AdultLingoCurso de japonés › Sección 1 › Unidad 3
⚡ Química y lenguaje corporal en japonés
Pon en palabras la tensión no dicha y el contacto físico.
🌐 Por ahora, el contenido del curso (significados, notas y explicaciones) está en inglés, tanto en estas páginas como en la app; la interfaz está en español.
“A jazz bar in Ginza, low light, a slow saxophone. Say less. Let your eyes, your hands and your timing do the talking.” — Malèna, tu anfitrión en esta unidad
Practica esta unidad gratis ➔Palabras y frases clave en japonés
| Japonés | Significado |
|---|---|
| 目が合うme ga au | eyes meet, to make eye contact |
| ずっとzutto | the whole time, all along |
| 見るmiru | to look, to see |
| でしょdesho | right? don't deny it |
| 視線shisen | gaze, line of sight |
| 見つめるmitsumeru | to gaze at |
| 目をそらすme o sorasu | to look away |
| 微笑むhohoemu | to smile softly |
| ウインクuinku | wink |
| 話すhanasu | to talk, to speak |
| 挨拶aisatsu | greeting, saying hello |
| 感じるkanjiru | to feel |
| 踊るodoru | to dance |
| 〜ませんかmasen ka | won't you ~? (polite invitation) |
| 苦手nigate | not good at; not fond of |
| ダンスdansu | dancing, dance |
| 腰koshi | waist, lower back |
| 手te | hand |
| 手を回すte o mawasu | to put your arm around |
| リードrīdo | the lead (dancing) |
| リズムrizumu | rhythm |
| 肩kata | shoulder |
| ゆっくりyukkuri | slowly |
| もっとmotto | more |
| ドキドキdokidoki | heart pounding (nerves or attraction) |
| ビビッとbibitto | an instant click, a spark |
| ゾクゾクzokuzoku | thrilling shivers |
| そわそわsowasowa | restless, fidgety |
| 胸キュンmune kyun | a heart-squeeze |
| 私たちwatashitachi | we, us |
| 相性がいいaishō ga ii | to have great chemistry, to click |
| 気持ちkimochi | feeling(s) |
| 手をつなぐte o tsunagu | to hold hands |
| 温かいatatakai | warm (to the touch) |
| 恋人つなぎkoibito tsunagi | holding hands with fingers interlaced |
| 指yubi | finger |
| 手のひらte no hira | palm |
| 温もりnukumori | warmth of a touch |
| 両思いryōomoi | mutual attraction (both like each other) |
| 空いてますか？aitemasu ka | is this (seat) free? (polite) |
| 演奏ensō | musical performance, playing |
| 付き合ってる人tsukiatteru hito | someone you're seeing (doesn't assume gender) |
| 人前hitomae | in front of others, in public |
| ジャズ喫茶jazu kissa | jazz café (a café for listening to records) |
| 空気を読むkūki o yomu | to read the air, to sense the mood |
| 告白kokuhaku | confessing your feelings (and asking someone out) |
Frases de ejemplo
You've been looking at me the whole time, haven't you?
I feel your gaze
I'm afraid I'm not much of a dancer.
Let's dance more slowly.
My heart is racing too.
Do you feel the same way?
May I hold your hand?
Maybe we like each other.
Una conversación de esta unidad
A basement jazz bar in Ginza, between sets. Catherine has joined Malèna at the counter.
Catherine: ねえ、奥の席の人、さっきからずっとこっち見てるわよ。Hey, the man at the back table has been looking over here the whole time.
Malèna: 知ってる。もう三回、目が合った。I know. Our eyes have met three times already.
Catherine: で、どうするの？行く？So what are you going to do? Go over?
Malèna: 行かない。話したいなら、向こうから来る。No. If he wants to talk, he'll come over himself.
Catherine: 来なかったら？And if he doesn't come?
Catherine: あ、立った！こっちに来るわよ。どうする？Oh, he's standing up! He's coming this way. What will you do?
Malèna: 何もしない。微笑むだけ。Nothing. I'll just smile.
Notas culturales
A packed train home on the Ginza line. The man opposite catches your eye, and you both look away at once. How do strangers in Japan usually handle eye contact?
They keep it brief: a long look at a stranger feels intrusive, so people look away, down or at their phones.
Japan: long, direct eye contact with strangers tends to feel intrusive, so on trains and in the street people look down, out of the window or at their phones, and if eyes meet, both look away. Even in conversation, people often look at the other person's face more softly than in many Western countries. That is why a gaze held on purpose, across a Ginza bar, says so much.
Dilo como un local: 目が合ったら、目をそらすのが普通。 — If your eyes meet, looking away is the normal thing.
A weekend afternoon in Ginza. The main street is closed to cars, and couples stroll down the middle of the road. What kind of affection is usual between couples in public here?
Walking close or holding hands; kissing and long hugs in public are rare and draw looks.
Japan: affection is mostly kept private. Couples walk close, hold hands or link arms, but kissing, long hugs or heavy touching in public are uncommon and draw looks, especially from older people. Friends rarely greet each other with a hug or a kiss either. So small signs carry a lot: switching to 恋人つなぎ (fingers laced) on a Ginza pavement already says plenty.
Dilo como un local: 人前では、手をつなぐくらい。 — In public, holding hands is about as far as it goes.
Your date leads you up a narrow staircase to a tiny café: walls of records, two huge speakers, and a handwritten sign by the door. What is a classic Japanese jazz kissa (jazz café) for?
Listening: you order a coffee or a drink, and the records are the main event, often in near silence.
Japan: a ジャズ喫茶 (jazz kissa) is a café built around a big record collection and a serious sound system. They boomed in the 1950s and 60s, when imported records were expensive and few people could afford a good stereo at home, so people came to listen, not to talk. Some classic ones still ask guests to keep their voices down. Tokyo has many, and they exist all over the country. A date where you just listen together counts.
Dilo como un local: ジャズ喫茶では、静かに聴こう。 — At a jazz café, let's listen quietly.
Mid-story, Edward stops talking about his work. Malèna has gone quiet and is looking at her empty glass. He orders her another, and changes the subject. Edward just "read the air" (空気を読む). What does that mean?
Sensing what people feel and want without them saying it, and adjusting to it.
Japan: 空気を読む (lit. "to read the air") is sensing the mood and what others want without being told, and acting on it. A lot goes unsaid in Japanese conversation, so it is highly valued, and someone who misses the cues is called 空気が読めない (can't read the air). On a date it helps you notice a mood, but it's no substitute for asking: for a yes or a no, ask plainly and listen to the answer.
Dilo como un local: 彼、空気を読むのが上手。 — He's good at reading the air.
Three dates in, Edward still hasn't said what you are to each other. A friend asks: "So, are you two together?" In Japan, what usually makes two people officially a couple?
A 告白 (kokuhaku): one says "I like you, will you go out with me?" and the other says yes.
Japan: a relationship usually starts with a 告白 (kokuhaku), a confession such as 好きです。付き合ってください。 (I like you. Please go out with me.). Until someone says it and the other says yes, you aren't quite a couple, however many dates you have had; many couples count their anniversary from that day. It can feel formal, but it makes things clear for both of you.
Dilo como un local: ちゃんと告白してから、付き合いたい。 — I want us to go out after a proper confession.
Apréndelo bien
En la app, Malèna te guía por esta unidad en lecciones cortas: opción múltiple, emparejar y construir frases con fichas, con audio, además de escenas de escucha, chats que reaccionan a tus respuestas, ejercicios de «Lee el ambiente», tarjetas culturales y un episodio de drama. Las palabras que aprendes vuelven en el repaso justo antes de que las olvides. Es gratis y no necesitas cuenta: tu progreso se queda en tu navegador.
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