Katsushika Hokusai: He Was Seventy… Then Made the Most Famous Wave in the World
At about seventy years old, Hokusai made a picture of a really big wave with Mount Fuji behind it. Today, people everywhere know it. Learn five A1 words and how to use very / really + adjective with the true story of Katsushika Hokusai.
Coming 19 December 2026, 3:00 pm New York time
Transcript
Tap a time to jump to that moment. Highlighted words have a meaning: tap them. Words in bold show today's grammar.
He was about seventy.
He made a picture of a really big .
Today, people everywhere know it.
This is the story of Hokusai.
Welcome to brightlivesenglish.com, where we teach real English using real-life stories.
. When you , you make a picture with colours.
He people, birds and flowers.
. means you have lived many years.
He was about seventy years .
. A is water that moves up and down in the sea.
He made a picture of a big .
. A is a very high hill.
Mount Fuji is a big .
. is the colour of the sky.
He used a new, bright .
Now, one pattern: very, or really.
The was very big.
Ready? Let's begin.
Hokusai was born in Japan in 1760.
At six, he loved to draw.
He worked very hard.
He people, birds and flowers.
He moved house about ninety times!
Around 1831, he was about 70 years .
Did he stop? No!
He made a picture of a big .
The was very big.
Behind the , there is Mount Fuji.
Mount Fuji is a big .
He used a new, bright .
He wanted to live to 110.
He died at 88.
Today, people everywhere know his .
Let's review. He people, birds and flowers.
He was about seventy years .
He made a picture of a big .
Mount Fuji is a big .
He used a new, bright .
And remember: the was very big.
Hokusai's story teaches us: it's never too late.
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Step 3
Words from the story
Say the word, guess its meaning, then flip the card. Keep the ones you know, and practise the rest again.
Great work, you know every word in this story. Now try the quiz below.
paint verb
to make a picture with colours
“He painted people, birds and flowers.”
old adjective
having lived many years
“He was about seventy years old.”
wave noun
water that moves up and down in the sea
“He made a picture of a big wave.”
mountain noun
a very high hill
“Mount Fuji is a big mountain.”
blue noun
the colour of the sky
“He used a new, bright blue.”
print noun
a picture made by pressing paper onto a block with ink
“The wave is a print.”
fisherman noun
a man who catches fish
“There are fishermen in the boats.”
wood noun
the hard material from trees
“They cut the picture into wood.”
Grammar in the story
very / really + adjective
We use it for: to make an adjective stronger
- The wave was very big.
- He made a picture of a really big wave.
From the story
- The wave was very big.
- The mountain is really high.
Find it in the story 6 times
Your turn
The wave was big.
The mountain is very .
Mount Fuji is high.
Step 4
Story Challenge
7 quick rounds: choose, fill the gap, build the sentence and match the words. Answer in a row to build a streak and earn bonus points.
Well done!
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Take it further
Before you watch: Do you like to draw or paint? What do you like to draw?
After you watch: Write three sentences with very or really. For example: My grandmother is very old. The sea is really blue today. This picture is very beautiful.
Think about it: Hokusai made his most famous picture at about seventy. Is anyone ever too old to learn?
