This episode focuses on a surprising home scene – coming home to find an unexpected visitor, questioning why they’re there, and learning about a change in tutoring schedule that was arranged without asking. You’ll learn homecoming greetings, casual “why” questions, frequency expressions with 週, and the important ておく pattern for advance preparation.
✅ Learn homecoming and surprise-reaction expressions
✅ Master frequency expressions (週3回, 週4回)
✅ Practice the ておく pattern for advance actions
Introduction
In this lesson, we explore a dramatic little household scene common in Japanese dramas and anime – a student comes home and finds their tutor already there, then learns that their parent has increased the tutoring schedule without asking. This sequence teaches essential grammar patterns for schedule changes, unexpected situations, and actions taken in advance, all in natural conversational Japanese.
ただいま
Meaning & Usage
This is the standard phrase said when arriving home, announcing your return to family members or housemates.
ただいま – I’m home, I’m back
Translation
- I’m home
- I’m back
Understanding ただいま
Origin:
- Shortened from ただいま帰りました (I have just returned)
- Deeply embedded in Japanese daily routine
The greeting pair:
- Person arriving: ただいま – I’m home
- Person waiting: おかえり(なさい) – Welcome back
Examples
ただいま!今日も疲れた〜。
→ I’m home! I’m tired again today~
ただいま、お母さん。
→ I’m home, Mom.
ただいま戻りました。
→ I have returned (slightly more formal)
Related Homecoming Expressions
おかえり(なさい) – Welcome back
行ってきます – I’m leaving (and will return)
行ってらっしゃい – Have a good day/see you later
お邪魔します (おじゃまします) – Excuse the intrusion (entering someone else’s home)
先生、なんでいるの?
Meaning & Usage
This phrase expresses surprise and confusion about someone’s unexpected presence, questioning why they’re there. It’s a casual, direct reaction to an unanticipated situation.
先生 (せんせい) – teacher (used as address)
なんで – why (casual)
いる – to be present, exist (for animate beings)
の – explanatory question particle
Translation
- Teacher, why are you here?
- Sensei, what are you doing here?
- Why is the teacher here?
Understanding 先生 as Direct Address
先生 is used both as a title and direct form of address:
Direct address usage:
- 先生、こんにちは – Hello, teacher
- 先生、質問があります – Teacher, I have a question
Applies to:
- School teachers
- Private tutors (家庭教師)
- Doctors
- Other respected professionals/mentors
Understanding なんで (Why – Casual)
なんで – why (very common, casual)
Comparing “why” words:
- なんで – Why (casual, common in speech)
- どうして – Why (neutral, slightly softer)
- なぜ – Why (formal, written)
Tone note: なんで can sound slightly more direct or surprised than どうして, fitting for spontaneous reactions
Understanding いる (To Be Present)
いる – to exist/be present (animate: people, animals)
ある – to exist/be present (inanimate: objects)
In this context: いる asks why the teacher is present (in the house)
Formation in questions:
- なんでいるの? – Why are you here? (casual)
- なんでここにいるの? – Why are you here (in this place)?
Examples
先生、なんでいるの?今日は来る日じゃないよね?
→ Teacher, why are you here? Today isn’t a day you come, right?
え、先生、なんでうちにいるの?
→ Eh, teacher, why are you at our house?
なんでいるの?びっくりした!
→ Why are you here? I was surprised!
Related Surprise Question Patterns
どうしてここに? – Why here?
何してるの? – What are you doing?
いつ来たの? – When did you come?
びっくりした – I was surprised
家庭教師週3回から
Meaning & Usage
This phrase references a private tutor’s visit frequency, specifically mentioning “from three times a week” as the starting point for a schedule change. It sets up the contrast with the next phrase.
家庭教師 (かていきょうし) – private tutor, home tutor
週3回 (しゅうさんかい) – three times per week
から – from (starting point)
Translation
- The tutor, from three times a week
- Private tutoring, starting from 3 times a week
- Home tutor, from 3 sessions weekly
Understanding 家庭教師 (Private Tutor)
家庭教師 (かていきょうし) – home tutor, private tutor
Breakdown:
- 家庭 (かてい) – home, household
- 教師 (きょうし) – teacher
Cultural context:
- Common in Japan for exam preparation
- Often university students working part-time
- Visits student’s home for one-on-one instruction
- Often shortened to 家庭教師 or 家庭教師さん
Understanding 週3回 (Three Times a Week)
Frequency expression pattern:
- 週 (しゅう) – week
- Number + 回 (かい) – number of times
- 週 + number + 回 = [number] times per week
Common examples:
- 週1回 (しゅういっかい) – once a week
- 週2回 (しゅうにかい) – twice a week
- 週3回 (しゅうさんかい) – three times a week
- 週4回 (しゅうよんかい) – four times a week
- 週5回 (しゅうごかい) – five times a week
Related frequency expressions:
- 月2回 (つきにかい) – twice a month
- 年1回 (ねんいっかい) – once a year
- 毎日 (まいにち) – every day
Understanding から (From/Starting Point)
から here indicates the starting point of a change:
Pattern:
- [Original state] + から + [new state] + に (change)
- 週3回から週4回に – from 3 times a week to 4 times a week
In this fragment: Sets up the “from” portion, with the “to” portion in the next phrase
Examples
家庭教師、週3回から始めます。
→ Private tutoring, I’ll start from three times a week.
うちの子は家庭教師週3回なんです。
→ Our child has a tutor three times a week.
週3回から増やしたいんですが。
→ I’d like to increase from three times a week.
Related Tutoring/Education Vocabulary
塾 (じゅく) – cram school
予備校 (よびこう) – prep school
個人指導 (こじんしどう) – individual instruction
受験勉強 (じゅけんべんきょう) – entrance exam study
週4回にしておいたから
Meaning & Usage
This phrase announces that the tutoring frequency has been changed to four times a week, done in advance and without asking. The ておく pattern shows the action was taken proactively, and から gives it as an explanation/reason.
週4回 (しゅうよんかい) – four times a week
に – to (change target)
しておいた – did in advance (ておく + past)
から – because/so (explanatory, casual)
Translation
- I’ve made it four times a week (in advance)
- I went ahead and changed it to four times a week
- I set it to four times a week, so…
Understanding にする (To Decide On/Make It)
にする – to decide on, to make it [something], to choose
Formation:
- Noun + にする = decide on/choose [noun]
- 週4回にする = make it four times a week
Common examples:
- コーヒーにする – I’ll have coffee
- これにする – I’ll take this one
- 週4回にする – Make it four times a week
Understanding ておく (Doing in Advance)
ておく – to do something in advance, to do for future benefit, to leave in a state
Formation:
- Verb て-form + おく
- する → して + おく = しておく
- Past: しておいた
Nuances of ておく:
Advance preparation:
- 予約しておく – make a reservation in advance
- 準備しておく – prepare in advance
Leaving in a state:
- ドアを開けておく – leave the door open
- 電気をつけておく – leave the light on
Often implies:
- Proactive action
- Decision made ahead of time
- Sometimes without consulting the affected person
The Nuance in This Scene
The phrase 週4回にしておいたから carries a specific tone:
Fait accompli feeling:
- The action is already done
- Speaker decided independently
- Listener is being informed, not asked
Common in parent-child dynamics:
- Parent makes decision “for the child’s benefit”
- Casually announces after the fact
- Can sound matter-of-fact or slightly dramatic
Understanding から as Casual Explanation
から at sentence end provides casual reasoning or information:
Function:
- Explains or informs without fully completing the thought
- Softer than a direct statement
- Implies “so [you should know/be aware]”
In this context: “I’ve set it to four times a week, so [deal with it/be prepared]”
Examples
来週から週4回にしておいたから、頑張ってね。
→ I’ve set it to four times a week starting next week, so do your best.
予約しておいたから、心配しないで。
→ I made a reservation in advance, so don’t worry.
先生にお願いして、週4回にしておいたから。
→ I asked the teacher and made it four times a week.
Related Advance-Action Expressions
〜ておいて – Please do 〜 in advance
〜ておきます – I’ll do 〜 in advance (polite)
〜てある – Has been done (resulting state)
〜とく – Casual contraction of ておく
Putting It All Together: A Surprise Homecoming Scene
Natural Conversation Flow
These phrases combine into a dramatic household scene:
Scene structure:
- ただいま – Student arrives home
- 先生、なんでいるの? – Surprised to find tutor already there
- 家庭教師週3回から – Reference to previous schedule
- 週4回にしておいたから – Parent reveals the change
This shows how everyday household announcements can carry emotional surprise, especially when decisions affect someone without their input.
Common Mistakes
❌ Confusing いる and ある
Wrong: 先生、なんであるの?
Correct: 先生、なんでいるの?
Use いる for people/animals, ある for objects
❌ Forgetting the counter 回 in frequency expressions
Incomplete: 週3
Correct: 週3回
Frequency requires the counter 回 (times)
❌ Wrong particle with にする
Wrong: 週4回をしておいた
Correct: 週4回にしておいた
Use に with する for “decide on/make it”
❌ Confusing ておく with ている
ている – ongoing state/action (is doing)
ておく – advance action/leaving in state (did in advance)
Different meanings and nuances
Practice Dialogue
Scenario: Student comes home to a surprise
生徒: ただいま!
母: おかえり。
生徒: あれ、先生、なんでいるの?今日は木曜日だよね?
先生: こんにちは。お母さんから聞いてない?
生徒: え?何を?
母: あのね、家庭教師週3回から、週4回にしておいたから。
生徒: ええ!?聞いてないよ!
母: 受験も近いし、頑張ってね。
生徒: ……はい。
Student: I’m home!
Mother: Welcome back.
Student: Huh, teacher, why are you here? Today’s Thursday, right?
Teacher: Hello. Didn’t you hear from your mom?
Student: Eh? Hear what?
Mother: You see, I’ve changed the tutoring from three times a week to four times a week.
Student: What!? I didn’t hear about this!
Mother: The exams are coming up soon too, so do your best.
Student: ……Yes.
Cultural Notes
Tutoring and Exam Pressure in Japanese Society
This episode’s scenario reflects important aspects of Japanese educational culture:
家庭教師 Culture: Private tutoring is a common supplement to formal education in Japan, especially during exam preparation periods. University students often work as tutors, and families may increase tutoring frequency as important exams approach.
Exam-Driven Education: Japan’s high-stakes entrance examination system (受験) creates significant pressure on students and families, often leading to increased investment in supplementary education like tutoring and cram schools (塾).
Parental Decision-Making: The scenario of a parent increasing tutoring without consulting the child reflects a traditional parent-child dynamic in which parents make educational decisions “for the child’s benefit,” though this is increasingly discussed and questioned in modern Japanese society.
ておく as Cultural Reflection: The grammar pattern ておく itself reflects Japanese values around preparation and planning ahead (準備), appearing constantly in daily language – from making reservations to preparing meals to arranging schedules.
Family Communication Styles: Announcing decisions after the fact (しておいたから) rather than discussing beforehand is a familiar pattern in some Japanese family dynamics, where efficiency and parental authority may take precedence over consultation, often generating the kind of mild dramatic tension seen in this scene.
Wrap-up
This episode explored a surprising household scene through four connected phrases. ただいま announces homecoming, 先生、なんでいるの? expresses surprised confusion at an unexpected presence, 家庭教師週3回から references the original tutoring schedule, and 週4回にしておいたから reveals the advance-arranged change.
These phrases teach essential grammar – frequency expressions with 週 and 回, the casual “why” question なんで, the にする pattern for decisions, and the versatile ておく for advance action. Understanding this language helps you follow everyday household conversations and appreciate the cultural context of education, family dynamics, and planning ahead in Japanese society.