Host
Welcome to Japanese Daily News. I'm Maya. Today is June twenty-second. The King and Queen of Belgium are visiting Japan, and the Emperor and Empress held a special dinner for them. Let's listen.
News
今日のニュースです。
Here's today's news.
News
ベルギーの国王と王妃が、日本に来ています。
The King and Queen of Belgium are visiting Japan.
News
天皇陛下と皇后陛下が、二人を迎えました。
The Emperor and Empress welcomed the two.
News
夜には、皇居で特別な晩餐会が開かれました。
In the evening, a special state banquet was held at the Imperial Palace.
News
晩餐会には、国王の家族や、たくさんの大切な客が集まりました。
The king's family and many important guests gathered at the banquet.
News
天皇陛下は、「両国の友好が、これからも続くことを願っています」と話しました。
The Emperor said, "I hope that the friendship between our two countries will continue in the future."
News
日本とベルギーは、長い間、仲の良い関係を続けてきました。
Japan and Belgium have maintained good relations for a long time.
News
二つの国は、これまで150年以上、付き合ってきました。
The two countries have had relations for more than 150 years.
News
国王たちは、これから日本のいろいろな場所を訪れる予定です。
The king and his party plan to visit various places in Japan.
News
二つの国の友好が、もっと深くなることが期待されています。
It is hoped that the friendship between the two countries will grow even deeper.
Host
Let's break it down.
Breakdown
Slow Repeat
ベルギーの国王と王妃が、日本に来ています。
The King and Queen of Belgium are visiting Japan.
Host
The King and Queen of Belgium are visiting Japan.
Vocab
国王
Host
It means a king. The two characters mean 'country' and 'king.' A king's wife is called a queen.
Slow Repeat
天皇陛下と皇后陛下が、二人を迎えました。
The Emperor and Empress welcomed the two.
Host
The Emperor and Empress welcomed the two of them.
Vocab
迎える
Host
It means to welcome or greet someone — and also to go out and meet them, the way you'd go to pick someone up.
Slow Repeat
夜には、皇居で特別な晩餐会が開かれました。
In the evening, a special state banquet was held at the Imperial Palace.
Host
In the evening, a special dinner banquet was held at the Imperial Palace.
Vocab
特別
Host
It means special — a special day, a special guest. Its opposite is the word for ordinary.
Slow Repeat
晩餐会には、国王の家族や、たくさんの大切な客が集まりました。
The king's family and many important guests gathered at the banquet.
Host
At the banquet, the king's family and many important guests gathered.
Vocab
集まる
Host
It means to gather or come together on its own. There's a partner verb for actively bringing things together.
Slow Repeat
天皇陛下は、「両国の友好が、これからも続くことを願っています」と話しました。
The Emperor said, "I hope that the friendship between our two countries will continue in the future."
Host
The Emperor said, 'I hope the friendship between our two countries continues from here on.'
Vocab
友好
Host
It means friendship, especially the friendly ties between countries.
Slow Repeat
日本とベルギーは、長い間、仲の良い関係を続けてきました。
Japan and Belgium have maintained good relations for a long time.
Host
Japan and Belgium have kept up friendly relations for a long time.
Vocab
関係
Host
It means a relationship, or connection — between two people, or between two countries.
Slow Repeat
二つの国は、これまで150年以上、付き合ってきました。
The two countries have had relations for more than 150 years.
Host
The two countries have associated with each other for over a hundred and fifty years so far.
Vocab
付き合う
Host
It means to keep company with, to associate with. It's also the everyday word for dating someone.
Slow Repeat
国王たちは、これから日本のいろいろな場所を訪れる予定です。
The king and his party plan to visit various places in Japan.
Host
The royals plan to visit various places in Japan from here.
Vocab
予定
Host
It means a plan, or schedule — to have plans, or to be scheduled to do something.
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
ベルギーの国王と王妃が、日本に来ています。
The King and Queen of Belgium are visiting Japan.
News
天皇陛下と皇后陛下が、二人を迎えました。
The Emperor and Empress welcomed the two.
News
夜には、皇居で特別な晩餐会が開かれました。
In the evening, a special state banquet was held at the Imperial Palace.
News
晩餐会には、国王の家族や、たくさんの大切な客が集まりました。
The king's family and many important guests gathered at the banquet.
News
天皇陛下は、「両国の友好が、これからも続くことを願っています」と話しました。
The Emperor said, "I hope that the friendship between our two countries will continue in the future."
News
日本とベルギーは、長い間、仲の良い関係を続けてきました。
Japan and Belgium have maintained good relations for a long time.
News
二つの国は、これまで150年以上、付き合ってきました。
The two countries have had relations for more than 150 years.
News
国王たちは、これから日本のいろいろな場所を訪れる予定です。
The king and his party plan to visit various places in Japan.
News
二つの国の友好が、もっと深くなることが期待されています。
It is hoped that the friendship between the two countries will grow even deeper.
Host
Quiz time. Three questions.
Slow Repeat
だれが、日本に来ていますか。
Host
Who is visiting Japan? The King and Queen of Belgium.
Slow Repeat
夜に、皇居で何が開かれましたか。
Host
What was held at the Imperial Palace in the evening? A special dinner banquet.
Slow Repeat
日本とベルギーは、何年ぐらい付き合ってきましたか。
Host
About how long have Japan and Belgium associated with each other? More than a hundred and fifty years.
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
〜や N5
~ and ~ (and so on)
noun + や + noun
国王の家族や、大切な客が集まりました。
The king's family, important guests, and others gathered.
〜や lists a couple of examples and implies there are more, unlike と, which lists a complete set. 家族や客 = family, guests, and so on. It joins nouns only.
N5 grammar list → 〜てくる N4
have been ~ing (up to now)
verb て-form + くる
二つの国は長く付き合ってきました。
The two countries have associated for a long time.
〜てくる here shows an action continuing from the past up to the present. 続けてきた = have kept it up until now. For an action that will go on into the future, the partner is 〜ていく.
Grammar notes → 〜（ら）れる（受身） N4
is ~ed (passive)
verb passive form
皇居で晩餐会が開かれました。
A banquet was held at the Imperial Palace.
The passive describes something from the receiver's side, or without naming who did it. 開かれました = was held. News writing uses it a lot: 期待されています = is (being) hoped for.
N4 grammar list → 〜予定です N4
be scheduled to ~; plan to ~
verb dictionary form / noun + の + 予定です
いろいろな場所を訪れる予定です。
They are scheduled to visit various places.
〜予定です states a fixed plan or schedule, more settled than 〜つもり (intention). After a noun, add の: 明日の予定. 予定 by itself is the noun 'plan, schedule.'
Grammar notes →