Questions tagged [grammar]

文法. A collective term for syntax (the way sentences are put together) and morphology (forms of words, including the way new words are put together). Often used to describe function words such as particles, to describe word endings, and to talk about general sentence structure.

Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
1 vote
1 answer
59 views

Sentence pattern for asking "should I do A or B?"

We commonly encounter situations when there are a number of options and we would like to ask for instructions as to which option to choose. Here is a real example from my recent experience. I was ...
LAMC's user avatar
  • 221
0 votes
1 answer
108 views

What does "という" mean in this context?

I cant understand the use of "という" in this sentence. 東京案内がしっかりしていて、 最高に便利な街を目指して計画された所という気がしました。 I learned some uses of "という" such as "called", "that says", I'...
zhiyang liu's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
149 views

である written form

I looked up である and everyone says that it is a written formal form of だ. My question is what are the written formal forms of other Japanese verbs: ある, いる,... I could not find them. Does a written ...
joan doe's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
125 views

What 少数で島いっぱい means?

I am not sure about the meaning of modifier 少数で島いっぱい here 桃太郎は宇宙人で、母星の爆発から、桃によく似た形の宇宙船で脱出し、地球へ辿り着き、人間に擬態して生活していたところ、鬼退治を依頼された。それなら他の生命体の言語を理解でき、少数で島いっぱい鬼を倒せたのも説明がつく。 Does 少数で島いっぱい鬼 mean few oni that ...
John Davies's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
49 views

the usage of に in this sentence

腕に当たっただけでこの威力 says a person just got hit. But that に doesn't make too much sense, he never hit his hand, but he says he hit it? Or does he say he was hit and the 当たる just functions as passive?
sieman's user avatar
  • 63
2 votes
1 answer
328 views

How to say "We ate everything" in Japanese?

How to say "We ate everything" (without the noun expressing what has been eaten, or read, or learnt, etc.) in Japanese? Here 'everything' can have any meanings, from "Every type of food ...
Starckman's user avatar
  • 873
2 votes
2 answers
187 views

What is the meaning of くらい in 優しいくらいなんだ?

A guy walking with his girl produced the following inner monologue, commenting on how nice she is. 付き合ってること親に黙っててくれてるってだけで...優しいくらいなんだ I am uncertain about the meaning of くらい after 優しい. I am ...
John Davies's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
153 views

Can I always replace なければ with なきゃ?

I just learned the contraction なければ➡なきゃ can be used outside of constructions like 8時までに帰らなきゃいけない Tobira gives the example: 「たくさん買わなきゃよかった…」 So my question is, in casual speech, do I always have the ...
Veronika Franc's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
424 views

What does "というのも" mean in this context?

In the sentence "常に家の中を綺麗に掃除しておくというのも、いい女になるためにやりたいことのひとつです。" what is というのも adding? I was taught that というのも means "because" but that doesn't seem to fit here. "Always keeping ...
Attempt_1's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
157 views

What does the と at the end, following a complete sentence and comma mean?

What is purpose of the と at the end of this sentence? And why is there a comma before it? 少ししたらぽっかり目が覚めちゃって、気付いたら佳織ちゃんとひとつベッドの上だった、と For context this was the previous sentence. 忍び込んだはいいけど、...
ujp1800's user avatar
  • 25
2 votes
1 answer
60 views

Understanding とは名ばかりの

早期引退してこれから自由を謳歌するのだと意気込んでいたが、気がつけば、散策とは名ばかりの徘徊や、さして興味のない映画とテレビで時間を潰し、一日を無理矢理終わらせるために酒を喰らう日々。毎日夜が無駄に長い。 リコリス・リコイル Ordinary days I know the bold part means "a walk in name". But I’d like to ...
chino alpha's user avatar
  • 4,181
2 votes
2 answers
282 views

What's the difference between で and において?

I get that において represents like the 場所, 時 and 分野. However when we are talking about a place, what is the difference? Like why is the first one correct but not the second? ○ 教室で友達と昼ご飯を食べた × ...
Lalala Land's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
143 views

What is the に doing in「略語は社内での使用に留(とど)めましょう。」?

This phrase is a heading in a business-Japanese book. Underneath, the book talks about avoiding casual contracted words in the office and on phone calls. From what I know about 留める(とどめる), which is a ...
Hikonyan's user avatar
  • 2,182
0 votes
1 answer
79 views

AついたB - Is there a general grammatical structure here?

ウソついた証拠 is a line from Attack on Titan's first episode. It's roughly translated as "proof of lying". Is there a general grammatical pattern that we can derive from this AついたB?
Catdog's user avatar
  • 547
0 votes
1 answer
58 views

What does はもってmean in this conversation?

A: コートをもっていますか? B: ええ、もっています。 A: じゃ、せびろももっていますか? B: いいえ、せびろはもっていません。
Betonamunihonhafu's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
122 views

Is it appropriate to use 一人 as a noun in the subject position?

What is more appropriate: using the normal counting rules or using the numeral+counter directly as the subject? 一人の人が来ました/人が一人来ました/人一人が来ました Or 一人が来ました/7人が来ました etc? Are they both ok? Is there a nuance? ...
Manab's user avatar
  • 1,293
0 votes
1 answer
69 views

What does "なくす" mean in this phrase?

カメラで人を見つけて踏切の事故をなくす I don't know a meaning of "Nakusu" in this phrase. Can someone help me with this?
Sakanadeバンジーガム's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
157 views

~すまいて after a verb

I've come across this sentence with ~すまいて after a verb. I've never seen it like that before, but I'm assuming it is a form of ~済まい: 「いくらも進んでおりませぬよ。儂の命のあるうちに終わりますまいて」 I can't make any progress. It ...
NobleGuy's user avatar
  • 410
0 votes
1 answer
103 views

'~ような' to modify nouns after adjectives [duplicate]

Konnichi wa ! I got this sentence from an 岩田【いわた】聡【さとる】 speech concerning Nintendo. 私【わたし】たちは、これからもきっと、非常識【ひじょうしき】と言【い】われるような提案【ていあん】をするでしょう。それが任天堂【にんてんどう】と言【い】う会社【かいしゃ】のありようだと、私【わたし】は思【おも】っております。 ...
Z Ea's user avatar
  • 123
5 votes
4 answers
957 views

Why is どうせやるなら more standard than どうせやったら?

I was working through the N3 完全マスター textbook and there is an example that says 「どうせ ____、面白い仕事がしたい。」The correct answer is やるなら, but another option was やったら. At first, I thought maybe the reason why ...
Hayli's user avatar
  • 93
1 vote
2 answers
449 views

Grammar of Shinunoga E-wa lyric: "そんなダサいこと もうしたないのよ goodbye"

I am have trouble understanding this verse そんなダサいこと もうしたないのよ goodbye The context is 失って初めて気がつくなんて そんなダサいこと もうしたないのよ goodbye My translation: Line 1: The is bad-thing [なんて] it is the first time [初めて] ...
Japanese Learner's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
155 views

~てくる meaning for 意志動詞

Please what is the use of "~てくる" in that sentence? I have been struggling to understand it 一気にその日中にA社B社C社から借りていくそういう方法取ってくるのでお金はその場で回収しちゃう By the way it came out in this video at 29:54 ...
Z Ea's user avatar
  • 123
3 votes
1 answer
503 views

is たがる here correct?

誰かゲームを遊びたがっている? i thought this たがる is for making assumptions, therefore i find weird that someone would say "does somebody seem like wanting to play..."? or am i wrong? is it correct?, if ...
sieman's user avatar
  • 63
0 votes
1 answer
97 views

しかし used as filler

Can しかし be used as a filler word in certain contexts? In a script I'm translating, a character says: しかし嬉しいな。昔考えてた演出を、ここでできるなんてね。 His previous line is about a stage direction, so it has nothing to ...
Marie OP's user avatar
  • 179
0 votes
1 answer
245 views

The structure of this sentence: どのNも and どこにでも

So, this is a sentence from chapter 8 of Tobira: 狂言には、主人と家来、親と子、山伏など色々な人物が登場しますが、どの人物もどこにでもいる普通の人達ばかりで、スーパーマンのような超人的なヒーローはできません。 The highlighted part is what I can't understand. I have no ideia of ...
Eric Caram De Souz's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
136 views

Understanding 食べるに楽しい

味よりも先に香り、温度、食感……。たった一口で何とも面白い。そして当然のように味はこの上ない。 いいモナカだった。 食べるに楽しい、何よりおいしい。 リコリス・リコイル Ordinary days How should I understand the usage of the bold に? Is it like 思うに, 察するに, etc.?
chino alpha's user avatar
  • 4,181
2 votes
1 answer
142 views

Meaning of past form + たる

In the third episode of Dantalian no Shoka I found this sentence, in which the character is speaking about the culprit in a novel; Hugh is checking a book in a bookstore, the other character is trying ...
Mauro's user avatar
  • 3,597
1 vote
1 answer
103 views

「ところで/へ/を/です」 How does it work ? Help with an exercise

I'm currently studying the Shinkanzen Master N3 Grammar and during one of the exercise, I got an answer wrong which isn't such a big deal by itself, but unless I'm translating the phrase incorrectly......
Yo Pomdpin's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
88 views

年中 but for 週 - throughout the week

How do you say throughout the week? 日曜日は食べ物を作る。 週中は作った食べ物を一人で食べる。 Should I use 一週間 instead in place of 週中? Maybe 次の週(間)?
マルチン's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
135 views

Using で to mark location with ある?

My understanding is that the verb ある describes where something is, which means に is the correct particle to mark location. However there have been several cases I've come across where ある's location ...
Hikonyan's user avatar
  • 2,182
0 votes
2 answers
72 views

Different use of に (は/も)

Recently I came across these two sentences in chapter 6 of Tobira: 天照大神には須佐之男命という弟の神様がいたのですが... 私も変だと思うだけど、でも、私の友達にも結婚式は絶対に教会でしたいと思っている人、結構いるんだ。(here, both the people in the dialogue think it weird ...
Eric Caram De Souz's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
75 views

Apparent subject change in a sentence with ながら

I've come across this bit of dialogue in a visual novel (Easter Night from Ensemble Stars!): A 「『イースターナイト』衣装も見られたので、私はそこそこ満足ですよ?」 B 「手品を披露しながら言われても馬鹿にされてる気分にしかならないのだよ」 A 「すみませんね〜 職業病なものでっ♪」 For ...
Kisiel's user avatar
  • 364
2 votes
1 answer
189 views

The meaning of 内 with other Kanjis

Konnichiwa , I found this sentence on the news recently : "政府内には、「信教の自由を脅かしかねない」との慎重論もあるが、宗教法人法に基づく調査が実施されれば、初めての事になる。" And I can't figure out whether "政府内には" means "inside ...
Z Ea's user avatar
  • 123
-2 votes
1 answer
134 views

What is the meaning of this expression ? 腕に + an Object + 押しくら饅頭 (pushing something towards someone ??)

Hope someone can help me understand correctly this action/ expression. MC come to watch his senpai practicing beach volley ball, then MC describes his senpai's action :"...
4chan user's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
109 views

Understanding「実母なんて10人も兄弟いるのに、誰一人と仲良くないし、誰の連絡先も知らないよ。」

I am trying to understand 実母なんて10人も兄弟いるのに、誰一人と仲良くないし、誰の連絡先も知らないよ。 and have broken it into pieces: 実母なんて10人も兄弟いるのに Which reading of 人 is here being used? Is 人 here being used as a counter? Are ...
George's user avatar
  • 2,804
0 votes
2 answers
200 views

Understanding なんて/何と言う as in なんて美しい人だ

My understanding is that there are two meanings of なんて: one as a contraction of 等 + とて, and the other is as a contraction of 何と言う. I'm trying to understand this latter sort of usage. Here's an example ...
George's user avatar
  • 2,804
1 vote
1 answer
112 views

The meaning of 言うなら返しのついていない

I was reading 化物語 and came across this paragraph: 貫通していないということは、針は、極端に変形していないということだ……ほとんど、コの字形の直角状態を保っているはず。言うなら返しのついていない形、ならばそれほどの抵抗なく、力任せに引き抜けるはずだ。 I can understand most of this just fine, but the ...
smeraldofw's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
43 views

Verb normalization of こだわらなさ [duplicate]

I'm confused about how I should parse こだわらなさすぎだ in this sentence. お前は 1つの問題に こだわらなさすぎだ 最後まで諦めんなよ From the context of the show I was watching, I'm pretty sure that this means "You focus too much ...
SIREN's user avatar
  • 339
2 votes
1 answer
325 views

Why do we distinguish the spontaneous (自発) and passive (受身) forms?

Why do textbooks view 自発 and 受身 as two distinct forms? Example: [受身]: 誰かがりんごを食べる --> 誰かにりんごが食べられた [自発]: 彼女が両親のことを思い出す --> 彼女に両親のことが思い出される Grammatically, both forms take the noun marked by を, ...
max's user avatar
  • 1,079
2 votes
1 answer
103 views

Which of these sentences are correct?

1 読みはしない 2 読みもしない 3 読みをしない 4 お読みしない 5 読みしない 6 読むことをしない 7 読むことなんてしない I used the verb 読む for no particular reason. Can someone confirm which of these sentences have correct grammar?
kipawn's user avatar
  • 23
2 votes
1 answer
170 views

したら and したあとで - different or same

仕事終わったら飲みに行く。 仕事終わったあとで飲みに行く。 仕事あとで飲みにいく。 Is there any difference between these three sentences? Does it work the same as in this question? 仕事終わってから飲みに行く。
マルチン's user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
430 views

Do 形容動詞 include な?

Consider the phrase: 好きな人 Here "好き" is a na-adjective, and this sentence could translate to: Well-liked person Question: Is the 形容動詞 in this phrase: ...just the word "好き"? ......
George's user avatar
  • 2,804
2 votes
2 answers
191 views

で of the copula or で cause particle

Konnichiwa, I found this sentence in a computer science video: "分からないことだらけで、ググって解決してそしてコードを書いている" About the part is it the で of the copula "です" for simply connecting two sentences, ...
Z Ea's user avatar
  • 123
1 vote
1 answer
344 views

自分になりたい。 自分でありたい。 What's the difference?

I know both sentences more or less mean "I want to be myself", but I'm not sure of the subtle differences. When would you use でありたい over になりたい ? Source: Tsurune season 2 trailer. Both are ...
MoonRabbit0's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
168 views

は or が to describe something with an adjective

I know that は is used for general purposes when describing something with an adjective, and が is more suited for specific things, but in the examples below which sentence is correct? ...
Poulp's user avatar
  • 619
2 votes
0 answers
84 views

interpretation of this もんだ [duplicate]

悪魔も理解できんもんは 怖がるもんだ does this もの mean thing as in "the thing that devils are afraid of, are the things that they dont understand" Or is there something im missing?
sieman's user avatar
  • 63
5 votes
2 answers
720 views

Is the verb 売る both a transitive and intransitive verb?

In the context of the sentence: スーパーで雑誌が売っている, is the verb 売っている being used as a transitive or intransitive verb? I understand that usually 売る is a transitive verb in the sense that "I sell ...
Jase Uknow's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
133 views

what is the usage にまで?

海外にまで知られ始める。does the に work here as "by"? (人に変だと言われる- this kind of に? like it works usually with passive verbs?) and まで just strenghtens it? Am i right, or am i missing something? i've never ...
sieman's user avatar
  • 63
1 vote
2 answers
394 views

ようとする vs ところ: To be about to

What is the difference? Volitional + とする has also the meaning of "be about to". Which cases aren't equivalent? Example #2 in https://jlptsensei.com/learn-japanese-grammar/%E3%82%88%E3%81%86%...
None's user avatar
  • 367
1 vote
1 answer
98 views

広範 ambiguous meaning

During my dictionary search of the word "資本主義" I found this definition: 商品経済の広範な発達を前提に,労働者を雇い入れた資本家による利潤の追求を原動力として動く経済体制。 The thing is that I do understand the whole meaning, however I'm ...
Z Ea's user avatar
  • 123

1
13 14
15
16 17
179