人が何かを率直に言うと、アメリカ人たちは、聞き耳を立てる。

Sentence Analyzer

English Translation

Americans are all ears when people say something.

Furigana

人(ひと)が何(なに)かを率直(そっちょく)に言(い)うと、アメリカ人(じん)たちは、聞(きみみ)き耳()を立(た)てる。

Romanji

Hito ga nani ka o sotchoku ni iu to, Amerikajintachi wa, kikimimi o tateru.

Words

人 (ひと、ヒト)

man; person; human being; mankind; people; human (Homo sapiens); humans as a species; character; personality; man of talent; true man; another person; other people; others; adult

が (が)

indicates sentence subject (occasionally object); indicates possessive (esp. in literary expressions); but; however; still; and

何 (なに、なん)

what; how many; you-know-what; that; whatsit; what's the expression; what do you call them; what?; hey!

か (か)

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

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.

率直 (そっちょく)

frankness; candour; candor; openheartedness; directness

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

言う (いう、ゆう)

to say; to utter; to declare; to name; to call; to go (e.g. "the alarm went ping"); to make a noise

と (と)

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

は (は)

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

聞き耳 (ききみみ)

straining one's ears

立てる (たてる)

to stand up; to put up; to set up; to erect; to raise; to thrust into; to bury into; to dig into; to make (a noise); to start (a rumour); to raise (a cloud of dust, etc.); to cause; to make; to establish; to set up; to develop; to formulate; to put up (a political candidate); to make (one's leader); to treat with respect; to give (someone) their due; to make (someone) look good; to avoid embarrassing (someone); to sharpen; to make clear; to shut; to close; to make tea (macha); to perform the tea ceremony; to divide by; to do ... vigorously