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Learn Japanese with Anime - If You Do Not Fight, You Can't Win (Attack on Titan)

15 Sentences|63 Words|46 Kanji Video Lessons »

Learn Japanese with Anime - If You Do Not Fight, You Can't Win (Attack on Titan)

In this video, we’re going to analyse Eren & Mikasa’s quote from Attack on Titan (進撃の巨人, Shingeki no Kyojin).

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Analysis

勝てなきゃ死ぬ

()()なきゃ means “if you can’t win”. It’s the contracted form of ()()なければ which is the negative conditional form (if … not) of the potential verb ()()() meaning “can win”. To make the negative conditional form, take the nai-form, remove the い in the end and attach ければ or きゃ.

()() means “you die” or “you will die”.

So the first sentence ()()なきゃ()() means “if you can’t win, you will die”.

勝てば生きる

()()() means “if you win”. It’s the conditional form of the verb ()() meaning “to win”. To make the conditional form, switch the last hiragana of the dictionary form which is from the う-line to the え-line and attach ば.

()()() means “you live” or “you will live” which is the opposite word of ()().

So the second sentence ()()()()()() means “if you win you will live”.

戦わなければ勝てない

(たたか)()()()()() means “if you do not fight”. It’s the negative conditional form of the verb (たたか)() meaning “to fight”. The nai-form is (たたか)()()(), so remove the い in the end and attach ければ which is the negative conditional form.

()()()() means “you can’t win”. It’s the nai-form of the potential verb ()()().

So the last sentence (たたか)()()()()()()()()() means “if you do not fight you can’t win”.

(たたか)()()()()() can be contracted into (たたか)()()()(), but non-contracted form is often used for emphasis or used in formal speech. In this case, it’s used for emphasis to strongly persuade themselves to fight.

Sentences

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Eren & Mikasa’s Quote

If you can't win, you will die. If you win, you will live. If you do not fight, you can't win.

Verb + なきゃ/なければ (if one does not do something)

If you don't take medicine, your fever won't go down.
If you don't hurry up, you'll be late!
If you don't practice, you won't get better at it.

NOTE

なければ/なきゃ is often used to warn someone with bad consequences if you don’t follow it. In this usage, it can be replaced with なくては/なくちゃ/ないと. 

If you don't sleep early, you can't wake up early.
If you don't behave, Santa Claus won't come.

なければ/なきゃ can also be used to show the condition that leads to a latter stated judgement, volition, invitations, requests, commands, etc. In this case, it can be replaced with ないなら.

If you can't finish by today, tomorrow is fine too.
If we can't find a venue, let's cancel the party.

Verb + ば (if one does something)

If you order online, you can get it quickly.
If you read this book, your life may change.
I've got a mild headache but I think it'll get better if I get a night of sleep.

NOTE

Verb Affirmative + ば is often used to give advice. It’s less persuasive than なければ + Negative Result.

If you sleep early, you can wake up early.

勝つ/勝てる (to win/can win)

You can't defeat age.
It’s the proverb used when you physically feel your age even though you’re mentally young.
If you defeat the world champion, you can receive prize money.
If you cannot defeat the final boss, you can't complete the game.
ラスボス = short word for ラスト・ボス (last boss = final boss)

Vocabulary

Romaji Hide|Display Default|Add to ▼
ashita
noun, adverb
  1. tomorrow
atamagaitai
expression, i adjective
  1. having a headache
ii
i adjective (yoi/ii)
  1. good (also written 良い, 好い and 善い)
ikiru
ichidan verb, intransitive verb
  1. to live
isogu
godan verb, intransitive verb, transitive verb
  1. to hurry; to hasten
okiru
ichidan verb, intransitive verb
  1. to get up
  2. to wake up
omou
godan verb, transitive verb
  1. to think (想う has connotations of heart-felt)
kaijou
noun
  1. venue
katsu
godan verb, intransitive verb
  1. to win
kamoshirenai
expression
  1. may be
kawaru
godan verb, intransitive verb
  1. to change
kyou
noun, adverb
  1. today
kyoujuuni
adverb
  1. by today; before the day is over
kuru
kuru verb, intransitive verb
  1. to come (spatially or temporally)

Kanji

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Stroke Count
1 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. one, one radical (no.1)
Readings
Kun'yomi: ひと、ひと.つ、はじめ、てん、かづ、かつ、いる、まこと、かず、おさむ、か、かた、くに、さね、すすむ、たか、ただ、ち、のぶ、はじむ、ひ、ひじ、ひで、ひとし、まさし、もと、もろ、ひと-。
On'yomi: イチ、イツ。
Stroke Count
2 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. person
Readings
Kun'yomi: ひと、-と、-り。
On'yomi: ニン、ジン。
Stroke Count
2 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. enter, insert
Readings
Kun'yomi: い.る、はい.る、-い.り、-い.る、-い.れ、い.れる。
On'yomi: ジュ、ニュウ、ジュウ。
Stroke Count
3 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. above, up
Readings
Kun'yomi: あ.げる、-あ.がり、-あ.がる、-あ.げる、-うえ、よ.す、あ.がり、あ.がる、うえ、かみ、うわ-、のぼ.す、のぼ.り、のぼ.る、のぼ.せる。
On'yomi: ジョウ、ショウ、シャン。
Stroke Count
3 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. below, down, descend, give, low, inferior
Readings
Kun'yomi: -くだ.す、お.りる、お.ろす、さ.がる、さ.げる、した、しも、もと、くだ.す、くだ.り、くだ.る、くだ.さる。
On'yomi: カ、ゲ。
Stroke Count
3 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. child, sign of the rat, 11PM-1AM, first sign of Chinese zodiac
Readings
Kun'yomi: こ、ね、-こ。
On'yomi: ス、シ、ツ。
Stroke Count
4 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. in, inside, middle, mean, center
Readings
Kun'yomi: なか、うち、あた.る。
On'yomi: チュウ、ジュウ。
Stroke Count
4 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. now
Readings
Kun'yomi: いま。
On'yomi: コン、キン。
Stroke Count
4 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. day, sun, Japan, counter for days
Readings
Kun'yomi: -か、-び、ひ。
On'yomi: ジツ、ニチ。
Stroke Count
5 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. book, present, main, origin, true, real, counter for long cylindrical things
Readings
Kun'yomi: もと。
On'yomi: ホン。
Stroke Count
5 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. life, genuine, birth
Readings
Kun'yomi: い.きる、い.かす、い.ける、う.む、う.まれる、は.える、は.やす、お.う、なま、き、あい、あさ、あり、あらは.る、あ.る、あれ、い、いか、いき、いく、いけ、う、うぶ、うまい、うまは.る、うまる、うる、え、お、おい、おいし.く、おお、おき、おや、おや.す、おゆ、きつ、ぎゅう、くるみ、ごせ、さ、さん、すぎ、すすむ、せ、そ、そう、たか、ちる、なじ、な.す、なせ、なば、なり、なる、な.る、にう、にゅう、ぬく、のう、のり、ばい、はえ、はさま、ふ、ぶ、ふゆ、み、む、む.す、もう、や、ゆ、よ、よい、よど、りゅう、-う、う.まれ、なま-、うま.れる、うまれ。
On'yomi: しょう、セイ、サン、ショウ。
Stroke Count
6 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. year, counter for years
Readings
Kun'yomi: とし、ね。
On'yomi: ネン、デン。
Stroke Count
7 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. come, due, next, cause, become
Readings
Kun'yomi: く.る、き、こ、き.たす、き.たる、きた.す、きた.る。
On'yomi: ライ、タイ。
Stroke Count
7 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. see, hopes, chances, idea, opinion, look at, visible
Readings
Kun'yomi: み.る、み.える、み.せる。
On'yomi: ケン、ゲン。
Stroke Count
8 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. gold
Readings
Kun'yomi: かね、かな、-がね、かな-。
On'yomi: コン、キン、ゴン。
Stroke Count
14 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. read
Readings
Kun'yomi: よ.む、よ.み、よみ、-よ.み。
On'yomi: ズ、ドク、トウ、トク。
Stroke Count
4 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. hand
Readings
Kun'yomi: -て、て、た-、て-。
On'yomi: ズ、シュ。
Stroke Count
4 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. sentence, literature, style, art, decoration, figures, plan, literary radical (no. 67)
Readings
Kun'yomi: ふみ、あや。
On'yomi: モン、ブン。
Stroke Count
4 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. stop, halt
Readings
Kun'yomi: と.まる、と.める、とど.まる、とど.める、や.める、や.む、よ.す、-さ.し、-さ.す、-ど.め、-や.む、-と.める、-ど.まり、とど.め。
On'yomi: シ。
Stroke Count
5 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. generation, world, society, public
Readings
Kun'yomi: よ、さんじゅう、ゆ、ゆき、とし。
On'yomi: セ、セイ、ソウ。

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