This site will be taken down March 31st, 2026.

This was not an easy decision to make. For the last couple years, I have been struggling to find motivation for this site and to keep up with basic maintenance and security updates. With the rise of AI and more sophisticated tools, the usefulness of sites like this is questionable and traffic has nose-dived. I just don't have it in me to keep doing this. Thank you all for 10 years of support!

Zach

彼は新聞をさかさまに読んでいた。

Sentence Analyzer

新聞 さま 読んでいた

English Translation

He was reading a paper upside down.

Furigana

(かれ)新聞(しんぶん)をさかさまに()んでいた。

Romanji

Kare wa shinbun o sa ka sama ni yondeita.

Words

(かれ)
he; him; his; boyfriend
()
topic marker particle; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis
新聞 (しんぶん)
newspaper
()
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.
()
-ness (nominalizing suffix indicating degree or condition); (sentence end, mainly masc.) indicates assertion; come; come now
()
indicates a question (sometimes rhetorical); or; whether or not; some- (e.g. something, someone); indicates doubt, uncertainty, etc.; emphatic prefix; suffix forming adjectives or adverbs; in that way
(ざま)
mess; sorry state; plight; sad sight; -ways; -wards; in the act of ...; just as one is ...; manner of ...; way of ...
()
at (place, time); in; on; during; to (direction, state); toward; into; for (purpose); because of (reason); for; with; by; from; as (i.e. in the role of); per; in; for; a (e.g. "once a month"); and; in addition to; if; although
読む (よむ)
to read; to count; to guess; to predict; to read (someone's thoughts); to see (e.g. into someone's heart); to divine

Kanji

Readings: ヒ、 かれ、 かの、 か.の
Meanings: he, that, the
Readings: シン、 あたら.しい、 あら.た、 あら-、 にい-
Meaning: new
Readings: ブン、 モン、 き.く、 き.こえる
Meanings: hear, ask, listen
Readings: ドク、 トク、 トウ、 よ.む、 -よ.み
Meaning: read