@Chellykins Good job! I also learned 泳ぎ first, so I was also disappointed by 水泳’s existence.
What I think you mean
When I was a child, there were swimming classes. Now, I can swim, but I rarely do.
I’m not skilled. I know how to not drown. It’s fun.
In my hometown, there’s a wave pool. I think that Water World is a little extra (extreme?).
At first, “およぎ” is what I learned, so I like/prefer “およぎ”.
My attempt at rewriting, which may also be imperfect.
子供の時、水泳のクラスがありました。今泳ぎできるが、あんまり泳ぎません。
上手じゃない（です, for politeness consistency）。おぼれない方を知っています。楽しいです。
故郷で波のプールがあります。ウオーターワールドはちょっと「エクストリーム」と思います。
最初に「泳ぎ」を習いたので、「泳ぎ」が好きです。
あまり/あんまり/あんまし is followed by a negative verb
If you know something, you have to use 知っています, since 知ります is technically future tense.
I meant “extra” like how the cool kids use it these days, like, my wave pool is cool and all, but Waterworld is like, Woah! Extra!
Also, damn, that わ in 3 is killing me. Oops. Thanks for the edit! I’m at the point where I have been taught quite a bit, but cannot use it very well. Thanks for the opportunity to practice.
こと is more general, non-concrete, non-specific, or something you don’t feel close to. の is the opposite.
So, to use the example given in the grammar dictionary, 小説を書くことは難しいです = The general idea of writing a novel is difficult, while 小説を書くのは難しいです = This novel, which I am currently writing myself, is difficult to write.
In this particular case, I was asking about the general experience/feelings about swimming, so I think that would be 泳ぐこと. However, if I were to be describing someone swimming right now, that has a much greater element of specificity/proximity, so it sounds like 泳ぐの would be better.
Well, that was the fastest I’ve ever read a よつばと！chapter!
I’m still using the word-list of course, but this was another easy chapter and I don’t think I’ve got any questions!
But what brilliant fun! Especially that total switch at the end to Asagi on the beach! Wonderful!
One thing I did notice …
For a long time I gave up on WK as just plain too difficult. But a couple of weeks ago I reset my level to 1 and started again, and am now trying to climb out of level 2 again! The amazing thing was coming across words in this chapter I’ve only just learned on WK, such as 田,目, and 玉, (and in the case of the last two, even putting them together)! Finally, I’m starting to get a bit of a feel for this whole thing! (I’m a slow learner at the best of times!). And it feels great!
It really feels like Japanese is one of those things where nothing makes sense until you reach a critical mass of phrases or words or grammar points and then something that’s just been a blur suddenly clicks and you can quickly make a lot of progress until the next gate. I’m glad you’re getting the hang of kanji now.
What does Fuuka’s shirt say on the title page? “Love Puck”? As in Greek/Shakespearean mythology Puck? That’d be パック, though, surely.
Probably because fully half the speech bubbles are just ギャー or variants on that theme.
As for Asagi, she’s in Okinawa
I love that “aha!” feeling of finally being able to connect two seemingly unrelated bits of Japanese knowledge. Sadly, I think I’ve learnt enough Japanese that those moments are all in the past for me…
A usage question - on p.146, second panel, Fuuka says that Ena is on the second floor (my literal translation) - is it more common in a private home to refer to the upstairs as 2階 rather than 階上?
Oh, indeed. I had that same thought - just somehow forgot to post it here. If I were directing a customer in a shop, I might say “the kitchenware is on the second floor”, but if I were directing a guest in my house, I’d just go “my sister is upstairs”. Doesn’t the same sort of idea apply in Japanese?
It could be that Fuuka doesn’t think that Yotsuba knows where Ena’s room is - it was the mother who directed her last time we saw it - but surely she’s been there often enough by now…
Miura is such a good villain. “I CAME…! YOTSUBA…!”
Is this the first time Yotsuba has cried a lot? Most of the other characters (e.g., Koiwai with “Don’t Mind!”, and Asagi when she gave back the stolen strawberry) were able to prevent it from happening.
よくもやったなぁ 
Miura is such a good villain. “I CAME…! YOTSUBA…!”