Whisper of the Heart
第1章（だいいちしょう）
Chapter 1
Shizuku comes home with milk, talks with her family, and continues her summer reading goal.
Chapter events
Shizuku comes home and begins her summer reading
The opening follows Shizuku as she returns home with milk, interacts with her family, and goes to school and the library because she wants to keep reading during summer vacation.
Scene: Coming home
One of the first useful expressions is:
ただいま。
Tadaima · I'm home.
This is a common expression used when someone arrives home.
Important distinction: Japanese customs
These expressions are used according to whether someone is arriving at or leaving home.
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| ただいま | ただいまtadaima | I'm home | Person arriving home |
| おかえり | おかえりokaeri | Welcome home | Person already at home |
| いってきます | いってきますittekimasu | I'm leaving / See you | Person leaving home |
| いってらっしゃい | いってらっしゃいitterasshai | See you / Take care | Person staying home |
Study tip: Memorize these four expressions as a set.
Family conversation
The family conversation uses ordinary casual Japanese rather than textbook-style formal speech.
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 早く。 | はやくhayaku | Hurry. | Short family command |
| ちょうだい。 | ちょうだいchoudai | Give me [it]. | Casual request |
| ありがと。 | ありがとarigato | Thanks. | Casual form of ありがとう |
| 早くして。 | はやくしてhayaku shite | Hurry up. | Natural casual speech |
Family members often omit the subject. あなたは早くしてください。 is possible, but too formal for this setting.
Useful vocabulary: Household words
牛乳（ぎゅうにゅう） means milk. The う lengthens the preceding vowel: ぎゅ is gyu, while ぎゅう is gyuu.
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 牛乳 | ぎゅうにゅうgyuunyuu | milk |
| 水 | みずmizu | water |
| お茶 | おちゃocha | tea |
| ご飯 | ごはんgohan | rice / meal |
| 晩ご飯 | ばんごはんbangohan | dinner |
| 袋 | ふくろfukuro | bag |
| 家 | いえie | house / home |
Grammar Card: Conversation patterns
〜なのに - even though / despite
牛乳一本なのに、袋をもらった。 - Even though it was only one carton of milk, I got a bag.
だって〜もの - Because... / It's just that...
だって、くれるんだもの。 - Because they give it to me!
〜んだ / 〜んです - explaining something
勉強するんです。 - You see, I'm studying.
〜たら - when / after / if
ご飯を食べたら、勉強します。 - After I eat, I'll study.
〜って決めた - decided to...
20冊読むって決めた。 - I decided to read 20 books.
〜ちゃった - accidentally / unfortunately / completely
忘れちゃった。 - I forgot / ended up forgetting.
Scene: Shizuku's reading goal
Shizuku has decided to read 20 books during vacation. The counter 冊（さつ） is used for books and other bound volumes.
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 本 | ほんhon | book |
| 読む | よむyomu | to read |
| 図書館 | としょかんtoshokan | library |
| 学校 | がっこうgakkou | school |
| 夏休み | なつやすみnatsuyasumi | summer vacation |
| 決める | きめるkimeru | to decide |
読む conjugates as: 読む → 読みます → 読んで → 読んだ.
本を三冊読みました。 - I read three books.
The opening shows ordinary family Japanese, including short commands, casual contractions, omitted subjects, and homecoming customs.
- 〜んだ / 〜んです
explanation - 〜もの
because / excuse - 〜って
casual quotation - 〜たら
when / after / if - 〜ちゃった
ended up / unfortunately - 〜なのに
even though
Watch the first ten minutes and listen for one pattern at a time:
- ただいま / おかえり
- だって
- 〜んだ / 〜んです
- 本・読む・図書館
- って
Mini quiz
- 「ただいま」は誰が言う？
A. The person staying home B. The person returning home - 「おかえり」は？
A. The person returning B. The person already home - 「本を三冊」 means:
A. three pages B. three books C. three people - 「読むって決めた」 means approximately:
A. I decided to read. B. I don't read. C. I finished reading. - 「忘れちゃった」 means:
A. I will forget. B. I forgot / ended up forgetting. C. I want to forget.