Particles, conjugations and endings for verbs and adjectives, and general sentence structure.
5
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1answer
196 views
“トムと話した” vs. “トムと話し合った”
This book (Chap. 29) says that for some verbs which can be unilateral or bilateral (like 相談する, 話す, 合う),
The particle と implies that the verb is shared 50/50 between the two participants (bilateral), ...
10
votes
2answers
450 views
What is the difference between “〜がる” and “〜がっている”
I want to know the difference between 〜がる and 〜がっている, and in what situations I can use them.
My friend said 〜がる is used for a regular activity that someone does every day or every week, and the ...
13
votes
2answers
362 views
“太ってる猫” vs “太った猫”
Greetings people I saw this sentence in a textbook: 彼女は太った猫が好きじゃない。, which was translated to "She doesn't like fat cats".
I was under the impression that 太ってる猫 means something like "cat that is in ...
3
votes
1answer
120 views
Does this と mean “and” or “with”?
Recenly, with Facebook's new "feed" feature, whatever the heck that is, I've been seeing this notification coming up a lot:
[Friend One]さんと[Friend Two]さんがフィード購読{こうどく}を許可{きょか}しています。
I have to ...
5
votes
1answer
187 views
Usage of まるで with 見ているようだった.
その翼はとても滑らかに動くため、まるでコンピュータ・グラフィックスを見ているようだった。
Its wings were moving so smoothly that it almost looked like CGI.
or would a more accurate translation be:
Its wings were moving so smoothly ...
7
votes
2answers
235 views
へ or に particle for 曲がる?
i was wondering what may be the difference in nuance between 右へ曲がる and 右に曲がる ?
Example: Take a right turn and you'll see the library.
1) 右へ曲がると、図書館がある。
2) 右に曲がると、図書館がある。
As for [noun-location] ...
4
votes
2answers
220 views
Is there even 1 na-type adjective that can't be used as a real noun?
The passage suggests that not all na-type adjectives can be used as real nouns as shown in (b). It doesn't seem to be a case of careless choice of words, since in the 2nd para, the passage uses ...
1
vote
1answer
155 views
“一目ぼれから長持ちする関係は望めません。” この表現のニュアンスを説明して頂けませんか？
一目ぼれから長持ちする関係は望めません。
Falling in love at first sight won't bring you a lasting relationship.
I found this sentence and translation without any other context, and
have a few questions about ...
5
votes
1answer
107 views
Does this athlete intend to play in the street or for the street?
In a bizarre and transparently ineffective attempt to try and change the culture of Shibuya's central shopping district, the shopowners promotion association (商店街{しょうてんがい}振興{しんこう}組合{くみあい}) has changed ...
4
votes
1answer
303 views
Help with adverbs with とする and としている
Taking yadokari's sentence:
彼女は表情が生き生きとしておりとてもかわいい。
The part that I need help understanding is the relation of 生き生きとして with 表情 and 居る.
Looking up the dictionary entry for 生き生き, it is "an adverb ...
1
vote
0answers
169 views
「わ」の使い方教えていただけませんか [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When women use わ at the end of a sentence, is it different from よ?
時に女の人が言っている言葉なんですが、いつ、だれと話す時使ったほうがいいでしょうか？
2
votes
1answer
156 views
ほんの時々私の中で顔を出し、しばらくすると消えてしまうもの。Are there any other options to replace the で here?
ほんの時々私の中で顔を出し、しばらくすると消えてしまうもの。
My attempt at translation: "Every once in a while my inner feelings show themselves, only to disappear again."
The above was taken from the following dialogue:
...
4
votes
2answers
146 views
How do I ask about two different possible options?
Is this the correct way to ask which of two options is true?
あの CD は トルコご の ですか えいご の ですか？
("Is that CD in Turkish or English?")
12
votes
2answers
412 views
The differences between ～がたい、〜にくい、〜づらい
I was wondering what the differences are between these three: ～がたい、〜にくい、〜づらい
They all seem to be some sort of variant of "Hard to do ~". But it seems they are used with different verbs and/or imply ...
2
votes
1answer
151 views
それは彼の身に応えだした。 Can anyone explain this?
それは彼の身に応えだした。 [ex #4531]
It is beginning to tell on him.
can anyone explain this sentence? is it useful or archaic?
is it related to this?
骨身にこたえる
6
votes
1answer
225 views
Producing なる adjectives
I found this adjective from 7!!'s song 「ラヴァーズ」(Lovers):
無邪気なる
Dictionary entries categorises 無邪気 as a noun and な-adjective.
For reference, I shall extract parts from two different stanzas in ...
3
votes
1answer
282 views
What would be the literal meaning of the causative form here? 暴風警報発令中のため本日の営業はお休みとさせていただきます。
暴風警報発令中のため本日
bōfū keihō hatsurei chū notame honjitsu
の営業はお休みとさせて
no eigyō wa oyasumi to sasete
いただきます。
itadakimasu.
暴風 bōfū = storm winds
警報 keihō = warning
発令 hatsurei = official ...
13
votes
2answers
248 views
What are the various ways to express 'or' and when are they appropriate?
I'd like to get an idea of when it is appropriate to use different expressions for expressing disjunction (of the inclusive AND exclusive variety).
「AとBとCの中で...」、「どちら」、and 「か] come to mind, but I ...
8
votes
1answer
350 views
Can I use 行っている間（に） in the sense of a habitual action?
Knowing that 行く is punctual, stative, and a motion verb, I also know that, 日本に行っている means "I/he/she have gone to Japan (and am still there)" rather than "I am currently going to Japan."
I also feel ...
25
votes
1answer
1k views
What is the difference between the nominalizers こと and の?
As Derek mentioned in his postscript, both こと and の are nominalizers that can turn a verb into a noun.
ピアノを弾【ひ】く。 I play the piano.
ピアノを弾{ひ}くのが好{す}きです。 I like playing the piano.
...
5
votes
1answer
164 views
Is this は or はいる: ～わかってはいるものの
たばこは体に悪いとわかってはいるものの、なかなかやめられない。
If it's は, does omitting は change the meaning in verb-te~はいる? And also, could you talk about what いる is doing?
If it's はいる, in what sense would you describe はいる's ...
2
votes
1answer
86 views
Help with tense/aspect (past vs. non-past in Verb and Verbている）
I'm having difficulty with this sentence:
Tense appears inconsistent to me. I need help understanding the correct use of verb forms.
冬休みにずっと九州に [Fill in the blank] おばあさんのうちにいました(past)
住む
...
3
votes
2answers
275 views
What is the とも in this sentence? 日本人は英語を学ばずとも暮らせる環境に居ます。
日本人は英語を学ばずとも暮らせる環境に居ます。
Japanese people are in an environment where they can live without having to learn english.
Is the とも in this sentence one word or is it two words: と and も ?
I guess it is one ...
3
votes
1answer
149 views
Finding the subject in Japanese. 自分だったら、これを大きくなってから見たら感動するだろうな
This is from the comments on this youtube page where an infant is cuddling with a bemused cat.
The commentator is writing on how cute the scene is. I am having trouble figuring out some of the ...
5
votes
2answers
212 views
Where's the negation in 〇〇も書けなりました?
I'm not sure what this example sentence is trying to teach. The translation is really throwing me off.
易しい漢字も書けなりました
I cannot even write easy kanji anymore
I see the "even ... easy kanji" and ...
2
votes
1answer
168 views
Name/Title at the end of a sentence. Vocative case?
Consider these stanzas taken from the opening song of Aria the Animation: Undine.
Translations taken from this site
Background information:
An Undine as a mythical concept is a female water ...
2
votes
1answer
107 views
Extracting from, and introducing to Universe of Discourse using は and が with こそあど-demonstratives
Consider the following:
このりんご（ は / が ）食べないでください。
Person A: どちらが東ですか。
Person B： こちら（ は / が ）東です。
Workbook answers are は for 1. and が for 2.
In 1., I would expect the person to ...
4
votes
1answer
96 views
Is this the denial of a statement, or a statement of denial?
This sentence originally came from a newspaper article. Unfortunately, I copied it onto a flashcard for later study and then lost the original context.
彼は、可能性について「念頭に全くない」と否定した。
【かれは、かのうせいに ...
0
votes
1answer
220 views
“訳分からない” various uses of 訳
Here are a few examples of 訳 that I am having trouble with:
僕は決して農業が嫌いな訳じゃない。
Boku wa kesshite nōgyō ga kiraina wake janai.
By no means do I dislike farming. (Lit: The reason is not that I dislike ...
7
votes
2answers
268 views
Can placements of adverbs be altered freely?
I'm curious if there is any difference in nuance between these two sentences:
彼は少なくとも週に一度車を洗う。
彼は週に少なくとも一度車を洗う。
I'm aware that grammatically speaking both are 100% right, but this question is not ...
3
votes
1answer
110 views
Is と necessary after a quoted phrase?
Hi all I was wondering if we want to treat a quoted phrase as a "noun", is it necessary to put a と particle behind the quoted phrase?
For example:
A) The "received" in "received from Tom"
...
4
votes
1answer
134 views
When is disjunctive-が appropriate in connecting sentences?
Consider the following:
[1] 僕は日本人ではなく, シンガポール人です。 (I'm not Japanese, I'm Singaporean)
[2] 僕は日本人ではないが, シンガポール人です。 (I'm not Japanese but Singaporean)
Comparing my sentences to the worked ...
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votes
1answer
212 views
Another example where I don't know if 欲しい or 欲しがる is right
私の祖母は私が欲しい以上のものをくれた
私の祖母は私が欲しがる以上のものをくれた
I want the meaning to be "my grandmother gave me more then I wanted." Is the second sentence right and the first sentence wrong?
I learned 欲しがる for ...
5
votes
1answer
146 views
Particle-が in restaurant's name. Genitive particle?
I was at a Japanese restaurant called 星岡 (ほしがおか). And I was trying to figure out what the が does in it.
I instinctively translated it to "Starry hill" (Not sure of my translation though).
...
5
votes
2answers
166 views
Is this a valid use of どころか?
In the following, I feel it should be 会話が出来るどころか.
ジムは日本語で会話が出来ないどころか、簡単な挨拶も出来ない。
Jim is not only unable to converse in Japanese; he cannot even make simple greetings.
I was expecting the ...
3
votes
3answers
209 views
Is this grammatical: 彼は映画スターであり、政治家もだ。
I was about to ask a question but I can't without first confirming,
Is this sentence:
彼は映画スターであり、政治家もだ。
grammatically correct, and mean:
He is a movie star and also a politician.
==Follow-up ...
5
votes
1answer
142 views
Using あまりに（も） in a sentence with <verb stem>過ぎる, is it redundant?
Using あまりに（も） in a sentence with 過ぎる, is it redundant because they both mean too much/excessive?
In the following example stolen from Lukman (thank you), does the sentence change if you drop the あまりに ...
3
votes
1answer
387 views
Why does replacing だ to である changes the meaning of a the sentence?
「彼は映画スターであり、政治家もだ。」 means "He is a movie star, and a politician is a movie star, too" (from Tsuyoshi's comment below this other post)
「彼は映画スターであり、政治家でもある。」 means "He is a movie star and also a ...
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votes
2answers
244 views
Is it grammatical to have more than one “WH question” words in a sentence?
In English it would be strange to have more than one "WH question" word in a sentence,
For example:
Tomorrow, where are we meeting, at what time and to do what ?
It sounds like it's grammatical ...
7
votes
1answer
438 views
How does -ki form of i-adjectives work? (e.g. 愛しき)
In one of the Bleach anime ending songs, "Hanabi" has the following line:
繋ぎゆく この想い 愛しき 君
"itoshiki" seems to come from "itoshii", but how does this -ki form of i-adjective work? I found a few ...
4
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2answers
287 views
How to parse わけじゃなし
A novel I'm reading contains this snippet of dialogue. The manager of a love hotel is explaining why she doesn't return to her apartment between shifts:
...
5
votes
1answer
207 views
ねばねば食べねば, relation between ねば and なければ
I would like to know a bit more about the "ねば" grammatical construction.
Every now and then, I hear people say sentences like
東京に行かねばならぬ
粘々丼を食べねば倒れる
なんとかせねばいい
It's quite clear that ねば ...
8
votes
1answer
94 views
Amount of time and 間
When expressing "It takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes", would it be best to say
１時間１５分掛かる。
or
１時１５分掛かる。
or maybe
１時１５分間掛かる。
?
5
votes
1answer
120 views
Using に twice in the [Verb-連用形]に行く sentence pattern
Consider these example sentences given by my grammar dictionary:
(1) 私はデパートへ贈り物を買いに行った。
(2) そこへ何をしに行くんですか。
Observation: The location is marked by へ instead of に.
Considering that a ...
5
votes
2answers
234 views
How to unambiguously express sentences with lots of relative propositions?
Background, problem statement
Very often, I find myself in situations where I have to build structurally complex sentences in Japanese, and find myself struggling, trying to put all I want to say in ...
5
votes
2answers
224 views
Does [V-stem]に行く works for verbs whose stems are not stand-alone words by themselves?
I was taught that there is a grammatical form which goes like this: [V-stem]に行く
For example: 遊びに行く, which means "Go. Reason: to 遊ぶ"
I was wondering does this grammatical form work for verbs whose ...
7
votes
2answers
220 views
Translating “barely”, “hardly” etc
In English, "barely"/"hardly" can be used both with a connection to time ("just finished"):
I had barely finished eating when he arrived. (食べたばかり...)
or to express the idea that a goal was ...
4
votes
1answer
165 views
Is it true that only movement verbs can take [V-stem]に to express a purpose?
I decided to split this into a thread by itself because I was afraid of cramming too much into the first thread.
Is it true that only movement verbs can take [V-stem]に to express a purpose?
Will it ...
8
votes
2answers
216 views
相手の日本人 or 日本人の相手?
If I wanted to describe the person I was speaking as being Japanese, to me it seems natural to say:
日本人の相手 【にほんじんの あいて】
... however, one time a Japanese teacher told me it's more correct to say:
...
5
votes
1answer
192 views
What is the nuance when は directly follows a verb in plain form?
It seems like this is a remnant of (or reference to) older forms of Japanese. Is that all there is to it, or does it have special meaning?
Examples from songs:
歌声 笑い声 満ちる大空 目指すは憧れ
...
