たま は まだ のこっている でしょう。
Tama wa mada nokotteiru deshou.
There are still some bullets left, aren’t there?
Now, でしょう is like your homie checking in with you, making sure you on the same page. It’s when you got a strong feeling about somethin’, but you ain’t 100% sure, so you’re askin’ for a nod. It’s that moment when you look at your crew and say, “We about to handle this, right?” It’s not a question you need an answer to, it’s more like you’re just putting it out there, expecting ’em to agree. You’re making an educated guess, but you want that silent confirmation. It’s like you’re saying, “This is what’s up, and I know you know what’s up, too.”
Check the table below to see how we slap this 〜でしょう on different words. It’s mad simple, no funny business.
| Word Type | Conjugation | Hiragana | English Translation |
| Nouns | Noun + でしょう | でしょう | right? |
| い-adjectives | い-adjective + でしょう | でしょう | right? |
| な-adjectives | な-adjective + でしょう | でしょう | right? |
| Verbs | Dictionary Form + でしょう | でしょう | right? |
You see? You just gotta take the base word—whether it’s a noun, an adjective, or a verb—and you tack on 〜でしょう. That’s it. No changes, no weird rules. It’s straight-up simple, just like a one-hit knockout. Don’t overthink it, ’cause you’ll just end up gettin’ yourself confused.
めんつ を たつ (Mentsu o tatsu)
English: To save face.
Listen up. In this life, your reputation is everything. You gotta protect it, no matter what. So when you “save face,” you’re makin’ sure nobody sees you lookin’ weak or like a fool. It’s about keepin’ your dignity, your honor intact. Like when you’re in a beef and you gotta stand tall, even if you’re scared. That’s savin’ face. You gotta do what you gotta do to make sure your crew respects you and the streets still fear you.
いっけん (Ikken)
English: One case; one matter.
Sometimes things pop off and you gotta handle it, right? This word is for a single situation or problem you gotta deal with. Like, if you got a few things on your plate, you can say, “Alright, I’ll take care of this one case first, then we can talk about the others.” It keeps things from gettin’ all mixed up. Like in “The Wire,” when they’re talkin’ about a single drug bust or an investigation. That’s a single matter.
まかせる (Makaseru)
English: To entrust; to leave it to.
This is what you do when you trust someone to handle their business. You’re basically sayin’, “I’m handin’ this off to you, so don’t mess it up.” It’s about delegatin’ a job to your main man, your right-hand. You gotta know he’s gonna get it done, no questions asked. Like when Don Corleone in “The Godfather” tells one of his guys to take care of a problem. He’s entrusting him with the job, feel me?
つかいもの に ならない (Tsukaimono ni naranai)
English: Useless; of no use.
This is for when somethin’ or someone is a total bust. They ain’t got no purpose, no value, they’re just dead weight. Like, a weapon that don’t work, a car that’s broke down, or a dude who can’t hold his own in a fight. You can’t use ’em for nothin’. They’re worthless. In “Boyz n the Hood,” when someone can’t hang with the realness of the streets, they’re useless. They’re not fit for the game.
うらぐち (Uraguchi)
English: Backdoor; rear entrance.
Every crib, every spot, got a backdoor. It ain’t just for goin’ in and out. It’s for when you gotta make a quick escape, or when you gotta move somethin’ without bein’ seen. It’s the sneaky way, the way you use to stay low-key. Like in a heist movie, they always got a plan for the backdoor to get away with the goods. It’s the discreet way out.
Here are some phrases you might hear in the hood, where you need to check if your boys are on the same wavelength.
あいつ は もう にげた でしょう。
Aitsu wa mou nigeta deshou.
That dude probably already bounced, right?
めんつ を たてなきゃいけない でしょう。
Mentsu o tatenakya ikenai deshou.
We gotta save face, right?
あいつ は かたぎ じゃない でしょう。
Aitsu wa katagi ja nai deshou.
That guy ain’t a civilian, is he?
しのぎ は きょう はいる でしょう。
Shinogi wa kyou hairu deshou.
The money is comin’ in today, right?
あいつら は うらぎった でしょう。
Aitsura wa uragitta deshou.
They probably double-crossed us, didn’t they?
けいさつ は きづいていない でしょう。
Keisatsu wa kizuite inai deshou.
The cops probably don’t know yet, right?
おれたち は さいきょう でしょう。
Oretachi wa saikyou deshou.
We’re the strongest crew, right?
この いっけん は おれ に まかせる でしょう。
Kono ikken wa ore ni makaseru deshou.
You’re gonna let me handle this, right?
あいつ は もう つかいもの に ならない でしょう。
Aitsu wa mou tsukaimono ni naranai deshou.
That dude’s probably useless now, right?
ここ の うらぐち は あいている でしょう。
Koko no uraguchi wa aiteiru deshou.
The back door here is probably open, right?
Alright, now you’re armed with the real knowledge. Stay dangerous, stay smart.
Peace out.
Leave a comment