使い分け. The differences between two or more words or phrases and how to select the best one for a given situation.
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25 views
Examples of when to use ましょう、 ましょうか、ませんか、or volitional form with よう
I'm looking for example situations of when to use each. I think they all are the same meaning but when situational wise to use each one is where I am having confusion.
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32 views
Examples of when to use ではありません、じゃありません、 じゃない
I'm looking for example situations of when to use each level of politeness. I know they all are the same but when situational wise to use each one is where I am having confusion. Thank you.
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2answers
74 views
I don't understand how 雇い入れる is different from 雇う
［動ラ下一］［文］やとひい・る［ラ下二］新たに雇う。「新卒者を―・れる」(source)
I don't understand what the 新たに is doing here...? I've read example sentences with 雇う and 雇い入れる and I can't perceive the difference...?
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1answer
48 views
What is the difference between 無感動 and 無関心?
I know that both of them can be translated as “apathy”, but is there a distinction between them? Are they interchangeable?
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2answers
126 views
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2answers
102 views
What is the difference between 設問 and 質問?
The two words appear to both mean the English word question. Are they completely interchangeable?
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1answer
84 views
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1answer
79 views
How do you express that you are playing a game?
I would usually say something along the lines of
「マリオを遊ぶ」but I've been informed that 「マリオする」is a more natural say to say this phrase. Doesn't make sense to me, so I was hoping someone could explain
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1answer
78 views
I could use help with the finer nuances of 節、柄、and 様。
Why is it 節 that goes in __ in the following, not 様 or 柄？
部長は、毎日残業するのを当たり前だと思っている__がある。
This is a question in a textbook I'm using to prep for NI JLPT, and 節 is given as the answer.
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1answer
61 views
what's the difference between 試験する and 受験する?
The title is explicit, what's the difference between 試験する and 受験する ? According to my dictionnary they both mean "to pass an exam", but I guess there is a nuance.
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1answer
120 views
Fully understanding the difference between もう and －たことがある
I my understanding, the difference between もう and －たことがある is as follow:
もう is for "already" like in:
I've (already) eaten my sandwich
I've (already) been shopping yesterday
ーたことがある is for ...
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0answers
71 views
Is にとって often shortened to に in spoken, colloquial Japanese?
For example, 「昼ごはんに寄せ鍋を食べた」or 「私に(は)辛すぎる」, in both cases meaning "for".
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108 views
Why is 五日前 correct but 五日間前 not?
If 五日 is a date and 五日間 refers to a span of 5 days, shouldn't one say 五日間前？ As another example I found, 「三日以内に書類を提出してください」Wouldn't this mean "within the third", which doesn't make sense. Should it not ...
5
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2answers
173 views
When to use words derived from foreign words or the native words for the same things?
A lot of things have Japanese words in more than two versions to call them.
I can appreciate there are often many ways to call the same thing in any particular language.
Nevertheless, I'm somewhat ...
6
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1answer
119 views
What is the nuance of “悲しいと思います”?
I wrote ブラジルの国立博物館の火事のことを聞いて、とても悲しいと思います
A Japanese person changed it to とても悲しいです
It seems that 悲しいと思います has a nuance not suitable here, but they didn't tell me why. Can someone explain it to me? ...
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2answers
93 views
Difference between だけ and なら
What is the difference when using dake and nara in sentences, and if possible an example sentence for each would be helpful too. Thank you very much. They both mean just if I'm not mistaken. Like if I ...
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1answer
67 views
Can one create the word YAMA DO? [closed]
Hi I am a complete ignoramus as far as Japanese language is concerned. Please forgive me my silly question:
Can you create the word YAMA DO - the way of the mountain, like the word KARATE DO - the way ...
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1answer
51 views
毎度お前にばかり- you always do or I always do?
I read this line in a manga" 毎度お前にばかり..." the official translation says " I'm always doing this to you" but the fan translation says " you always have to do it "
Which is more accurate?
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0answers
53 views
Contradictory Usage of だろう・でしょう [duplicate]
I continue seeing sentences that (based on my knowledge) seem to contain conflicting usages of だろう・でしょう.
「妻はルイヴィトンのバッグを欲しがっているんだけど、そんなもん、買えるわけないでしょう！ 」
To my understanding わけがない is an expression ...
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2answers
80 views
What is the word or phrase that means “art” (as a general aesthetic quality of something)
In reference to a video game, I might say:
"Braid is a rewarding puzzle game with beautiful art."
In this sense, I don't mean art as in a specific piece of art in the game, I don't mean art as a ...
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1answer
182 views
Difference between 嵌まる and 填まる
This verb is also written in katakana despite the presence of kanjis. What is the difference between them ? In which context 嵌まる suits more than 填まる, what is the nuance ?
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1answer
73 views
Is 好きな方法を選べ a command?
Erabe is imperative but to say suki sounds gentle or less strict than an order like "choose whatever you want" rather than "choose the method you want!"
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1answer
70 views
What is the difference [一瞬]{いっ・しゅん}, [一刻]{いっ・こく}, and [(一)刹那]{(いっ・)せつ・な}
They all mean something like an instant or a moment.
When are they (and when are they not) interchangeable?
Is any more (in)formal/literary than the others?
Do they represent the same amount of time?
...
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4answers
297 views
Is using 人口 when referencing animal populations alright?
I am writing about that Isle of Dogs movie and I wanted to write 日本の犬の人口. Since it has the character for person in it, I was wondering if it is appropriate for animals. Any help would be appreciated!
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3answers
388 views
Why do I often see guys saying 何をしているの
Isn't の at the end considered feminine? Also, what should I use if I want to sound masculine or gender neutral?
See:
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1answer
91 views
Help Translating 私の口には合わなかった
I'm translating a Q&A session for some friends (link here), and I'm having a bit of trouble with this question:
Q: みっちゃんは地デジ対応ですか？
A: ち、地デジ……？ ふ、ふふん、残念ながら、私の口には合わなかったわね！
I translated ...
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1answer
73 views
Why does 〜しそうだ seem to be used in place of 〜すること here?
I’m reading Tokyo Ghoul right now and I’ve come across this line:
グールが生まれながらにして得ることのない人の快楽…その代わりに、これが与えられたんだ。食欲に呑まれそうだ。
My intuition, which the English translation confirms, is that 「食欲に呑まれそうだ」is ...
3
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1answer
131 views
Help with meaning of 新規掲載絵皆無貧困絵描
An artist I follow on twitter posted an image and above it they wrote 新規掲載絵皆無貧困絵描. (Here is the link to the original tweet: https://twitter.com/sai_no/status/1033339861351256065 tho it doesn't really ...
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1answer
90 views
How do you say “Celestial Shogunate” in Japanese?
I have seen the use of 天の, 天体, 天界 or 天空 but what would be the most appropriate word to use when we wish to use "Celestial" in a way that conveys "outer space" or "astronomical" properties as opposed ...
2
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1answer
79 views
Where? Variations and usages
I have come across three main ways to indicate the idea of "where" in Japanese:
どこ
どこに
どちら
Can anyone shed light on when one is used or preferred over another? Or with what combination of word ...
2
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1answer
81 views
Why does this sentence have so many words to describe its title?
I’m translating The Little Prince for fun and I have a question about the first part of this sentence.
その本の名前は『ほんとう にあった話』というタイトルで、原始のジャングルについて書かれていた本だった
Why do we have so many naming words in this?...
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1answer
81 views
How to use 減算 and 引き算 correctly?
When I am memorizing kanji , I noticed these two words have the same meaning (減算 and 引き算) .
Both are subtraction , isn’t! So how can I use correctly with that words? What is the difference usage.
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1answer
105 views
does the word “Option” have an analogue in Japanese
In English, we use the word "option" in a wide array of situations with many different meanings. When speaking, I struggled to find a word that translated the meaning effectively. Some examples are:
...
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1answer
89 views
Difference between ものだ, ことだ and ものがある?
Note that this is not a duplicate of this. I am taking about the ものだ and ことだ that expresses exclamation and strong feelings.
My textbook says that 〜ことだ means:
本当に〜だ（驚き・感動・皮肉などを表す）
and 〜ものだ means:
...
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1answer
84 views
Can I say 日本語程度 as an alternative for 日本語実力?
Or perhaps even 日本語実力程度? Although that seems overkill and double emphasising.
3
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1answer
88 views
“Norikosu” vs. “Norisugosu”
I don't understand the difference between these two words. In my textbook they appear like "miss the stop" (norisugosu) and "pass my station" (norikosu), but they both sound like you don't go out the ...
2
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1answer
85 views
Is this sentence from anki correct? [duplicate]
私は帰国することに決めた
This is the original sentence, but shouldn't it be:
私は帰国することを決めた
or
私は帰国することが決めた?
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1answer
83 views
“I hate change”
How would you say "I hate change" in Japanese? I feel like 「私は変更を憎みます」 would just sound like a bad google translation.
2
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1answer
96 views
What is the difference between ガラクタ and ゴミ？
I like to listen to NERU's Vocaloid songs, but I realized that several of his songs had two words translated the same way. Those are ガラクタ and ゴミ. I think ゴミ can be used to talk about taking garbage ...
3
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2answers
140 views
「から」「ので」「ーんで」など
日本で大学に通っている留学生です。
基本的に普段友達と話す時は「から」、面接や先生へのメールなど敬語で話す時は「ので」を使っていますが、ある程度親しい目上の人（学校やバイト先の一個上の先輩など）と敬語で話す時に「ので」を使ってもおかしくないのでしょうか？
「から」は「ですます」形で使うと個人的には日本語的に正しくない感じがしますし、「ので」は書き言葉のような印象で、工夫したのが「んで」（例：...
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1answer
88 views
興味を持ってきている versus 興味がある
子供の頃からずっとロボットに興味を持って来ています。
子供の頃からずっとロボットに興味があります。
Which sentence sounds more natural?
2
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1answer
75 views
What is the difference between それでは and それなら
My grammar book says they both mean ‘if that’s the case...’ but it doesn’t clarify the differences.
Thank you!
4
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1answer
80 views
What is the difference between プログラム and 日程 in the context of a スポーツ大会?
I was doing some JLPT N2 practice and got this question wrong:
スポーツ大会のプログラムはさておき、（ ）。
a 日程を決めよう
b 準備はすべて整った
c わたしも参加したい
When I saw option "a", I immediately thought that it was ...
8
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1answer
290 views
Difference between 仮、一時的、臨時 when expressing “temporary”
All of these words express "temporary" but I can't understand the difference and in which contexts each are used.
For example:
仮の包帯 A temporary bandage
一時的な住宅 A temporary residence
臨時列車 ...
3
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1answer
128 views
What does あいつ and こいつ imply in various situations/contexts?
I've read that あいつ and こいつ can mean "that person over there" or "this person over here", respectively, and also that (at least, as far as I'm aware, for こいつ) they are an impolite way of referring to a ...
3
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1answer
105 views
What is the difference between 訪れる and 訪ねる?
According to goo, We can say 「彼を訪ねる」 but not 「彼を訪れる」 and we should instead say 「彼の家を訪れる」if we use the verb 訪れる. Does it have a nuance? Does it open the doors to another interpretation(visiting his ...
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1answer
76 views
What is the word for an independent-minded person? What is the opposite of that word?
I'm looking for two words: a word that means an independent-minded person and its opposite. Not necessarily a rebel or someone who wants to stand out, but someone who is comfortable sticking with what ...
5
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1answer
130 views
Word select: 食べます？／飲みます？
食べ物の場合は動詞「食べる」を使いますが、飲み物の場合は動詞「飲む」を使います。ところが、食べ物と飲み物をいっしょに出た場合はどの動詞を使いますか。
例①：パンとミルクを...（食べます？／飲みます？）…
例②：コーヒーとりんごを...（食べます？／飲みます？）…
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1answer
93 views
Why would you use 好き to describe a favorite object?
After taking some notes from various classes, I have come across some of the same translations:
好{す}きな音楽{おんがく}：Favorite Music
好{す}きな人{ひと}：Favorite person
etc.
Why would one use 好{す}き instead of 大好{...
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1answer
81 views
What is the difference between 武道 and 格闘技?
When I was looking through the Category List on OKWAVE, I found these two listed under the スポーツ・フィットネス (Sports and Fitness) sub-category.
When I looked them up on Weblio, I found that both 武道 and 格闘技 ...
