Lesson 57 Quick and clean

ポイント
Some adverbs or adjectives in English can be translated as two different adverbs or adjectives in Japanese, which can cause the mistakes that Misako makes when she visits Joy’s apartment for dinner.

ダイアログ
Misako: Thanks for the dinner, Joy. I have to go home now because I must go to work quickly tomorrow morning. By the way, I like the way you’ve decorated your apartment. It’s very clean!
Joy: Er, thanks. Well, I try to keep it clean.

解説
Can you see the two mistakes Misako makes? First, she says she “must go to work quickly tomorrow morning.” “Quickly” and “fast” describe speed, so Misako suggests she will rush to work tomorrow. But she actually means she must go to work early, say 7.00 or 8.00 AM. Her other mistake is to say Joy’s apartment is very clean. “Clean” is the opposite of “dirty.” But Misako likes the decoration, so she actually means Joy’s apartment is “pretty.”