Teasing Master Takagi-san 😝 ・ Volume 1, chapter 9

Finished the chapter yesterday! My first ever book in Japanese finished! (Well… honestly I haven’t read the bonus chapter yet but I’m really looking forward to it.) Hopefully I’ll have time today to go back through my notes. I probably have few questions to ask.

I’ll echo what everybody else is saying: I’ve learned so much reading this book and I really appreciate all the people that made it happen. Reading this last chapter, some pages were still a struggle, but other pages I understood easily. The parts I struggle with the most are Nishikata’s internal monologues and all the unfinished sentences. I feel like I need one level deeper of an understanding to guess what’s left off of the page.

I’m planning on reading along with Ayumu next. I’m sure I’ll see some familiar faces (or profile pictures) there! I haven’t decided yet if I have enough time to read along with the Takagi-san offshoot book club. I have a copy of the book already, but it still takes me a fair amount of time for me to read.

What is everybody planning on doing with the week between books? I’m going to use the time to properly drill myself on all the verb forms that I look up every time. I also want to go back to the first chapter to see how much I’ve improved.

15 Likes

I’ll likely do some grammar practice, but I also have been reading some things on my own that I’ll use the time for, as well as getting the Volume 2 discussion thread up since the start date will be decided on by then. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

All of this between the small dinner we are doing on Saturday with our vaccinated family members for the holiday.

And WaniKani, of course is always a given fact of life for a while still. :stuck_out_tongue:

6 Likes

More reading! I’ve been attempting Magu-chan: God of Destruction, but the titular Magu-chan has a tendency to speak in classical-style japanese so it’s a bit tough going. I’ve also been working through some graded readers on this site and those have been fun

I definitely think just drilling conjugation for a bit can help get the forms to stick (especially with those godan verbs) in the short term

6 Likes

With the final week slowly drawing to a close, let me join you all in thanking everyone who participated in this book club. Your answers, but also your questions, were invaluable. Sometimes trying to answer someone’s question helped me cement my understanding (and question my knowledge) even more than having my own questions answered. A special thank you goes out to @Phryne for hosting, and to @ChristopherFritz, who mainly in the beginning, when it most mattered, patiently broke everything down for us beginners into its simplest terms, making even complex concepts easily approachable.

This was my very first manga in Japanese, and as I stumbled my way through the first chapter, worrying about how much was eluding me, I could never imagine that by the end of the book I would have developed the confidence to try my hand at reading novels (and amazingly, due to more conventional sentence structure, they sometimes even feel easier). I have still a very long way to go, of course, but the progress I’ve seen during these short nine weeks was more noticeable than at any other point in my studies. More importantly, native Japanese material is not something unapproachable and vaguely threatening any more. I know I can look up grammar I don’t understand, I can look up unknown vocabulary, I can find the patience to break down complex sentences until they make sense, and I know I can turn to others for help if none of the above works.

Being generally more interested in novels than manga, I wasn’t planning to join the Ayumu club. But the book was free, so there’s really no reason not to read it and participate - any book club is fun, after all. So I’ll probably see those of you who will choose to participate there, or elsewhere around the community.

And to those late joiners, please don’t hesitate to ask questions, even if the book club has ended. There are many people who will be more than happy to help out.

16 Likes

Hello! I’ve been lurking and reading along, the questions everyone asked often mirrored my own and the answers were great so I didn’t end up contributing much.
This was my first native material, an entire volume of manga! Almost seemed insurmountable in the beginning but lightened up so much as the weeks went by.
This was great, thank you to everyone who asked, answered and participated, and I surely will be continuing with Ayumu.
I saw some discussion of continuing with the next volume of Takagi san separately from the book club, and I’d love to join if that were to happen!
All in all a great experience, almost sad it is ending but looking forward to the future!

13 Likes

Be sure to keep an eye on the offshoot book club thread!

6 Likes

Ohh awesome, I didn’t see it, I’ll join in! Thankss

6 Likes

It’s been a super busy week for me. I swear I finished the chapter on Tuesday but I’m just now looking at my notes to ask questions.

p.12

どうしよっかなー

I just honestly just couldn’t parse this phrase. Probably in this case どう = “how”, but the rest of it is probably something I haven’t been able to look up because it’s cut off?

p.13

お互いの ヒミツ知ってたら 少しは安心でしょ。

I get most of this sentence, but what is the function of 少し here? It’s the topic marked by は, but it seems weird to have a word meaning “a few” modified by what’s before it, “if we knew each other’s secrets”. If it meant “a few secrets” I would have thought 少し would be earlier in the sentence modifying ヒミツ.

I wish I could think of a better way to ask those questions. It’s getting late though and I haven’t even read that bonus chapter yet like I said I would.

6 Likes

For page 12, you can look at it in these parts:

  • *どう (how)
  • する as the volitional しよう (shall do)
  • か+な (combination of particles that give a sense of “I wonder if…”)
  • ー (stretches out the あ sound in な, with no meaning behind it)

どう+しよう often gets used together, meaning “how shall I do” or “how will you do”, etc.

In all, you get something to the effect of, “What shall I do, I wonder,” or “I wonder what I should do…”

As for page 13, I don’t have an explanation for this (I’ve yet to find one that’s satisfactory), but as I understand it, this is a case where the は gives the sense of “at least”, as in “at least a little” (少しは).

You can see an example of this on this question and answer:

6 Likes

I believe there’s a grammar point on this in Bunpro here. Most notably, the example sentence below seems to imitate the usage the closest.

おこったおや:「はなまえにちょっと かんがえなさい。」
Angry parent: “Think a little at least before you speak!”

9 Likes

は is often used for emphasis or contrast, and that’s what I thought it was doing there, as it couldn’t be marking a topic. Good to know it’s a grammar point in itself, thanks.

6 Likes

it checks out, followed the reference on bunpro and checked tobira p118.
explicitly said は after a quantifier means “at least” and mentioned 少し as an example
lists the number(+ counter)は、N(+ ぐらい)は and also lists Nだけは under “at least”.

kinda feels like the other side of how も is used with numbers. Number + も - Japanese Grammar Explained | Bunpro

9 Likes

Thanks to all of you! That all makes a lot of sense. Hopefully I can recognize these points next time I come across them. I was vaguely aware of that use of は, but I haven’t seen it used enough in practice for it to click for me.

6 Likes

I figure that most everyone who has been in this Teasing Master Takagi-San book club up to now is aware, but just to be sure that we don’t accidentally leave out anybody who would be interested in joining (I know that I initially failed to set the original home thread to watching, so it’s totally easy to miss!), here is the link to the Off-Shoot Club. We will be starting Volume 2 of Takagi-san on July 24th!

Teasing Master Takagi-san :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes: ・ Off-Shoot Book Club Home Thread • Starting Volume 2 July 24th! - Japanese Language / Reading - WaniKani Community

9 Likes

Joined this bookclub in its last week, so I wasn’t able to read along with everyone. Happy to say I just finished reading! This was also my first book read cover to cover!!! I loved it. I laughed out loud so many times. Nishikata’s expressions were too good, he’s too easy to tease. No wonder Takagi couldn’t resist. :stuck_out_tongue:

Reading/understanding wise, I’m so proud of myself! I saw so much growth that I saw AS I was reading. Like each chapter got easier? Or maybe I got more confident? Don’t get me wrong, there were parts that would trip me up throughout. The group discussions helped alot! Especially those who broke down sentences and explained grammar points. So thank you to everyone who asked and answered questions.

I’m joining the series offshoot book club for sure! Already bought vols 3 and 4 too :smiley:

12 Likes

初めての本を終わっておめでとうございます!!!

You’ll probably find this is the case for books and series in general…both are probably true. You get used to the authors writing and the vocab/style tend to stay the same so both go hand in hand. The 2nd volume just started…welcome aboard!!!

6 Likes

This is why I always try to encourage others who haven’t done any reading (or just a little here and there) to dive in and read a whole manga volume, looking up all the unknown grammar (and vocabulary) along the way. There’s actually a very small amount of grammar to know to be able to get the basic gist of what’s going on, and there’s a lot of common vocabulary that comes up again and again. This makes it easy to see at least some progress along the way.

Good luck on your continued progress with the next volumes =D

7 Likes

I haven’t read chapter 9 yet, but here is my attempt at a breakdown for the bonus chapter since we don’t seem to have one.

I was quite unsure on lots of this so took liberty and guessed from context, it feels like the talking styles and particle usage are completely different.

Notation: B.X.Y = Bonus page X panel Y

Bonus chapter おまけ

B.1 title
おまけ
“bonus”

B.2.1 ユカリ
あの二人って付き合ってるのかなー
“As for those two, they’re close / together.”
Unsure what のかさー is doing here.

B.2.2 サナエ
何?
“what?”

B.2.2 ユカリ
西方君と高木ちゃんよ。
“Nishikata and Takagi.”

B.2.3 ユカリ
気にならないわけ?すっごく中良さそうだし
not sure how to combine these pieces…
気にならない to not bother someone, to not be weighing on one’s mind
わけ reasonality
すっごく中良さそう seeming amazingly close
だ copula
し giving reason

B.2.4 サナエ
ユカリ、アンタ羨ましいの?
“Yukari, (why?) are you jealous?”

B.2.5 ユカリ
いや、だってさー羨ましいって言うか。。。
“no, why would you say jealous…”
unsure on this one.
だってさー what is going on here…
Xって言う to say X, or X was said
か not sure what is being left off here, is this a question mark?

B.3.1 サナエ
ミナー、ユカリって男子とイチャイチャイしたいんだってさー
“Mina, Yukuri wants to flirt (/ make out) with a (/ that) boy.”

B.3.3 ミナ
もう!サナエちゃん急に話しかけないでよ!!おしっこ出そうだったのに止まっちったよ
“Already, Sanae, don’t suddenly address me. I was about to pee and then I stopped”
lit: pee was about to come out … stopped.

B.3.4 サナエ
まーだ出てなかったの?早くしなよ
“You’re not out yet? hurry up!”

B.3.4 ミナ
やめてよー!!集中しないと出ないんだから
“Stop! I can’t come out if I don’t focus!”

B.3.5
集中しないと出ないくらいならしなくてもいいでしょ
not sure how to combine these pieces…
集中しない to not concentrate
と still not sure what this is doing…
出ない to not leave
くらいなら apparently rather than?
しなくてもいい to not do + is good (giving permission? asking permission?)
でしょ surely is

B.3.5
この感じは次の授業中にくる感じなの
“this feeling, during next class this feeling will come”
what feeling?
as always not sure on the なの…

B.4.1 サナエ
だってジャムしたくなるんだもん。
“Because it makes me want to jam”
after all
ジャムし jam ?!?
したくなる want to do become = makes me want to do

だ copula
もん reason

B.4.2
なんでアンタはいつもそうなの。。。
“Why do you usually (always) do that (act like that)”

B.4.4 高木
ん?そうなとこで何してんの?
“eh? why are you doing things like that?”

B.4.5 サナエ
ミナのおしっこひっこめてんの。
“Mina’s wee-wee is withdrawing (refusing to come out, hiding)”

B.5.1 サナエ
ところで高木ちゃんと西方君て付き合ってんの?ってユカリが…
“By the way, are Takagi and Nishikata are together? Yakari said so…”

B.5.2 高木
んーん。付き合ってないよ。
“hmmm, not together”

B.5.3 サナエ
そっかありがとうー。ゴメンね、ひきとめて。
“I see, thanks. Sorry for checking.”

B.5.3 高木
ううん、じゃあねー。
“sure, later.”

B.5.5 ユカリ?
何急に聞いてんのよ!!
“Why’d you suddenly ask that?”

B.5.5 サナエ?
気になってたんでしょ?
“Wasn’t it on your mind?”
(bothering you / weighing on your mind)

B.6.1 サナエ
あの人付き合ってなんだってさ、
“Why did (someone) say those two were together?”
なんだって what? what did you say?

B.6.1 ミナ
聞こえてたよ!何のぞいてんのー??
聞こえてた I heard it / I was able to hear it
何のぞいてんのー ???

B.6.2
あーもう、絶対授業中にトイレ行きたくなるよー。
“I’m definitely going to need to go to the bathroom during class”

B.6.2 サナエ
行けばいいじゃん
~ “surely you can just go”
more literally would be “going (would be) good surely”
行けば to go in provisional form
いい good
じゃん surely / come on

B.6.4 ユカリ
コイツらと恋愛話はできそーにないな
“I can’t/won’t talk about love with these guys/girls”
コイツら - this guy/girl + pluraliser = these guys/girls
と with
恋愛話はでき to be able to talk about love
そーに particle noise ?!?
ない not
な particle noise ?!?

B.6.4 ミナ
授業中にトイレなんて恥ずかしいよ
“things like (going to the) toilet during class are embarrassing.”

B.6.4
私もついてってあげるから。
“I’ll go with you too”
私も me also
ついて to stick to (つく) in te form
って は in fancy suit
あげる to do for someone
から because/from/since ?

6 Likes

Thanks for the chance to revisit the bonus chapter! It certainly was a fun one (did I mention I love Sanae?)

か is turning everything preceding it into a question, なー is wondering aloud to oneself. の I think groups everything preceding it into a unit (explanatory の? の’s many functions blend into a blur after some time for me). “I wonder whether (かなー) it is that (の) these two are an item (あの二人って付き合ってる)”

Sanae answers さぁ to Yukari’s question, an indifferent “who knows/cares”. So Yukari asks “So (that’s what I think わけ is doing here, but わけ is a wild beast, so I might be wrong), aren’t you curious (気にならない)? Because (し) they seem amazingly close.”

Cure Dolly has a video on だって that explains it quite well I feel.
Basically it’s the copula だ + って (という), and it’s often used as a way to contradict what has been previously said (among many other uses). Your translation seems fine to me. “No, what you said…Jealous you said?”

This one is fun. The 出ない refers to おしっこ (pee) that won’t come out, as it has been throughout this dialogue. と is the conditional と (if). I translated くらい as “so much, to this extent” and なら as if, but even if you take them together to mean “rather than” I think it’s basically the same. So, “If it doesn’t come out if you don’t concentrate so much, then it might be best (もいいでしょ) if you didn’t (しなくて) concentrate (implied).”

The feeling of needing to pee . Can’t help much with なの, I feel it’s kind of an explanatory add-on, but I’m still vague on how it works.

That’s ジャマ, not ジャム, meaning hindrance; obstacle; nuisance; disturbance; interruption; interference, I think.

I can’t be sure because it’s a sound, not a word as such, but I believe んーん is a straightforward “no”, not a “hmmm”.

I think this is more “sorry for detaining/keeping you”.

It is あの二人付き合ってないんだってさ。
Sanae is informing Mina (who heard everything of course) on what she just learnt: “She said/Apparently (だって) those two aren’t a couple”

のぞく = to peek (through a keyhole, gap, etc.)

そうにない=showing no signs of (verb); extremely unlikely to (after -masu stem of verb)
な= thinking to oneself sentence ending particle

6 Likes

Finally to the 9th chapter, can’t wait to see how the first volume will end!

Out of curiosity, what are the off shoot book clubs?

3 Likes