ジムへ行こう！
Going to the gym · a free Japanese immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
今日はジムにチェックインしました。
Today I checked in at the gym.
Literal Today, gym at check-in did.
A simple past-tense sentence for arriving at the gym. チェックイン is a katakana loanword from English.
- ～ました is the polite past tense ending
- に marks the destination (at/to the gym)
- チェックイン is a katakana loanword (English: check-in)
このマシンの使い方を教えてもらえますか？
Could you teach me how to use this machine?
Literal This machine's way-of-using, teach receive can?
A polite request for equipment help. 使い方 (way of using) is a highly reusable pattern for asking about anything.
- Noun + の + 使い方 = how to use [noun]
- ～てもらえますか is a polite request: 'could you do X for me?'
- この = this (near the speaker)
週に三回ジムに通っています。
I go to the gym three times a week.
Literal Week in three-times gym to commuting am.
Describes a habitual routine. ～ています here expresses a regularly repeated action, and 週に～回 is the standard frequency pattern.
- 週に～回 = [number] times per week; 回 is the counter for occurrences
- 通っています = am going regularly (～ています for ongoing/habitual actions)
- に after 週 marks the frequency interval
もっと筋肉をつけたいです。
I want to build more muscle.
Literal More muscle attach want is.
Expresses a personal fitness goal using ～たいです. 筋肉をつける literally means 'to attach muscle' and is the standard phrase for building muscle.
- ～たいです = want to do [verb]; attach to the verb stem (drop ます)
- 筋肉をつける = to build/gain muscle
- もっと = more, even more
トレーナーさんにフォームを直してもらいました。
I had the trainer correct my form.
Literal Trainer-san by form corrected received.
Uses the ～てもらう pattern to express that someone did you a favor. に marks the person who performed the action.
- ～てもらう = to receive the favor of someone doing something for you
- に marks the person who performed the action (the trainer)
- 直す = to fix/correct; 直して is its て-form
ストレッチをしてからトレーニングを始めましょう。
Let's start training after stretching.
Literal Stretching do-after training let's-begin.
～てから links two actions in sequence ('after doing X, do Y'). ～ましょう is a friendly suggestion or invitation.
- ～てから = after doing [verb]; the first action must complete before the second begins
- ～ましょう = let's do [verb]; polite invitation or suggestion
- 始める = to begin/start
今日のトレーニングはきつかったです。
Today's workout was tough.
Literal Today's training topic tough-was.
きつい is an い-adjective meaning physically tough or exhausting. Past tense is formed by dropping い and adding かった.
- きつい → きつかった: い-adjective past tense (drop い, add かった)
- は marks the topic (today's training)
- ～かったです is the polite form of the い-adjective past tense
何キロのダンベルを使っていますか？
What weight dumbbells are you using?
Literal How-many-kilos-of dumbbells using are?
A natural question to ask another gym member. 何キロのダンベル places the quantity as a modifier before the noun, which is the standard Japanese word order for weight questions.
- 何キロの + Noun = what weight [noun]; の connects the quantity modifier to the noun
- 使っていますか = are you using? (～ています + か question particle)
- 何キロ = how many kilograms; 何 = what/how many
運動した後は、とても気持ちいいですね。
After exercising, it feels really great, doesn't it?
Literal Exercise did after topic, very feel-good is, right?
気持ちいい expresses a pleasant physical sensation. ね at the end invites agreement from the listener and adds warmth to the conversation.
- 動詞 + た後は = after doing [verb]; た-form (past) + 後 (after)
- 気持ちいい = feels good; an い-adjective compound expressing pleasant sensation
- ね = sentence-final particle seeking empathy or agreement
水分補給を忘れないでください。
Please don't forget to stay hydrated.
Literal Water-replenishment forget-not please.
A practical gym reminder. ～ないでください is the polite negative request form: 'please don't do X.'
- ～ないでください = please don't [verb]; negative て-form + ください
- 水分補給 = hydration (literally 'water-content replenishment')
- 忘れる = to forget; 忘れないで = don't forget
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
ジム
gym
毎朝ジムに行きます。
I go to the gym every morning.
Katakana loanword from English 'gym'
トレーナー
trainer
トレーナーさんにアドバイスをもらいました。
I got advice from my trainer.
Katakana loanword; add さん for politeness
筋トレ
weight training / muscle training
筋トレを週に三回しています。
I do weight training three times a week.
Reading: きんトレ (kin-tore). Short for 筋肉トレーニング (きんにくトレーニング); 筋 is read きん here
きつい
tough / exhausting / hard
今日のトレーニングはきつかったです。
Today's training was tough.
Describes physical or mental difficulty; past tense: きつかった
フォーム
form / posture / technique
フォームを正しくしてください。
Please use correct form.
Katakana loanword; used specifically for exercise technique and posture
気持ちいい
feels good / comfortable
運動した後は気持ちいいですね。
It feels good after exercising, doesn't it?
Also written 気持ち良い; describes a pleasant physical sensation
ダンベル
dumbbell
ダンベルで腕の筋肉を鍛えます。
I train my arm muscles with dumbbells.
Katakana loanword from English 'dumbbell'
水分補給
hydration / replenishing fluids
運動中は水分補給が大切です。
Staying hydrated during exercise is important.
Reading: すいぶんほきゅう (suibun hokyuu). Formal compound noun; commonly used in health and sports contexts
通う
to attend regularly / to go habitually
週に二回ジムに通っています。
I go to the gym twice a week.
Reading: かよう (kayou). Implies repeated visits over time, unlike 行く which can be a one-time trip
筋肉
muscle
筋肉をつけたいです。
I want to build muscle.
Reading: きんにく (kinniku). 筋 = muscle fiber (きん); 肉 = flesh (にく); compound used for muscles throughout the body
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
田中さんは毎週月曜日と木曜日にジムに通っています。先週、新しいトレーナーに会い、スクワットの正しいフォームを教えてもらいました。最初はきつかったですが、トレーニングが終わった後はとても気持ちよかったです。次回はもっと重いダンベルに挑戦したいと思っています。
Sentence by sentence
毎週月曜日と木曜日にジムに通っています
goes to the gym every Monday and Thursday
通っています uses ～ています for a habitual, ongoing routine. The first に marks time (on Mondays and Thursdays), the second に marks direction (to the gym).
新しいトレーナーに会い、スクワットの正しいフォームを教えてもらいました
met a new trainer and was taught the correct form for squats
教えてもらいました uses ～てもらう to express receiving a favor. に marks the trainer as the person who performed the action.
最初はきつかったですが
it was tough at first, but
きつかったです is the polite past tense of the い-adjective きつい (tough). が here functions as a conjunction meaning 'but,' connecting two contrasting ideas.
トレーニングが終わった後はとても気持ちよかったです
after the workout was over, it felt really great
動詞 + た後は means 'after [verb] happened.' 気持ちよかった is the past tense of 気持ちいい (feels good), showing how the pleasant feeling came after the hard work.
もっと重いダンベルに挑戦したいと思っています
is thinking of trying heavier dumbbells next time
～たいと思っています is a softened way to express intention or desire, literally 'am thinking that I want to...', more modest than ～たいです alone.
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
～ています — Ongoing Actions and Habitual Routines
Attach ています to the て-form of a verb to describe either (1) an action happening right now, or (2) a regularly repeated habit or routine. In gym conversations, this pattern is essential for describing your workout schedule and what you are currently doing.
Verb (て-form) + います
週に三回ジムに通っています。
I go to the gym three times a week.
今、ベンチプレスをしています。
I am doing bench press right now.
毎朝ストレッチをしています。
I stretch every morning.
筋肉をつけるために頑張っています。
I am working hard to build muscle.
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
週に三回ジムに通っています。
Hint 通っています uses ～ています to express a habitual routine.
I want to build more muscle.
Hint Use もっと for 'more' and ～たいです to express a want.
ストレッチをして___トレーニングを始めましょう。
Hint This word connects two actions — 'after doing X, let's do Y.'
Your trainer reminds you to stay hydrated. Which phrase do you hear?
Rewrite this sentence using ～ています to make it sound like a regular habit: 「毎朝、ジムに行きます。」
Hint Replace 行きます with the ～ています form of 行く.
That’s today’s phraseberry.
Nice work, you understood something real today. Come back tomorrow for a fresh one.
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