でんしゃで うとうとAsleep on the Train

About this story

An original story written by Yomimaru for absolute beginners, in kana only.

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What you'll learn

The narrator dozes off on the train while reading an interesting book, wakes up at an unfamiliar station, and realizes they will be late.

Key vocabulary

でんしゃ	train
うとうと	dozing off, nodding off
きがつくと	when I came to, when I realized
あわてて	hurriedly, in a panic
とほほ	alas, boohoo, sad sigh

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～ていた (V-te ita) N4Expresses a past progressive action (was doing something).

  でんしゃでほんをよんでいました。

• ～うちに N3Expresses that while one continuous action was taking place, an unplanned change or event occurred.

  よんでいるうちに、うとうと…。

• ～てしまう N4Indicates that an action completed fully, often with a sense of regret, mistake, or accident.

  ねてしまったのです。

Cultural notes

• Inemuri (Sleeping on Trains)Sleeping on commuter trains in Japan is incredibly common and widely accepted. It is often seen as a sign of diligence and hard work, though as the narrator experiences, it can occasionally lead to missing one's station!
• Tohoho (Japanese Internet & Comic Onomatopoeia)'Tohoho' is a classic comic-style expression of disappointment, embarrassment, or light self-pity. It's the equivalent of saying 'alas' or 'good grief' when something small goes wrong.

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