OK, so today is our last breakdown of this video:

If you haven't already, then please (1) watch the video, then (2) read the two previous lessons:

[NDL #275] - Your name.
[NDL #276] - Your name. - Part 2

Sadly, we won't get surgical on every single line from the video. T_T

But here are some things worth pointing out...

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Using そう言えば

In the trailer, we saw:

三葉：
そう言えば、ずっと変な夢を見てたような気がするんだけど
別の人の人生の夢？
そういえば　ずっと　へんな　ゆめ　を　みてた　ような　き　が　する　んだ　けど　
べつ　の　ひと　の　じんせい　の　ゆめ？
Hmm, I feel like I've just been in a weird dream for a long time… Like I was in someone else's life?
Literally: "come to think of it, + all along + strange + dream + を + saw + feeling + が + do + んだ (of explanation) + but + separate + の + person + の + life + の + dream?"

If you look in a dictionary, they'll say that そう言えば means something like:

そう言えば
そういえば
which reminds me...; come to think of it...; now that you mention it

And those are all pretty accurate. But sometimes, like above, we can just translate it like "Hmm..."

Here's how you use it: Just say it before any sentence that suddenly floats up in your mind because of the context around you (i.e. when you could say "come to think of it").

Examples:

そういえば美咲ってスイーツ好きだよね？
そういえば　みさき　って　スイーツ　すき　だよね？
Now that you mention it, Misaki likes sweets, doesn't she? // Come to think of it, you (=Misaki) like sweets, right?
Literally: "now that you mention it + Misaki + って + sweets + liking + だよね."

そういえば、早くお金返してよ。
そういえば、 はやく　おかね　かえして　よ。
That reminds me, give me my money back. // That reminds me, hurry up and pay back the money you owe me.
Literally: "come to think of it, + quickly / soon + money + give back + よ."

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Super Quick Note About Ordering Words

1. It's confusing.
2. It changes the nuances of sentences a lot.

Our character says:

瀧：
なんだ、これ？
なん　だ　これ？
What's this...?
Literally: "What + is + this?"

The first thought/word is "what is?!" then we slap a これ, "this" onto the end, almost as an afterthought.

We see a similar thing in one of the first lessons of Toby in Tokyo.

But what if he had said...

これはなんだ？
これ　は　なんだ？
What is this?
Literally: "this + は + what + is?"

That would be fine, but he would not sound shocked or surprised. Why, you ask? I wish I could tell you.

The good news is that I picked this one up naturally, so you can too.

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Yo, have you been studying?

Because we have this sentence:

三葉：
確かなことが一つだけある。
たしかな　こと　が　ひとつ　だけ　ある。
There is one thing that is for certain.
Literally: "certain + thing + が + one + only + to exist."

And if you read this lesson: [NDL #150] - Certainly... err, uhh... if I'm not mistaken.

...then you would know that this is the 確か (に／な) that means "certainly/certain" and not the 確か that only means "if I remember correctly."

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Rant About Japanese Schools

I once had a Japanese teacher give my class a lesson about these two words:

必ず
かならず
necessarily; certainly; without fail

絶対
ぜったい
absolutely; without fail

She told the class, "You can only use 絶対 with negative verbs, and you can only use 必ず with positive verbs."

Once I started hearing Japanese in the real world, though, it took about five seconds to hear a phrase like this:

三葉：
私達は、会えば絶対すぐに分かる！
わたしたち　は　あえば　ぜったい　すぐに　わかる！
We would definitely recognize one another if we ever meet!
Literally: "We + は + would meet + absolutely + immediately + understand."

絶対 with a positive verb! Unforgivable! The Japanese grammar gods would curse this girl to never eat noodles again.

Only, just about all Japanese people use 絶対 with positive verbs, so that's not gonna happen.

To be fair, though, you will NOT see 必ず with a negative verb.

Coincidentally, our male character uses the word 必ず in the trailer!

瀧：
お前が世界のどこにいても必ず会いに行くって。
おまえ　が　せかい　の　どこ　に　いて　も　かならず　あい　に　いくって。
Wherever you might be in this world, I promise I will come to you.
Literally: "You + が + world + の + thing + に + exists (animate) + も + without exception + meet + to go"

必ず and a positive verb. There is order in the world. Yay!

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Cheat Sheet:
必ず＋positive verb
絶対＋positive or negative verb

And the examples will set us free...

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絶対＋Negative Verb

うん、絶対誰にも言わないよ。
うん、 ぜったい　だれ　にも　いわない　よ。
Yeah, I promise I won't tell anyone.
Literally: "yeah, + absolutely + (to) nobody (=who + にも) + won't say + よ."

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絶対＋Negative Verb

絶対遅刻しないでね。
ぜったい　ちこく　しないで　ね。
Don't be late.
Literally: "absolutely + late coming + don't do + ね."
Note: This English would need to be said quite strongly. I thought translating it as "You better not be late" would be too strong.

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絶対＋Positive Verb... err, I mean adjective

A:
これいくらだろう？
これ　いくら　だろう？
I wonder how much this is.
Literally: "this + how much + is (I wonder)?"

B:
わかんないけど絶対高いと思う。
わかんない　けど　ぜったい　たかい　と　おもう。
I don't know, but I can guarantee you it's expensive.
Literally: "don't know + but + absolutely + expensive + と + think."

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絶対＋Positive Verb and Adjective

絶対楽しいからアナも絶対来たほうがいいよ。
ぜったい　たのしい　から　アナ　も　ぜったい　きた　ほう　が　いい　よ。
It's definitely going to be fun, so you (=Anna) should really come, too.
Literally: "absolutely + fun + because + Anna + も + absolutely + should come (=came + が + good) + よ."

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必ず＋Positive Verb

何があっても寝る前には必ず歯を磨く。
なに　が　あっても　ねる　まえ　には　かならず　は　を　みがく。
I brush my teeth before going to bed no matter what.
Literally: "what + が + even if there is + sleep + before + には + without fail + teeth + を + polish."

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You made it to the end. You're now completely fluent in Japanese.

No? Well, at least you're a little better than you were five minutes ago. You were reading and not just scrolling like a zombie, right?

Good luck with learning and all that other intimidating stuff. ^_^