Questions tagged [clause-pattern]

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1 answer
218 views

Verb complement clause type and clause structure?

How can you tell the type of verb complement clause without the accompanying particle? と marks statement clauses or direct quotations and か marks question clauses according to my copy of Practice ...
1 vote
1 answer
176 views

Adverb's role in sentences with clauses?

In a given example sentence: いつも音楽を聴きながら勉強します, I was surprised the translation for the sentence is "I always study while listening to music". いつも is referring to 勉強します since it's the main ...
0 votes
1 answer
166 views

About phrases like 売れに売れる

売れに売れる seems to be a relatively common phrase used to describe something that sold very well. I am wondering whether one can substitute other verbs in this phrase or if it is only used with 売れる.
2 votes
1 answer
125 views

Why can 〜ようと思う express someone else’s volition other than the first person?

あんな状況の中、あんな文面で士道からお誘いがあったなら、普通の女子であれば警戒するに決まっている。わざわざ馬鹿正直に一人で待ち合わせ場所に来ようとは思わないだろう。すっぽかされなかっただけまだ幸運だったかもしれなかった。 Context: In the name of 士道, a letter was sent to 亜衣, one of 士道’s classmates, telling her ...
1 vote
0 answers
52 views

Is "verb+か... verb+かしている" a fixed pattern?

恐らく、随意領域で士道の鼻と口を塞いでいるか、士道の周囲の酸素濃度を下げるかしているのだろう。 Hi. I understand the meaning of the sentence. But I have never seen している used after the "か... か" pattern. Is "verb+か... verb+かしている" ...
1 vote
0 answers
25 views

Meaning or function of てはことである? [duplicate]

士道は慌てて首を振った。いらぬことを言ってへそを曲げられてはことである。 Context: The boy 士道 was trying to persuade a girl. The girl hated men and didn’t want to talk with 士道. If 士道 said anything amiss, the girl would get sulky further. ...
2 votes
1 answer
118 views

Is どんなことでも失敗したら a whole clause or two separate clauses?

Is the sentence どんなことでも失敗したら、人のせいにしてはなりません。read as: [どんなことでも][失敗したら]、人のせいにしてはなりません。 = [No matter what][if you fail], don't blame people. or [どんなことでも失敗したら]、人のせいにしてはなりません。 = [No matter how you fail], ...
2 votes
1 answer
222 views

What would be the difference between 〜ようというときに and 〜ようとしたときに?

電車に乗ろうとしたときにドアが閉まって乗れなかった。 電車に乗ろうというときにドアが閉まって乗れなかった。 ちょうど彼が出かけようとしたときに大地震があった。 ちょうど彼が出かけようというときに大地震があった。 Hi. I have found some sample sentences on the internet. Are all the above sentences fine? ...
2 votes
1 answer
107 views

Is “verb+こと+数量” a fixed pattern?

琴里がいるのは、士道たちのいる天宮アリーナから縦方向に距離を隔てること一万五〇〇〇メートル、夜闇の中に浮遊する空中艦<フラクシナス>の艦橋だった。 Hi. What is the function of the こと here? I have never seen the construction “verb+こと+数量”. Is it a fixed pattern? Thank ...
1 vote
1 answer
2k views

What does the verbal contraction/suffix -kkya or -kya at the end of a clause mean? [duplicate]

I seem to hear and read this construction often, but can't seem to find any information about it on Google (or other search engines), as well as other sites I've checked. I've tried several different ...
0 votes
1 answer
117 views

Can you separate clauses using ついて/ use a clause ending with ついて as an entire subject/topic?

Here's the sentence I've composed. すしを買うことについて、母を尋ねる。 The meaning I intend is something like, "I'll ask my mom about buying sushi," like I'm telling my friend I'll be asking her for permission to do ...
6 votes
2 answers
3k views

Difference お疲れ様です vs お疲れ様でした while leaving from office?

Most of the time, I use to say "お疲れ様です" while someone else leaving the office. But many of my colleagues say "お疲れ様でした". Does it have any difference? Also, I want to know, can we use "お疲れ様です" while ...
16 votes
1 answer
647 views

What does the pattern [xはxで] mean?

It appears like this, in a sentence about surfing: 前のめりにすると、前は前で浮力が無くなります。 I know the general meaning is "If you lean over forward, ...the flotation goes away." I think that the meaning of "前は前で" is ...
2 votes
2 answers
164 views

Help understanding how these clauses fit together

The taiko memoir saga continues. Today's challenge: それを癒せるのも、自分自身や、その一人一人を包む鼓童の奏でる音からでしかないのだが・・・ Here's the context leading up to (and including) this sentence, which is the last one on the page: ...
16 votes
3 answers
2k views

Can 「XければXほどY」 clause pattern be shortened to 「XほどY」?

There is a clause pattern 「XければXほどY」. For example, 「近【ちか】ければ近【ちか】いほど便【べん】利【り】」 which means something like "the nearer it is, the more convenient it will be". Can I shorten the clause to 「近【ちか】いほど便【べん】...
0 votes
2 answers
428 views

Sentence Polarity when connecting sentences/clauses with て/で

I was reading the Tobira textbook recently and I became a little confused when reading the following passage. "日本語では、会話をスムーズに進めるために「あいづちをうつ」ということをします。「はい/ええ」「うん」「そうですか」など色々ありますが、これらは ″Yes, I'm ...
2 votes
2 answers
206 views

Analyzing 「だけど勝つのはいつも金太郎で、大きな体のクマでも金太郎にはかてません」

From the tale 金太郎【きんたろう】: だけど勝つ【かつ】のはいつも金太郎で、大きな【おおきな】体のクマでも金太郎にはかてません。 I understand a few things: だけど is contrasting the previous sentence. の is nominalizing かつ. The second 金太郎 takes the ...
2 votes
2 answers
728 views

How to say "X if Y"?

I want to say Please tell me if you want to go tomorrow!. I can translate Please tell me to ぼくにおしえてください and you want to go tomorrow to 明日あなたは行きたい, but how do I connected both with a conditional if? ...
6 votes
3 answers
3k views

{~もあり、~もあり} vs {~もあって、~もあって}

One thing I notice is that {~もあり} can follow an adverb, such as: 良くもあり、悪くもあり Other than that, when do we use {~もあり、~もあり} clause pattern instead of {~もあって、~もあって}? Is using {~もあり} considered more ...
4 votes
1 answer
342 views

Reversing the clause pattern "~ほう~より"

Consider the two sentences below: (1) 私のほうが田中さんよりよく飲む。(I drink more than Mr. Tanaka.) (2) 私はビールより酒のほうをよく飲む。(I drink more sake than beer.) I think the pattern for the second one is a reverse of the ...
6 votes
2 answers
261 views

What is the subject of this following sentence:実際問題として、不倫が原因で家庭が崩壊したり、離婚に至る例も少なくないです。

Can it be 不倫の原因で家庭が崩壊したり? What's the main clause and what is a subordinate clause?