Learning Japanese Through a Weather Forecast – JLPT N4

This article will guide you through understanding a typical Japanese weather forecast and warning, focusing on the vocabulary and sentence structures commonly tested in the JLPT N4 reading section. Mastering this skill is practical for everyday life – knowing if you need an umbrella or to prepare for severe weather!

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

Let’s start with some crucial words:

• 天気 (tenki): Weather
• 予報 (yohō): Forecast
• 注意報 (chūi-hō): Advisory
• 警報 (keibō): Warning
• 降る (furu): To fall (rain, snow, etc.)
• 雨 (ame): Rain
• 雪 (yuki): Snow
• 雷 (rai): Thunder
• 強風 (qiō-kaze): Strong wind
• 気温 (kijin): Temperature
• 最高気温 (saikō-kijin): High temperature
• 最低気温 (sai teki-kijin): Low temperature

Here are some useful phrases:

• ～について (…ni tsuite): About / Regarding
• ～と予想されます (…to yososhimasu): It is expected that…
• 大丈夫ですか？(Daijōbu desu ka?): Are you okay?/Is everything alright? (Used for warnings)

A Typical Weather Forecast Example

Let’s look at an example forecast:

“おはようございます。今日の天気予報をお伝えします。

今日は、東京で最高気温は25度、最低気温は18度の予報です。日中は晴れ、午後は曇りになります。雷の可能性があるので、注意が必要です。散歩に行く場合は、熱中症に気を付けてください。”

(Ohayō gozaimasu. Kyō no tenki yohō o tsutae shimasu.

Kyō wa, Tōkyō de saikō-kijin wa 25-do, sai teki-kijin wa 18-do no yohō desu. Nichijō wa hare, gogo wa kumori ni narimasu. Rai no kanōsei ga aru node, chūi ga hitsuyō desu. Sankoppo ni iku hō ga, netsutsume ni ki o tsukete kudasai.)

(Good morning. I will announce today’s weather forecast.

Today, the high temperature in Tokyo is 25 degrees Celsius and the low temperature is 18 degrees Celsius. During the day it will be sunny, and in the afternoon it will become cloudy. There’s a possibility of thunder, so please pay attention. If you go for a walk, please be careful of heatstroke.)

Understanding the Example

• おはようございます (Ohayō gozaimasu): “Good morning” – This is how the forecast usually begins.
• ～について (…ni tsuite): Notice how “今日の天気予報について” translates to “about today’s weather forecast.”
• 注意が必要です(Chūi ga hitsuyō desu): This directly translates to “pay attention” and is essential for warnings.

A Weather Warning Example

Here’s a more serious example – a warning:

“緊急警報です。今から、沖縄県に強風と大雨による洪水警報が発令されました。気象庁は、住民の皆様に対し、速やかに避難してください。

安全な場所で待機し、テレビやラジオなどで最新の情報を確認してください。”

(Kinju keibō desu. Ima kara, Okinawa-ken ni qiō-kaze to daiyu ni yuru kinkyō ga hatsuryō saremashita. Gijōchō wa, jūmin no minasama ni taishite, hayoban shite kudasai.

anzen na basho de maitoshi, terebi ya rādio nade saishin no jūhō o kakunin shitekudasai.)

(This is an emergency warning. Starting now, a strong wind and flood warning due to heavy rain has been issued in Okinawa Prefecture. The Japan Meteorological Agency asks all residents to evacuate quickly.

Please stay safe in a secure place and check the latest information on TV or radio.)

Common Mistakes & Corrections

• Incorrect: “雷が降る” (Rai ga furu) – This means “thunder falls.” The correct phrase is “雷が起こる” (Rai ga okoru) – “Thunder occurs/there will be thunder”.
• Incorrect: “注意してください” (Chūi shite kudasai) – While understandable, “注意が必要です”(chūi ga hitsuyō desu) is more formal and appropriate for a warning.

Practice

Try to find a Japanese weather forecast online or in a newspaper and try to understand it using the vocabulary and phrases you’ve learned. Don’t be afraid to look up unfamiliar words!