When you're small with 〜うちは
Grammar Explanation: While with 〜うちは
During a visit with Anzu’s family, Makoto receives a request to babysit for another witch. Things are fine at first, but after a while, rain begins to pour inside. Anzu’s mother realizes that the child they’re watching over has rain magic.
- 杏子の母:
- 「小さいうちはコントロールできないんだろうね。不安になると今みたいに降らせちゃうんだね」
- “You don't have control while you're small, right? When he's uneasy, it pours like just now.”
- 真琴:
- 「なるほど。そうですよね。いきなり知らない所じゃ心細いですよ。我慢してたんですね」
- “I see. So that's it. It's a little scary suddenly being in a place you don't know. You've been patient, haven't you?”
Key Points
小さいうち means while someone is still small
小さいうち frames childhood as the period when control is difficult.
The focus is on a temporary stage that will eventually change.
コントロールできないんだろうね is an explanatory guess
んだろうね means the mother is reasoning it out gently.
She is explaining the rain magic rather than blaming the child.
The second sentence links emotion to the rain
不安になると means “when he gets uneasy”.
今みたいに降らせちゃう says he ends up making it rain like now.
See Also
- Grammar: Likening things with 〜みたい
- Grammar: Presuming with 〜だろう and 〜でしょう
- Kanji: Negation and lack with 不
- Kanji: Peace and ease with 安