Tagged Questions
1
vote
2answers
68 views
What verb is in 覚えてみたい?
I found this YouTube comment:
きゃりーぱみゅぱみゅとっても可愛い〜(*ﾉ∀ﾉ)ダンスとか覚えてみたいと思いまーすww
I'm not sure how to parse 覚えてみたい. The context seems to make it have nothing to do with 覚る, and in any case the え 送り仮名 ...
1
vote
2answers
118 views
What separates the different ways to ask a question in Japanese?(I.E. 何, どう, どんな and so on)
It's been something I've thinking about for awhile, but could never answer in a more concrete way. This is most apparent when I compare the functions of 何 and どう. I know that 何, どう and どんな are great ...
3
votes
1answer
118 views
Help with a usage of 自慢
私は彼が自慢だ。
I'm Proud of Him
彼は私が自慢だ。
He is proud of me.
I am confused by this pattern with 自慢. It kind of looks like 自慢 is being used as an adjective (?), but the definition in ...
4
votes
1answer
131 views
When does こいつ refer to a situation?
I've always heard こいつ refer to a person. (That guy!) However, in my JLPT Reading workbook there is a line where it refers to a situation. The explanation says:
｢こいつ｣が状況を表し．．．．ことに気づくこと。
It goes ...
5
votes
1answer
125 views
Is “V Vないにかかわらず” grammatical?
In my textbook, they list the example sentence:
来る来ないにかかわらず、連絡をください。
This「来る来ない」part looks strange to me. Is it incorrect? If so, then how should it be fixed? Would it need to be 「来る？来ないにかかわらず」?
...
4
votes
3answers
227 views
What makes に基づいて instead of に応じて the correct choice for this question?
I'm working on some example questions from my grammar textbook. One of them I listed below:
税金はこの表（ ）計算されています。
ア）につれて イ）に応じて ウ）に比べて エ）に基づいて
I'm unsure why 「に基づいて」is the only correct ...
2
votes
2answers
143 views
Different versions of より?
Here is one definition for より:
より (adv,prt) (1) from; out of; since; at; (2) than; (3) other than; except; but; (4) more;
I see that one of the definitions of this word is "more". Is より一層 a ...
4
votes
1answer
187 views
から ending a sentence
I've seen this in a few texts now and since it's appeared with some frequency I thought to post the question here. I tried searching online but came up with no real conclusions.
ありませんから or plain form ...
8
votes
2answers
216 views
“Grammatically-correct” particle-less phrases/sayings
I know that within an informal/familiar setting, people often leave out particles. Whether or not this is grammatically correct I'm not positive, but for the sake of this question, I'll say that it's ...
5
votes
1answer
241 views
Understanding “よりを戻す” and “止めておこう”
I don't think us getting together tonight is such a good idea.
やっぱり今夜、よりを戻すのは止めておこう。
I would like to understand this sentence better, specifically the (idiomatic?) expression, "よりを戻す." I ...
5
votes
2answers
137 views
Is その always or only occasionally a demonstrative adjective?
The following Japanese sentence was translated with その as "the":
その 仕事の一部を誰かにやってもらったほうがいい。
You should get someone else to do some of the work for you.
while I translated it with その as "that":
...
5
votes
1answer
90 views
Help with an expression that uses お笑い vocabulary
突っ込みどころ満載
I just have to butt in here. / I'd love to put my two cents in.
I am having a hard time figuring out this expression. I see it uses vocabulary particular to お笑い, but I would ...
3
votes
2answers
1k views
How can I improve my Japanese vocabulary, grammar, and listening skills? [closed]
I consider myself at a lower intermediate level. I want to improve my Japanese vocabulary and grammar in order to expand my reading and speaking skills. I know enough Japanese to get around and have a ...
3
votes
2answers
136 views
How does 話{はなし}が噛{か}み合{あ}わない work?
I saw this phrase discussed on esaura.cc
話が噛み合わない
'There's a gap in their conversation.'
'They can't meet on common ground.'
'They have been at odds with each other.'
'They have not been ...
5
votes
1answer
187 views
Usage of まるで with 見ているようだった.
その翼はとても滑らかに動くため、まるでコンピュータ・グラフィックスを見ているようだった。
Its wings were moving so smoothly that it almost looked like CGI.
or would a more accurate translation be:
Its wings were moving so smoothly ...
6
votes
1answer
471 views
How is the “のです” working here?
目立つ事を恐れ、一緒でなければいけないという日本人が確実に減ってきているのです。
The strong feelings that Japanese have of being afraid of standing out and everybody having to do things together are starting to become less ...
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 ...
2
votes
1answer
156 views
ほんの時々私の中で顔を出し、しばらくすると消えてしまうもの。Are there any other options to replace the で here?
ほんの時々私の中で顔を出し、しばらくすると消えてしまうもの。
My attempt at translation: "Every once in a while my inner feelings show themselves, only to disappear again."
The above was taken from the following dialogue:
...
8
votes
2answers
196 views
「悪気があっての答え」 vs 「悪気がある答え」
Hi all I was wondering what is the difference between these two sentences:
「決して悪気があっての回答ではないです。」
「決して悪気がある回答ではないです。」
I can't really make out the gist of the meaning of 「あっての」.
WWWJDIC's ...
3
votes
2answers
275 views
What is the とも in this sentence? 日本人は英語を学ばずとも暮らせる環境に居ます。
日本人は英語を学ばずとも暮らせる環境に居ます。
Japanese people are in an environment where they can live without having to learn english.
Is the とも in this sentence one word or is it two words: と and も ?
I guess it is one ...
1
vote
1answer
154 views
幼いときに老けて、老いて子供に戻る。Can anyone explain the nuances of this sentence?
幼いときに老けて、老いて子供に戻る。
I can make a few guesses as to the specific meaning but I'm not sure which one is right.. does anyone know what would be the most correct translation of this sentence?
2
votes
1answer
151 views
それは彼の身に応えだした。 Can anyone explain this?
それは彼の身に応えだした。 [ex #4531]
It is beginning to tell on him.
can anyone explain this sentence? is it useful or archaic?
is it related to this?
骨身にこたえる
0
votes
1answer
220 views
“訳分からない” various uses of 訳
Here are a few examples of 訳 that I am having trouble with:
僕は決して農業が嫌いな訳じゃない。
Boku wa kesshite nōgyō ga kiraina wake janai.
By no means do I dislike farming. (Lit: The reason is not that I dislike ...
4
votes
1answer
177 views
食べやすい and 食べにくい
I'm wondering what does 食べやすい mean exactly? "easily-eaten" doesn't seem to make any sense at all.. Does 食べやすい mean that something is soft and easy to swallow, or does it mean that something tastes ...
9
votes
1answer
248 views
Is it true that にしたって is the colloquial form of にしたところで?
I've been thinking if it is true that にしたって is the colloquial form of にしたところで. In other words, are the bottom two sentences identical in meaning and nuance?
1) ...
15
votes
7answers
664 views
the different usages of つもり?
Hi all I understand that つもり means "intention" like say 夏休みにはゆっくり休むつもりです。 = I intend to rest during the summer vacation.
But what does 分かっているつもりだ。 means?
Well if I translate directly, it seems to be ...
2
votes
2answers
188 views
What's the difference between the に祈る【にいのる】 and を祈る【をいのる】 forms?
What's the difference between the に祈る and を祈る forms?
Like what's the difference between 1) and 2):
1) うまく行くのに祈ってくださいね。
2) うまく行くのを祈ってくださいね。
==
EDIT:
What's the difference between the ように祈る and ...
7
votes
3answers
534 views
低い鼻 vs 短い鼻 and 高い鼻 vs 長い鼻 ?
After reading this thread: When would you use 低い vs 短い, I'd just thought of something.
I once heard that a long nose (witch / Pinocchio) is called 高い鼻 and not 長い鼻 whereas the opposite (short nose) is ...
6
votes
3answers
135 views
“Statistically speaking … ”
I am looking for a way to express the equivalent of "statistically speaking, ..." (followed by a quote from a paper, or something like that), or pretty much any other grammatical construction that ...
3
votes
1answer
110 views
Can 差す be an intransitive verb?
WWWJDIC lists 差す as an intransitive verb, but in all of the example sentences I've seen it looks more like a transitive verb.
So my question is, is 差す a transitive or intransitive verb?
3
votes
1answer
214 views
Is “ガール” (gāru) now considered a Japanese word? What about “ガールズ” (gāruzu)?
In my wanderings around Japan giving my kana knowledge some practice I've noticed both the words "ガール" (gāru) and "ガールズ" (gāruzu) in use at least in signage. Obviously they are borrowed from English ...
9
votes
1answer
320 views
ならば vs なら. both are totally interchangeable without affecting the nuance of the sentence?
is it true that なら is merely a short form of ならば and as such, both are totally interchangeable without affecting the nuance of the sentence?
Also, a second question is is ならば more "formal" than "なら" ...
6
votes
2answers
314 views
What is the difference between 特殊 and 特別?
I've got two questions. Firstly, what is the difference between 特殊 tokushu and 特別 tokubetsu?
Secondly, is it true that all these grammar forms are correct:
特別な tokubetsu na ＋ [noun]
特殊な tokushu na ...
7
votes
4answers
312 views
遅刻 / 遅い when we wanna say “Hey hurry up! you'll be late!” which would be more appropriate?
when we wanna say "Hey, hurry up! you'll be late!" which would be more appropriate?:
遅刻するぞ！
遅くなるぞ！
？
5
votes
2answers
254 views
Is the grammar of 心の冷たい人 idiomatic?
The phrase 心の冷たい人 (which is given by Japanese-English dictionary on OS X) looks wrong to me, but given that it's an example in a respected dictionary and confirmed by tens of thousands of Google hits, ...
