All Questions
29,346
questions
1
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WHO IS THE SUBJECT? 政府には or 私たちから
政府には、私たちから取る税金の使い方をもっとしっかり_____
1 考えられます
2 考えてあげたいです
3 考えてもらいたいです
4 考えてくれます
The main question I have is WHO IS THE SUBJECT? I thought that 私たち is the subject because it says から = FROM. Hence I ...
- 315k
4
votes
1
answer
459
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What is the meaning of らん in ゆくらん?
I saw it in this tanka that I'm trying to translate:
偽のある世にだにもふるさとの契りわすれず雁のゆくらん
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2
votes
1
answer
3k
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What does 'noun+の+ほかに' mean?
お知らせ [今日は日本の授業がありません 私の女の子が熱が痛いですから... 学生たちのほかに調べてくださいね...お願いします...明日宿題は学校の後でSMP Regularの事務所でMr.Jayに取ってください. 月曜日Mr.Jayに出してください.] と私の先生が書いたのです.
It turns out that in "学生たちのほかに調べてください", my ...
- 11.5k
13
votes
3
answers
605
views
Where does the suffix 〜がる come from?
I've read that several bits of Japanese come from contractions with ある:
だ comes from で + ある (source)
なる comes from に + ある (source)
たり comes from て + あり (source)
たり comes from と + あり (source)
...
- 11.5k
0
votes
1
answer
285
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I-Adjective nominalization
For 面白い, why is the noun form commonly 面白 instead of 面白さ? Isn't さ supposed to be the way to take i-adjectives and make them nouns?
- 50.9k
1
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3
answers
388
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What is the difference between デービッド and デイビット for a name, is it purely the sound?
Many online Katakana generators will create デービッド for the name David but looking at some texts you'll see デイビット. Is there a difference to how the name is being used, e.g. in a sentence, or is it ...
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3
votes
3
answers
5k
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といいんです and といいんですけど
What exactly is the difference between these two phrases. How does けど/が affect the meaning and how does it relate to its meaning of 'but'?
I asked a native speaker how to say "I hope I will be ...
- 11.5k
5
votes
1
answer
958
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What does といい mean?
I don't know if I'm reading it right but there is a sentence a can't understand. I found といい like connecting two nouns and I didn't find any information about it.
今日の部会での様子といい正直お前怪しすぎるぞ (manga ...
- 11.5k
2
votes
1
answer
112
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Parse and make sense of 女子を接客のメインにさせて?
「私から補足すると、今の時代に女子を接客のメインにさせて男受けを狙うと色々とうるさいんだ」
How should I parse the bold part? Is it AをBにする construction (make A into B)? Or is メインにする considered to be an intransitive verb? If it is the former, why ...
- 37k
4
votes
2
answers
173
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Etymology of 打ち合わせる
How come 打ち合わせる means “to arrange a meeting” or “to agree on something”. I clearly see the 合わせる part signaling an agreement. Yet however I can’t see where the 打つ part became something other than “to ...
- 1,077
1
vote
2
answers
135
views
Use of noun/location before します
I am trying to understand the sentence for Wanikani:
二十一頁の二番はクラスでします
The translation given is:
We will work on question 2 on page 21 in class.
Can someone explain the last part? i.e.クラスでします. I ...
3
votes
1
answer
190
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Question about 現金だとでも言うように
The context is this: two women are talking, with the first one (still unnamed) that asks the second girl (Himari) if her trip with her boyfriend went well. She says it was a very nice vacation and ...
- 20.8k
-3
votes
2
answers
98
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になる and ことになる？旅行の出発日は八月三十日になった。
旅行の出発日は八月三十日になった。
部屋は綺麗になった
宿題をしなかったので留年することになりました
Can someone explain the difference between になる and ことになる？ as per the above examples?
- 10k
1
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2
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223
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What is this な? 「変態」ってな
（ナオト） お前のパンツ買うの忘れた。
（真由） それぐらい ちゃんと持ってきてます。 変態。
（ナオト） お前 「変態」ってな…。(source)
（桐乃） あんたが沙織とこそこそ仲よくなったりしたから、ややこしいことになったんじゃない
（京介） っていうか、興味津々じゃねえか！
（桐乃） うるさい！あんたこそ、何よ、あやせ見て デレーっとして。人の親友をあんな目で見んな！変態！
（京介） ...
- 6,174
1
vote
2
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Is 閣閣 a real word?
As the title says, is 閣閣 a real word? I've searched through weblio古語辞典 and BCCWJ and I've gotten no results that are not 内閣閣僚. Out of pure curiosity, I just want to find a real example of this word ...
-6
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1
answer
146
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「私には手伝わせるつもりはないらしい。」 Who is the agent of つもりはない?
父は兄や姉にも店を手伝わせている。しかし、私には手伝わせるつもりはないらしい。
What does the last part つもりはないらしい。 mean? Is it the son that does not want to do it, or is it the dad not wanting to tell the son to do it?
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-3
votes
1
answer
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冷蔵庫が壊れたので、新しいのを買うことにした。
1 - 冷蔵庫が壊れたので、新しいのを買うことにした。
2 - 私は部屋を綺麗にした。
Can Someone explain the difference between ~ことにする vs ~にする・~くする
1 is I decided to buy a new fridge
2 is I cleaned my room
They look the same to me, what's ...
- 37k
1
vote
1
answer
317
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Question about the verb 「いただき」
Here is the sentence from an instruction manual of hair iron.
ここに示した注意事項は、製品を安全に正しくお使いいただき、あなたや他の人々への危害や損害を未然に防止するためのものです。
My translation is below.
For the warning indicated in this part, use the ...
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3
votes
1
answer
652
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What is とう in 行きとうない
I tried researching it myself and came away with the possible meaning of ている in dialect. Is that right? If it helps, this is the line I happened upon the とう in question:
私はもう行きとうない
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5
votes
2
answers
3k
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Use of verb ます-stem when て-form seems possible
I saw this line in a song:
時計塔の頂上椅子に座り微笑んでるあなたは
I'm curious why it uses 座り rather than 座って?
Since it's a sequence of actions I would've thought that 座って would be more applicable, but since 座り ...
- 11.5k
1
vote
1
answer
127
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霊感 meaning and if it is the best choice to express inspiration
So I'm looking to express the great inspiration some people feel that guides admirable creations. This kind of thing.
I found 霊感 but I have very little experience with kanjis and I don't want to ...
- 315k
2
votes
2
answers
538
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A couple linguistic questions about the Iroha poem
Here is the text of the Iroha poem, sided with a possible translation (mine):
色は匂えど Iro wa nioedo | Colors, although bright,
散りぬるを Chirinuru wo | Will scatter.
我が世誰ぞ Wa ga yo tare zo | In my world, ...
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3
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2
answers
573
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Why is 「で」 in 「三人のうちで一番...」 omissible but 「で」 in 「ここで待つ」 not?
Why is 「で」 in 「三人のうちで一番...」 omissible but 「で」 in 「ここで待つ」 not?
Are there any rough guidelines regarding whether a particle can be omitted or not?
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1
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120
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How is で used in ＭＶＰで言ったら
A:早いとこ結婚したらどうだ。
B:「ウィー・アー・ザ・ワールド」のブルーススプリングスティーンより唐突だな。
B:アル・ジャロウの後に入ってくるやつな。ビックとなるような初見。
A:でもｍｖｐで言ったらブルーススプリングスティーンだと思うけどな。
B:たしかに後半のスティービーワンダーに一歩も引かないあの姿勢はすごいけど。
What I had come up was that で is an ...
- 315k
1
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1
answer
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What methods are used to teach hiragana and katakana to 6 year olds?
I understand that in Japan children start school at 6 years of age and that they are expected to learn the 46 hiragana and 46 katakana syllables by the end of that year. I'd like to know more about ...
- 171
2
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What does "もんじゃない" mean?
I'm not too sure what it means. I've seen it used in a lot of different contexts, and the most I can gather is that it means something along the lines of, "it's not that". Is this correct, ...
- 11.5k
9
votes
2
answers
6k
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Difference between そういう and そんな
Are そういう and そんな completely interchangeable? Is there any difference in nuance or meaning, or contexts where one is more appropriate than the other?
- 11.5k
8
votes
2
answers
1k
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「わし」 used by young males in Western Japan
I noticed something very interesting in the adaptations of the novel 『バッテリー』 across media forms. For context, the story is set in a fictional city in 岡山県. The protagonist 原田巧 is described to have been ...
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3
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2
answers
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そんな used in disbelief
I know that そんな means "like that", but as I read more and more mangas, I get the feeling that it is also used as an expression of disbelief. Can someone elaborate and do similar words like ...
- 11.5k
-3
votes
1
answer
145
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現実に、社会のほうも、欠点のない何でも屋のような人間より、多少欠点はあっても、長所の抜きん出た人間のほうを重用するようになってきている。
現実に、社会のほうも、欠点のない何でも屋のような人間より、多少欠点はあっても、長所の抜きん出た人間のほうを重用するようになってきている。
Is 長所の抜きん出た人間のほう referring to
1 - 欠点のない何でも屋のような人間
or
2 - 多少欠点
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37
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2
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How do we construct sentences ending in わけ?
The is a certain way of talking where you can end just about anything you say in わけ.
What is the sentence structure for this way of talking?
- 11.5k
2
votes
1
answer
259
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そういうことです vs そういうことになります
In a mystery story I was reading, a revelation is uncovered that changes the perception of the case. One of the characters then asks, "では, ...... というのですか?". I removed parts of the actual line to avoid ...
- 11.5k
1
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1
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Meaning of そういうことだ here
The character lied to someone and then narrated
優しい嘘もこの世にはある。そういうことだ。
I understand that there are a variety of meanings that this phrase can add but I am unsure what it is adding to the whole here. ...
- 11.5k
0
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2
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The scope of そういうこと
A: 凄いな 僕にはそこまで先のことを考える余裕はないよ
B: お前さんだって十分に凄い奴だよ。何の後ろ盾もなくここにいるってのは、そういうことだと思うがね
A: そうか。君にそう言ってもらえると僕ももっと頑張る気になるよ
B: ま、そういうことだから、お互いに頑張ろうぜ。今はともかく、いつかは決着を付けなくちゃならねぇんだからよ
To what exactly does the そういうこと ...
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0
votes
1
answer
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How does 取りあえず function in this sentence?
In this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8JEvkDc48M&t=2m37s
今回ですね、キャラクターがしゃべってくれるから、すごい楽なんですよ。
In this game (unlike previous ones), the characters speak, so it's really easy
しかも、...
- 315k
2
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1
answer
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そういう君は～、 そういうおまえこそ～ - meaning?
My guess it's a rude jargon thing (comes up a lot in anime and the like, used by male characters). What does it mean?
A: ～～
B: そういう君は～ or そういうおまえこそ～
そう言う (そういう君 = "you who are talking like this....
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1
vote
1
answer
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て in place of は [duplicate]
ロンドンてどんな町かなと思っていたんです。
Why is て, not は, used in the sentence? This looks like a place for the topic marker…
- 315k
2
votes
1
answer
123
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Why is Ni here?
君は学生にすぎない
In Bunpro, this is translated to "You are nothing more than a student."
Can anyone explain why there must be a に after 学生?
- 315k
14
votes
4
answers
8k
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What is the difference between ～すぎ and ～すぎる?
When I was playing a video game a few months ago, I noticed that some of the characters (mostly young teen females, in case it matters) kept saying ～すぎ instead of ～すぎる.
For example, when one of the ...
- 11.5k
-5
votes
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answer
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できる人と思わせるために下準備が必要です [closed]
できる人と思わせるために下準備が必要です。しかし、実は最大の下準備は、何といっても「自分を知る」ことである。
Just wanted to confirm the above meaning, does it mean this?
To make people think that they can do it, preparations are necessary?
BUT the most ...
- 11.5k
0
votes
1
answer
145
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赤いのかばん or 赤いなかばん? Which one is correct?
赤いのかばん or 赤いなかばん? Which one is correct? "な" is used to connect adjective and noun, "の" is a possessive noun, but it can also be an adjective.
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1
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What does するって mean?
I am trying to understand the role of するって and its meaning.
２４じかんこうどう ともに するって こういうこと
- 11.5k
1
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1
answer
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What is the のって supposed to mean here?
I'm translating a game and this is the sentence:
恭介が気に入るレア物のCDを探すのって....結構大変なんだよね.
What is the meaning of のって after 探す?
- 11.5k
7
votes
3
answers
2k
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How did わし etc. become stereotypical "old people" pronouns
After reading this answer about the pronoun あちし, I became curious about how certain pronouns came to be associated with older people. As I see it, there are four main possibilities:
People just ...
- 11.5k
5
votes
1
answer
626
views
Is there a good etymological reason why the potential form in Japanese requires the が particle?
Is there a good etymological reason why the potential form in Japanese requires the が particle?
When dealing with the -たい suffix, which also requires the -が particle for what in other languages would ...
- 11.5k
3
votes
1
answer
175
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Why 一緒に here in 一緒に教えてもらって?
この前、一緒に料理を教えてもらって、ばぁばと色々話せて、すごく嬉しかったよ。
I heard this line in a TV drama, but I am bugged by the use of 一緒に in it. The protagonist says this to her ailing grandma by her deathbed. She recalls how her ...
- 3,651
4
votes
3
answers
3k
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Understanding んじゃないでしょうか
A teacher was too nice, lost control of her class and then slapped one of them. Another teacher is trying to comfort her:
私も少し甘やかしすぎる方だから、子供たちにはいいクスリになったんじゃないでしょうか。
Because I also spoil them too ...
CommunityBot
- 1
1
vote
1
answer
183
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Was the writing system used in the Empire of Japan (大日本帝国) called 真片仮名?
So, today I encountered the claim on Wikipedia
Shinkatakana (真片仮名, mana and katakana): mixed script including only kanji and katakana.
Wikipedia doesn't list a source for this claim.
This sounds to ...
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5
votes
1
answer
689
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What do the words じゃが and おるかの mean?
What do the words じゃが and おるかの mean? Here are the sentences in which I found these words.
警察の者じゃが。
ジョーという少年はおるかの?
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6
votes
5
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53k
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What is the longest word in Japanese?
What is the longest (based on their representation in romaji) word in Japanese? Are there any longer than リュウグウノオトヒメノモトユイノキリハズシ? If it depends on criteria for a word, then list them by their criteria.
...
- 1