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.

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Is it possible to say 東京へもいいですか

My grammar book says the もいいですか is used with verbs, adjectives, and noun+copula. But will something like this be understood? 東京へもいいですか With the omitted verb (行って) being understood from context ...
LonelyDriver's user avatar
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How to pronounce basic vocabulary

I'm really new at this but I'm a big fan of the Japanese language. I found a list on Quizlet with the most used vocabulary such as to go, to see, etc to learn with their Kanji (I already learned Kana)....
Shinoa's user avatar
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Difference and usage between こちら and 私

I would like to know the difference between the two sentences こちらを見ていた and 私を見ていた The translation is the same I think She was looking at me is こちら and 私 interchangeable when using を after ? EDIT:...
Makoto's user avatar
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What is the nuance of (noun)+願います?

My boss (early 60s, former department chief, male, Tokai Region) often uses "(noun)+願います" in written requests like this: 翻訳願います ご確認願います. I haven't come across it before and can't find info ...
Judas's user avatar
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The difference between 困る and 困った in this sentence

This is a multiple choice question and the correct answer seems to be 困った, but I wonder why 困る is not right. The sentence is as follows しまった!財布を忘れてきた。(困る/困った)なあ。 I do think Japanese tense can be quite ...
Max's user avatar
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Dealing with の ambiguities

A simple example: 日本語の勉強の時間 In theory, there could be several interpretations possible: [日本語の勉強の] 時間 日本語の [勉強の時間] [日本語の] [勉強の] [時間] Are there any general rules on how to deal with this kind of ...
LonelyDriver's user avatar
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Is it common to end the sentence with 事?

Is it common to end the sentence with 事 ? (not the imperative case) I have often encountered sentences such as 我が望みは、爆裂魔法を放つ事。 My only desire is to let off Explosion. I understand that 事 is the 事 ...
Makoto's user avatar
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Usage of のに contrary to what I expected

The meaning of のに is "despite", "although". But in the sentence, it seems to have another role. Could you explain? Context: another character wants to join the team consisting of ...
Makoto's user avatar
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Adverb confusion

同時に, 胸の奥をひやりと冷たい手が撫でる So in theory ひやりと is an adverb, which means it should be able to modify either 冷たい or 撫でる. These are my interpretations of the sentence, considering the possibilities: 1)At the ...
LonelyDriver's user avatar
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Why a compound noun instead of XのY?

視界左上に固定表示されている細い横線が、わずかにその長さを縮める from ソードアート・オンライン1アインクラッド I'm curious to know why the author chose to use this construction instead of 視界の左上. Edit: And unrelated to that, I just noticed that the ...
LonelyDriver's user avatar
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1 answer
218 views

meaning of その姿に

I would like to know the meaning of その姿に in the sentence Context: the character is genuinely impressed by her friend's determination at persisting in a way that seems to be a dead end. 素晴らしいわ!その、...
Makoto's user avatar
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Meaning of 気分的に

The person is describing (making up excuses) as to why they were late and one of them they said the below: 「いやぁ……参りましたなぁ……コンビニの店員がちんたらレジやるから遅刻ですよ……」 私は時計を見る。 時間は11時すぎ、だいたい四時限目がはじまるぐらい。 「えーと、...
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Question about the と particle in comparative constructs

I've been making my way through the book Elementary Japanese Volume 1 and in the chapter on comparatives it introduced this construction: AとBとでは、どちらの方がXですか。Between A and B, which one is X-er? AとBとでは、...
chris111294's user avatar
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what grammatical structures in this word 考えなさんな?

「そう難しく考えなさんな、佳織ちゃんよ」 please help to define grammatical structures in this word 考えなさんな なさ looks like なさい(imperative). てんな is ているな (continuative negative imperative) , but here is no て so what is this ? ...
tek1's user avatar
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Why is there a である between a noun and というところだ?

「う、うむ!よろしくだ、シドーではない女!」 「……は、はい、よろしくお願いします」 頰に汗を垂らしながら握手を交わす。三人娘は少しだけ訝しげな顔をしたものの、まあいつもの十香であるというところで納得したのだろう、深く追及はしてこなかった。 The protagonist 士道/シドー, a boy, was dressed as a girl. His classmate 十香 easily ...
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Verb Form I've Never Seen Before

I was doing some reading this morning and came across the following: 去年の八月、日本テレビの番組の中で、やはり肝硬変で苦しんでいる九州の高木兼重さんが、「仲間は六人死んじょる。七番目はこのわしじゃ」と言った言葉が気味悪く浮かんできた。 I initially thought it might be some kind of -...
NobleGuy's user avatar
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Usage of たかが not as adverb

The sentence was like this: 目の前にたかだパフェが置かれただけなのにキャッキヤツとはしゃいでいる。彼女に言わせれば「何がたかがよ!」という感じなのだろうが。 I'm familiar with the grammar of "たかが + N" (it's just a + N). However, the way たかが was used ...
elPsyChris's user avatar
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いかぬことばかりだ meaning

この世は想い通りにはいかぬことばかりだ Everything in this world is not as it seems. That's what google translate says it means. I already deciphered the first part, but the part that comes after the は is a total ...
Bonnie Parker's user avatar
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(推量形+) というものだ: nuance and function? [duplicate]

圧倒的だなんて言葉では表現しきれない、絶望的な戦力差である。 しかもそれらが皆、親でも殺されたかのような調子で士道に憎々しげな視線を送ってきているのだ。どれだけ肝が据わった人間でも汗くらい滲ませようというものである。 だが、改変後の折紙の意識が『士道への思い三〇パーセント:節度七〇パーセント』だったところに、『士道への思い一二〇パーセント』が足されたなら、...
chino alpha's user avatar
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Understanding だったところに?

だが、改変後の折紙の意識が『士道への思い三〇パーセント:節度七〇パーセント』だったところに、『士道への思い一二〇パーセント』が足されたなら、バランスも崩壊してしまおうというものだった。 Hi. What does the bold ところ mean? And why is past form だった used there? (Rather than present form である, for ...
chino alpha's user avatar
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Understanding the construction た-form+ようになっている

琴里もかつて一度、<ファントム>に直接会った経験がある。しかしそのとき<ファントム>は、身体中をノイズのようなものに覆われ、声も変声機を通したようになっていたため、その実像をまったく掴めなかったのである。 Hi. I have some problems with the bold part. As far as I know, ようになっている is used to ...
chino alpha's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
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Why is ままだったはずだ rather than ままのはずだった used in this context?

(十香)「何を言っているのだ?確かにあやつの行動は目に余るが、前と全く同じというわけではないぞ」 (士道)「そうか?むしろ前よりヘビーになってる気がするんだが……」 (十香)「だが前の折紙なら、私が無理矢理引きはがすまでシドーにくっついたままだったはずだ。それに、今立ち去るときの顔は……」 Hi. Context: 士道 and 十香 were talking about 折紙. 折紙 ...
chino alpha's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
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~たいとする grammar/meaning?

平和を保ちたいとする利己的な意志が戦争を起こし So, I'm rewatching Naruto and I'm finally able to understand more than 70% of the words and grammar. I'm currently on the war arc and Madara said the above sentence. I'm not ...
Bonnie Parker's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
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What is the meaning and pronunciation of 上 in the following sentence?

「新聞・雑誌などの編集上の一区分。」This sentence came from one of the definitions for the word 「欄(らん)」 in the "Super Daijirin" dictionary. I'm having trouble honing in on what specific meaning and ...
BustaYuro's user avatar
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1 answer
858 views

What does 行っている mean?

太郎が今ヨーロッパに行っている。 ‘Taro is now in Europe (as a result of having gone there).’ 太郎が去年ヨーロッパに行っている。 ‘Taro is the one who has the experience of having gone to Europe last year.’ Can the latter mean the same ...
Healer's user avatar
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2 answers
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Nuances of ~どころではない

In this multiple-choice grammar question: (  )、この本を読むどころではなかった。 A. 来客があって B. 字が小さくて C. 眼鏡がなくて Why does (A) sound more appropriate here than the other choices? I feel like I am missing a nuance with ~...
octosquakk's user avatar
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Please help to understand ような grammar in this sentence

「そりゃ……あまねが喜んでくれることは、してあげたいと思わなくもないような、違うような、その反対なような……」 As i can translate this means something like "Very... i want to please Amane, looks like i kind of think about that..." but next parth ...
tek1's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
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Have a question on this sentence 「ていうか、今日めっちゃ寒くね。」

ていうか、今日めっちゃ寒くね。 Today I've met this sentence and got confused. Why the sentence used 寒くinstead of using 寒い?Thanks very much in advance.
Thanaphat Ik's user avatar
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The meaning of し in the following context (maybe duplicate, maybe not)

I have a hard time figuring out the meaning of し in the following sentence 暗いし付いて行ってあげようか It's dark outside. Want me to go out with you ? Is it the し that serves to link two sentences together like ...
Makoto's user avatar
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2 answers
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Casual speech - できんでえ / てやんでえ

I've come across both できんでえ and ~てやんでえ today but I'm not sure what they mean or what their origin is. There's some information relating to ~てやんでえ online which seems to point to it being a question (&...
NobleGuy's user avatar
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1 answer
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Potential form verbs followed by adjectives to end a sentence have to be in te form?

Do potential verbs followed by adjectives ending a sentence have to be in te form? For example 見られて嬉しい instead of 見られる嬉しい.
Alex's user avatar
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1 answer
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Parsing positive じゃない statements — 体重が増えればいいってことじゃなくて

体重が増えればいいってことじゃなくて As a beginner-intermediate learner, my first reading of the (partial) sentence was along the lines of "it wouldn't be good to gain weight [and]..." but the given ...
ztom's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
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how does と~と~による work?

I know the individual words but I'm not familiar with the form used in the left bubble so I am not sure what she is trying to convey. context: they were talking about something else, and a cat passed ...
Ali's user avatar
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1 answer
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Can you help me understand the grammar of this sentence?

外国人は無意識にやるけど、日本人は好きじゃないこういっていうのがあるんですね。 The translation is: there is an act that foreigners do unconsciously but Japanese people don't like. The only part I don't understand is "こういっていうのが" ...
Hoover Gonzalez's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
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precision about 見た感じ

I have some difficulty how to translate 見た感じ in the following context 受付のお嬢さん、俺とアクアの前にそれぞれカードを差し出した。免許証ぐらいの大きさのそれは、見た感じ身分証みたいに見える。 The receptionist set a card in front of me and another one in front ...
Makoto's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
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のける after て form

I was reading モンスター while learning verbs and read this: 「君は院長のために、あのオペを絶対に成功させなきゃならなかったし、期待にこたえて見事成功させてのけた。」 On Jisho it says that のける can be used as an auxiliary verb behind a て form meaning 'to do ...
Aardappelkrokket80's user avatar
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Meaning of スパークする in 大暴走した言霊がスパークする

I imagine the definition being used is "放電などによって火花が出ること。また、閃光 (せんこう) を発すること" however I am still confused as to what it actually means in this context. 「うかつに口に出せない、秘すべき真の名だよ。大暴走した言霊がスパークするレベル」...
dullian's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
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The Origin of のだ

I've recently been trying to fit the explanation particle のだ in with the logic of Japanese and I was wondering if it had its roots in another Japanese word or something of the sort. Particularly, it ...
Lucas's user avatar
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4 votes
3 answers
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と at the end of the sentence

I would like to know the use of と in this case お金を貰い、死んだ魚のような目をしたアクアが帰ってきた。 (...) 「ま、まあ結果オーライって事でいいじゃないか。ほら、女神って信じられたら、それはそれで困った事になるだろうし」 何か大切な物を失った様な顔で帰ってきたアクアを、俺は適当に励ますと。 Aqua took the money and ...
Makoto's user avatar
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0 votes
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と会ってくれる feels unnatural

1) 先生は私と会ってくれる。 How is this sentence correct? [先生は私と会ってくれる] this setence feels unnatural to me becauseと会う means subject and person(me) are going to meet each other so how くれる can be used in this ...
Haaten's user avatar
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1 vote
2 answers
229 views

Grammar of 仕方ないな

Shouldn't it be 仕方がないな? And what is the function of な? The context is: A: 出かけようとした時に、電話があったんです。 B: そうか。それじゃ、まあ、仕方ないな。 よろしくお願いします。
sfy's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
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Meaning of しつこい when it describes 霊

In the the below the person was asking whether there are many ghosts/spirits at the place (in this case the theme park) 「霊は?多いかな?多くても、しつこくなければまだいいんだけど」 「それはわからない、かな……。」 霊の多寡に言及しているレポートは、さすがにどこを探してもない ...
dullian's user avatar
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0 answers
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Using か within a sentence [duplicate]

I want to make a question within a sentence using か, but it’s weird for me. I don’t want to use か at the end of a sentence. もう知ってる
Michamichi's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
152 views

Which ように is it 落ち着かせるように?

In the sentence below, I am not sure whether it is saying "so as to calm me down" or "as if to calm me down". I could imagine 落ち着かせるように being used to mean either of these meanings, ...
dullian's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
326 views

What would be the difference between というのであれば and であれば?

1.放課後。一度帰路に就いた折紙は一人、来禅高校へと戻ってきていた。 理由は一つ。下校している途中、いつもつけている髪飾りがなくなっていることに気ついたのである。 別に小さなピン一つ、なくしたところでさしたる痛手にはならないのだがーーそれは昔母に買ってもらったものであるというのであれば話は別だった。 2.まあ普通の女の子が対象、というのであれば間違いなくそちらが正解だ。 Hi. Could ...
chino alpha's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
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Could you help me understand the grammar in this sentence?

A: ところで、はるって誰ですか B: 誰とかではなくてですね... I understand the overall meaning of the conversation but I don't really get why "とか" is used nor why the second sentence ends with ではなくて instead of ではない。 ...
Hoover Gonzalez's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
64 views

納骨堂は8年前に使われたきりだって - What does きり mean in that sentence? [duplicate]

Context: https://streamable.com/dw69vn A: とにかく 扉を開けたとたんに死体が倒れてきたということは鍵を掛けられた時点では生きていたということだ。閉じ込められ助けを求めたまま力尽きた。 B: 納骨堂は8年前に使われたきりだって Thanks for the answer!
Shibasaki's user avatar
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4 votes
0 answers
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Difference between embedded question and noun phrase [duplicate]

Inspired by this question, I thought of two ways to talk about checking the truth of something, though I think my question applies much more generally than with just the verb 'to check'. ...
user3856370's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
180 views

Translation of a simple sentence

First I want to say that I'm just a beginner so my sentence may seem very easy to translate. So I just imagined a simple situation. If I were to give, for example, a box of chocolates to a host family,...
yasmine's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
113 views

What does the って mean here? [duplicate]

女: 先輩、来週、海外出張なんですが、特にしておいたほうがいいことって、ありますか。 I read somewhere on this site って can mean と言ってる. Is this correct translation/thinking? Senpai, next week, since we have the overseas business trip, is there ...
user342453's user avatar

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