Questions tagged [syntax]
統語論. Rules governing construction of phrases and sentences in a language.
2
votes
1answer
82 views
What is the difference between ではありません and 〜くない
I am not sure when ではありません and 〜くない are used.
I was given the sentence この赤いかばんは大きいではありません (as in "this red bag is not big") and I am not sure why この赤いかばんは大きくないです was not used. Could anyone explain? ...
1
vote
1answer
68 views
Aoi aoi morideshita - sentence structure explanation
first post here. I'm currently reading a children's books titled 'きつね森の山男'. I think it's a good starters book however, some of the structures are confusing or contrary to what I have learnt.
I ...
1
vote
1answer
57 views
What's the difference between「どこかで犯人を見ましたか」and「犯人をどこかで見ましたか」?
I saw in a book the following sentence used in an example:
犯人をどこかで見ましたか
Shouldn't it be「どこかで犯人を見ましたか」?
3
votes
1answer
114 views
Plain Verb followed by がよい
Recently I am reading 走れメロス, and there is a sentence pattern that I am not familiar with (Group 2). Compare the following sentence groups:
Group 1
訪ねて行くのが楽しみである。
疑うのが、正当の心構えなのだと、...
2
votes
0answers
53 views
Can you slightly switch up the word order of this sentence? [duplicate]
This is what I've been taught:
これ は わたし の 本 です。
= This is my book.
And I was just wondering whether you can change the word order to say:
この 本 は わたし の です。
...
1
vote
2answers
94 views
Use of 間 to talk about a span of time (and connection to the verb)
My question is rather specific, but I have wondered about it since it would actually drastically change the meaning of what I'm trying to say.
Is 間 directly connected to the verb?
As this question ...
3
votes
1answer
65 views
Usage of になる and こう in this sentence, sentence structure
I came across the sentence
「新聞なんか見るわけないんじゃん」それが自慢になるかのように、こう言って智子は笑った。
I would translate the sentence as:
＞There is no way I would read a newspaper or something＜ said Tomoko as if it would be ...
1
vote
2answers
100 views
What does the 'ga' at the front of 'ga hanasemasu' do?
I have just learnt that 'hanasemasu' means 'to speak' and that 'ga hanasemasu' means roughly the same. On Google Translate, 'hanasemasu' comes up as 'able to speak' and 'ga hanasemasu' comes up as 'I ...
3
votes
2answers
91 views
Nominalized verb without の or こと
I saw this:
アンさんはべんきょうをおしえるひとです。
Is this a correct sentence? I got confused with おしえる人. I thought we cannot follow a verb with another noun without nominalizing it with either の or こと. Should ...
2
votes
2answers
63 views
Sentence with でできる
According to Tobira textbook (Lesson 1, grammar point 1), {で / から} できる is used to express "to be made from" when generic statements, while {で / から} できている is used to express "to be made from" when ...
4
votes
2answers
120 views
何だこの中二心に響くサウンドは Does この refer to サウンド? How does に and an intransitive verb work?
Is この refering to サウンド or 中二心?
How does に and an intransitive verb work together?
My translation attempt is: What is this sound that resonates with my chuuni heart?
0
votes
1answer
174 views
JLPT sentence order section [duplicate]
I keep on trying this type of jlpt questions and I keep on failing. Do you have any recommendation on what to read or what to review?
An example question that I answered wrong is :
れいぞうこにくだもの__ * ...
5
votes
1answer
140 views
I do not understand らさん in this sentence
Here is the sentence:
夫は涎らさんばかりの喜びようだ。
Her husband seems so happy he is almost drooling? That is, he is ecstatically happy? What is this? らさん
1
vote
1answer
58 views
Difference between には…がある and は…がある
I would like to know which is the difference between には...がある and は...がある to express possession.
For example, which would be the difference between
彼には友人をつくる才能がある。
and
彼は友人をつくる才能がある。
Or between
...
0
votes
3answers
90 views
Expected sentence in article to use を but が is used instead
I'm reading this article and I have come across this sentence and I'm wondering why が is used instead of を. What's the reason am I missing here?
１１日、豊洲市場がオープンして競りが始まりました。
My translation:
...
3
votes
1answer
54 views
When to use ところ / て+いるところ / た+ところ
In this sentence:
「もしもし、今、駅に向かって（_______）ところです。 あと５、６分でつきます。」
What should be the correct tense of the verb 歩く? Should I base my answer on the word 今 or the てform of 向かう?
If there is 今 does that ...
4
votes
1answer
99 views
ながら sentence sample clarification
Sample sentences from A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar page 270:
A: ちょっと話がしたいんですが。
B: じゃ、コーヒーを飲みながら話しましょう。
C: じゃ、話しながらコーヒーを飲みましょう。
It states that B is an acceptable response to A ...
6
votes
1answer
155 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 ...
3
votes
1answer
134 views
Word Order: 国で日本語を2カ月勉強しました vs 国で2カ月日本語を勉強しました [duplicate]
Question. What is the diff between
A. 国で日本語を2カ月勉強しました。
B. 国で2カ月日本語を勉強しました。
On minna no nihongo B. is used but why not A? Why is the 2カ月 not before verb? What are the rules?
3
votes
2answers
118 views
Sentence Structure JLPT question 「日本語がかんたんな本」
Please help.
I found this question on the N5 practice exam:
ヤン 「私はこの本を買います。アンナさんはどんな本がいいですか。」
アンナ 「 私はもうすこし ( _ _ ☆ _) がいいです。」
A. 本
B. かんたんな
C. が
D. 日本語
Please explain why ...
1
vote
1answer
74 views
Assistance with translation in some lyrics
寄せかえる波を見ていた 母の遠いまなざし
I'm used to sentences ending in a verb so I assume it could be translated as "Was watching the waves surge back". My mother's distant gaze." as separate phrases.
Am I right to ...
6
votes
1answer
97 views
Question about the phrase 心配いりません
I came across the phrase 心配いりません and from what I understand it means "Dont worry". It is formed by using the する-verb 心配 (worry) and いる (to be needed). What I don't understand is why there is no ...
5
votes
1answer
110 views
Use of 予定 at the end of sentence [duplicate]
I'm currently reading this article
Which has the following sentence:
インドで人気がある小さい炊飯器を輸出する予定です。
My translation: There is a plan to export small rice cookers, which have become popular in India....
10
votes
1answer
298 views
(伊曾保物語) 鼠と猫の事 comprehension problem “只、人は、愚にして、他人にぬかれたるにしくはなし”
I am having trouble parsing/understanding/translating a sentence in
the last section of the fable "the mice and the cat" (鼠と猫の事)
from the 仮名草子 伊曾保物語 (Aesop's fables). Here is the paragraph
in question;...
6
votes
2answers
314 views
What does 弟は友だちの大きいくるまで学校に行きます properly translate to?
I was asked to translate the following sentence:
弟は友だちの大きいくるまで学校に行きます。
I first split it up (in my head) so it looks easier to read, whilst recognising the particles.
弟は 友だちの 大きい くるまで ...
3
votes
2answers
176 views
I need help analyzing the phrase 発音上の
I’ve been reading about sound change in Japanese and I keep coming across the phrase ‘発音上の’ as in
発音上の相違に支えられて開合の仮名遣いに区別がありました.
In the above example, what purpose does ‘上’ serve? Should I read ‘...
2
votes
1answer
105 views
Article about Amazon Speaker being used for donations
I'm reading this article on how Amazon allowed their speaker to be used to donate to Japan's Red Cross. In the final sentence they get a quote from a Red Cross member, but I cannot make sense of the ...
2
votes
1answer
157 views
Are these two noun phrases attached to one noun? Also what is とは doing here?
あの手は現代とはルールのちがうコミのない時代だから好手とされたのだ
(Panel this phrase comes from)
(Komi is a rule in go that exists in the modern era, but did not exist in the Edo period. This kid appears to be using a style of ...
1
vote
0answers
33 views
Can somebody give me a grammatical insight into the following very short sentence? [duplicate]
何してんの?
The translated meaning is "what are you doing?", but I am having difficulty understanding how the て form of する is referring to the present tense (I would have expected している here).
Also, I am ...
2
votes
1answer
118 views
〜により used twice in the same sentence
Context: explanation of the Friction Stir Welding process.
In the fourth sentence I don't understand why there are two 〜により.
ツールの移動により接合界面同士が順次塑性流動により攪拌・一体化
What is that is causing the process? ...
3
votes
1answer
73 views
Trying to understand this use of 〜た方が
I am still stumped on understanding this one sentence:
今打った方が格段に実力はまさっています
ですが、彼の打つ手に正しい手はひとつもありません
(source context panels)
In this case the speaker is talking about a go player who is ...
3
votes
1answer
267 views
Logical analysis of the sentence 「アメリカとの関係が悪くなったイランからの原油の輸入が減ると考える人などが多いためです」
アメリカとの関係が悪くなったイランからの原油の輸入が減ると考える人などが多いためです。
アメリカとの関係が悪くなったイラン: is a noun phrase. イラン is the head noun.
イランからの原油の輸入が減る: is an independent clause.
考える人などが多いためです: refers to the previous independent ...
1
vote
1answer
133 views
The convention of including/omitting ‘no zu’ (之圖) in translations
It appears to be common, but by no means universal, for artists/publishers to include 之圖 in ukiyo-e title cartouches (sometimes ノ圖; written のづ in accompanying furigana; occasionally seen 圖 without the ...
1
vote
1answer
92 views
I do not understand why と is incorrect when trying to say “both” [duplicate]
Before I begin, this post is unrelated, despite the similar title.
Here was the question:
My father and mother both are English teachers.
父と母は英語の先生です。
父も母も英語の先生です。
父も母も英語先生です。
...
7
votes
1answer
148 views
1
vote
1answer
128 views
What is the difference between ばんごはん and よるごはん?
I looked at two different sentences:
六時半に母とばんごはんをつくりました。(At 6:30, I made dinner with my mother.)
よるごはんのあと家族とえいがをみました。(After dinner, I watched a movie with my family.)
In both sentences, ...
0
votes
1answer
84 views
What particle to use in this sentence? [closed]
I want to say “I like spending lunchtimes with Sarah.”
(Sarah is a fill-in name)
I am absolutely clueless, because I’ve only done Japanese for a semester at school (but I plan on choosing it as a ...
3
votes
1answer
102 views
How to translate 'They made her make him give me the book'?
How to translate 'They made her make him give me the book'?
Can I translate it to:
Karera wa kanojo ga kare ni sono hon o watasi ni watasaseru you ni saseta.
彼らは彼女が彼にその本を私に渡させるようにさせた。
3
votes
2answers
75 views
Breaking down the clauses in “好きになってもらいたいならまず人を好きになる”
I want to confirm if I'm parsing this sentence correctly. It's probably the difficulty of not having commas to break it up.
好きになってもらいたいならまず人を好きになる
Loosely, I'm translating this as
"If you want ...
3
votes
1answer
112 views
what does としてもだ mean in this sentence?
千枝実に問いた限りでは、「宴」 は極めて危険で悪質な因習だ。
そういう昔話があったとして、過去には実際に私刑を行った歴史があったとしてもだ、普通はもっと無難な祭りとかに形を変えて現代に伝わっているものだろう。
What is the purpose of the だ after the the highlighted としても in the second sentence?
0
votes
3answers
202 views
Is it 行 or 行く? I am unsure of which one
I have two sentences:
時々、うみえ行くをが好きです。
and
母はよく週末に祖父と祖母のいえ行、そこでとまリます。
I want to see if both of them are correctly stated, and I believe that the second one might not be. In the first sentence, ...
0
votes
2answers
166 views
言われてみればそうだった気もしてきたな [closed]
I think this sentence means:
"Now that you mention it, I am feeling good."
Is this right?
2
votes
2answers
184 views
Can Japanese Sentence Structure be OVS?
So I was reading from this particular site on Japanese sentence structure and what dawn to me was, this particular structure seems to be OVS.
(object/noun, verb, subject)
There's not a whole lot of ...
2
votes
1answer
88 views
How is my understand of this sentence?
やっぱりゆきのさんにはもったいないな
I think it means 'You are not worthy of Yukino-san'
Is this correct?
4
votes
2answers
124 views
What would happen if I use は or が in 今日何を食べたいですか?
今日何を食べたいですか What do you want to eat today?
In other words, what would happen if I say:
今日何は食べたいですか ?
今日何が食べたいですか ?
(I want to know the rough meaning of the sentence even if the sentence is ...
2
votes
1answer
85 views
How to construct a sentence that’s correct, using についての?
I know the sentence structure XについてのY, but I don’t know how to effectively use it. I know that what precedes it must be a noun or has to be nominalised, but still can’t figure out how to use it ...
0
votes
0answers
117 views
When to use ～えば、～たら、場合 specifically
I understand most Japanese grammar, but there is one thing that eludes me. I don't understand when to use ～えば, ～たら, or 場合 specifically, to express conditional (if then) statements. Would someone ...
6
votes
1answer
633 views
Listing things off: Using Hitotsu repeatedly
I've seen shows where they list things (etc rules, principles) with hitotsu for every point. I would expect hitotsu, futatsu... etc, to be the norm but it doesn't seem so. It didn't seem to be a ...
0
votes
1answer
93 views
Indicating a subject and objective thoughts of inevitability
How do the Japanese show the nuance between the inevitable outcomes of actions based on their thoughts versus their findings?
After the Tsunami of 2011, Japanese Volcanologists predict an inevitable ...
0
votes
1answer
88 views
How is かっこいいな used individually as its own sentence?
I am having trouble understanding the second sentence below.
ぼくのせいふくです。かっこいいな。
I understand that ぼく is "I / myself" for a boy, and adding a の to it makes it a "my". I also know that せいふく is "...
