昔の建物を取り壊すことによって、私たちは、過去の痕跡を永久に消し去ってしまうことになるのである。

Sentence Analyzer

English Translation

By demolishing buildings of bygone times, we wipe out every trace of the past forever.

Furigana

昔(むかし)の建物(たてもの)を取(と)り壊(こわ)すことによって、私(わたし)たちは、過去(かこ)の痕跡(こんせき)を永久(えいきゅう)に消(け)し去(さ)ってしまうことになるのである。

Romanji

Mukashi no tatemono o torikowasu koto niyotte, watashitachi wa, kako no konseki o eikyū ni keshi satteshimau koto ni naru no de aru.

Words

昔 (むかし)

olden days; former

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

建物 (たてもの)

building

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.

取り壊す (とりこわす)

to demolish; to tear or pull down

事 (こと、こん)

thing; matter; incident; occurrence; event; something serious; trouble; crisis; circumstances; situation; state of affairs; work; business; affair; after an inflectable word, creates a noun phrase indicating something the speaker does not feel close to; nominalizing suffix; pretending to ...; playing make-believe ...; alias; aka; nickname; alternative name; also known as

に因って (によって)

according to; by (means of); due to; because of

私たち (わたしたち、わたくしたち)

we; us

は (は)

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

過去 (かこ)

the past; bygone days; the previous; a past (i.e. a personal history one would prefer remained secret); one's past; past (tense); preterit; preterite; previous life

痕跡 (こんせき)

trace; traces; vestige; vestiges

永久 (えいきゅう、とこしえ、とわ)

eternity; perpetuity; immortality; Eikyuu era (1113.7.13-1118.4.3)

に (に)

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

消す (けす)

to erase; to delete; to cross out; to turn off power; to extinguish; to put out; to bump off

去る (さる)

to leave; to go away; to pass; to elapse; to be distant; to send away; to drive off; to divorce; ... completely; last ... (e.g. "last April")

成る (なる)

to become; to get; to grow; to be; to reach; to attain; to result in; to prove to be; to consist of; to be composed of; to succeed; to be complete; to change into; to be exchanged for; to play a role; to be promoted; to do ...

だ (だ)

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

或 (ある)

a certain ...; some ...