World Cup 2026: Reacting to a close call
Get Full LessonPractice pronunciation and master this lesson with smart-repetition via the PrettyFluent App
Key Phrases
入るかと思った。
hairu ka to omotsu ta
I thought it was going in.
心臓がどきどきした。
shinzou ga dokidoki shi ta
My heart was pounding.
まだチャンスはある。
mada chansu wa aru
There is still a chance.
Skills You'll Learn
Talk about close moments in a game.
試合の惜しい場面について話す。
shiai no oshii bamen ni tsui te hanasu
Describe excitement and emotional reactions.
興奮や気持ちの反応を表現する。
koufun ya kimochi no hannou o hyougen suru
Encourage players and comment on what might happen next.
選手を応援したり次の展開についてコメントしたりする。
senshu o ouen shi tari tsugi no tenkai ni tsui te komento shi tari suru
Lesson Roleplay
Imagine you're watching a soccer match with your family, reacting together to a very close shot, a great save, and hoping for the next chance to score.
今のシュート、入るかと思ったよ。
ima no shuuto hairu ka to omotsu ta yo
I thought that shot was going in.
ほんとうに、すごくおしかったね。
hontou ni sugoku oshikatsu ta ne
It really was so close.
みんな立ち上がったよね。
minna tachiagatsu ta yo ne
Everyone stood up, didn't they?
うん、心臓がどきどきしたよ。
un shinzou ga dokidoki shi ta yo
Yeah, my heart was pounding.
キーパー、よく止めたね。
kiipaa yoku tome ta ne
The keeper made a great save.
Lesson Vocabulary & Phrases
入る
hairu
To go in; to enter
💬 [入る] often means something goes into a space or state, not just a person physically entering. In sports, [入る] is also used for a ball going in: [シュートが入った] = "the shot went in."
See breakdown →かと思った
ka to omotsu ta
I thought (it would)...
💬 [Vるかと思った] means "I thought it would V" or "I thought it might V." You can reuse it with other verbs: [勝つかと思った] = "I thought we were going to win."
See breakdown →入るかと思った。
hairu ka to omotsu ta
I thought it was going in.
💬 [Vるかと思った] is a handy pattern for a close call: "I thought it would V." Here [入るかと思った] means "I thought it was going in," and you can swap in another verb like [決まるかと思った] for "I thought it was going to be scored."
See breakdown →すごく
sugoku
Very
💬 [すごい] changes to [すごく] before an adjective, like [すごくおしかった]. You can use the same pattern in [すごくうれしい] = "really happy."
See breakdown →おしかった
oshikatsu ta
It was so close; nearly made it
💬 [おしい] is used for something that almost succeeded, not just for "what a pity." In sports, [おしかった] is a very natural reaction to a near miss.
See breakdown →すごくおしかった
sugoku oshikatsu ta
So close
💬 [おしい] is the go-to word for "so close" when something nearly happened. Adding [すごく] makes it stronger: [すごくおしかった] = "that was really close."
See breakdown →みんな
minna
Everyone
立ち上がった
tachiagatsu ta
Stood up
💬 [立ち上がる] is literally "stand up," made from [立つ] + [上がる]. You'll often see it in the past as [立ち上がった] when describing a crowd reacting all at once.
See breakdown →みんな立ち上がった。
minna tachiagatsu ta
Everyone stood up.
Learn this vocabulary list the easy way
Get PrettyFluent for smart practice & lasting retention
More from "World Cup 2026"
Similar Japanese Lessons
Common greetings
Basic greetings
Greeting your neighbor
Basic greetings
Weekend plans
Small talk
The weather
Small talk
Travel plans
Small talk
Buying tickets
Visiting the museum
Get the Full Learning Experience
This lesson is just a preview. Download PrettyFluent to practice pronunciation, roleplay conversations, and master vocabulary with spaced repetition.
Pronunciation Feedback
AI-powered speech recognition to perfect your accent
Spaced Repetition
Retain vocabulary long-term with smart practice
Immersive Roleplaying
Practice real conversations with AI partners
Custom Scenarios
Request lessons tailored to your specific needs
Get Full LessonWhat Learners Are Saying
“Teaching in Osaka and I wanted to connect with my students beyond the classroom. The everyday conversation scenarios made my Japanese feel natural, not textbook-y.”
Mia S., 25, English Teacher
“Moved to Tokyo and the polite vs. casual speech levels were killing me. This app breaks it all down with real scenarios. My coworkers noticed the difference in weeks.”
Kevin Z., 31, Game Developer
“I tried five different apps before this one. The roleplay conversations are what finally made things click. I actually remember what I learn now.”
Sofia R., 31, Marketing Manager