#And memorize adjective forms

[celeluwhenfics]

Officially confirming that having deadlines and adulting issues and an upcoming language exam is the #1 way to stir up writing inspo.

I couldn't write a line this weekend, but ideas and solutions to plot problems are fluttering all over the place.

[asyastudieskorean]

~는 것(을/이) — Making a verb into a subject/object

안녕하세요~ Since I've done nothing of substance during my winter break so far, I thought I'd take the chance to review ~는 것(을/이) with you all and teach you if you're not familiar with this grammar point yet. 그럼 우리는 같이 배울까요?

~는 것(을/이) is for making a verb into a noun/subject/object of a sentence.

For instance, you can change “저는 읽어요” (I read) to “저는 읽는 것을 좋아해요”(I like reading).

In the first sentence, “read” is the verb; in the second, “like” is the verb. "Read" has been turned into the object of the verb "like."

Form

~는 것 is attached directly to the verb stem (the verb you’re making into the noun/object of the sentence):

(To see) 보다 ➡️ 보는 것 (To go) 가다 ➡️ 가는 것 (To hear/listen) 듣다 ➡️ 듣는 것 (To walk) 걷다 ➡️ 걷는 것

The only irregular are ㄹ* verbs, for which you drop the ㄹ in the verb stem and conjugate as normal like other verbs:

(To live) 살다 ➡️ 사는 것 (To open) 열다 ➡️ 여는 것 (To make) 만들다 ➡️ 만드는 것

Easy-peasy, 그죠?

Now that you know how to conjugate the verb, in sentence form, either an object marker (을/를) or a subject marker (이/가) must be attached to 것.

Note that you’d only ever use 을 or 이 because 것 ends in a consonant. 를/가 are for words ending in vowels.

~는 것을 versus ~는 것이

When to use which was actually the most confusing part for me learning this grammar point, lol, but this is how my 선생님 explained it:

Use ~는 것이 when the verb that follows is an adjective (descriptive).

드라마를 보는 것이 재미있어요. Watching drama is fun. 단어를 외우는 것이 어려워요. Memorizing vocabulary is difficult.

*Something being fun or difficult is descriptive.

Verb examples: 어려워요 / 쉬워요 / 좋아요 / 싫어요 / 재미있어요 / 맛있어요.

Use ~는 것을 when the verb that follows is a verb (action).

저는 청소하는 것을 좋아해요. I like cleaning. 설거지하는 것을 싫어해요. I don’t like doing the dishes.

*Liking or not liking something is an action.

Verb examples: 좋아해요 / 싫어해요 / 먹어요 / 읽어요 / 들어요.

Of course, all these examples are pretty basic. They're all in present tense, 요 form, but this grammar point can be used in many more ways, such as in questions, different levels of formality, and different verb tenses/forms. Generally speaking, the conjugation rules will be the same.

For instance, look here:

제가 말하는 것을 듣고 있어요? Are you listening to what I am saying?

Same concept, but a bit different in sentence format (it uses the present progressive form (~ing) and is a question, but the same rules apply when changing 말하다 to 말하는 것을.)

And, yes, this rule of when to use the object marker (을/를) or subject marker (이/가) applies beyond this specific grammar point:

문법이 쉬어요. The grammar is easy. 한국어를 좋아해요. I like Korean.

Lastly, ~는 것이 can be shortened to ~는 게 and ~는 것을 to ~는 거 in speech and writing.

*ㄹ is pronounced “리을“ if you are speaking about the hangul letter.

If you want to give it a go in this post's notes, go for it! It can be any random sentence, just for the sake of practice. Of course, you can always send me an ask or message me directly if you want to practice Korean. I'm a bit slow on replying these days since it is my winter break, but I always reply eventually! Let's keep studying together~ 화이팅!

[thebroccolination]

KRIST’S LEGENDARY TAIKO DRUM SOLO

He’d probably be the first to quibble with the adjective, but that’s how I think of it.

In April of 2023, Krist kicked off his first solo tour around Asia in Japan. This tour was three years in the making, originally planned for 2020 when the world shut down. In that time, he did more planning and made it even bigger, including different features for every individual country he’d visit as a nod to their respective cultures.

Krist has committed a lot of time and effort in recent years to vocal training—to the extent that I think he’s genuinely the best live singer GMMTV has. He’s dynamic, he has incredible breath control, he knows how to improvise, how to move around the stage, how to belt. I saw his solo concert twice in November, and I count it as the second best I’ve ever seen. (The top can’t be beat because of Feelings.)

However! He’s not new to music in general, and has said over and over that he still considers himself more of a musician than a singer. He’s been playing the drums far, far longer, and in fact, that’s Singto’s first memory of him at Kasetsart: drummer in a band.

So when he visited Japan for the first leg of his tour, he decided to pay tribute to one of Japan’s most revered instruments: the taiko drum.

He studied not only how to play it correctly, but also its cultural and religious significance. And before he began his performance onstage, he wai’d before the drum to show his respect. It’s even been immortalized in chibi art form.

Then he casually shattered not just my whole brain but the whole brains of many.

[Vid Source: @KristFanClub]

It was such a popular performance that he recreated it for his final two concerts in Bangkok using a different type of taiko drum. (I think the one he used in Japan was a local rental.)

And while we don’t have full, official footage of the concert in Japan, Krist’s fan club was wonderful enough to record segments like the one above and share them afterward, and it’s become one of my all-time favorite performances of his.

Krist has had a vast and loyal fanbase in Japan ever since SOTUS aired in 2016, so I thought it was lovely that he started his tour there. In a behind-the-scenes interview after the concert, he said he was amazed and moved that his Japanese fans had already memorized a song he’d only released days before. And sang it with him. In Thai. He said something like, “I realized that they support all my work, and it makes me so happy.”

And in return for that love, he gave his Japanese fans a beautiful concert filled with respect for their country and culture and music.

That’s why, to me, it’s a legendary performance.

[dedalvs]

Could you please talk more about how/why agreement systems develop in language? I always feel that agreement systems are poorly justified in my conlanging

Agreement systems are retained in language because the redundancy strengthens the signal. It's better to think about linguistics systems in terms of "why didn't speakers get rid of this" as opposed to "why did this come about in the first place". Sometimes things happen randomly. They're retained because they're useful.

But like, consider gender in English. We used to have it. Gender was mostly defined by the endings of words. We lost all the endings. We lost some major forms of agreement (consider that French still has different articles). At a certain point, it was impossible to tell if a noun was m/f/n, so of course English lost its gender system. It was no longer useful. In fact, going even further, it was the opposite of useful, because it was totally unpredictable and didn't buy you anything.

As an example of the latter, there's this sign system called Signed Exact English (SEE). It's often (not always, but often) pedaled as a replacement for ASL, because it will "help" Deaf signers learn English. One of the features it retains is the distinction between "a" and "an". English speakers know how to do this instinctively: You use "a" before a noun phrase (not a noun, but a noun phrase) that begins with a consonant sound, and you use "an" before a noun phrase that begins with a vowel sound (so "umbrella" gets "an", but "union" gets "a"). In SEE, there's a separate sign for "a" and "an", and then ASL signs are used for English words like "man" and "old". So then you have to sign:

A MAN

AN OLD MAN

But, of course, the difference is based on the sound of the English pronunciation of the word the sign stands for, so it is quite literally impossible to predict for a Deaf signer. It has to be memorized. Which is an extraordinary task. Basically, all nouns, adjectives, and adverbs (consider "a really old man") have to be dumped in either the A class or the AN class with absolutely no way to predict which will be in which.

This is a great example of a feature that would quickly die in a natural language.

So looking at gender, the question is how useful is it? If it's (a) predictable, and (b) spread across multiple areas of the language, then it's more useful, and more likely to be retained. If you look at Spanish, agreement is present in pronouns, adjectives, demonstratives, and articles. The gender of a noun highly predictable (not 100%, but highly predictable). That's a stable gender system. French is similar, but the gender is less predictable for nouns. If one was going to lose gender first, you'd predict French. Even so, it's still predictable enough that more will probably have to happen for French to actually lose it.

As for where it comes from, if you want to read a detailed account of the development of Indo-European gender, this is an intro. Most of the time it's the incorporation of pronouns or small, generic nouns that become commonly associated with particular classes and are used as modifiers. We've got a pretty good example of the development of noun class in Sarkezhe, season 4 of LangTime Studio. If you want to see it done from beginning to end, check that out.

Hope that helps!

[nowoyas]

thinking started feeling like burning - nishinoya yuu/reader

m.list - deleted smut scene - read on ao3

A/N: would you believe I wrote the majority of this BEFORE having a complete mental break and quitting my job without any sort of plan? this one is gonna have a smut spinoff oneshot sometime before the end of the month but no clear ETA yet due to school and job hunting. this boy needs more love and goddammit I may not be confident in my noya but I'M GONNA GIVE IT TO HIM

Summary: Nothing had changed since you left. Not him, a brilliant hurricane, and not you, a lost robot moving forward with no goals or dreams of your own. Opposites attract, after all.

Warnings: past minor character death, suggestive themes. reader is gender-neutral but for purposes of the deleted smut scene coming later is afab. reader basically has an anxiety disorder and it's implied they have not great parentage but no major detail is gone into.

Word count: ~8600

desolate

/dĕs′ə-lĭt, dĕz′-/

adjective

1. Devoid of inhabitants; deserted

2. Barren; lifeless

Yeah, maybe that was it. Desolate. In this hotel room—small, furnished but empty—you set aside your phone and its little dictionary definition of what’s wrong with you and the definition imprints itself on your brain all over again. Hardly the first time you’ve known the meaning of the word, but perhaps the first you’ve recognized it in your face.

In high school, you’d occupied your time with almost nothing but studying. There had been friends, one or two, and a blip towards the end in the form of a boyfriend, but you had potential and didn’t need to focus on things like going out to karaoke or making out with a guy when you had exams to study for.

You had so much potential.

You recall, dimly, having memorized the definition for desolate one day among all your vocabulary. More than that, reciting it for a hopeless light in your life who just didn’t get all this school stuff.

Your nose wrinkles at the memory. Best not get caught up in that spiral, yeah?

Against your better judgment, you flop onto the hotel room bed face-first and sigh. What the fuck are you even doing here? None of this was necessary. None of this was planned for.

There’s, of course, the simple textbook facts of the situation: you attended a work event, and halfway through, went to the bathroom and just stared at yourself in the mirror—much like the way you spent the past half an hour in a hotel bathroom—went home, got in your car, and drove to a hotel precariously close to your hometown. Sure, there’d been some kind of internal monologue going on, but you don’t remember any of it anymore. Nothing beyond what you’ve known for the past six years:

Something is fundamentally wrong with you.

“So, what, we get in our car and drive away and don’t show up to work and hope it all works out?”

The desolate room does not answer the desolate you.

~

Some species of sea turtle have been observed returning to the beach where they were born in order to nest, a phenomenon known as “natal homing”. There are many theories as to how they are able to return to their birthplace…

Like the sea turtle, you swim through endless water and find yourself, of all places, back in Miyagi, staring at a house you only vaguely remember and wondering if your instincts really led you here, or if you’re staring at a random stranger’s house you’ve never been to. Maybe there’s more than one family with his last name in the area.

It looks like all the others—a house in the countryside, standard and homely. You were here… what? Three times? Five?

Not even in the double digits—you know that much. You and Noya had spent more time together at school, or at your house. Your parents hadn’t wanted you to spend too much time alone with a guy at his house. In hindsight, you kind of get it. His grandfather hadn’t exactly been the type to make sure you two were being good kids, or whatever.

Still, you run your fingers over the nameplate, the kanji of Nishinoya’s last name, and try to figure out why this, of all places, is where you’ve drifted to.

“[name]?”

You startle, looking to the voice. Familiar, yet matured. Perhaps a bit lower. Perhaps carrying an emotion you don’t recognize. That, you know, must be him.

You note with a barely-stifled laugh that Noya has not changed his hair in the years since you’ve seen him. Still that stupid, adorable tuft of dyed blond hanging down in his face. Good.

Then, the feeling passes, and the panic sets in.

What the fuck are you doing at your ex-boyfriend’s house?

“Noya,” you breathe. You nod to him, stunned.

“Holy shit, that’s actually you!” He’s closed the distance in an instant, swept you off your feet in a hug that has you crying out in surprise. When he sets you down, you stumble, trying to catch your brain before it falls out your head. He studies you with bright, sharp eyes. “What are you doing here?”

Ah. “Uh, yeah. About that? I… I have no idea.”

He blinks slowly, and then he’s laughing. “That’s not like you at all! Come on, if you’ve got the time to sit down, I’m sure we’ve got something around here to feed you with.”

“Feed me…? Wait, I…”

But he’s already grabbed your wrist, pulled you across the forbidden threshold and right to the front door. Maybe you should have thought about literally anything before showing up at his house.

Too late for regrets, you guess. You’re in way too deep for him to let you slip away now.

~

In your mind, Nishinoya is steepling his hands together like a stern employer trying to figure out the best way to admonish a bad employee. The image doesn’t really suit him, and you do know that, but you still feel like cubicle fodder waiting to get chewed out.

In reality, he’s resting his chin in his hand, watching you carefully as you run your thumb over the glass of water he’s given you and try not to meet his eyes. (It had taken quite a bit of debating to keep him from actually feeding you. The water was a concession in a valiant fight.)

“So, you don’t know what you’re doing?”

A slow nod.

“You don’t know what you’re doing.” The statement, repeated, does little to hide how astounded he is at the concept.

You sigh. It is easy and so, so heavy as the air escapes you. Maybe you can drown your errant thoughts in water until you understand just what, exactly, you’re trying to do here. You try, but no matter how much you drink, you still don’t have an answer. “Pretty much, yeah. I just sort of ended up here.”

He has an easy smile on his lips, sharp eyes taking you in. “After what?”

“What do you mean, after what?”

“I mean, it’s not like you to just run off and end up anywhere. You’re, you know, thoughtful and stuff! I’m not sure I’ve ever heard of you just doing something without at least three plans ready to go in case something went wrong.”

“I mean, there was you,” you admit with a laugh.

Shit. That was the wrong thing to say, but here you are, panicking and thinking you’ll make things even more awkward than you already feel, and there he is, smiling like he’s looking at…

What?

It isn’t until he’s leaning in further like he’s about to say something dirty that you realize your real mistake in that response.

“You didn’t think before you did me, huh?”

Your cheeks flare, and you hurriedly down the rest of the glass of water while you try to think of a suitable redirect. “You know what I meant!”

“Sure do! You meant—“

“Oh, hush.”

He laughs, and you fall into silence, trying to commit the sound of his laugh to memory.

That’s what sucks about this, oddly enough: you sit at his dining room table, holding a now-empty cup, and it’s just as easy as it always was. He tells you what he’s been up to: how he doesn’t play volleyball anymore (tragic—you loved watching him play) and he’s been traveling a lot (infuriating—you love to travel) and he’s dated once or twice since you last spoke, but nothing really lasting.

(heartbreaking.)

(you love—)

(you loved him when you left.)

“So,” he says, ever enthusiastic to redirect the conversation onto you, “what have you been up to?”

“Nothing, I guess.”

“Oh, come on. You’ve always been amazing. I bet you’ve been doing something awesome with that brain of yours. You wanted to write, right? How’s that going?”

Hah. Amazing. He’s only saying that because you were useful when you tutored him. “No, really. Nothing. Sales, I guess. Convincing people to give up money for a product I don’t believe in for a company I hate. I guess I’m up for a promotion soon. Really though, I think I’ve probably just been dead for the last… what, six years?”

You’d picked the number because it was when you graduated high school. That had made sense to you—college, too, had felt like nothing. No parties, no partners, just studying, exams, and keeping your body moving forward until you had a neat little degree in a field you didn’t care about. But when you spare a glance away from the window, where your attention has been glued in hopes of avoiding letting the awkwardness and pain of this whole situation actually hit you, it’s the first time since he ran into you that Noya isn’t smiling at you.

Oh yeah. And right before you graduated, you’d broken up with him.

“You broke up with me, you know,” he says after a long moment. “Are you saying you’ve been a ghost this whole time?”

And ouch. He’s right, and you hate that. It hadn’t been his fault you’d left. It’d been your insecurities, your inability to handle the weight of your parents’ disapproval, your unwillingness to fight for something that seemed so correct, your stunning realization that Noya would always shine too brightly for you to be the one standing beside him. He always thought you were amazing, but you were nothing compared to his whirlwind personality, his passion, his sense of life.

Maybe this would have been easier if you’d ever told him that.

“I don’t know what I’m saying. Probably just that high school was the last time I felt like a real person, and that ever since, I’ve just been going through the motions and slowly losing my mind and trying not to panic about the fact that not only do I not have any direction in life, I don’t even know how to enjoy it if I did.” Your words come out calm and metered. You try not to betray the worst of it.

For a moment, talking to him, you’d been able to forget the person you’ve been since graduation. You were always moving forward a step at a time, but at some point, you stopped being a hiker on your predetermined life path and just let yourself be a robot. Mechanical step after mechanical step. Just keep moving forward and you’ll get to where you’re going. When you get to where you’re going, you’ll take another stupid, empty step towards where you’re going now. Some successful career, some boring partner that your parents like, kids, wake up, go to sleep, another day, another day, another day doing exactly what you’re expected to do. Just keep following that bright, clear line. That bright, clear line to nowhere at all.

And then you stumbled. And now you’re here, again. Dizzy, sitting at the same table with the same guy.

At some point, you’d trailed off, staring at the table and searching for scars of a life well-used on its surface. You hear the shuffle of him standing over you, and look up to find him reaching out a hand to you. “Alright. Come on.”

“Come… on?”

He leans forward a bit more to take your hand and pull you up. “I’m taking you out to dinner.”

“Huh? Wait, but where?”

“Don’t know yet!”

He drags you out, and you stumble after him in mind and body.

“It’s one o’clock!”

“So we’ll scout places that look good while we get lunch. You don’t have anything to do, right?”

“Well, no, but—“

“Then we’re going!”

He pulls you right past the entryway, nearly has you out the front door before you can protest. “I’m not wearing shoes, Noya! You’re not wearing shoes!”

He only laughs, only pauses, only gives you a moment. “Get them on, then.”

“And do you even have your wallet?”

He blinks and pats his pockets. “Guess not! You’ve got until I’m back with my wallet to get your shoes on and decide to let this happen!”

Decide… to let this happen?

He disappears around the corner, deeper into the house, and at last you sigh, sitting to put your shoes on properly. You doubt he’ll be quick finding his wallet—if he’s anything like you remember (and so far, he’s exactly like you remember) then he has absolutely no idea where he put it last. If you didn’t think he’d absolutely drag you out the door once it was found, you’d kick your shoes back off and help him look.

After getting your shoes on, setting his out in ideal kicking-feet-into-without-stopping position, and five minutes of listening to him rustle about the house, you glance at a table in the entryway and smile at the sight of a plain black wallet in the dish. You inspect it, just in case it’s not his—there’s been no sign of Noya’s grandfather around, but almost nothing’s changed, so he probably still lives here. Better to check.

You open it, just to see that it’s got his ID in there and not someone else’s, and nearly slam it closed again immediately.

Yeah, it’s his missing wallet. ID and everything. And, in the little photo slot, a six-year-old photo of him in his volleyball jersey, million-volt smile on his face as you push him away with your own brilliant smile. He’d just won a game, and you’d been busy trying to get him, gross and sweaty, to stop getting all that gross and sweaty on you even as you laughed the entire time. Tanaka took the picture, you think—there’s a bit of thumb in the bottom right corner.

Noya keeps a photo of the two of you in his wallet. After six years without talking.

A noise bangs from somewhere else in the house, and you close the wallet and force down the warmth welling in your chest and rushing to your face. “All good?” you call out.

“I can’t find my stupid wallet!” he shouts back a moment later. He sounds a bit frustrated. “This isn’t going to work if I spend the whole day trying to—“

“Nishinoya,” you cut him off, half sing-song, “you left it by the door.”

No reply except the thudding of feet as he runs right up to you and plucks it from your hand. “There it is! I found it!”

“Oh, really? You found it?”

“Yep! Are your shoes on? We gotta go now!”

“Go where? You’re in an awful rush. Do you have plans or something?”

He kicks his shoes on and grabs your wrist again. “Nope! You’re gonna love it!”

~

Really a type of plankton, jellyfish possess extremely limited swimming abilities, if any at all, and rely on the currents to control their horizontal movements through the sea.

It occurs to you, as you make the trek to the bus stop, that you didn’t have to say yes to this. Well, really, it’s not like you said yes so much as didn’t say otherwise, and Noya, ever the trail-blazer, pulled you along for the ride. What’s even the difference in what you’re doing now and what you’ve been doing these past six years?

You barely make the bus. Nishinoya pays the fare for both of you, before you can protest, and when there’s only one open seat, he takes it.

“You’re such a gentleman,” you snort.

He responds by tugging you down into his lap. “I am!”

You’re stronger than you were in high school. Really, you are. You don’t collapse into emotions like embarrassment. You don’t let the sensation of being flustered consume you. You do not.

…you bury your face in your hands. “What are we doing right now?”

Always laughing. Always lighthearted. “What do you mean? We’re taking the bus someplace we can find some restaurants.”

“You know exactly what I mean!”

The bus passes over a bump, and he wraps an arm around your waist to steady you. “You know, you’ve barely changed at all.”

“Neither have you,” you fire back. You meant it as an accusation, but the words come out tender. “You’re still a complete hurricane.”

He laughs, his own tenderness bleeding through. “And you’re still not letting yourself have anything you want.”

“When have I ever—“

“I think you know.” His other arm comes around your waist, holding you in a loose hug, chin resting against your arm.

You try not to stiffen at all the contact. This, too, is something you haven’t felt in ages—simple, casual touch. He had always been that way, resting a hand on your shoulder, your back, running fingers through the ends of your hair, like if he stopped touching you, you’d run away.

Maybe he was right. Maybe he is right.

“You didn’t answer me before. Are you still writing? I’ve been keeping an eye out for your name on the shelves, you know.”

You rest a hand on his arm, half considering pushing his arm off. The bus stops, but apparently not at a stop Noya is interested in dragging you off at—he steadies you as the bus jolts, and as a few passengers file off, you consider admitting the answer.

“Poetry these days, mostly. It’s not like I’d ever get published if I went for it, so I just scribble out a few half-assed lines and—“

“See, stop that. That’s half your problem right there, you know!”

“Another seat just opened up, you know,” you mumble. If you try to fight him on this, he’ll end up talking you into these grand ideas that you’ll never be able to accomplish, and by the end of the day he’ll probably have you in love with him all over again, even though you know it would never work, even though you know you’d never really be anything—as an employee, as a person, as his. “We don’t have to do this… couple-y thing.”

“I want to, though. It’s nice, isn’t it?”

…it is. It really is.

“…I still like to write, but I never have time anymore. It’s work, recovering from work, getting ready for work, waiting to come home from work so I can prep lunches and wash my clothes so I have something to eat and wear at work. I don’t have energy for anything except meetings, emails, and phone calls where no one means anything they say.”

“Damn. No wonder you seem so lost. Why don’t you quit?”

“And do what? It’s not like I have a dream job. I just want to get by and survive—“

“Why? You’re not happy. Don’t you want to do something more than survive?”

“I don’t even know what that would look like, Noya.”

He says everything so simply. Just quit. Just move on. Just move forward. He’s lucky, you think. He doesn’t know what it’s like to have parents planning out your entire life for you.

…okay, that was mean. Add that to the list of things that are wrong with you.

He sighs, shaking you gently in his hold. “It’s worse than I thought. Hey, [name], why’d you come here?”

“I told you already. I have no idea.”

“Alright. Adding it to the list. Today, you’re experiencing adventure for the first time in six years, and you’re gonna figure out what you were doing standing outside my house at noon on a Saturday. If I have my way, you’re also going to be quitting your job and starting a promising career as the greatest writer Japan’s ever seen, renowned the world over, but we can get to that some other time if you want!”

“Noya, I’m not—“ Your words die in your throat as his fingers slide between yours. You hadn’t realized your hand was sliding up his arm, but here he is, holding hands with you like it’s nothing.

God. How old are you, again?

~

Lunch ends up being crepes. Never mind the fact that crepes are not a meal, not even when Noya suggests buying two each—he proudly declares it lunch, and so lunch it must be. You’re lucky that he graciously allowed you to get a table, though he’d insisted on grabbing one outside even as the sky above has started to loom with rainclouds.

“And what’ll we do if it rains?” you retort drily as he sits across from you.

“We’ll figure it out,” he grins, sliding you a menu. “Dry off after we get rained on, not before.”

You snort. “How about we just try not to get rained on?”

“Then we would be sitting inside, and you wouldn’t get to look up at the clouds while we eat! You always liked the way the sky looked before it rained, right?”

A soft huff leaves you, a small smile unbidden. “You actually remember that? I think I said that to you, like, one time.”

He nods. “Only had to say it once! Besides, I caught you staring up at the sky in the rain more than once.”

“And yet, I had to repeat the same information for you so many times, only for you to still get it wrong on test day…”

“Hey! I was distracted!”

“You weren’t supposed to be,” you tease.

“What was I supposed to do? There was this gorgeous person sitting across from me telling me all these complicated things in a nice voice. I’m a simple man!”

Though your cheeks heat at the declaration, you can’t help but laugh. “Clearly.”

“Yeah. Clearly.” For just a moment, he’s soft, unbearably soft, and you fear looking at him. Quick, change the subject before you have to acknowledge whatever’s going on here!

“S-so!” Smooth! You’re doing great, sweetie! “Any idea what you’re going to get?”

He slaps a finger down on the menu without looking. “A… monte… monte…”

You sigh and peer over to look at the fanciful English he’s pointing to. “A Monte Cristo crepe?”

“Yeah!”

“Did you read the part where it’s got onions as a main ingredient? Don’t you hate onions?”

He wrinkles his nose, but stands firm. “I’m sure!”

You huff softly. “Alright. Far be it from me to stop you.”

“What about you? Make a pros and cons list for each menu item yet?” he teases.

“For your information, I don’t have to do that when ordering in restaurants. That’s for big decisions. But…” You sigh. “I haven’t eaten out in a while. It stresses me out.”

“Why?”

“So let’s say I pick something that looks good, and it sucks. I won’t eat it because it sucks, but then I feel like I’ve insulted the chef and wasted my time and money.”

He narrows his eyes at you. “If you don’t like it, you don’t like it. But at least you’ll know! When’s the last time you actually ate out like this?”

You bite your lip thoughtfully. When was it?

“I… think I did a celebration dinner with my parents when I graduated?”

“College?”

“No, high school. We didn’t celebrate when I graduated college.”

Once again, he’s staring at you in blank disbelief. “[name], that was six years ago.”

You flush. “Yeah, so?”

“That’s so sad. What have you been doing? I’m about to take you on a food tour just so you can catch up on all the restaurants you’ve been missing.”

You wrinkle your nose. “Please, no. I can’t eat that much.”

“Then we’ll spread it out!”

“Noya…”

The waiter drops in at exactly the wrong time. Flustered, you stumble your way into lemonade for you, apple cider for him, and then, as he’s confidently mispronouncing “Monte Cristo” to the waiter, you panic and end up ordering some curry crepe, a concept which intrigues and horrifies you.

“How’d you even find this place? Seems weird for there to be some half-French, half-English upscale crepe restaurant out in Miyagi.”

“What do you mean, how did I find it? We found it together. I’ve never eaten here.”

Right. He’s completely winging everything. “Amazing.”

“Right?”

Drinks come, and you sigh into a masterful lemonade and try to think of things to say to fill the space between you and your ex. (You have to try not to forget that bit—that this isn’t natural, that this can’t lead anywhere. For your sake and his.) “So, how’s your grandfather been?”

The easy smile on Noya’s lips drops. “Oh. He died late last year. Age caught up to him, I guess.”

Oh. Fuck. “Noya, I’m so…”

He shakes his head. “Don’t apologize. Crazy bastard had a hell of a time of it. He’d hate for me to sit around feeling bad about it, anyway.”

He wouldn’t want you to pity him. Doesn’t want you to pity him. You know that. But…

Did Noya ever talk about any other family members when you knew him? You know he lived in that house with his grandfather. No siblings. Never mentioned any cousins. You know he didn’t grow up around his parents, either…

Has he been alone this whole time?

You reach across the table. Place a hand on his. “Maybe I’ll visit more often.”

In silence, the two of you sit and wait for your crepes.

~

The crepes come out, and with them, new points of conversation that carry you both to finishing—all the way until Noya manages to argue you into letting him pay. He pulls you along, a bit slower than before, a bit easier. You can’t help but let him take your hand and bring you wherever the wind is leading him, half-pitying him and half from the complete lack of will to fight him all day.

“I told you you weren’t gonna like what you ended up ordering.”

“You liked it though, right?”

Predictably, he’d taken one bite of the crepe and instantly realized his mistake. Far too much onions for his tastes. Your curry crepe had been… well…

Let’s just say that you weren’t especially upset when Noya asked you to swap.

“It was really good, if you like onions.”

“I know what I like! Onions aren’t it!”

It’s easy like this, and the day really is nice. There’s rain on the breeze and in the clouds, a pleasant scent and a comforting gloom over the day. You tease and joke back and forth, hand in hand like it’s natural, and it is. It’s easy, being around him. It was easy back then, too. So easy it scares you.

You’re just waiting for the bottom to fall out.

You’re waiting for the bottom to fall out, and it does—with a shriek and loud laughter, rain chases the both of you underneath a tree and within sight of the nearest bus stop, soaking you both through to the bone.

“See?” Noya says, grinning as he pulls you a little closer underneath the tree. “Now we can worry about getting dry.”

“You’re unbelievable,” said with a smile. “What is all this meant to prove again?”

“Well, why’d you come here?”

“Here? You dragged me out here.”

“Yeah, but why’d you come back to Miyagi? I’m just saying, my doorstep is not the first place I expected you to turn up on when the inevitable nervous breakdown hit.”

You fall silent, shiver in the rain. It’s peaceful. You try to focus on watching for a bus, anything except the question you were asked.

“[name].”

You glance at him, yelp a little to find how close the two of you have gotten. This close, in this kind of situation, it’d be only natural for you to lean in, for you to brush your lips against his.

God, have you even kissed anyone since you burned everything down?

You’re not doing this. You’re not falling into a hurricane like him again. You won’t be able to come back if you do that. (Especially with such a fucking cliché.)

You turn away. “You already asked me that. I told you before, I don’t know.”

He hums thoughtfully. Drapes his jacket over both of your heads in an attempt to keep you both from looking any more rained out than you already do.

“I’m just saying, if you want my opinion, you’re going to have to do a lot more adventuring and a lot less sales for a company you hate if you want to remember what ‘happy’ is supposed to feel like.”

“Not sure I ever knew what that was like to begin with.”

“Never?”

“When I was a kid, maybe.”

He tilts his head. “Not even when we dated? Is that why you broke up with me?” He sounds genuinely curious. Would it feel better, you wonder, if he sounded hurt?

You wince. “I didn’t mean… I just…” A sigh. “It’s more like, I was too afraid to let myself be happy when I was with you.” In the close proximity, you find it easier to let your head rest against him a little. “Please don’t misunderstand. I like you. I probably would have been really happy with you if there weren’t something fundamentally wrong with me as a person.” Shit. You definitely misspoke there.

“I don’t really know how to teach you to relax a little, but it’s gotta be easier now that you’re out of your parents’ house. Maybe you need to go somewhere completely new. Get a fresh outlook.”

You arch a brow his way. At least he’s not commenting on your slip of the tongue. “What are you suggesting, Nishinoya?”

“I’m leaving for Italy. Six weeks. That’s enough time for you to plan your little heart out, right?”

“Italy.”

He nods, as though it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Italy.”

“And if I came back after six years to kill you or something?”

He barks a laugh, stark against the pouring rain. His eyes linger on you. The part of you that’s charitable to yourself thinks he might be mentally undressing the clothes sticking to your skin, though you know it’s more of a challenging look. “I’d like to see you try.”

~

One soaking wet bus ride back to Noya’s house doesn’t save you from this little adventure plan of his. Instead, you’re given a towel or two to dry off with and a change of clothes from his closet, as though it’s the most natural thing in the world. The way he acts, everything is.

So now here you are, wearing a shirt far too large for you that you’ve wrestled into looking somewhat nice with Nishinoya’s jeans. It slides off your shoulder a bit no matter how many times you fix it. You admit, you do manage to pull it off, but the whirlwind of the day still has your head spinning with just how wrong this situation is.

You’re supposed to be at work right now. You should be in office clothes, sitting at a desk in a too-cold cubicle that you never got around to decorating, perfect and polished while you tap out yet another perfectly-balanced email, three-quarters professional, one-quarter gentle familiarity to lure your clients into a false sense of security. Not standing in your ex’s bathroom, tying one of his t-shirts at the waist, adjusting your hair to look closer to “decent” than “drowned rat”. This, this day, this situation, was never supposed to happen.

Is this whole day going to be a stumble? How long will it be until you catch yourself and get back to moving forward? When you do, will you still have a place at your desk?

Do you even want one?

A knock at the bathroom door. “If you give me your clothes, I’ll get them started drying,” his voice filters through the door.

All of these actions have been so easy. Your wet clothes, picked up from where they hung shower-side. Easy to wring them out a bit more to keep from making the floor worse. Easy to open the door. Easy to hand them to him.

Nothing had ever been particularly hard before him, but falling in love with him had been just like this: easy.

Maybe the first easy thing you ever remember.

~

So you go along with it. Another bus ride, this one less crowded than before. This time with umbrella in hand—just one, because of course Noya didn’t even think about it on the way out the door—and a determination to figure out what the hell you’re doing here to begin with.

Everything is as everything was, you think. Shops lining the street, one familiar sight in particular, one of two things you had never had the strength to deny yourself back in school. At the sight of the bookshop, you tug Nishinoya to a stop. You’re a little surprised when he actually does stop.

“Sorry, can we head in? I used to love this place back in school.” You nod to the bookshop. He smiles and lets you lead the way.

“I think that’s the first time you’ve done something selfish today,” he comments as you lead him in.

You refuse to meet that one with a reply.

The shop is exactly as you remember. High stacks of books, books, books everywhere. The scent of old books and a slight spice in the air, scents blending and mixing until, for just a moment, you’re in high school again, marveling at rare finds coming through the used books section and finding some new world to escape into.

You sigh into the scent and disappear into the stacks. Noya is kind enough to humor you as you pick through, find a title or two to take up to the register. If you really do come back to visit from time to time, you’ll have to make sure to stop in here when you do. The old woman at the register hasn’t aged a day. She smiles when she sees you the same way you’re smiling as you approach her.

“Is that little [name]?” she asks, though you both know she already knows the answer. “Why, I haven’t seen you around here in ages! You’ve grown so well!”

“It’s wonderful to see you again, ma’am.”

“Just as polite as you always were. Find everything you were looking for?”

She’s got a poster on the counter by the register. You steal a glance, then meet her eyes with a smile. “Sure did! I’m glad to see you guys are still here.”

Her smile turns bitter. “I’m not sure how much longer, I’m afraid.”

Ah. There’s the heartbreak, panic, fear. “What?”

“It can’t be helped. It’s getting difficult to watch this place in my age, and my Taka’s not been doing so well lately. The kids are all off worrying about their own lives now…”

Your chest twists at the thought. “Can’t you find help?”

“We’ve been looking, but…”

It cannot possibly be this easy.

There’s no way.

“But…”

Noya slides a few bills over the counter while you’re busy fighting a war in your head.

“Oh, and who’s this? You’ve got to introduce your boyfriend, dear.”

“Oh, he’s not—“

“It’s nice to meet you, Granny! I’m Nishinoya.”

Already, they’re spiraling off into some side conversation, too fast for you to make the obvious correction as the old lady makes your—Noya’s—change. She tucks a little bookmark into the front of the stack, and you slide your new books into your bag in resignation. It becomes his space as easily as it was yours, and somehow, it doesn’t feel wrong.

After you’ve left, you consider clearing the air, bringing up… whatever that was.

…it’s not worth the argument.

Another few shops, another few stops. Another few steps forward, another few hours, and yet again you’re sitting across from him, fretting over being underdressed at the restaurant you’ve both happened across and settled on.

“Are you sure we’re dressed alright?” you mutter.

“They let us in the door, didn’t they?”

…yeah, you don’t know what you expected him to say.

“Besides, you look great,” he adds. His eyes dance over you, over the bare skin on your shoulder where you’ve finally given up on pulling the neck of his shirt back up. “I think you wear that better than I ever have.”

You ignore him in favor of another menu, another decision to make that feels earth-shattering. At least you’re aware you’re being ridiculous when it comes to ordering. Really, what’s going to change if you get the fun-looking drink you might not like over the safe one? How bad would it really be if you didn’t like your meal that much?

Drinking too much. Discovering a new allergy. Food poisoning—

“You’re overthinking again,” he teases.

“I’m always overthinking,” you grumble.

“Maybe you need to take the edge off.”

He’s right, and you know that in theory. But in the practice and the day-to-day, you stare at the drinks menu and feel your chest constrict with that itch of anxiety all over again.

“You’ve just got to jump in before you can talk yourself out of it. Come on, [name], let me distract you a little.”

…you don’t think he’s trying to flirt, but your face feels hot all the same. And, well, shit, Noya is a great distraction. He’s a bit less keyed-up than he was back then, but he’s still endlessly charming, endlessly easy to get wrapped up in if you lower your guard even a moment.

“…fine. So what’s this you were saying earlier about Italy?”

His eyes light up. You rest your chin in your palm, glance over the menu again as he tells you about his dreams of traveling the world, how he wants to seek new thrills and see all these new things. You can see every potential disaster of the situation—for one, he has a house back home that someone’s going to need to care for while he’s away, and he doesn’t seem to have thought of that. For another, he’s got an inheritance and no passive income to work with. His grandfather’s leftover money may be substantial enough for this to work in the short term, but longer-term…

Well, one day, he’s going to run headfirst into a hole he can’t climb out of himself.

The thought scares you. Who’s going to be there for him when that happens?

The waiter stops by. Before you can talk yourself out of it, you pick out something alcoholic and fruity and try not to preen under Noya’s delighted approval.

“I’ve never seen you drunk before. Looking forward to it,” he grins. This time, you’re sure he means it flirtatiously, given the wicked gleam in his eyes.

You reach across the table to bat at his arm. “Keep looking, then. I don’t plan on getting drunk tonight. Just buzzed enough to put up with you.”

“Well, that’s no fun. I wanted to know what you’re like when you finally let loose.”

“Excuse you, I can be plenty fun without getting drunk off my ass.”

“Then let’s see it.”

Drinks come out, food orders are placed. You get your margarita halfway down before the buzz starts really setting in, a pleasant warmth blossoming through you. At least now when Noya makes your face hot with some offhanded comment, you can blame it on something other than your own weak heart.

“You know, this is the most adventurous thing I’ve done since I dated you,” you admit once you’re both walking back to the bus stop. Fully sober you would never have this conversation. You recognize that, but there’s enough pleasant fuzz in your head that for once you do not give nearly enough of a fuck to stop yourself. The night is warm, maybe even romantic. “This whole… running around, stopping at random restaurants, getting drenched in the rain without an umbrella. All that.”

He’s got this soft look in his eyes as he regards you. “Really? I can’t say I’m surprised. You were always worrying about everything.”

You snort. “Someone had to.”

“We were kids, though. You probably could have left at least some of that worrying to your parents.”

“Believe it or not, they gave nearly all of that worry to me. On purpose, I think.” You sigh, lean against him just a touch. Your balance never was all that great sober. “I had to be perfect. You were that one little blip.”

“Hey, it felt perfect to me.”

“Did I make a mistake, do you think?”

He looks a little wounded at that. To your credit, he’s definitely misinterpreting. “Dating me?”

“No. Leaving you.”

He pauses, an awkward motion that has you both stumbling just a bit. He’d drank over dinner, too—you’re both buzzed, and the bubbly, floaty feeling ebbs out as you stare at each other. “Why do you say that?”

“I just… I thought about it a lot,” you mumble. “What it would have been like. If I’d just stayed, instead of letting the thought of my parents scare me into running away.”

He huffs a soft laugh and winds his arm around your shoulder. “I thought about it, too. Come on. You don’t need to make it back to the hotel alone; I’ve got a guest bedroom you can use tonight. That, and I’ve still got your clothes.”

Oh. Right.

You nod and let him walk you back to his home.

~

“Have you figured anything out yet?” he asks as he finds another oversized t-shirt and a pair of athletic shorts for you to sleep in. “Gotten even a little closer to figuring out how to do something you actually feel like doing?”

“I had fun,” you mumble in reply. “I know that much, at least.”

“Good. That was mostly the point.” He hands the clothes over to you. They’re more neatly folded than you would have given him credit for.

“Mostly?”

“Well,” he grins, “I also wanted to spend the day with you. Didn’t figure you’d ever agree if I didn’t drag you out before you could think about it too hard.”

“It was nice,” you admit. “Thank you. For all of it. I… I still don’t know what I’m going to do tomorrow, though.”

“Is it so bad listening to what you feel like doing every once in a while, though?”

“If I knew what I felt like doing, maybe.” You linger awkwardly in his doorway, bounce your shoulder rhythmically against the frame. “You’ve got your work cut out for you if you think one day is gonna get me that in tune with my brain.”

“That’s why I asked you to come to Italy with me.” He tilts his head, some question lingering unspoken. “Try it now, though. What does [name] feel like doing right now?”

He’s close to you. Too close. He’s close, and pretty, and magnetic, and—

“[name] feels like doing something stupid.”

His grin widens. “Nice to meet you. My name’s Nishinoya Yuu, and I’ve been told on more than one occasion that I am pretty damn stupid.”

—fuck it. You grab him by the collar of his shirt and kiss him before you can talk yourself out of it.

He reciprocates in kind, an eager hand coming to settle on your waist like it’s been waiting to rest there all night. You kiss him hot, heavy, open-mouthed; let your hands slide from gripping his collar to locking loosely behind his neck. When you’re both out of breath, he pulls back and leans in to whisper into your neck:

“Why did you come here, [name]?”

It’s hard to think with his breath on your neck, his hands on your body leaving your skin on fire where he touches, but you are great at thinking and finally off the deep end enough to admit it.

“I wanted to remember what it was like to feel alive,” you breathe out into his ear. His lips brush your throat, and you let out a breathy whine. “You’re the only person who ever—who ever seemed to know how to do that.”

“Let me show you how to let go, then.”

There’s no illusions about what he means. Not this time, not with his lips dancing down your neck to your exposed shoulder. Not with his hips pressing into yours, not with his fingertips toying with the edge of his shirt you’re wearing, and not with his fingertips brushing the bare skin at your waist.

You nod and hope you won’t regret it.

~

If there’s regret to be had, you expect you’ll see it in the light of morning. As it is, Noya returns from the bathroom and collapses right onto you, a lithe arm pulling you into his chest.

“I’m glad you came back,” he mumbles into your hair. You’re both tired—it’s late, and that might have been the best workout you’ve gotten in a while.

“Because you missed me, or because you got to fuck me?” you tease, sliding a hand over his.

“I missed you,” he replies without missing a beat. “Not too late to come travel the world with me. Quit your job and feel peace for once in your life.”

“Peace? With you around? Not likely. Besides, I’m renting a place in Tokyo. I can’t meet rent if I quit my job.”

He laughs and pulls you in a little closer. “Then just Italy, and you can go back to the way you felt before you turned up on my doorstep looking more lost than I’ve ever seen anyone in my life.”

You sigh. “When you’re traveling the world, who’s gonna take care of your house? It doesn’t seem like you’re selling it, are you?”

“Italy, come home, we’ll break in the place, and then I’ll come home to you between trips while you work on writing an international bestseller.”

Your heart flutters at the thought. Admittedly… it’d solve a lot of the problems you have with his little “plan”.

“And how do you suppose I pay for being alive aside from not having rent?”

“Ask that old lady at the bookshop if you can help at the store.”

“Why do you have an answer for everything?”

“It’s okay if things fall into place once in a while, you know.”

You sigh into him. There’s too many unknowns. How is he going to keep paying for traveling? What if the book never works out? If there’s no space for you at the bookshop? If—

He nuzzles into your neck. “I’m waiting on an answer, baby…”

“It’s late, Noya. I’ll think about it.”

“Do me a favor and think yourself into something for once, instead of out of it. I might die if you leave again.”

He presses one last kiss into the back of your neck before you both draft off, sore and exhausted.

There’s one thing, at least, you can be sure of, at least for tonight: you’re glad you came here.

~

Epilogue

“You’re looking much better,” your coworker nods to you as you settle back into your desk. “Get some much-needed rest?”

You nod your reply. “I did, thanks. Sorry for disappearing so suddenly. That cold was killer. Think I slept about fourteen hours straight.”

She snorts. “Man, no wonder you weren’t answering your phone. Well, I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

She wanders off to her own desk. You take a long sip of your drink, stretch a bit, and get right to your stupid little emails.

You tap away, pausing between sentences to consider, to answer the phone, to sip your drink. Occasionally, to tab over to some other draft when you worry a passing coworker might see exactly what you’re writing. At one or two points, over to your web browser, either to the wikiHow article you’re referencing, or to one of the many other tabs: your online banking, to confirm that this isn’t going to completely kill you (it won’t—all work and no play gives Jack a hefty savings account), or to any number of other wonderful things on the Internet that you suddenly feel comfortable accessing with the letter you’re drafting in the background.

It takes an hour to settle. The letter is drafted, all the right people are copied. You’ve triple checked everything, gotten all your things already slid into your bag or in a box to carry out with you. Made sure everything you need to leave behind is in clear view on your desk. You’ve even prepped an auto-response on your email client so people know who to bother, if not you. It’d take three, maybe four clicks to blow up your life.

You can’t do it.

You reach for your cell and dial.

Noya, despite all that worries you about him, has always been an early riser. He picks up on the second ring. “Hello?”

“Distract me,” you order in lieu of a greeting.

You hear laughter, a slight shuffle. “From what?”

“Doesn’t matter. Just distract me.”

“Ah, you’re doing something you don’t want to talk yourself out of. I’m proud of you!” You hear the smile in his voice, close your eyes to try to visualize it. “Am I allowed to ask what you’re up to? Where you are?”

“No and no. If I tell you, I’ll back out by the time I finish saying it.”

“I get it. Hey, do you still have that mark on your neck from when I—“

Your cheeks burn, fingers dancing along the bruise in question. It had been a bitch to cover with makeup this morning. You’re still not convinced you did so successfully, but no one’s commented on it yet, at least. “No thanks to a certain someone. I still can’t believe you did that.”

“Hey, you said you felt like doing something stupid. Who was I to deny you?”

“Cheeky bastard.” You smile, lean back in your chair a little bit. Click ‘send’. “Oh god. I did it.”

“Am I allowed to ask what you did now?”

“I might throw up. Not sure yet. Hey, how do you feel about renting bikes?”

“Bikes?”

“In Italy. I was looking up, like, bucket lists and stuff, and there’s this road, the Appian way? You can rent bikes and bike it. Apparently, it’s pretty old, and there’s this café we could eat at, and—“

You hear the thunk of something falling in the background of the call. “You’re coming!?”

“Well, I just emailed my resignation letter to my boss and HR, and I can see him panicking in his office from here, so you better have meant it. Here in a minute or two, he’s probably going to call me in, or come yell at me at my desk—“

“When’s your resignation effective? Did you give a notice?”

“Effective as soon as he stops panicking.”

A bark of laughter sounds in your ear. “So if he comes to yell at you, just leave. You already quit, anyway. What’s he gonna do?”

“Good point. Leaving now.” You stand, scoop up your bag. “I have two months left on my lease. If you didn’t mean that thing about me housesitting while you’re off seeing the world, speak now before I call my landlord and let him know I’m canceling that, too.”

“All yours, but your rent is walking around without pants whenever I’m home.”

You roll your eyes. Pause to wave at your boss on your way out the door. If he shouts after you, you don’t hear it. You’ve got a trip to Italy to plan.

Tags: @deeplightgarden @idonthaveanameideayet @dusstory

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[sparklyeevee]

I may have missed it but when do we see Lan’s eating disorder in the books?

Okay, this is a little sting and corkboards, so bear with me. Also, like I said, it was subtle, so don't feel bad for missing it.

Quite a few people, most of them Borderlanders, talk about how Lan was attractive when he was younger, but no longer is.

Lan was sexually abused as a teenager and, at minimum, subject to substantial unwanted sexual or romantic attention as a young adult. "Over one particularly memorable ten days in the south of Cairhienen he had almost been killed six times, and nearly married twice." (New Spring). "Women have been chasing Lan since he was a beardless boy." (Crown of Swords).

It's a Thing that survivors of sexual violence will deliberately change their weight in order to be less attractive so that it's less likely to happen again. In our world, it's more often women, and more often gaining weight than losing it, but it's a Thing. There seems to be less fatphobia in Wheel of Time - "slim" and "slender" are both used as positive adjectives, but so is "plump", and in the Borderlands, where it's Cold and most people lead difficult, active lives, I would not expect beauty standards to favor thinness.

Lan has very little body fat, like, way too little. The thing that comes up repeatedly is that his face is all "hard angles", and this is often cited as an aspect of his not, or no longer, being attractive, but sitting on his lap is also characterized as "softer than the unpadded wooden benches on this boat...Well, no harder than the benches, anyway." That's not normal or healthy, even for someone as active as he is.

Lan canonically over-exercises as a coping mechanism. We see this in New Spring when Edeyn is keeping him, obviously, and in Crown of Swords when Myrelle is doing essentially the same thing, but see also "If you had not made me so angry I had to go work forms with Jaem..." in The Great Hunt.

We know Myrelle had difficulty getting him to eat in ACoS because she tried to get coin peppers brought in from the Borderlands. On its own, that could reasonably be attributed to the effects of a broken bond, but it stacks with the other evidence.

There are a number of instances where a group of characters are nominally eating dinner or something, and Lan does not appear to eat. This isn't super certain on its own either, especially since the books don't usually provide comprehensive lists of who's actually eating, but it adds up.

What this amounts to is that there's solid, if somewhat diffuse, evidence that Lan is consistently undereating and over-exercising, at least partly in an effort to decrease the amount of unwanted sexual attention he gets, but at this point it's probably also become a Thing unto itself. So I was very pleased to see that Alanna is apparently trying to make sure he eats at least every couple of hours, which is a common thing in eating disorder recovery.

[peistudies]

て Form Verbs - Connecting clauses, Expressing Chronological Actions, Making requests

This post is dedicated to my N6 Introductory level babies <3 て form can be used in a number of different ways. From making requests, to connecting ideas, this is truly a big and versatile grammar point that will propel you forward on your journey. It does have a negative form, and it can be used for adjectives and nouns as well, but today we'll just be focusing on the positive verb form (the hardest one!).

Irregular: 行く　→　行って 来(く)る　→　 来(き)て　 する　→　して

Ichidan verbs are easy. Simply drop the last る and replace it with て!　 Ex. 食べる　→　食べて 起きる　→　起きて 閉じる　→　閉じて

The struggle lies with Godan verbs! This is gonna take some memorization.

When verbs are in their plain non-past form, they always end in an -u sound. However, the consonant sound that precedes -u differs from verb to verb. Now stay with me here - The て form of specific verbs are based on their last hiragana symbol.

All the possible endings of Godan verbs and the て forms of those endings are:

If the verb ends in う, つ, or る, the て form will be って If the verb ends in む, ぶ, ぬ, the て form will be んで If it ends in く, it will become いて If it ends in ぐ, it'll be いで and if it ends in す, it will end up as して

Now, let's give you some examples.

If the verb ends in う, つ, or る, the て form will be って

会う　→　会って

立つ　→　立って

割る　→　割って

If the verb ends in む, ぶ, ぬ, the て form will be んで

死ぬ　→　死んで

遊ぶ　→　遊んで

休む　→　休んで

If it ends in く, it will become いて

書く　→　書いて

If it ends in ぐ, it'll be いで

泳ぐ　→　泳いで

and if it ends in す, it will end up as して

話す　→　話して

These forms will be used in various sentences to communicate a wider range of ideas. If you got past the conjugation, then congrats! You just unlocked hundreds of new grammar points!

If you have a hard time reading the kanji, please download Yomichan for chrome, and watch your life change before your eyes.

Video explaining with the て form song

て form song alone (Please watch this!)

Tofugu Article

[ruinakete]

☽ ・WHAT MAKES A PERSONALITY.

a template ( created by the wonderful Ree ) for analyzing features of a personality beyond listing adjectives. written beneath a readmore because of length, not spoilers!

SELF-CONCEPT

VIEW OF SELF: highly upheld on a pedestal created by her late tribe and the hierarchy of Fell Churches. though clouded by a heavy sense of superiority, there is the slightest chance of self-awareness from her, though it is an introspection that takes time. what is important to her is that she, above anyone else, knows her heart and mind. no one else can claim to relate to all she has lived through and she knows this; though the level of tragedy she connects this with is debatable. likewise, her view of self is duller than her view of others, as she truly does not care for herself at her core. this is not self-deprecation, rather it is the monotonous feeling that comes from knowing that, at the end of the day, she is what her tribe and Sombron have made of her. there is nothing else and nothing more.

VIEW OF OTHERS: hardly memorable. unlike her, time will pass for them and they will die, so their only purpose is to serve until their last breath. will she remember their names? hardly, but the impact they have will outlive their body. as a direct result of her behavioral inconsistencies and traumas, she alienates herself from society and, thus, does not view humanity and other immortal beings in any positive light. they are only useful under a leash. they are only useful if they can be wielded as pawns. if they stray from their fated path, then they must be punished. it is as much a law as it is instinct. either way, none of them will equate to the space necessary in the void of her heart; what she needs is a family, and other people cannot give this to her.

VIEW OF WORLD: unforgiving. selfish. the world is cruel to those who surpass their fate and, thus, she bares her teeth and takes as much from the world as she thinks she deserves; which is everything it has to offer. in her eyes, the world is ever-changing and will not wait for you to mend your wounds, no matter how closely you hold it at heart. you will not survive if you are not the aggressor. her environment taught her that pain is love and such love, one strong enough to destroy what it has created, is punishment, in its own way. to love was to hurt until you knew nothing else; to grieve was to love with all your heart. if you sought love then you had to seek the pain that is obligated with it upon your faults. thus, all relationships of value between her and the world were, and will always be, transactional.

MOTIVATIONS & GOALS: serve as Lord Sombron's greatest follower until he sees her as fit to be the mother of his child. whether it be one or plenty, she hopes to bear them and give fruit to lives of her blood. upon birth, they are hers, as a mother and idol and god. and that, the idea that, one day, someone she brought into the world will revolve that very world around her, is what keeps her focused on the future. but somewhere, along the line, another motivation has formed upon her arrival; protect the Four Hounds and restore what they once were.

WHEY THEY VALUE MOST: family, both in the physical and metaphorical sense. the idea of having and taking from someone who owes you their entire life for giving fruit to theirs.

EMOTIONAL REACTIONS

REACTION TO STRESS: most, if not all, negative emotions end in her lashing out in an attempt to regain the control she once lost. so, when stressed, her composure falters; she becomes jittery, scheming, and distant. she'll refocus all of her energy on picking apart the stressor and, upon recognizing what it is, eliminating it without hesitation. this could mean directly destroying the stressor or completing it, but whichever it is, she does not ignore it. it, also, does not matter what this stress comes from; whether it be a responsibility, environment, or person. the execution, however, of this determination is usually heartless and selfish, as she will go through anything and anyone to calm the nerves of her heart.

REACTION TO FEAR: though fear, too, is a negative emotion, it does not necessarily end in an unwavering sense of hostility. to fear something is to think that it has the weight to actually affect you. and, thus, it is fine to say that fear isn't an emotion she's faced often in her thousand years of life. upon first face of this subject causing her fear, she's incredulous. confused or shocked, rather than frightful. but when the emotion sets in, she becomes quieter. curt. this silence is not submissive, lest it be in the face of Sombron. her following reaction will be to right what has been wronged; control. she will combat this fear with confrontation if the risks prove to be lesser, but she knows her limits and will not provoke the fear if it will bring her harm.

REACTION TO SUCCESS: to revel in her success is not rare. this is, usually, done in the form of taunting the losing party. however, her reaction to success differs between the success of herself and the success of those she deems as hers. for the former, she does not seek praise. it is not the acknowledgment she requires, as that is flawed and not taken at heart's value. if not from Sombron, then she does not want it. however, praise is what she requires when her pawns succeed. for them to win is a win for her, as it reinforces the greedy pride of being able to create something worth loving. otherwise, success, to her, is conditional and can always be revoked. it is not something worth celebrating by the masses. in fact, it could be argued that success makes her hungrier for the possible retaliation that will follow.

REACTION TO FAILURE: depends highly on who she fails regarding the event. in light of disappointing Sombron, her apologies are swift, curt, as there is nothing else to say. her willingness to right, again, what has been wronged is high and she will take no other answer unless she's given the other chance. there is no guilt, as she does not recognize such a feeling, but the feeling aches similarly. if in the case of failing herself, her reaction is duller. again, at her core, she has come to terms with the fate she's been given, so all she is to do is find her way back unto the path paved for her. she'll try again, more determined, but emotional reactions are little to none. she understands herself best and will right herself accordingly, aiming to engrain into her the teachings that made her who she is.

DEVELOPMENT

IDEAL SELF: is constantly changing, to the point where she cannot fully recognize where she, herself, wants to be. what amount of development would be enough? from whom would this development come from? all she knows is that the ideal life she sees fit for herself is that of a mother, as it was the only thing able to fill the void in her heart. key word: was. new events have shone a light on her ideals and hope to shift them. unfortunately, because of her lack of concern for who or what she becomes, as her fate will always be written before her, the exact ideal self is unknown.

AREAS OF GROWTH: as mentioned before, loneliness is still a factor she hopes to heal. being alienated from others, even dragons like herself, because of the behavior she adapted to in hopes of defending her heart will always prove her efforts futile. to grow requires the knowledge to understand exactly what is necessary beforehand. thus, her concept of what can heal her is false and flawed. it's simple and, if she does not recognize her emotions and pick apart the years of manipulation, all will be hopeless.

BARRIERS TO GROWTH: the inability to wear her heart anywhere that is not the steel bars of her ribcages; the continuous conquest of favor for Sombron; the inability to recognize how she has affected the world and vice versa; the inability to be truthful lest she fear bleeding out on the spot; and time wearing away at the familiarity she should have with her own emotions. there is a lot that stands as an obstacle to her development. none of it will disappear quickly, so she must approach it slowly and with patience.

[awellboiledicicle]

My lover pauses, hand resting on my cheek, and asks what poetry is being written behind my look of adoration. I can only offer that I'm writing it, before I kiss him. Willing my tongue to convey my love, where it can't with words.

Because I'm not writing some grand poem immortalizing his beauty, while I feel his hips against my palms. I'm not thirty stanzas into an epic about our love, as my teeth sink into his shoulder and his moans dance through my nervous system. Nor am I composing lyrics to a song my throat is too tight to sing, when I'm shuddering under his touch.

I am, instead, painting the walls of my memory with broken open sharpies. Hoping that the impression and sensation of his mouth get set down as permanently as they are physically impermanent, so he will be with me when he is not. I do not stop until we do, every detail dabbed onto the surface of thought. The drywall is soft, mostly, from all the additions. This is how it should be. My hands end up messy, and I come out light headed, but by the time we lay holding each other, the picture sets.

Poetry, pretty words that trip my tongue and make my lover smile. .. I do not write while we lay together. I do not write it while I gaze lovingly from across the couch. Because, when I cup his face and memorize every freckle, I have only to say I Love You. My throat is thick with it, my eyes threaten tears, and my tongue feels heavy with all the times I want to say it. But it do not write it then.

Words, those fickle little things with more weight than sense, fall into form... later. Later, when I lay in bed alone and miss the sound of his breathing. When I, in the haze of sleep, reach for his comfort and find nothing on the other side of the bed. When I feel the phantom of his lips as I try to fall asleep, and hold my own hand to make up for a lack of his.

The poetry behind my eyes puts together that room covered in sharpie. It outlines the curves of my lovers body, the spots on his skin, the wisps of hair in his limbs... the look of love and longing that I'm not sure he knows the scale of. Words, sometimes perfumed and sometimes heavy, school together to try conveying my feelings. I cannot write the poetry my lover could make into a song, but I can outline the feeling of him learning a song for me. How the honor I felt choked me like a vice grip being wrenched tighter with each note. I can finger paint the picture of my emotions when he explains his interests, bright hues staining my hands as I pick out adjectives for the halo of joy he wears in those moments. I can even splatter letters around to silhouette the grand palace he's helped me make of my self confidence-- though the paint fades here and there on that one.

My lover asks me, his breath in my mouth, what poetry I am writing behind my half closed eyes. And all I can think to answer is I Love You

[virromanus]

Introduction to Latin: The Basics for Beginners

Introduction

Latin, the ancient language of the Romans, continues to enchant and educate people worldwide. Its influence on languages, literature, and legal systems is undeniable. For beginners eager to embark on the fascinating journey of learning Latin, understanding its grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation is the first step. This post will guide you through these fundamental aspects, providing a solid foundation for your Latin learning adventure.

Understanding Latin Grammar

Latin grammar may seem daunting at first, but it's quite systematic. One of the language's distinctive features is its use of inflections. Words change their form (inflect) based on their role in a sentence. This is crucial for understanding Latin since word order is more flexible than in English.

Nouns and Cases

Latin nouns are categorized into groups called declensions. Each noun has a gender (masculine, feminine, or neuter) and is declined according to case and number. There are five main cases in Latin - Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative, and Ablative - each serving a different syntactical purpose. For instance, the Nominative case is typically used for the subject of the sentence, while the Accusative is often the direct object.

Verbs and Conjugations

Latin verbs are conjugated to express tense, mood, voice, number, and person. There are four primary conjugations in Latin, and verbs are grouped into these based on the ending of their second principal part (the infinitive). Learning to conjugate verbs is essential for forming sentences and expressing various actions and states of being.

Adjectives and Agreement

Adjectives in Latin must agree with the nouns they describe in gender, number, and case. This agreement is vital for sentence clarity and coherence.

Building Latin Vocabulary

Expanding your Latin vocabulary is a mix of memorization and recognition of patterns. Many Latin words are the ancestors of English terms, especially those in scientific, legal, and literary contexts. Start with common nouns, verbs, and adjectives, and use flashcards or apps to reinforce your learning. Practice by translating simple sentences from English to Latin and vice versa.

Mastering Latin Pronunciation

Classical Latin pronunciation is somewhat different from the Ecclesiastical (Church) Latin used in religious contexts. Here's a brief guide to classical pronunciation:

Vowels are pronounced more distinctly than in English, with 'a' as in "father," 'e' as in "they," 'i' as in "machine," 'o' as in "fort," and 'u' as in "flute."

Consonants are generally pronounced as in English, but 'v' is pronounced as 'w,' and 'c' and 'g' are always hard, as in "cat" and "get."

Diphthongs like 'ae' and 'oe' are pronounced as 'ai' in "aisle" and 'oi' in "oil," respectively.

Conclusion

Embarking on the journey of learning Latin is not just about mastering a language; it's about connecting with centuries of history, literature, and culture. By grasively embracing Latin's grammar, diligently building your vocabulary, and accurately mastering pronunciation, you're setting a strong foundation for your Latin studies. With patience and practice, you'll unlock the rich and rewarding world of Latin texts and traditions. So, take a deep breath, dive in, and let the language of the ancients guide you through a transformative learning experience.

[kebriones]

tryna teach myself Greek and I can read it, but why is Greek so hard-?

:D well I think it's not much harder than learning most languages, it's just that english is extremely easy.

I'd say the hard part of greek is the endless conjugations/declensions but these can be learned by repetition and with time. In primary school, we spend years just writting down the inflection of words over and over and over.

but this was also what made me find french very difficult to learn, the verb conjugation kicked my butt and, as an adult with limited time, memorizing collumns of verb forms was difficult. it's just that it's even more extensive in greek.

Sentence structure is a little strange because you can change the order of the words but it's not hard to construct simple phrases once you get a feel for it. maybe understanding the subtle changes in tone depending on word order isn't something easy for non-native speakers to grasp, i am not sure. and you can get pretty complicated sentences if you push the syntax but you shouldn't worry about that at this stage.

things that might seem scary like every noun having a gender and having to match this gender in adjectives etc is very learnable and even when you make mistakes in the gender of words most people can understand you just fine.

[neonmeron]

火曜日　2023/9/27

皆、こんにちは！

Why does it actually take me so long to write this lmao. I started yesterday morning and it's the next days evening TT

(im posting this 10/11 sorry)

So today was my school's career fair. I didn't have to go because I'm a Japanese major but I still wanted to. I met with the FBI and CIA so that was really cool. I didn't even have any resumes to give them lmao. I'm not worried. I have it alllll planned out.

Let's continue where we left off yesterday

すぎる means too much of something and its a verb 

So if i wanted to say I ate too much i could say 食べすぎました。you have your original verb in ます form but instead of ます、you put in the すぎる. And then すぎる conjugates as a normal verb does. You can also combine this with て form and た form and んです　and so many other things wowza! Let's do some sentences

I ate too much pasta last night - 昨日の夜、パスタを食べすぎた。（すぎた is short past tense of すぎる but you already knew that)

I work out too hard yesterday - 昨日、運動しすぎた。

You must not study too much tonight. 今夜、勉強しすぎてはいけません。

Please dont smoke too much - タバコを吸いすぎないでください。 (i may be wrong with this one but it looks right) (let me know if it's wrong!)

Please dont worry too much - 心配（しんぱい）しすぎないでください。

Next, we used すぎる for adjectives. You only use すぎる for adjectives if its beyond normal or proper.

So, something like この本は高すぎます。”This book is too expensive” is correct. Something like

かわいすぎます。 “Too cute” is incorrect. You have to use とても or すごく to describe things in a higher regard.

You simply put the adj stem (without extra い or な) and add the すぎる. 練習しましょう

この町はにぎやかすぎる。

その家は小さすぎる。

あの授業はうるさすぎる。

この授業は難しすぎた。

妹はいじわるすぎる。ｗｗ

Pretty simple. Moving on….

I believe ～ので works the same as から except its more formal. (reason ので situation)

The reason part of a ～ので sentence usually is in a short form. For example,

話す＞話すので、～～～

食べない＞食べないので、～～～

登る＞登らなかったので、～～～

テストがあったので、～～～

Let's do some sentences:

授業をサボらないので、いい成績（せいせき）がある。

水を飲むので、頭が痛（い）たくない。

いつも日本語で話すので、日本語が上手になった。

宿題がたくさんあったので、昨日の夜、寝なかった。

For い and な adjectives, 

You keep the い and add ので

But for な adjectives/nouns, you keep/add the な

いじわるなので、～～～

日曜日なので、～～～

Yesterday in my practical writing and speaking we practiced humble forms. 

Here is what we learned

食べる、飲む＞いただく

来る＞まいる

する＞いたす

いる＞おる

ある＞ござる

言う＞もうす

あちらだ＞あちらでござる

More words to memorize….yay….

We then practiced introducing ourselves. (we had to make up some things)

スザンナ・ジョンソンと申します。オルバニーの図書館からまいりました。RITしてんで働いております。よろしくお願いいたします。pretty cool. 

次

お／ご+verb stem+します

So this basically makes something more polite/formal/humble

You use お for a normal verb but ご for する verbs. For example,

持つ＞お持ちます

連絡（れんらく）する＞ご連絡（れんらく）します。

送る（おくる）＞　お送ります

掃除する（そうじする）＞　ご掃除します

It's pretty straight forward

I hate to cut it short but I wanted to at least post something for you all. There is still a bit left to cover but that will be for next time. 

Thank you all for your patience with me. I will try harder to improve my time management so I can't post for you all (genshin has me in a grip rn. Who is your fav character?? Mine is yanfei and beidou <3)

今日の歌はTatsuya Kitani - 「青のすみか」です。

Notice any errors? Lmk!! I always want to fix my mistakes so I can learn better. ありがとう！

[aja-aja-hanja]

暗

if you'd like to support me, check out my ko-fi!

character story:

When the 日 일 sun sets and you can can hear 音 음 noise but not see, it’s dark.

Study vocab here!

Vocab:

暗黑 암흑 darkness

dark x black

明暗 명암 brightness and darkness

bright x dark

暗澹 암담하다 gloomy; hopeless

dark x gloomy

暗市場 암시장 black market

dark x market

暗票 암표 illegal ticket

dark x ticket

暗票상 암표상 ticket scalper

暗記 암기* memorization

dark x record

暗算 암산* mental math

dark x calculate

暗示 암시* hint

dark x manifest

暗號 암호 password

dark x name

暗殺 암살* assassination

dark x kill

*can add 하다 to make a verb form

**can add 이다 to make an adjective form

[maiega]

Understanding Plurals in Arabic

When learning Arabic, one of the most fascinating aspects to explore is its plural forms. Unlike English, which typically forms plurals by adding "s" or "es," Arabic has a more complex and varied system for making words plural. The plural forms can sometimes be irregular, and they depend on the word's gender, structure, and sometimes its meaning. Let's dive into plural in Arabic - Arabic plurals to get a better understanding.

In Arabic, plurals are generally categorized into two main types: the sound plural (جمع سالم) and the broken plural (جمع التكسير). Both types have their own rules and applications.

Sound Plurals (جمع سالم)

The sound plural is more straightforward and follows consistent rules. It is typically formed by adding specific endings to the singular form of the word. There are two main types of sound plurals in Arabic: the masculine sound plural and the feminine sound plural.

Masculine Sound Plural: This is formed by adding -ون (un) or -ين (in) to the singular. The suffix depends on the grammatical case of the noun. Example:

معلّم (teacher) becomes معلّمون (teachers) in the nominative case and معلّمين in the accusative or genitive cases.

Feminine Sound Plural: For feminine nouns, the plural is formed by adding -ات (at) to the singular. Example:

طالبة (female student) becomes طالبات (female students).

Broken Plurals (جمع التكسير)

Broken plurals are much more complicated than sound plurals. These plurals do not follow a specific, predictable rule. Instead, they involve changes in the structure of the word, such as altering the internal vowels or consonants. The patterns for broken plurals can vary greatly, and they often need to be memorized.

For example:

كتاب (book) becomes كتب (books).

طفل (child) becomes أطفال (children).

This irregularity makes it harder to form the plural correctly, and learners of Arabic often find broken plurals to be one of the most challenging aspects of the language.

Dual Forms (المثنى)

In Arabic, there is also a specific form for the "dual," which refers to two of something. To form the dual, the singular word is modified by adding -ان (an) or -ين (in) for masculine nouns, and -تانِ (tan) or -تينِ (tin) for feminine nouns. The dual form is used specifically to refer to two people, objects, or things.

Example:

كتاب (book) becomes كتابانِ (two books).

طالبة (female student) becomes طالبتانِ (two female students).

This dual form is unique to Arabic and is not something commonly found in many other languages.

Plurals in Context

Plurals in Arabic don’t just affect nouns; they also change the forms of adjectives and verbs. Adjectives in Arabic must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe, meaning that a plural noun will require a plural adjective. For instance:

الولد طويل (The boy is tall) becomes الأولاد طويلون (The boys are tall).

Similarly, verbs also agree with the subject in number. For example, the verb ذهب (he went) becomes ذهبوا (they went) when referring to a group of people.

Tips for Learning Arabic Plurals

Start with sound plurals: Because they follow consistent rules, sound plurals are easier to learn. Start by memorizing these patterns before diving into the more complicated broken plurals.

Focus on frequently used words: Learn the broken plurals of commonly used nouns first. This will make it easier to get a feel for the patterns.

Practice in context: Try to use plural forms in real conversations or writing exercises. This will help you get used to how plurals fit into sentences.

Memorize common broken plural patterns: While broken plurals don’t follow set rules, there are certain recurring patterns (like -ات for many feminine words) that can help you.

In summary, plural in Arabic - Arabic plurals are an essential part of mastering the language, and understanding both sound and broken plurals is key to speaking and writing correctly. While broken plurals may seem tricky at first, with practice, you’ll be able to spot the patterns and use them confidently. So don’t be discouraged—just keep learning, and the plurals will soon become second nature!

[dedalvs]

Hi David! I have a grammar question about HV. The plural/paucal nominative for solar possessive adjective ñuha could be ñuhys or ñuhyz but I don't understand the rules for when it is one and when it is the other. Or there is no rule and we have to memorize which one correspond to each word? Duolingo doesn't explain it and I can't find it in your wiki, maybe I searched wrong. Thank you.

There's an explanation in the notes I wrote up on Duolingo which you can no longer access. It's a really simple alternation, though. When ñuhyzy, the solar nominative plural agreement form of the first person singular possessive adjective, occurs before a noun instead of after it, it loses its final vowel, and shows up as ñuhyz. When it occurs before a noun that begins with a voiceless consonant, the z devoices to s, resulting in ñuhys. In short:

zaldrīzesse ñuhyzy "my dragons"

ñuhyz zaldrīzesse "my dragons"

ñuhys klihossa "my fish"

[maigamal]

A Practical Guide to Learning Classical Arabic

Classical Arabic holds a special place in the history of language and culture. It is the language of the Quran, classical poetry, and many historical texts. If you're interested in learning this elegant and rich language, it's important to approach it with patience and dedication. Here’s how you can get started and make steady progress.

How to learn Classical Arabic involves several key steps. While the language might seem challenging at first, breaking it down into manageable tasks can make the learning process more approachable. Let’s explore how to go about it.

Start with the Alphabet and Pronunciation

Classical Arabic uses a script that is quite different from English, so the first step is to become familiar with the Arabic alphabet. It consists of 28 letters, and many of them have different shapes depending on where they appear in a word. Additionally, pronunciation is crucial, as subtle changes in sound can change the meaning of a word. Spend time listening to native speakers, whether in person or through language apps and videos, to develop a good ear for the sounds of Arabic.

Focus on Building a Strong Vocabulary

Building a solid vocabulary is essential when learning any language, and Classical Arabic is no exception. Start by learning common words and phrases that will give you a foundation for understanding texts. Classical Arabic has a rich vocabulary, and many words have multiple meanings depending on the context. Reading simple texts like short stories or Quranic verses can help you see how words are used in various contexts.

Understand Grammar and Syntax

Arabic grammar, or "nahw," is unique and has its own set of rules. Unlike English, Arabic is an inflected language, which means that word endings change to express things like tense, gender, and number. Learning the basic sentence structures, such as subject-verb-object (SVO), and understanding noun cases (nominative, accusative, genitive) will help you grasp the language better.

In Classical Arabic, word order and context are crucial for understanding meaning. As you study grammar, focus on how different parts of speech interact within a sentence. For example, verbs often precede the subject, and adjectives generally follow the noun they modify.

Engage with Classical Texts

One of the best ways to learn Classical Arabic is to read classical texts. Start with simpler Quranic verses, as they are often used as examples in textbooks. Reading poetry is another great way to get familiar with the language, since Classical Arabic poetry follows a specific structure that can help with memorization and understanding grammar rules.

To improve your reading comprehension, work on understanding the basic meaning of a text first, then look up unfamiliar words and phrases. Don’t worry if you don’t understand everything at once; it takes time to become comfortable with the language.

Practice Writing and Speaking

While writing in Arabic can be difficult at first, practicing writing can help solidify your understanding of the alphabet and grammar. Start by copying simple words and phrases, and as you progress, try composing your own sentences. Focus on proper spelling, punctuation, and letter forms.

Speaking is also an important skill, though you might find it more challenging in Classical Arabic, as it is less commonly spoken than Modern Standard Arabic. However, you can practice pronunciation by listening to recordings of classical texts and repeating them. This will help you develop a better accent and improve your understanding of how Classical Arabic sounds.

Use Resources for Learning

There are plenty of resources available to help you learn Classical Arabic. Textbooks, online courses, apps, and language exchange programs are great ways to practice and study. When choosing a resource, look for one that focuses specifically on Classical Arabic, as this form differs significantly from Modern Standard Arabic in terms of vocabulary and structure.

One helpful tool is to use a dictionary dedicated to Classical Arabic. This can help you look up words as you encounter them in your readings, allowing you to better understand how the language works in different contexts.

Patience and Consistency

Learning Classical Arabic is a long-term commitment, and consistency is key. Don’t be discouraged by the complexity of the language. The more you practice, the more progress you will make. Dedicate regular time to study and immerse yourself in the language, even if it’s just a few minutes a day. As you build your vocabulary and gain a deeper understanding of grammar, you will find that reading and understanding Classical Arabic becomes easier.

In conclusion, how to learn Classical Arabic involves dedication, patience, and a structured approach. By familiarizing yourself with the alphabet, building your vocabulary, understanding grammar, and regularly practicing with texts, writing, and speaking, you will gradually become proficient in the language. It’s important to stay motivated and embrace the journey of learning.