Questions tagged [particles]
助詞. Non-inflecting function words which follow words, phrases, or entire sentences.
2
votes
1answer
57 views
何を食べても美味しくない vs 魚を食べてもいい
歯が痛くて何を食べても美味しくない
vs
魚を食べてもいい
The first example seems to me as though
何ても - anything
and in the middle is
食べ
So basically reading as Anything Eaten is not delicious
but the second example ...
10
votes
1answer
156 views
Meaning of「残るは」in a sentence
Came across this sentence in a memoir and I have a grammar question about it. For context, a person is thinking about someone sleeping nearby:
さっき声をかけてきたヤツは当分寝ないだろ。残るは寝ているか寝ていないかわからない隣の隣。
...
0
votes
0answers
35 views
Implied particles in the lyrics “桜咲いてひとひら / 秘めた想い預けて”
The lyrics are from this song (lyrics are in tab in the main info box.)
I am pretty sure that 秘めた想い預けて = 秘めた想い[を]預けて in this context. But I'm not so sure how to understand the lyrics as a whole.
...
9
votes
2answers
159 views
plain form + bakari vs. te form + bakari
How to translate plain form + ばかり? And what's the difference between plain form + ばかり vs. te form + ばかり?
For example:
赤ちゃんが泣いてばかりいます。In my understanding this means "The baby is always crying/does ...
8
votes
2answers
115 views
Difference between も and だって
Both of those particles can mean "too", "even" or "any" (when used with wh-question). Do they have any difference in meaning or connotation when used like this? E.g. 私もフランスに行きたい vs 私だってフランスに行きたい.
4
votes
1answer
106 views
ものだ expressing ambiguous emotions/concern?
This article lists many examples of using ものだ to articulate "deep concern." The author of this article explains that when you connect words which indicate desire like …たい and 欲しい with ものだ, your speech ...
3
votes
1answer
87 views
Confusion about 大したこと(で)(は)ない
There are three variations on this phrase that I can find in Google, and I'm not sure whether all three are really used, or how frequently. But I am confused about the differences between them.
...
4
votes
1answer
110 views
The difference between 'no naka' and 'no naka ni'
I understand that 'no naka' means 'in' or 'inside', but how does the meaning change when 'ni' is placed after it?
For example:
Hako no naka - inside the box.
Hako no naka ni - ???
2
votes
1answer
63 views
か after short forms
In the Genki textbook, it is said that "In the casual conversational use of short forms, question sentences do not end with the question particle か, but with rising intonation alone."
Nonetheless, in ...
4
votes
1answer
108 views
「を」Vてある - Typo or actual construction?
Seen in the introduction to a book entitled 日本語文法ハンドブック, so it would greatly surprise me if it's a typo. Each section in the book is broken into parts and one is entitled "これだけは", being described ...
1
vote
0answers
43 views
Particles after に [duplicate]
I've been given two examples:
Niwa ni ki ga arimasu
and
Kono heya ni wa nani ga arimasu ka?
Why is wa required in the second sentence, but not in the first one?
Thank you in advance!
3
votes
0answers
69 views
“と” plus a clause — but what is it doing? [duplicate]
I have a question about a passage in an article I'm reading. For context, here's the passage:
仕事はご縁。もちろん求められていることができる能力がなければ元も子もないが、そこさえクリアしていれば、あとは相性だったりタイミングだったりする。そんなご縁が転がっているかもしれないと、...
1
vote
0answers
55 views
Clarification of -たら context [duplicate]
I read the following sentence on the BBC Japanese site:
「そうしたら温かいものに触れて、直感的に下を見たら、小さな赤ちゃんの頭と両腕が見えた」
Until now I understood the -たら form only to mean "if", but the 見たら in this sentence indicates that ...
4
votes
1answer
96 views
Use of 当たる in this sentence
Character A and B (A's coach) discuss C (A's opponent), who is known for having an amazing defense. Then C joins in and positively talks with B about A's potential. Then C drops this line:
...
4
votes
1answer
92 views
What`s the meaning of のを and だと in this text?
**
この羽織は、三輪田のお光さんのおっかさんが織ってくれたのを、紋付に染めて、お光さんが縫い上げたものだと、母の手紙に長い説明がある.
**
I can grasp the overall meaning: in mom's letter there is a long explanation about the fact that omitsu's mother wove a ...
2
votes
1answer
68 views
What is 「や」doing in these sentences?
From a book about space:
近年になり、観測技術の向上や大きなプロジェクトとして取り組まれるようになって、惑星の存在の確認が待たれていたのです。
And from a ghost story:
そんな訳で、小学生の頃は友達と学校帰りや家に帰ってから山へ入り、虫取りや秘密基地を作ったりして泥だらけになるまで遊んでいました。
The や seems like ...
2
votes
1answer
116 views
Why we should use “を” instead of “に” when talking about a place?
I have a question regarding this sentence:
かのじょといっしょにこうえんをさんぽします。
If the "を" marks a direct object of a sentance, why we use it the way it looks above.
Could we use here "に" instead of "を"?
...
2
votes
2answers
109 views
Verb woes; two or three questions
I'm working on a translation and there's this one line I can get through but can't get a handle on.
こんなヤツに負けおって
いままで何のために練習
してきたと思っておる!
Problem 1 is that I can't figure out if this is one sentence ...
1
vote
0answers
78 views
How to express future times?
I'm a little confused on how exactly I would say "I'm going to Japan in 2 months." I don't want to make it seem like I'm saying "I'm going to Japan for 2 months"
What would be the difference between ...
4
votes
3answers
111 views
What is the grammatical function of と in the sentence 同じ心を持った人は二人といない
What is the grammatical function of と in the sentence:
同じ心を持った人は二人といない。
7
votes
2answers
220 views
Why is 何が used to mean “sorry for what?” instead of 何で?
I was watching an anime where character A apologizes to character B after trying to kiss her:
A: ごめん！I’m sorry!
B: 何が？言ってみて！For what? Just try to say it!
My question is why was が used after ...
1
vote
1answer
69 views
What does「のには」mean in this sentence?
[彼女]{かのじょ}が[最初]{さいしょ}に[来]{き}たのにはびっくりした。
What is the usage of のには?
I think that「の」means「こと」, that is, a generic event. But I can't understand the usage of には in this case.
5
votes
2answers
126 views
Changing を to は in negative statements
I've got confused and have a few questions:
In some situations speaker is obligated to change the particle e.g. answering yes/no questions.
Question: あなたはくじにひこうきにのりますか。(A)
Answer: いいえ、わたしはくじ ...
2
votes
1answer
129 views
is “と” always needed for when saying ”with?"
can I say しごとがんばってね for saying have a nice day at work? do I need the particle と to make it "with work" しごととがんばってね
2
votes
0answers
71 views
Why is this sentence using が here? [duplicate]
娘が一人で服が着られるようになった。
着る is supposed to take を but it's using が here. Why?
1
vote
0answers
44 views
Reason why に is used in this sentence [duplicate]
The title for the fifth episode of My Hero Academia is
今僕に出来ることを which means "What I can do now". The problem is I don't understand why they decided to use に instead of just using が after 僕.
Again, ...
1
vote
1answer
95 views
Usage of で after みんな [duplicate]
これしかないから みんなでどうにかやってきたんだろう
In the sentence above, why after みんな, instead of particle は or particle が, particle で is used?
3
votes
1answer
77 views
Particle “に” in sentences with “です” and “あります”
I do not quite understand why some sentences do not need particle に.
For example:
いすはテーブルの上です
Instead, is it gramatically correct to say:
いすはテーブルの上にです
Like in this sentence:
いすはテーブルの上にあります
...
2
votes
1answer
64 views
「に」used to signify addition? [duplicate]
There are several instances where I noticed people use に to mean something along the lines of "and". Here's an example: https://youtu.be/3cjyUg-XjjU?t=24
I think the narrator says, "修理人が使う道具は、牛の皮、...
2
votes
1answer
73 views
Sentence-ending で in a formal context
I am aware that there is another question that talks about sentence-ending で. But the example in that question is in an informal setting.
I have an example of a sentence-ending で in a newspaper ...
3
votes
0answers
71 views
日本語教室 versus 日本語の教室 [duplicate]
I know that it's correct to say 日本語教室, and it's also correct to say 日本語の教室. I am confused by 日本語教室. From my understanding, the particle の connects 2 nouns. For example, さくら大学の学生 (there is no particle ...
1
vote
1answer
71 views
Grammatic relationships inside a sentence - parsing
once again I need again your help:
I have this sentence and also its translation (same auther/text as here) :
まだどこにも兆{きざ}していない死苦{しく}が、感覚{かんかく}を灼{や}けた鉄{てつ}のように真赤{まっか}に鍛{きた}えてくれるのを感{かん}じた。
I think I ...
2
votes
0answers
21 views
Using the particle と instead of the particle で [duplicate]
Can I say 家族と instead of 家族で in the sentence below?
今年の夏、私は家族で山の中にあるホテルに泊まりました。
If I can, how does the meaning of the sentence change if I use the different particle?
Another example:
兄弟で遊びます。
...
2
votes
1answer
96 views
How to use 方 correctly
Please read the passage:
四山市のごみの捨て方をお知らせします。4つのごみ箱があります。そして、捨てる日が違います。また、捨てる所も決まっています。注意してください。
Why should we say 捨てる日 and 捨てる所, but 捨て方？（方 is a noun too, just like 日 and 所）
＋
Why don't they use ...
0
votes
2answers
125 views
Why is it necessary to add く in the following なる sentence?
This is the full sentence:
お酒を飲みすぎると、気持ち悪くなる。
なる here means "to reach a certain state." The rest is easy to translate.
The only thing that confuses me is く. What does it mean here and why is it ...
8
votes
1answer
241 views
Why is 英語教師 possible but 英語先生 not possible?
Why is it ok to say both 英語教師 and 英語の教師 but not 英語先生, just 英語の先生?
3
votes
1answer
129 views
Difference in sentences (と and に）
I'm having a little trouble understanding the difference in these two contexts.
What would be the difference between these two sentences.
友達に晩ご飯を食べました
友達と晩ご飯をたべました
My understanding is that ...
3
votes
2answers
107 views
The Word ま By Itself
What does ま mean in this sentence?
いつのまに[降]{ふ}り[止]{や}んだ
Bonus question: What is the function of の in this sentence?
2
votes
0answers
32 views
Can you use で to refer to abstract locations? [duplicate]
This is probably a pretty basic question, but I'm having trouble finding an answer both here and with Google:
Can you use 「で」to refer to abstract locations, like "in the video" or "on twitter"?
...
2
votes
0answers
90 views
Usage of the Particle で alone and with は
I understand what the particle で does as far as describing how or where an action took place. But I notice that I run into で many other times where it seems to have a different function.
Could ...
2
votes
1answer
110 views
ぬ in place of の
The lyrics of the song go like this:
教科書に書いてある事だけじゃわからない
大切な物がきっとここにあるはずさ
それが島人ぬ宝
Why is ぬ used where の is expected? It this something Okinawan?
2
votes
2answers
103 views
What is the nuance of か and ね together, e.g. ありませんかね?
A friend approached me asking what some text meant in this game he was playing which said:
スリーサイズを当てるって課題、ありませんかね☆
I feel like I understand the gist of what this means but I've been unable to ...
2
votes
1answer
112 views
What is the particle には doing in this sentence?
What does the bolded には mean in the following sentence?
貫くような衝撃が顎から脳天を突き抜け、次第に目の前が真っ白になってゆく感覚に襲われる中、耳には銀髪の外国人の興奮した声が入ってきていた。
2
votes
2answers
133 views
How to say “even” for the last item in an enumeration?
The context I want to say is as follows.
People who always complain about their jobs, working partners, and even the company while still taking the salary look like ones who spit into their own ...
2
votes
1answer
110 views
Particles equivalent to english 'about'
I am trying to learn how to say 'to talk/write/read about smth' in Japanese, since corrections natives make to my sentences seems not to be very consistent.
For example, let us consider a phrase 'I ...
2
votes
1answer
112 views
Ending sentences with “、と。”
I've seen sentences ending with "、と。" many times in some particular texts. Here are some examples:
Example 1 (source: 嫌われる勇気 by 岸見一郎)
青年 先生は「すべての悩みは対人関係の悩みである」とおっしゃる。裏を返せば、われわれの幸福もまた、...
6
votes
1answer
177 views
といったら vs. とは - subtle differences?
Question from my JLPT N1 text book:
佐藤さんのセンスの良さ＿＿＿＿＿＿...。本当に感心します。(fill in the blank)
I have a choice of というと、とは、and といったら。
といったら is correct but I can't fathom how とは is not an option as the text says ...
5
votes
1answer
98 views
'mo' and 'demo' pronounciation research
I am looking for a native speaker who could answer the following question:
Is there any difference in pronunciation of the morpheme 'mo' in the following words (are there any differences in tone):
...
0
votes
1answer
144 views
What does どうなちきつたんだよオ mean?
I am trying to learn a lot by reading, but I am having a lot of trouble with this phrase/sentence:
どうなちきつたんだよオ
Now, this is from a manga (Akira, specifically) so I'm guessing it's some kind of ...
3
votes
2answers
130 views
Particles and noun-modifiers
This morning I read a sentence translated as follows:
私は 部屋{へや} に かざる物{もの} を あげました。
I offered her things to decorate her room.
It made me think about the following different English sentence, ...
