That class of words which describe events and states and can be inflected or conjugated to indicate relative time, as well as many other nuances.
8
votes
1answer
317 views
How did the verb 掛ける come to have many meanings?
I think that this verb is the only one I've seen in Japanese that has so many definitions. とる and つく have multiple definitions as well (quite a bit IIRC). But not as much as 掛ける. In any case, I am ...
7
votes
3answers
147 views
Are there inflections/endings that can be applied to verbs but not i-adjectives? (or vice versa)
After reading in an answer to another question that Japanese adjectives are less inflected than Japanese verbs I'm wondering if there are inflections that can be applied to verbs but not i-adjectives? ...
7
votes
2answers
202 views
What is the difference between あるまい and ありません？
From what I understand, they both mean "is not". But from what I've been able to gather from the few times I've heard it, it seems that あるまい may not be as strong or definitive as ありません. Am I on the ...
7
votes
2answers
236 views
When to use 聴く vs 聞く vs 訊く?
When should one use 聴く instead of 聞く? Is there a precise rule for which one to use in which situation?
I have a feeling that 聞 is used more when the source of the sound is a person or other living ...
7
votes
1answer
241 views
7
votes
1answer
224 views
When to use 洗濯する and 洗う？
今日ふくを洗う。
今日ふくを洗濯する。
昨日食器を洗った。
昨日食器を洗濯した。
I know that 洗濯する means: washing or laundering (clothes). And 洗う just means washing. When I'm talking about washing in general can I use the two words ...
7
votes
5answers
185 views
Is there a general rule for deriving xasu→xaseru intransitives such as 死なせる from 死なす?
There are a number of verbs where there is a 〜xasu → xaseru transformation to produce an transitive verb from an intransitive, eg:
死なす→死なせる
生かす→生かせる
飲ます→飲ませる
Is this some kind of generalized rule? ...
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 ...
7
votes
1answer
148 views
Explain Noun + へ particle?
I have a sentence 来年にはテレフォニカが製品投入へ. This is translated by google: "Telefonica is to rollout next year." Where is the verb in this sentence as 製品投入 looks like "noun" + "noun"? And what is へ doing after ...
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 ...
7
votes
1answer
194 views
Volitional + と + Verb
(In this question, I will use "Volitional" to mean "V-(よ)う".)
As I understand it, Volitional + と + する is a phrase meaning "to try to do something". I've also seen similar phrases, but with different ...
7
votes
1answer
350 views
What is the difference between 見える／聞こえる and 見られる／聞ける?
In Japanese, there is a potential form to express that it's possible for something to be done.
My own examples of potential form:
辛【から】い食【た】べ物【もの】が食【た】べられる。 (I can eat spicy foods.)
...
7
votes
1answer
180 views
How different is 冷やかす from 冷やす? And 散らかす from 散らす?
I've long known 冷やす as the transitive counterpart of 冷える. But thanks to one question here, I've realized that there is another version with an extra syllable in it: 冷やかす. Although 冷やかす seems to have ...
7
votes
4answers
360 views
Switch between transitives and intransitives
There are situations where transitives and intransitives are switched without any clear reason. For example, a transitive verb is usually used to describe a situation like this:
タクシーが街を流す
...
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
3answers
197 views
It's time to [verb]
I know this is dangerously close to a translation question, but bare with me.
Today I found out a co-worker of mine is studying Japanese as well. And at the end of the conversation I wrote: Jikan wa ...
6
votes
3answers
318 views
Positive Past Plain form of Iku is Itta not iita?
I thought when you get a type one verb ending with "ku" you replace it with ita. For example Kaku (to write) goes to Kaita. So I'm guessing Iku is an exception, does this happen with other verbs too ? ...
6
votes
3answers
150 views
Expressing: “Send them over/up, please”
This should be a rather straightforward (if a bit specific) bit of translation, but I cannot find a form that makes sense to me and gets corroborated by Google.
How would one translate the typical ...
6
votes
3answers
254 views
Verb classifications by japanese learners
As a studies of Japanese I've come across two distinct ways to group verbs for purposes of remembering how to conjugate them.
う動詞 / る動詞
Group1 / Group 2
Pacerier mentioned a verb1 and verb5, can ...
6
votes
2answers
225 views
What exactly is おく doing in 聞いておく?
Earlier today my friend and I were looking for a restaurant that someone had recommended we go to. We couldn't find it, and so my friend suggested I should check again with the person who recommended ...
6
votes
3answers
465 views
Are there verbs that are neither intransitive nor transitive?
i was taught that verbs are either transitive or intransitive.
but what kind of verb is 分かる ?
WWWJDIC lists it as intransitive.
Yet the replies/comments from this thread Why is it 日本語 [[が]] わかります ...
6
votes
2answers
200 views
How is 「なう」most commonly appended to verbs?
I read the other two questions on なう on this site, and I want to know what the most common way to add なう after a verb is.
I've seen なう most frequently with nouns. This is supported by ...
6
votes
3answers
268 views
When learning new verbs, is it best to memorize both the transitive and intransitive versions up front?
How do you handle learning new verbs that have both transitive and intransitive forms? Is it best to immediately memorize both forms?
6
votes
3answers
158 views
Which forms of a verb do I need to memorize to distinguish ichidan from godan?
Can I get away with memorizing only these two forms of a verb?
Dictionary form かえる ("to return")
Positive polite non-past form, like かえります
If I compare these two forms, I can determine whether ...
6
votes
1answer
161 views
Does the verb 死ぬ has a 死ぬる form?
I have come across a conjugation of 死ぬ verb which I've never heard before. It is 死ぬる, I have heard it in a TV show, you can see the relevant part in this video.
Is this a depreciated form? If so, ...
6
votes
1answer
202 views
can we omit verbs when speaking casually?
I've heard that we can usually omit nouns and stuff like that, but can we actually omit verbs or must they still be there?
Example sentence: アイツ帰るなり、すぐに部屋にな～
Edit
Can we omit verbs in the main ...
6
votes
1answer
108 views
Difference between progressive verb forms and i-adjectives
I'm wondering, for adjectives such as 太い and 悲しい that also have a progressive "to be" verb counterpart (i.e., 太っている and 悲しんでいる), what is the difference between using the i-adjective form and the verb ...
6
votes
1answer
261 views
How to distinguish between passive and potential forms of the verb?
I've read that potential form of the ru-verb is formed by replacing る with られる, which is exactly the same for the passive form of ru-verbs. How can we tell the passive form and potential apart in this ...
6
votes
1answer
212 views
Taking Class, Course, Lecture - Which verb is fit?
I would like to know how we say taking class or course or lecture in japanese.
I have heard about 「クラスを受ける」 and 「クラスを取る」.
Are there significant difference? And Is there any other verb we can use ...
6
votes
1answer
189 views
Is it true that all verbs have a corresponding noun form?
Is it true that all verbs have a corresponding noun form (which is formed by making the -masu form and removing the -masu)?
Like 遊び and 遊びます
飲み and 飲みます
生き and 生きます
死に and 死にます
6
votes
1answer
227 views
What's the difference between these two transitive verb forms?
I've always been little fuzzy on transitive verbs, something which I was reminded of when looking at this answer.
The answer says that 終{お}わらせる, 終{お}える, 済{す}ませる, and 済{す}ます are all transitive. They ...
5
votes
4answers
290 views
Is there a general/default word for “to wear”?
I've been introduced to 着る (for things you put on like a shirt) and 履く (for things you put on like pants) in class, but is there a general way to just say something like wear clothes? Or must the ...
5
votes
1answer
188 views
なり as an archaic 'to be'?
In the following saying:
時は金なり。
What exactly is なり? My dictionaries seem to give a number of different options that could all explain its use here.
Is it 成る? Is it 也, an archaic version of です ...
5
votes
2answers
216 views
How many verb endings to express “do this (please)”?
I'm familiar with the て and てください forms of a verb to give a command/request and request, respectively. However, I've run across these other forms and really don't know which to use in what situation. ...
5
votes
2answers
130 views
What's the rule for “にしている”?
The sentence that that I heard was 頼りにしている。 Google Translate tells me that means "I'm counting on you". My understanding of Japanese tells me "this doesn't compute". Is there a general rule for ...
5
votes
2answers
246 views
What is 方 used for (when attached to a た-verb)?
I have the following sentence:
早く行った方が良かったでしょう。
Here, if we take it apart we shall have:
早く(Adverb) 行った(Verb, Past tense) 方(?) が(GA, Subject particle) 良かったでしょう(Verb, Past tense) 。
What is ...
5
votes
2answers
262 views
Passive verb forms for intransitive verbs
Okay, so I'm confused about passive verbs.
From how I understand it, the verb is performed on the subject.
but how come you can say something like
明日の会議に行かれるんですか？
Are you going to tomorrow's ...
5
votes
1answer
151 views
What does され do in this sentence?
震災で家族を亡くしたOtoyaは、売られた奉公先で暴行されそうになったところを、家の跡取りである一威(Kazui)に助けられる.
I was thinking that since 暴行 can be a する verb, that maybe され had something to do with that, but I'm really not sure. Can someone ...
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
...
5
votes
2answers
241 views
Are there verbs that end with ず,づ, ふ, ぷ, しゅう, ちゅう and じゅう? Why not?
I noticed that verb ending syllables cover all of -u syllables (る,く,ぐ,す,つ etc) except ず,づ, ふ, ぷ, しゅう, ちゅう and じゅう.
I suspect that ず is reserved for the negative conjugation thus no plain form verb ...
5
votes
2answers
331 views
Correct usage of [verb stem] + に + [another verb]
I'm a little unclear on the use a verb stem, followed by に and another verb.
Take these two examples:
特別なビザをもらって行った
特別なビザをもらいに行った
I think the first means "I went with a special visa", but ...
5
votes
4answers
430 views
Are 終{お}わる and 済{す}ませる synonyms?
I know that they both mean "finish". But I wonder if there are situations or contexts where you can use one but not the other.
5
votes
1answer
140 views
What's the difference between お待ちになる and 待たれる?
I know they're both polite ways to use a verb, but my materials never taught me what unique traits each one has. Is it just the tone, or is there more to it?
5
votes
2answers
183 views
When is 終わる used as a transitive verb?
On Are 終わる and 済ませる synonyms?, there were some questions whether 終わる is used as a transitive verb.
Space ALC seems to have a few results for を終わる, but far more for を終わらせる and を終える. Looking at sense ...
5
votes
2answers
938 views
Does the volitional form of a verb mean both “lets” and “I want to”?
I was taught ages ago that the volitional form of a verb means "let's" do something. For example, if you take 行く and change it to 行こう, you get "let's go".
However, I feel like I can use the same form ...
5
votes
1answer
109 views
Is the regular form of verbs with irregular polite/honorific forms still grammatical?
Hi all I was wondering for verbs with irregular polite/honorific forms, is the regular form still used/grammatical ?
For example, the humble form of 借りる is 拝借する. But would お借りする be acceptable ?
...
5
votes
1answer
312 views
How many forms can a Japanese verb take?
Japanese verbs are quite complex compared to English verbs (Most English verbs have five or six forms and to be has eight not including archaic forms). Their agglutinative nature means they have ...
5
votes
1answer
198 views
What is the relation between the two verbs 思われる and 思う?
If 思われる is "its own verb," meaning "to seem; to appear," and is independent of the separate verb 思う, meaning "to think," is there a conceptual relation between the two? I ask because I initially ...
5
votes
3answers
178 views
Explain the meaning of という or と + いう?
Here is the sentence: それは改良を必要としますが、すぐにということではありません。
I can't understand this part: すぐに_Adverb + という_Particle? + こと_Noun + では_DEWA + ありません_Verb.
I know that という is an expression "said; called thus", ...
5
votes
1answer
216 views
Why is 〜に受かる used to mean “to pass”?
I'm having trouble understanding why 〜に受かる means "to pass". What would the equivalent logic in English be for this phrase? (Something like the intransitive form of receive?)
Also, why is the particle ...
