Breakdown of tezyundoori ni tukureba, kono ryouri ha kantan desu.
Questions & Answers about tezyundoori ni tukureba, kono ryouri ha kantan desu.
How do you read this sentence?
It is read:
てじゅんどおり に つくれば、この りょうり は かんたん です。
Word by word:
- 手順 = てじゅん = procedure, steps
- どおり = as, according to
- 作れば = if you make
- この料理 = this dish
- 簡単です = is easy
What does 手順どおりに mean?
手順どおりに means according to the steps, following the procedure, or as instructed.
Breakdown:
- 手順 = steps, procedure
- どおり = in accordance with, just as
- に = makes the phrase act adverbially, so it describes how something is done
So 手順どおりに作る means to make something according to the instructions/steps.
Why is there a に after 手順どおり?
The に is used because 手順どおりに modifies the verb 作る.
In other words, it tells you in what manner the dish is made:
- 手順どおりに作る = make it according to the steps
This is a common pattern:
- 説明どおりにやる = do it as explained
- 計画どおりに進む = proceed according to plan
So here, に connects 手順どおり to the action 作る.
What form is 作れば?
作れば is the -ba conditional form of 作る.
It means if you make (it).
For 作る, the conditional is formed like this:
- 作る → 作れば
This -ば form is often used for conditions:
- 行けば = if someone goes
- 読めば = if someone reads
- 作れば = if someone makes
So the first part of the sentence means:
If you make it according to the steps...
Why is the sentence polite even though 作れば is not polite?
In Japanese, subordinate clauses often use the plain form, even in a polite sentence.
So this is completely normal:
- 手順どおりに作れば、 ... = plain conditional clause
- この料理は簡単です。 = polite sentence ending
The politeness is usually shown in the final part of the sentence, which here is です.
So the sentence is polite overall, even though 作れば is plain.
Who is doing the making in 作れば? Why doesn’t Japanese say you?
The subject is omitted because it is understood from context.
Japanese very often leaves out subjects when they are obvious or not important. In English, you usually need to add something like you or someone:
- If you make it according to the steps, this dish is easy.
- If one makes it according to the steps, this dish is easy.
In Japanese, leaving the subject unstated sounds natural.
Why is there no object before 作れば? What is being made?
The object is also omitted because it is easy to understand from context.
In English, you might say:
- If you make it according to the steps...
- If you prepare this dish according to the steps...
In Japanese, the listener can infer that the dish / the recipe / the food is what is being made, so no object is necessary.
This kind of omission is very common in Japanese.
Why is it この料理は簡単です and not この料理が簡単です?
は marks the topic: as for this dish, it is easy.
That is the most natural choice here because the sentence is making a general statement about the dish.
- この料理は簡単です = This dish is easy.
- この料理が簡単です would put more focus or emphasis on this dish specifically, often in contrast with others.
So は is the normal, neutral choice in this sentence.
Is 簡単 an adjective? Why isn’t it 簡単なです?
簡単 is a na-adjective.
With na-adjectives, you use:
- 簡単です when it is at the end of the sentence
- 簡単な料理 when it comes directly before a noun
So:
- この料理は簡単です。 = This dish is easy.
- 簡単な料理 = an easy dish
That is why 簡単なです is incorrect.
Does 簡単です mean the dish itself is simple, or that it is easy to make?
In this sentence, it most naturally means easy to make.
Literally, Japanese says:
- This dish is easy
But because the first clause talks about making it according to the steps, the intended meaning is clearly:
- This dish is easy to make if you follow the instructions.
Japanese often leaves out words that English would include explicitly, such as to make.
What exactly does 手順 mean here? Is it the same as recipe?
手順 means procedure, steps, or instructions.
In a cooking context, it refers to the method or the sequence of steps. It is related to a recipe, but not exactly the same as the English word recipe.
Some nearby words are:
- 手順 = procedure / steps
- 作り方 = way of making / how to make
- レシピ = recipe
So in this sentence, 手順 emphasizes following the steps correctly.
Would a more natural English translation be different from the word-for-word meaning?
Yes. A very literal translation is:
If you make it according to the steps, this dish is easy.
But more natural English would be:
- This dish is easy to make if you follow the instructions.
- If you follow the recipe, this dish is easy to make.
Japanese often sounds slightly more compact than natural English, so a freer translation is often better.
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