Breakdown of syuumatu ha sentakuki wo naositari, kutusita wo kaikaetari siyou to omotte imasu.
はha
topic particle
をwo
direct object particle
週末syuumatu
weekend
するsuru
to do
とto
quotative particle
思うomou
to think
〜て いる〜te iru
progressive form
洗濯機sentakuki
washing machine
靴下kutusita
sock
listing form 〜たりlisting form 〜tari
listing form
直すnaosu
to repair
買い替えるkaikaeru
to replace
〜よう〜you
volitional form
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Questions & Answers about syuumatu ha sentakuki wo naositari, kutusita wo kaikaetari siyou to omotte imasu.
What does the ～たり～たりする grammar pattern mean and how is it used in this sentence?
～たり～たりする is a way to list representative actions or states in a non-exhaustive way, implying “do things like ... and so on.” In this sentence:
• 直したり (“fix [things]”) and
• 買い替えたり (“replace by buying [new ones]”)
are examples of weekend plans, and the pattern implies the speaker may do other things too.
How do you form the ～たり form of a verb?
- Take the verb’s past plain form (dictionary past).
e.g., 直す → 直した, 買い替える → 買い替えた - Change the final た into たり.
So you get 直したり, 買い替えたり.
What nuance does the use of ～たり～たり convey about the list of activities on the weekend?
It shows a non-exhaustive, representative list of actions. It doesn’t mean only these two actions; it suggests “among other things, I’ll do stuff like fix the washing machine and buy new socks.”
Why is the phrase しようと思っています used here instead of simply するつもりです?
Both express intention, but:
• ～しようと思っている emphasizes that you are thinking of doing something (a decided plan you hold).
• ～するつもりだ states your intention more directly.
The former can sound softer and more subjective (“I’m thinking I’ll ...”), while つもりです can sound more objective or formal.
Why is 思っています in the progressive form (～ている) rather than plain 思う?
In Japanese, the progressive 思っている expresses a current ongoing state of mind—you have thought something and still hold that thought. Using plain 思う would simply report that you come to think so at the moment.
What role does 週末は play in this sentence?
週末 (“weekend”) is marked with は to set it as the topic: “As for the weekend, I’m thinking of doing ...”. It frames the time when these actions will occur.
Why is 買い替える chosen instead of just 買う?
買い替える means “to replace by buying a new one.” It implies you already have something (socks) and you’re buying new ones to replace them. 買う just means “to buy” without that nuance of replacement.
What does 直す mean, and can it be used in other contexts?
直す means “to fix” or “to repair,” often used for machines, devices, or mistakes (e.g., 文法を直す “correct grammar”). You can also use 修理する for a more formal “repair,” but 直す is more casual and versatile.
Why is there a comma before 靴下を買い替えたり?
Japanese uses commas (、) to separate items in a list, just like English. Here it clearly separates 直したり and 買い替えたり as two listed activities.