How to use certain words, phrases, particles, endings, constructions, and their variants.
10
votes
2answers
229 views
what is the difference in the usage of [成]{な}るべく and できるだけ?
Hi guys what is the difference in the usage of 成るべく and できるだけ?
Don't they both mean as [x] as possible?
E.g.:
1) できるだけ多くの本を読みなさい vs なるべく多くの本を読みなさい
2) できるだけ早くお願いします vs なるべく早くお願いします
10
votes
2answers
650 views
What is the difference between なぜなら、だから、and なので？
I'm trying to get clarification on how to use these three pieces of grammar and whether or not they all hold some kind of "Because" meaning.
11
votes
2answers
233 views
can we optionally include (or exclude) an を particle in between the noun of the する-verb and the する itself?
when we have a する verb, (e.g. 支度する、案内する、心配する) is it true that we could optionally insert an を particle in between the noun and the する?
Because in the example sentences here and here, we can see this ...
5
votes
1answer
384 views
と、て、って Quoting Particle Usage
と、て、って
What's the difference between these three quoting particles?
Is there any grammatical difference, or are they just casual/formal variations of one another?
田中さんは行きましょうと言った
田中さんは行きましょうて言った
...
10
votes
3answers
268 views
What do I do when I encounter “Written Japanese”?
I have read in grammar dictionaries some words/phrases that are labelled as "Written Japanese" and should not be used in normal speech.
Let's take for example the sentence-ending こと indicating a ...
8
votes
1answer
256 views
When to use 他【ほか】の or 他【ほか】に
I always thought only 他の existed, but my teacher uses 他に a lot. Are there differences between when each can be used?
Here are two examples of each from my online dictionary:
だれかほかの人に聞いてごらん (Ask ...
5
votes
3answers
288 views
Is it normal to use ただいま in situations other than ただいま戻【もど】りました?
By itself, I would say that 「ただいま」 means something like "just now". I've used it a few times in sentences like this, but it feels somewhat awkward, as I am always reminded of ただいま戻【もど】りました.
So, for ...
0
votes
1answer
82 views
Not understanding 解{と}く in this sentence
This sentence comes from my JLPT practise book in a section explaining the use of 解{と}く:
練習{れんしゅう}問題{もんだい}は答{こた}えを見{み}ないで、自分{じぶん}で解{と}いてください。
I get that 解{と}く means to "unravel" or "solve", but ...
7
votes
1answer
334 views
Verb volitional form (動詞の意志形) - usage
I have a couple of questions about the volitional form of verbs that I've become unclear on lately. Here is a Bible passage containing the grammar in question:
(Note that I'm using a Bible passage ...
6
votes
1answer
237 views
When the agent takes を in the causative form
I've seen a few sets of terminology when referring to the causative form, so for the basic case, I will use the following:
instigator が agent に 〇〇 を ｖ－させる。
In its most basic, text-book form, we have ...
6
votes
1answer
179 views
What does 意外と mean?
I heard the expression [意]{い}[外]{がい}といい in a video. I know that 意外に expresses something you didn't expect:
意外においしいよ。
It's delicous! (and I didn't expect that)
Why did I hear 意外と instead of ...
6
votes
3answers
343 views
一応: Usage and meaning
I've never really fully grasped the meaning of [一]{いち}[応]{おう} since it seems to have no good English equivalent. What is the meaning, usage, and nuances of 一応?
5
votes
3answers
570 views
how can I say “what about…?” in Japanese?
I was writing to my japanese friends, and I got some doubts.
Hope it wasn't asked here before.
How can I express "what about ..." in Japanese? Particularly:
What about having some breaks?
What ...
4
votes
2answers
453 views
What does the だと mean in 日本だと?
I found this sentence on a video game review site:
日本だと「不思議のダンジョン」と言ったほうがわかりやすいかもしれないローグライクゲーム。
I am not sure whether だと means 'in Japan' or 'if it were in Japan'. The translation in one case ...
7
votes
4answers
266 views
The difference between 超{こ}える, 越{こ}える and 過{す}ぎる
超{こ}える, 越{こ}える and 過{す}ぎる are said to mean "to pass through" in the "edict" dictionary, but I don't fully understand the difference between the three.
How does their usage differ please? Can anyone ...
9
votes
3answers
245 views
6
votes
2answers
248 views
Making sense of transitive usage of 行く and 来る - 「を行く」 and 「を来る」
I think it's known that some intransitive verbs can take を particle and be used as transitive verbs such as for example 「私のことを分かってくれない」. While using 分かる transitively would require specific scenarios ...
8
votes
1answer
102 views
Does 「鳴く」 give any nuances about the sound being made?
When we say "birds singing", there is a positive connotation.
When we say "birds crowing", there is a negative connotation.
"The birds are making some sound" seems to be objective, and thus neutral.
...
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
2answers
167 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 ...
7
votes
1answer
118 views
Usage and nuance of あまりに vs あまりにも
WWWJDIC lists both あまりに and あまりにも to mean "too much; excessively; too" but are they exactly the same in term of usage and nuance?
あまりに 《余りに》 (adv) (uk) too much; excessively; too
Ex: ...
9
votes
1answer
271 views
When to use 頂戴します instead of いただきます?
In rather formal situations, when would you use 頂戴します ?
I use いただきます all the time to express the fact of receiving something, but I just heard a colleague using 頂戴します over the phone.
If I understand ...
14
votes
2answers
629 views
Does the particle “を” (wo) have a special use when at the end of a sentence?
I thought the character "を" (wo) was only used for the particle whose only job was to indicate the direct object of a verb.
But today I saw it at the end of an exclamation on a sign I think on a ...
10
votes
1answer
151 views
Is 花見 “cherry blossom” viewing only?
Hi all I was wondering is there such a thing that 花見/お花見 must be specifically referring to "cherry blossom" viewing.
Or is it true that 花見 is "flower viewing" in general ?
9
votes
3answers
170 views
Are the usage of 上 and 下 as labels only limited to items that come in pairs of two?
I have some untranslated mangas that come in pairs of two, and each of them is labeled with 上 or 下 to denote which is the first volume and which is the second. I'm wondering if these labels are only ...
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 ...
12
votes
3answers
284 views
What is the difference between 完了 and 終了
Both 完了 and 終了 both seem to have the connotation of finished/complete, but what is the difference if any in usage?
10
votes
3answers
311 views
9
votes
2answers
209 views
6
votes
3answers
133 views
Does 「彼は映画スター兼政治家だ。」 sound weird?
I asked about this in the comments section of another question, but no one responded, so I guess I'll ask it here. The question involved expressing that someone was both a movie star and a politician, ...
4
votes
1answer
128 views
虚; 空; 洞 【うろ】and differences
虚; 空; 洞 【うろ】: hollow; cavity; hole
pronunciation is only one but why are there three kanji words??what are they differences??
5
votes
2answers
176 views
9
votes
1answer
456 views
Difference between 「 ただ」, 「たった」, 「ただ ～だけ」, and 「ただし」
I translate these words as either "only, just, simply".
I'd like to know how I could differentiate these 4 ways (i.e., when I use that one, and when I use the other).
Examples:
たったひとつの恋 ...
2
votes
1answer
82 views
Can 首 be used to refer to students who have just graduated and not yet found a job?
The example sentences in WWWJDIC all use the word "首" in the "fire" sense (e.g. 彼を首にしてやる) hence I was wondering is the term only used to refer to "firing" someone?
Or is it also used to refer to ...
2
votes
2answers
129 views
How do we use the word 短~ in a sentence?
JLPT 2 has this word 短~ (たん)
EDICT lists it as fault; defect; weak point; or minor (music), however there isn't any examples at all on the usage of the word.
Does anyone have some example usages ...
5
votes
1answer
121 views
もっとも: distinguishing between 尤も and 最も
I found a page in Japanese with title "世界でもっとも汚染された10の都市". Having encountered the phrase 「もっとも」 for the first time, I looked it up on WWWJDIC and found two entries:
尤も 【もっとも】 (adj-na,adv,conj,n) ...
3
votes
1answer
81 views
Usage and means of 向き
The following sentences are difference usage of 向き which have different meanings. Why do they differ?
この本は初心者向きである。
This book is suitable for beginners.
逆さまに向きを変えてください。
Please turn over.
8
votes
1answer
147 views
Difference between 向け and 向き
My boss just corrected one of my documents from 企業向きな開発 to 企業向けの開発.
Apart from the の/な problem that I always get wrong, is there a problem with 向き ?
I got it from my textbook that says 子供向きです
Could ...
7
votes
1answer
176 views
Is there any difference between 意外に and 意外と?
I hear 意外に and 意外と used frequently to mean "moreso than I thought." They seem to be interchangeable. Example:
意外と簡単でした = Easier than I thought
Are they both grammatically correct? Is there a ...
7
votes
1answer
157 views
When and how to use 来る 【きたる】
Of course 来る is most often read as くる. However, it can also be read as きたる. Is きたる mostly an archaic reading? Does it carry a different, or any additional meanings?? When are "appropriate" ...
4
votes
1answer
79 views
「Verb + たら」always have ambiguous meanings?
I agree that ～たら is one practical tool that could express lots of meanings. but sometimes it became one problem for students of japanese.
If I say:
日本に行ったら、友達を訪ねます。
it's : If I go to Japan, I ...
4
votes
1answer
116 views
Fun with synonyms - “evaluation/investigation/etc.”
Explain the differences in the following vocabulary. They all essentially mean some form of investigation, inspection, etc. Please don't just write the definitions; I'm lost on how they differ, when ...
10
votes
1answer
308 views
歩く {aruku} vs 歩む {ayumu}
I always know that 歩く is the verb to use when talking about walking. But I'm aware the kanji 歩 has another verb 歩む. In WWWJDIC, the example sentence given is:
ビルはあの会社の社長になるまで成功への道を歩み続けた。 Bill ...
10
votes
3answers
496 views
When describing time span, are 間 {あいだ} and 内 {うち} interchangeable?
Both 間 {あいだ} and 内 {うち} can be used to describe time span relative to specific situations, similar to "while" in English. But are they interchangeable all the time? Are there any scenarios where one ...
2
votes
1answer
191 views
Plain verbs vs [conjunctive form 連用形]+をする (e.g. 間違える vs 間違えをする)
(Question 1)
Are there any differences in nuance and usage of conjunctive form of verb (連用形) + をする compared to the plain form of those verbs whose conjunctive forms can be used as nouns?
For ...
9
votes
2answers
156 views
How to use イコール to compare things? How is it different from 同じ?
I've heard sometimes that イコール is used sometimes to imply that things are similar. What would be a correct expression to use イコール? Furthermore, how is it different from using 同じ to say that things are ...
14
votes
2answers
238 views
Why do 適当 and いい加減 refer to both considerate and inconsiderate things?
I understand that 適当【てきとう】 can mean both "appropriate" and "whatever/vague". How do you know 適当な人を教えてください means "please inform me of the appropriate person" as opposed to "please tell me about ...
5
votes
2answers
152 views
I've seen 達人and 名人used to indicate master or expert. What's the difference?
I'm not familiar with either word, but just looking at the characters, 達人 would seem to indicate 'accomplished' (ie an accomplished pianist). While 名人 seems more like 'renowned'. Is that a valid ...
5
votes
3answers
155 views
What would be the best way to express the term 'master', as in a master of some sport?
For example, 'a tennis master'?
6
votes
1answer
171 views
How do you do a countdown?
For example, when JAXA launches a rocket, or people count the seconds to the New Year, do they use し or よん to count 4? do they use しち or なな to count 7?
