Host
Welcome to Japanese Daily News. I'm Maya. Today is June eighteenth. The Bank of Japan has raised its interest rate to one percent — something we haven't seen in a very long time. Let's listen.
News
今日のニュースです。
Here's today's news.
News
日本銀行が、金利を1%に上げました。
The Bank of Japan raised its interest rate to 1%.
News
金利は、お金を借りるときにはらう、お金の値段のことです。
The interest rate is the price of money that you pay when you borrow money.
News
金利が1%になるのは、とても久しぶりです。
It has been a very long time since the interest rate was 1%.
News
最近、いろいろな物の値段が高くなっています。
Recently, the prices of all kinds of things have been rising.
News
それで、日本銀行は金利を上げることにしました。
So the Bank of Japan decided to raise the interest rate.
News
金利が上がると、銀行に貯金している人は、もらえるお金が少し増えます。
When interest rates rise, people who keep savings in the bank receive a little more money.
News
でも、お金を借りている人は、返すお金が増えます。
But people who have borrowed money will have to pay back more.
News
家を買うためにお金を借りた家庭は、毎月のお金が増えるかもしれません。
Households that borrowed money to buy a home may have to pay more each month.
News
これから、私たちの生活がどうなるか、みんなが見ています。
Everyone is watching to see how our lives will change from now on.
Host
Let's break it down.
Breakdown
Slow Repeat
日本銀行が、金利を1%に上げました。
The Bank of Japan raised its interest rate to 1%.
Host
The Bank of Japan raised its interest rate to one percent.
Vocab
金利
Host
It means the interest rate — the cost of borrowing money, given as a percentage. A higher rate means costlier loans.
Slow Repeat
金利は、お金を借りるときにはらう、お金の値段のことです。
The interest rate is the price of money that you pay when you borrow money.
Host
The interest rate is the price of money — what you pay when you borrow.
Vocab
借りる
Host
It means to borrow. Its partner word is to lend: you borrow from the bank, and the bank lends to you.
Slow Repeat
金利が1%になるのは、とても久しぶりです。
It has been a very long time since the interest rate was 1%.
Host
It has been a very long time since the rate was at one percent.
Vocab
久しぶり
Host
It means after a long time. You'll also hear it as a greeting — the equivalent of 'long time no see.'
Slow Repeat
最近、いろいろな物の値段が高くなっています。
Recently, the prices of all kinds of things have been rising.
Host
Lately, the prices of all kinds of things have been going up.
Vocab
値段
Host
It means price — how much something costs. You'll see this word on every shelf and menu.
Slow Repeat
それで、日本銀行は金利を上げることにしました。
So the Bank of Japan decided to raise the interest rate.
Host
So the Bank of Japan decided to raise the rate.
Vocab
上げる
Host
It means to raise or lift something up. Here the bank raises the rate. The partner verb, to go up on its own, is a different word.
Slow Repeat
金利が上がると、銀行に貯金している人は、もらえるお金が少し増えます。
When interest rates rise, people who keep savings in the bank receive a little more money.
Host
When the rate goes up, people who keep savings at the bank earn a little more.
Vocab
貯金
Host
It means savings — money you keep in the bank. The two characters together mean 'store up money.'
Slow Repeat
でも、お金を借りている人は、返すお金が増えます。
But people who have borrowed money will have to pay back more.
Host
But people who have borrowed money now have more to pay back.
Vocab
返す
Host
It means to return something or pay it back — return a borrowed book, or pay back borrowed money.
Slow Repeat
家を買うためにお金を借りた家庭は、毎月のお金が増えるかもしれません。
Households that borrowed money to buy a home may have to pay more each month.
Host
Households that borrowed money to buy a home might pay more each month.
Vocab
増える
Host
It means to increase — to grow in number or amount. The opposite is to decrease.
Host
Let's listen to the full story one more time.
News
今日のニュースです。
Here's today's news.
News
日本銀行が、金利を1%に上げました。
The Bank of Japan raised its interest rate to 1%.
News
金利は、お金を借りるときにはらう、お金の値段のことです。
The interest rate is the price of money that you pay when you borrow money.
News
金利が1%になるのは、とても久しぶりです。
It has been a very long time since the interest rate was 1%.
News
最近、いろいろな物の値段が高くなっています。
Recently, the prices of all kinds of things have been rising.
News
それで、日本銀行は金利を上げることにしました。
So the Bank of Japan decided to raise the interest rate.
News
金利が上がると、銀行に貯金している人は、もらえるお金が少し増えます。
When interest rates rise, people who keep savings in the bank receive a little more money.
News
でも、お金を借りている人は、返すお金が増えます。
But people who have borrowed money will have to pay back more.
News
家を買うためにお金を借りた家庭は、毎月のお金が増えるかもしれません。
Households that borrowed money to buy a home may have to pay more each month.
News
これから、私たちの生活がどうなるか、みんなが見ています。
Everyone is watching to see how our lives will change from now on.
Host
Quiz time. Three questions.
Slow Repeat
日本銀行は、金利を何%に上げましたか。
Host
What percent did the Bank of Japan raise its rate to? One percent.
Slow Repeat
なぜ日本銀行は金利を上げましたか。
Host
Why did the Bank of Japan raise the rate? Because prices have been going up.
Slow Repeat
お金を借りている人は、これからどうなりますか。
Host
What happens for people who have borrowed money? They have more to pay back.
Host
That's today's Japanese Daily News. Full transcript with furigana at podcast.jpnotes.dev. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. See you tomorrow.
News
また明日。
See you tomorrow.
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Grammar Reference
〜とき N5
when ~; at the time of ~
verb / adjective plain form + とき
お金を借りるとき、金利をはらいます。
When you borrow money, you pay interest.
〜とき marks the moment an action happens. The verb before it stays in plain form: 借りるとき (when borrowing). Use the dictionary form for 'when about to / while,' and the past form (〜たとき) for 'after.'
Grammar notes → 〜ことにする N4
to decide to ~
verb dictionary form + ことにする
日本銀行は金利を上げることにしました。
The Bank of Japan decided to raise the rate.
〜ことにする expresses a decision someone makes of their own will. Compare 〜ことになる, where the decision is made for you, by circumstances or by others.
Grammar notes → 〜ために N4
in order to ~; for the purpose of ~
verb dictionary form / noun + の + ために
家を買うために、お金を借りました。
They borrowed money in order to buy a house.
〜ために gives the purpose of an action you take on purpose, and the subject stays the same before and after. To say 'so that something (you don't control) won't happen,' use 〜ないように instead.
Grammar notes → 〜かもしれません N4
might ~; perhaps ~
plain form + かもしれません
毎月のお金が増えるかもしれません。
The monthly cost might increase.
〜かもしれません shows the speaker thinks something is possible but isn't sure — less certain than 〜でしょう. Attach it to the plain form: 増える → 増えるかもしれません.
Grammar notes →