Japanese: Summarize a Short Story or Article in a Few Sentences
Learn elementary Japanese patterns for stating what a text is about, its main point, and your impression in just a few sentences.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
Summarizing in Japanese is not about retelling every detail. At the elementary level, you can say what you read, who or what it was about, and what the main point was using a small set of patterns. This lesson teaches the core sentence frames: topic marking with は, the quotative と for titles and content, について for 'about', and と思います for your impression. You will practice combining these into a three-sentence summary that a listener can follow easily.
By the end, you can…
- say what kind of text I read and its title in Japanese.
- state the main topic and main point of a short text in one or two sentences.
- add a brief impression using と思います.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
これは「桃太郎」という話です。
This is a story called Momotaro.
kore wa momotarō to iu hanashi desu
Use という to give the title or name of a story, article, or book. 話 means 'story'.
この話は家族についてです。
This story is about family.
kono hanashi wa kazoku ni tsuite desu
について means 'about'. Replace 家族 with any topic noun, e.g. 友だち, 仕事, 日本.
主人公は女の子です。
The main character is a girl.
shujinkō wa onna no ko desu
主人公 means 'main character'. Use は to mark who or what the summary is about.
一番大切な点は勇気です。
The most important point is courage.
ichiban taisetsu na ten wa yūki desu
Use this to state the main point. 点 means 'point'; replace 勇気 with another key idea.
私はこの話が好きだと思います。
I think I like this story.
watashi wa kono hanashi ga suki da to omoimasu
と思います softens your opinion. Use が with 好き, not は.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
A simple summary often follows this order: これは「タイトル」という話です。この話はトピックについてです。一番大切な点はキーワードです。For example: これは「舌切り雀」という話です。この話は親切についてです。一番大切な点は優しさです。Each sentence adds one piece of information, so the listener can follow without a detailed retelling.
When to use it
Use this pattern when a teacher or friend asks どんな話でしたか。Keep it to three or four short sentences. If you do not know a word, use やさしい日本語 or say むずかしい言葉がありましたが、大切な点は…です。This keeps your summary accurate without pretending you understood every detail.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
どんな話を読みましたか。
What kind of story did you read?donna hanashi o yomimashita ka「桃太郎」という話を読みました。
I read a story called Momotaro.momotarō to iu hanashi o yomimashitaどんな話ですか。
What is it about?donna hanashi desu kaこの話は勇気についてです。一番大切な点は友だちを助けることだと思います。
This story is about courage. I think the most important point is helping friends.kono hanashi wa yūki ni tsuite desu. ichiban taisetsu na ten wa tomodachi o tasukeru koto da to omoimasuA little context goes a long way
In Japanese classrooms and workplace reports, summaries often begin with the source and then the main point, not with your personal reaction. Adding と思います at the end keeps your impression polite and open to other views. Avoid saying ぜんぶ分かりました if you only grasped the main idea; 大切な点は…だと思います is more accurate and modest.
One thing to watch for
Using は with 好き, as in 私はこの話は好きです。
Try this instead: Use が with 好き: 私はこの話が好きです。The topic 私は is marked by は, but the object of 好き takes が. In a summary, 私はこの話が好きだと思います is natural and polite.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'This is a story called Hanasaka Jiisan' in Japanese?
Show a sample answer
これは「花さかじいさん」という話です。
という introduces the title. Other titles work the same way, and 物語 can replace 話 for a more literary tone.
2Which particle goes after この話 to mean 'about this story'?
Show a sample answer
について: この話についてはなします。
について means 'about'. この話のことを話します is also possible, but について is shorter and common in summaries.
3Turn この話は勇気についてです into a polite opinion sentence.
Show a sample answer
この話は勇気についてだと思います。
Adding と思います makes it an opinion. だ is needed before と with a noun; with an i-adjective, drop だ: この話はおもしろいと思います。
Summarize in three short sentences: what it is called, what it is about, and the main point with と思います.
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