(はこだて)

Hakodate

(するめいか)

Japanese flying squid

(せり)

auction

(はじまる)

to begin

(ほっかいどう)

Hokkaido

(し)

city

(ことし)

this year

(はじめて)

for the first time

(ゆうめい)

famous

(なつ)

Summer

(たくさん)

a lot / many

(とれる)

to be harvested, to be obtained

(きょねん)

last year

(すこし)

a little

(おおい)

many

(あさ)

morning

(はやい)

early / fast

(いちば)

market

(あたらしい)

new

(とどく)

to arrive; to reach; to be delivered

(おみせ)

shop, store

(あつまる)

to gather; to come together

(れすとらん)

restaurant

(たべる)

to eat

when ..., if ... (natural consequence)

Conditional と indicating that when one thing happens, another naturally follows. States general truths, habitual results, or inevitable consequences.

I hear that / it is said

Reports hearsay. 大きく育つそうです means '(I hear) they grow big'.

can do ..., to be able to ...

Verb dictionary form + ことができる expresses ability or possibility. More formal than the potential verb form. Common in written Japanese and announcements.

函館でスルメイカの競りが始まった

Auctions for Japanese flying squid have started in Hakodate

北海道の函館市で、スルメイカの競りが始まりました。

In Hakodate City, Hokkaido, auctions for Japanese flying squid have begun.

今年初めての競りです。

It is the first auction this year.

スルメイカは函館でとても有名です。

Japanese flying squid is very famous in Hakodate.

夏になると、たくさん取れます。

When summer comes, a lot of them are caught.

今年は去年より少し多いそうです。

This year there are said to be a little more than last year.

朝早く、市場に新しいスルメイカが届きました。

Early in the morning, fresh squid arrived at the market.

お店の人たちが集まって、競りをしました。

Shop workers gathered and held the auction.

これから、お店やレストランでこのスルメイカを食べることができます。

From now on, you can eat this squid at shops and restaurants.