Questions tagged [usage]
用法・使い方. How to use certain words, phrases, particles, endings, constructions, and their variants.
1,555
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Word order withと違う
In this sentence
その点では私は君と意見が違う (My opinion differs from yours on that point)
As I understand, the first は (その点では) is optional because it puts emphasis on the phrase before it. The next thing is a ...
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1
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Difference between 何 and どう before する
Before some form of する, what's the difference between 何 and どう? For example, 何してるの vs どうしてるの? Or 何をしよう vs どうしよう?
Perhaps in many cases only one of the question words is acceptable; then what's a good ...
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What's the usage of かっていうので?
I'm familiar with the usage of かっていうと but I always get confused when another particle is used instead of と。
For instance:
日本人はなぜマスクをしているのかっていうのを聞いている
I'm especially confused about this sentence:
...
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2
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What does よく do when used with ~のほうが?
さあ、妻のほうがよく知っています。
What does よく do when used with ~のほうが? Is the よく required? What does it mean in this context?
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Is there a difference between ます and ません for sentences carrying an exclusive connotation(しか)?
私は野菜しか食べません。
apparently means "I only eat vegetables"? Shouldn't there be a negative connotation with the ません-ending?
If that's the case what does 私は野菜しか食べます mean?
Is there a special ...
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0
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ので with requests [duplicate]
I was consulting my grammar book (A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar), when I came upon the following passage (page 323):
Now this is all well and good. But it's a bit conflicting with an ...
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1
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Usage of 方(ほう) in these sentences
I know that 方 (ほう) can mean direction or way but that meaning seems to change a bit in the following sentences:
佐藤くん、 英語は得意な方(ほう)かな?
Sato, are you good at English?
これは割と使ってる方(ほう)です。
This is ...
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2
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~といわず、~といわず with 否定文
I vaguely remember reading somewhere that 「~といわず、~といわず」 doesn't come in 否定文, but I came across negative usage of late. Research took me to this site maintained by a native speaking Japanese teacher ...
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1
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422
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Use of まま in Japanese
I was watching an anime and the character said something along the lines of "私{わたし}は、このままでいいの". This translated into something like "Do I really want things to stay like this?" But ...
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た particle usage in のど乾いた
I was watching an anime and the character said something along the lines of "のど乾{かわ}いたね~".
This would mean something like "I'm thirsty" (looking at the previous dialogues, this was ...
2
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1
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Can 遅く mean 'slowly'?
From my book,
However, Jisho says that 遅く can mean 'slowly,' but I can't find an example for that meaning in the same source.
In this thread, answerers agree that 遅く can be used to mean 'slowly.'
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What does 消耗せえへんし mean?
I just read a sketch written by 又吉 直樹さん, and here is a sentence:
動かんからエネルギーは消耗せえへんし腹減らんねん。
The part of 消耗せえへんし makes me feel a little confused. I probably know it means “doesn’t consume much so”, ...
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どうせだったら, どうせなら and どうせだから
どうせだから seems to occur more when some sort of causality is in place or some sort of explanation is expected, and it also often appears as a standalone sentence. And I guess どうせだったら would be more likely ...
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Are てからでないと and てからで なければ the same?
Are てからでないと and てからで なければ the same?
I learned them in N3 shinkanzen book and I was confused. Are they the same? Can I use them interchangeably?
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How do you talk about a word or phrase itself?
Basically, I want to know how to talk about the meta properties of a word or phrase while mentioning said word or phrase in the same sentence.
Maybe って is somehow involved, but I don't know even know ...
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Difference between どれだけ and どのくらい and どんなに
It seems that どれだけ can be used interchangeably with どのくらい and どんなに, but is there any difference in nuance?
For example:
(どれだけ/どんなに)聞いても意味が分からない
(どれだけ/どんなに)説明しても、あの人はわかってくれない
彼の身長は(どれだけ/どのくらい)ですか。
...
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0
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I don't get the meaning of 思うたより [duplicate]
I recently encountered the following sentence
みんな思うたより緊張しとらんのぉ
I understand it means "everyone is less stressed than I expected." What I don't understand is why it is 思うたより rather than ...
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2
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ドアのカギを外してください meaning
DeepL translates ドアのカギを外してください to either "Remove the key from the door", "Unlock the door", or "Remove the door lock"
Which one of these is the more common meaning or is ...
2
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0
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Does に function like は in お前に俺の気持ちがわかるもんか? [duplicate]
I saw this sentence in this topic, but I just have a different question.
お前に俺の気持ちがわかるもんか。
Does に here function like は? Because I think the sentence can also be written like this
お前は俺の気持ちがわかるもんか。
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日本人の男の人 vs 日本の男の人 vs <something else entirely>? [duplicate]
I want to say "a Japanese man." I am still learning introductory-level Japanese, but I know I can say
男の人 to refer to a man somewhat politely. I figured I could just say 日本の男の人 to specify ...
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2
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Difference between「なんか」and「なんだか」?
What are some examples of their usage? Is なん the short form of 何【なに】 in both words?
Also, not sure if this is correct, but the だ in the middle of なんだか should be the copula. Why is the copula being ...
2
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1
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Usage of では in this sentence
I have read some topics about usage of では on the internet, like で for places, means, tools and は to mark the subject, argument,... However, I can't apply those to explain meaning of では in this ...
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How do I know if 「何でいきますか」 means "Why did you go?" or "In what means did you go?"
A: あした 東京【とうきょう】へ 行き【いき】ます。
B: 何【なん】で 行き【いき】ますか。
A: 新幹線【しんかんせん】で 行き【いき】ます。
B: 一人【ひとり】で 行き【いき】ますか。
A: いいえ、会社【かいしゃ】の 人【ひと】と 行き【いき】ます。
(original page)
The example given here (from Minna no Nihongo 1) ...
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0
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Can あなたはなんで会社へいきますか mean "How did you get to work?" (such as via what means) [duplicate]
Can あなたはなんで会社へいきますか mean "How did you get to work?" as in what method did you use to get to work (train, bus, etc.) or can it only mean the literal translation of "Why do you go to work?...
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Can you say 「普段に○○」 or does it have to be「 普段は○○」?
Can you say 「普段に○○」 or does it have to be「 普段は○○」?
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98
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勝負 being used with あげる、もらう、くれる
Is it possible to use 勝負 with あげる、もらう、くれる?
ex. "I'll give you this match." (Give the win)
Also, can 勝負 be used in place of a physical videogame?
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1
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Do japanese people actually make jiiii sound when staring like in anime?
I noticed that in anime, almost every character make "jiii" sound when staring. Is this an anime only thing or do people actually make "jiii" sound in real life when staring? I ...
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Can 訂正 be used like this? 訂正しろ、今すぐ。
From here: https://nihongomaster.com/japanese/dictionary/word/41934/teisei
訂正しろ、今すぐ。 Translation: Take that back, right now!
("Take that back" as in taking back what you said.)
Can 訂正 be ...
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3
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Does "彼は昼過ぎに来ます" mean "He'll come after lunch." or "He'll come in the afternoon."?
Dictionary says 昼 means noon, midday, or lunch but colloquially if someone says "彼は昼過ぎに来ます" would it mean "He'll come after lunch." or "He'll come in the afternoon."?
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I do not understand how 世間 works with 一般 in this sentence
I came across this sentence - 彼は世間一般の学生とは違っている
I also read the meaning of the various kanji used here. If I'm not mistaken, 一般の学生 already means ordinary students or average students. But how does 世間 ...
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Is にする always a voluntary action taken by the speaker (or target person)?
Source
にする is defined as "to decide on" but does it always represent a voluntary action taken by the speaker or are there cases when it is not neccesarily up to their decision?
For example,
...
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Use of chance (チャンス)
Was wondering if it is natural to use 「チャンス」in Japanese sentences.
For example, 「本を読むチャンスになって」
It feels somewhat natural, as I likely heard it in a manga, but wanted to see if it was okay to use it in ...
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1
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What the difference between 発達、発展、発育
発達:はったつ
、発展:はってん、、発育:はついく
n3語彙
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Popular conventions that Japanese people use the Japanese characters to draw or type Emoji
This question is about the popular conventions that Japanese people use the Japanese characters to draw or type Emoji.
What are some principles and conventions that Japanese people follow?
Here is one ...
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The reading of 灯
Recently I have discovered that there are so many 訓読み for 灯, and all of them seem to carry similar meanings, surrounding the core concept of "light." Can someone explain to me the ...
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Understanding the subject and object when using 満足/満足できない
I'm a little confused as to who the sentence is referring to as the satisfied/dissatisfied person.
for example: 彼はもう彼女満足できない。
I understand this sentence to mean: He cant be satisfied by/with her ...
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歓迎しましょう vs 歓迎します vs ようこそ
What is the difference between:
歓迎しましょう (Kangei shimashou)
歓迎します (Kangei shimasu)
ようこそ (Yōkoso)
They all mean "welcome" but in which occasions should we use which more appropriately. ...
2
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1
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What’s the difference between 始まっている最中に and 始まろうとしているとき in this context?
I am currently studying for the JLPT N2, and I am confused about the answer for this particular practice question:
会議が( )リンさんが慌てて入ってきた。
I put 始まっている最中に as the answer, but my textbook tells me that ...
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2
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Is no the same as not?
is いいえ/no the same as not? For example, if I said,いいえ きょう, would that mean Not Today? Or No Today? I know google translate is known to be inaccurate, but it shows both Not and No as the same, いいえ. ...
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結構{けっこう}と決行{けっこう}と欠航{けっこう}
I'm sure the YouTuber Dogen's name would not be strange to a lot of people here on this site, and I'm sure a lot of you have seen his this video where he makes fun of words that sounds similar.
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How to properly use とまる/とめる/やむ/やめる/とどまる/とどめる/よす/さす
There are a lot of native Japanese verbs that use 止, namely 止まる{とまる}, 止める{とめる}, 止む{やむ}, 止める{やめる}, 止まる{とどまる}, 止める{とどめる}, 止す{よす}, and 止す{さす}.
There are many confusing parts about these words for a ...
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Difference between 原因 and 理由
The posts here and here do not address the difference between 原因 and 理由.
So, in short, what are the difference in usage between these words? Both seem to mean reason.
日本に来た理由は見つからない
日本に来た原因は見つからない
...
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1
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の(代名詞) after の adjectives
So, when we use the 代名詞 の, it goes like this:
美味しいのをください Please give me the tasty one
静かなのはあれ The quiet one is that one
But what happens with adjectives or nouns that take a の already?
最後のの? 最後なの?
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Negative in Japanese, but positive in English translation. Why? 俺は自分が生き残ることしか考えていなかった
俺は自分が生き残ることしか考えていなかった.
the only thing I thought about was surviving.
ore ha jibun ga ikinokoru koto shika kangaeteinakatta.
I don't really understand why in Japanese it uses 考えて in the negative, ...
2
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1
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~と言いました vs ~とのことです
お忙しいところ、すみません。質問が2つあります。
In this sentence:
田中さんは「明日10時にまた電話します」と言いました。
Could it also be said as:
田中さんは明日10時にまた電話するとのことです。
Since when translated, they are both:
Mr. Tanaka said that he will call ...
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0
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What does the ち mean in this situation? [duplicate]
Why is Ms. Kobayashi's Dragon Maid written as 小林さんちのメイドラゴン instead of 小林さんのメイドラゴン? I'm still new to Japanese and I don't understand what the ち is for in the title. Can it be written either way? I can'...
1
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1
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496
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What does でね mean at the end of a sentence?
I keep seeing this at the end of sentences lately, but couldn't find much explaining it online. When I see it, I feel like it's usually serving as some kind of explanation but I'm not entirely sure.
...
2
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2
answers
226
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What are the differences between 賠 and 償?
I am learning kanji with Heisig's method, and I have seen that 賠 and 償 means the same (compensation, indemnify), so I have been searching for examples in 'Yomiwa' and 'jisho.org' trying to clear my ...
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1
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308
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Is there any difference between でしょう and でしょ besides politeness level?
I understand that でしょ is a contraction of でしょう used in very casual speech. Besides that difference in the degree of politeness, do they also have any difference in meaning or usage?
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Question on the other meaning of するのに
First of all, I might be mistaken entirely about this, and if so, feel free to just point that out. But, I seem to have many memories of conversations with Japanese speakers in which "するのに" ...