would need 言えない after it.
「アパートの前の工事は、いつまで続く＿＿＿。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:いつ + a sighing 'who knows'.
Question word … plain verb + のやら: いつまで続くのやら = who knows how long it'll go on.
「遅刻ばかりする後輩に、今日＿＿＿今日ははっきり言うつもりだ。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:'I've put up with it — today, for sure.'
今日という今日は = today, for sure (patience has run out). There is no 「今日に今日」.
In which sentence does 「に」show a classic pair (not 'to the limit')?
💡 Hint:The same verb on both sides, or two different nouns?
ビールに枝豆 = N に N, a pair that goes together. 考えに考えて・待ちに待った・売れに売れる = V-stem に V, 'to the limit'.
Your score: /8