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.
3
votes
1answer
168 views
Can the よう ending signify an imperative?
Can the よう ending be used for imperatives like て？
If so then can you show some examples?
2
votes
1answer
115 views
What are the different ways of saying to agree or disagree with a person?
There seems to be many different ways of saying either to agree or to disagree with a person.
Which words are there, in what circumstances should they be used, and are there any relevant examples of ...
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 ...
5
votes
2answers
928 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 ...
6
votes
1answer
210 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 ...
3
votes
3answers
187 views
How does a noun phrase translate into a verb?
Ok. The whole sentence is:
Person A bandages Person B's arm.
Person B says: ありがとう。ずいぶん慣れた処置ね？看護婦でもやってたの？
I get what the sentences are saying.
But! For the life of me I can't parse ずいぶん慣れた処置ね？ into ...
4
votes
2answers
185 views
女性の身体は本来美しいもの. Is this sentence grammatical?
I found the sentence:
女性の身体は本来美しいもの。
'The female body is a fundamentally beautiful thing.'
in the following passage:
毎食後2錠から3錠、油っこい食事のあとは少し多めに飲むだけと、とっても簡単にダイエットできてしまいます。
'An effective ...
13
votes
2answers
362 views
“太ってる猫” vs “太った猫”
Greetings people I saw this sentence in a textbook: 彼女は太った猫が好きじゃない。, which was translated to "She doesn't like fat cats".
I was under the impression that 太ってる猫 means something like "cat that is in ...
1
vote
1answer
155 views
“一目ぼれから長持ちする関係は望めません。” この表現のニュアンスを説明して頂けませんか？
一目ぼれから長持ちする関係は望めません。
Falling in love at first sight won't bring you a lasting relationship.
I found this sentence and translation without any other context, and
have a few questions about ...
3
votes
1answer
94 views
人生に生き甲斐を求めてギターを習い始めた。 Can 求める mean give?
人生に生き甲斐を求めてギターを習い始めた。
I started learning guitar to give myself something to do with my life.
Is this translation a little too loose?
Can 求める mean give?
Or would another way of translating this ...
2
votes
1answer
111 views
のちほどスタッフは彼女の元を去りました。 Could someone explain how 元を去りました。works here?
のちほどスタッフは彼女の元を去りました。
This was written on screen at the end of a video skit about a girl at a 女子会 at a restaurant.
元を去りました means the staff left her alone?
If anyone could translate this sentence, I ...
3
votes
1answer
198 views
How does うんざり work in the Present Indicative, Causative, Passive, and Causative-passive tenses
Consider the following:
そいつはひどく鼻持ちならないやつで、私をすっかりうんざりさせる。(That guy is so obnoxious that he really turns me off.)
あなたをうんざりさせるものは何ですか？(What turns you off?)
痛み以上に私をうんざりさせるものはない。(Nothing turns ...
3
votes
1answer
115 views
Trying to make sense of this 記号, I'm wondering if verb-suru verbs can be jidoushi/tadoushi?
I have a couple of questions. Can verb-suru verbs be classified as jidoushi/tadoushi?
And could you take a look at this legend to help clear up my confusion?
Higher-res: ...
3
votes
1answer
281 views
What would be the literal meaning of the causative form here? 暴風警報発令中のため本日の営業はお休みとさせていただきます。
暴風警報発令中のため本日
bōfū keihō hatsurei chū notame honjitsu
の営業はお休みとさせて
no eigyō wa oyasumi to sasete
いただきます。
itadakimasu.
暴風 bōfū = storm winds
警報 keihō = warning
発令 hatsurei = official ...
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 ...
2
votes
1answer
105 views
How is the あげたい working here?
On a TV show, an idol was given this task to think of:
心が晴れやかになる一言
'A word (or phrase) to lift someone's mood' (My loose translation)
The idol responded:
アナタの心の雨を[止]{や}ませてあげたいな
'Let me ...
1
vote
1answer
356 views
Verbs +「~てくる」 , which verbs? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Difference between -て行く and -て来る
my doubt is which verbs I can use with ~てくる (~ていく)
ABOUT ME
I don't want to say "I undestand", but I'd like to say "I'm understanding" ...
18
votes
3answers
745 views
When is Vている the continuation of action and when is it the continuation of state?
Last night, when I asked my wife to send an email to me, she said もう送っている which I took to mean that she was "sending the message". (The message had a big attachment so I imagined that it could take a ...
3
votes
1answer
123 views
Can と be used with verbs other than 思う to imply a thought process behind the action?
Following hot on the heels on my other question about と and 思う, I know と can be used with 言う, but can it also be applied to verbs that imply some kind of thinking process other than 思う?
Do these make ...
8
votes
1answer
285 views
Can と and を be interchanged with 思う the way I think they can?
Compare the following two sentences:
あそこに[行]{い}こうと[思]{おも}っている
あそこに[行]{い}こうを[思]{おも}っている
If I'm right about this, they both mean that the speaker is thinking of going somewhere.
However, the ...
5
votes
1answer
108 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 ?
...
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 ...
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
...
0
votes
1answer
181 views
Do all the meanings of 掛ける and 掛かる tally?
WWWJDIC does not tally their meanings of 掛ける and 掛かる so i find it hard for a beginner like me to properly learn these 2 words..
Do all these meanings of 掛ける and 掛かる tally: (is this list correct):
...
8
votes
1answer
349 views
Usage and meaning of [passive verb]-てみれば
I am familiar with the set phrase 「言われてみれば」 as a way to say "Now that you say that", but as I examine the phrase further, the phrase structure strikes me as strange. The 〜てみる conjugation is commonly ...
17
votes
3answers
484 views
ことができる versus V~える form
Way back in the day when I was first learning Japanese, I learned that you could add ことができる to a verb to indicate potential. Like so:
食{た}べることができる
(I) can eat (something)
It became my ...
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 ...
6
votes
3answers
464 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 ...
10
votes
1answer
306 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 ...
2
votes
1answer
190 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 ...
8
votes
1answer
288 views
「かしこまる」と言う自動詞について / About the verb “kashikomaru”
皆さんこんにちは、
日本語で質問がお聞きしてみたいのですが、言葉や文法を間違えたらお許しください。
では、「かしこまりました」とは誰かに命令や注文を頼まれた場合などの返事とすることもよくありますが、「かしこまる」と言う自動詞がこの表現以外で使われる場合はありますか？
"kashikomarimashita" is usually used as a response to somebody's ...
6
votes
1answer
185 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
2
votes
1answer
112 views
Can the ったら form of a verb be used to mean “after?”
Take this example:
AったらB
Could this mean, "After doing A, B happened?"
8
votes
1answer
234 views
What form is 恐るる?
In Final Fantasy VIII, Bahamut has a little speech:
…G.F.とは我らのことか
我らを力として使うとは…
恐るるべきは人間どもよ
I'd never seen two るs doubled up like that. Which conjugation is this? It seems to have plenty of ...
14
votes
2answers
314 views
Plain verbs that end with ぬ other than 死ぬ
Are there any other verbs than 死ぬ whose plain forms end with ぬ? Why are they so rare? Is it because the verb 死ぬ itself has special etymology why it ended up having the ぬ ending?
1
vote
1answer
281 views
What does しちゃい mean?
I know it is some form of する。The context is this tweet:
いいえ！無視は しちゃい けませんな(^-^)/気持ちは受け取って♪(´ε｀ )RT @PuyoPuyoStar: @shinji_sid すみません。先程ツイート送ったんですが、「無理してはいけません」と書きたかったところ、「無視してはいけません」と書いてしまいました。本当すみませ
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 ...
0
votes
1answer
143 views
What is the らせ form of a verb?
I'm trying to understand this:
賞品？おそらく！リナちゃん.....私の後ろの笑い声輝くんがたくさんで黙らせ
The last word, 黙らせ, is confusing. Is this a combination of different forms?
14
votes
1answer
209 views
General applicability of the ～ませ conjugation
I have only found the ～ませ conjugation used in the following honorific verbs:
いらっしゃいませ
くださいませ
なさいませ
Can the conjugation be applied to other honorific verbs, like おっしゃいませ or めしあがりませ?
Or even common ...
12
votes
3answers
208 views
Dissecting つく verbs
I think we all are familiar with する verbs, which are verbs that are formed by appending する to nouns. Examples include 勉強する, 愛する etc. This pattern is very convenient because it can be appended to ...
9
votes
2answers
141 views
How do I know when to read the kanji 抱 as 【だ・く】, and when to read it as 【いだ・く】, or even 【うだ・く】?
This sentence was in a grammar textbook:
彼は同僚にライバル意識、ひいては殺意すら抱いていた
Here's how it's read (except for the last kanji, for which this question is about):
かれは どうりょうに ライバル いしき、ひいては さついすら ??ていた
...
9
votes
2answers
159 views
How does one use the “[V ます stem] に [Vタ]” pattern (as in 待ちに待った)?
Every now and then I hear 待ちに待った, as in:
待ちに待ったライブ a long-awaited concert
I started wondering if this pattern can apply to other verbs, and it certainly seems to, if Google is any indication. I ...
12
votes
2answers
280 views
The verbs of learning: 勉強する, 習う and 学ぶ
How are the following verbs which are related to learning different to each other?
勉強する
習う
学ぶ
3
votes
1answer
228 views
What are the “slots” in the Japanese agglutinative verb system?
In another question we established that Japanese is an agglutinating language (more here), if only in its verb system.
Since it is not traditional in Japanese grammar or teaching to go into this ...
26
votes
5answers
663 views
How should I choose between [知]{し}る and わかる?
Both 知る and わかる get used for "know", "understand", "learn", "find out", and various other concepts. How do you know which to use when? Are there any rules to help you decide?
Additionally, both of ...
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 ...
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? ...
10
votes
3answers
928 views
Usage of ～じゃん (～じゃない)
I'd like to know if I can put ～じゃん at the end of every adjective, if there are any exceptions to that usage, and if it's different from ～じゃない.
Adj (na) + じゃん
便利じゃん
便利だったじゃん
便利じゃないじゃん
...
12
votes
4answers
314 views
To not have: 持っていません or ありません？
Whenever I go to the Life supermarket near my house, they ask me at the check out:
ライフカードを持っていますか？ (Do you have a Life
[members] card?)
I always respond with something like:
いいえ、持っていません。
...
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.
...
