どうせ駄作だろうと思っていたのだけど、どっこいなかなかいい本だった。

Sentence Analyzer

どうせ 駄作 だろう と 思っていた の だ けど 、 どっこい なかなか いい 本 だった 。

English Translation

I was expecting it to be a bad book, but damn me if it wasn't quite good after all.

Furigana

どうせ駄作(ださく)だろうと思(おも)っていたのだけど、どっこいなかなかいい本(ほん)だった。

Romanji

Dōse dasaku darou to omotteita no da kedo, dokkoi nakanaka ii hon datta.

Words

どうせ (どうせ)

anyhow; in any case; at any rate; after all; at all; no matter what; at best; at most

駄作 (ださく)

poor work; rubbish

だ (だ)

be; is; indicates past or completed action; indicates light imperative

と (と)

if; when; and; with; particle used for quoting (with speech, thoughts, etc.); quoting particle; promoted pawn; indicates question (sentence end)

思う (おもう)

to think; to consider; to believe; to think (of doing); to plan (to do); to judge; to assess; to regard; to imagine; to suppose; to dream; to expect; to look forward to; to feel; to desire; to want; to recall; to remember

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

けど (けど、けれども、けれど、けども、けんど)

but; however; although

どっこい (どっこい)

heigh-hoh; heave-ho; hold on!; just a minute; used as a meaningless word in a song for rhythm

中中 (なかなか)

very; considerably; easily; readily; fairly; quite; highly; rather; by no means (with negative verb); not readily; middle; half-way point; excellent; wonderful; very good

いい (いい)

good; excellent; fine; nice; pleasant; agreeable; sufficient (can be used to turn down an offer); ready; prepared; profitable (e.g. deal, business offer, etc.); beneficial; OK

本 (ほん)

book; volume; script; this; present; main; head; real; regular; counter for long cylindrical things; counter for films, TV shows, etc.; counter for goals, home runs, etc.; counter for telephone calls

Kanji

駄

Readings: ダ、 タ

Meanings: burdensome, pack horse, horse load, send by horse

作

Readings: サク、 サ、 つく.る、 つく.り、 -づく.り

Meanings: make, production, prepare, build

思

Readings: シ、 おも.う、 おもえら.く、 おぼ.す

Meaning: think

本

Readings: ホン、 もと

Meanings: book, present, main, origin, true, real, counter for long cylindrical things