In this article, I will explain Japanese grammar and vocabulary based on Yuta Okkotsu’s line “僕は真希さんみたいになりたい”. Let’s have fun learning Japanese through Jujutsu Kaisen!
The Basic Information of The Line
The basic meaning
in Japanese: “僕は真希さんみたいになりたい”
in Hiragana: “ぼくはまきさんみたいになりたい”
in Romaji: “boku wa Maki san mitai ni naritai”
Meaning: “I want to be like Maki-san.”
The situation in which the line was spoken
This is a line from a conversation between Yuta Okkotsu and Maki Zenin. Maki Zenin tells Yuta Okkotsu why she became a jujutsu sorcerer. After hearing her story, Yuta Okkotsu was impressed and said, ‘I want to be like you, Maki-san.’
Grammatical Structure
僕 (ぼく / boku)
This is a first-person pronoun, commonly used by males, meaning “I” or “me”.
は (wa)
This is the topic marker, indicating that the topic or subject of the sentence is “僕” (boku/I).
真希さん (まきさん / Maki-san)
Maki-san is Maki Zenin.
By the way, “真希” is a common Japanese given name which can be read as “Maki”. The “さん” is an honorific, similar to “Mr.” or “Ms.” in English. Here, it is used to show respect to the person named Maki.
みたいに (mitai ni)
“みたい” means “like” or “similar to”, and “に” is a directional/adverbial particle. When combined, “みたいに” is translated as “like” or “in the manner of”. This phrase is used to express a desire or aspiration to be or do something similar to someone else.
なりたい (naritai)
This is the desire form of the verb “なる (naru)”, which means “to become”. “たい” expresses want or desire, so “なりたい” means “want to become”.
General Use in Everyday Conversation
Casual Form
“僕は真希さんみたいになりたい” is already in a somewhat casual form. You can use this with friends, family, or people of the same age or younger. It conveys a sentiment like, “I want to be like Maki-san.”
Polite Form
If you want to express the same sentiment but in a more formal or polite manner, you can modify the sentence slightly:
- “僕は真希さんのようになりたいです。” (boku wa Maki-san no you ni naritai desu.)
Here’s the breakdown:
- のように (no you ni): This is a more formal way of saying “like” or “similar to”. “のように” can be used interchangeably with “みたいに”, but it’s a bit more formal.
- です (desu): This is a copula that adds politeness to the statement.
In more formal situations or when speaking to someone of higher status, using “のように” and “です” makes the statement sound more respectful.
So, if you are talking with close friends or peers, the original sentence is fine. But if you are in a more formal setting or speaking to someone senior to you, it’s a good idea to use the polite form.
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