しかし人々は政府に対して５年間の兵役を努めなければならなかった。

Sentence Analyzer

English Translation

But every man had to give five years of service to the government.

Furigana

しかし人々(ひとびと)は政府(せいふ)に対(たい)して５年間(ねんかん)の兵役(へいえき)を努(つと)めなければならなかった。

Romanji

Shikashi hitobito wa seifu nitaishite go nenkan no heieki o tsutomenakerebanaranakatta.

Words

然し (しかし)

however; but

人々 (ひとびと、にんにん)

each person; people; men and women; everybody

は (は)

topic marker particle; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis

政府 (せいふ)

government; administration

に対して (にたいして)

towards; against; regarding; in contrast with

五 (ご、いつ、い)

five

年間 (ねんかん)

year (period of)

の (の)

indicates possessive; nominalizes verbs and adjectives; substitutes for "ga" in subordinate phrases; (at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusion; (at sentence-end) indicates emotional emphasis; (at sentence-end, rising tone) indicates question

兵役 (へいえき)

military service; conscription

を (を)

indicates direct object of action; indicates subject of causative expression; indicates an area traversed; indicates time (period) over which action takes place; indicates point of departure or separation of action; indicates object of desire, like, hate, etc.

努める (つとめる)

to endeavor (endeavour); to try; to strive; to make an effort; to exert oneself; to be diligent; to be committed (to doing something)