Basketball basics
Basketball words in Japan are almost all katakana from English, so you know more than you think. This lesson covers shooting and scoring, the positions, fouls and quarters, and the verbs that go with them. Tap to hear any line. The bar at the bottom plays a hands-free drill for walking.
G
25 basketball words
Each card shows a word, the form to use, and a line from the court or the sofa. Eight reuse words from Everyday Japanese 1–3.
M
Points, time and fouls
Japan, including the B.League, plays international (FIBA) rules. The NBA is a little different: 12-minute quarters and six fouls.
| Rule | In Japanese | Say it |
|---|
- Shots and verbs. You a shot: . A shot that goes in or . A miss is .
- Positions by number. Players also say for point guard through to for centre.
- Saying the score. Put between the numbers: .
C
Three patterns to use today
Z
Say it in Japanese
Say each one out loud before you reveal the answer. Getting close counts.