14
votes
Accepted
The past tense for the quoting particle って
The quoting particle と (or って) is tenseless, just as the quotation marks " for direct speech (she said "I want to sing"), or that for indirect speech (she said that she wanted to sing) are tenseless.
...
13
votes
Accepted
Use of って when quotation doesn't make sense
This type of って is mainly used to repeat one's opinion, like "I'm saying ~" or "I told you, ~". So it's still quotative in a sense; the speaker is quoting their own previous statement. For example, ...
12
votes
Accepted
と's role in 「それは触ると柔らかい」
と has quite a few meanings. To name a few...
The case particle (格助詞) と can mean "and" or "with". It attaches to 体言, such as nouns and pronouns. eg:
「りんごとみかん」(apples and oranges)
「...
11
votes
Accepted
Function of と when used with 続く
This と before 続く is a "friend" of quotative-と. If I have to choose one, it corresponds to this definition of デジタル大辞泉.
(文や句をそのまま受けて)動作・作用・状態の内容を表す。引用の「と」。
It says と can broadly mark "the ...
9
votes
Accepted
What does と mean in 「ここにおいで」と?
This と is a simple quotative-と, and this sentence is a typical example of a rhetoric device called 転置法 (hyperbaton) or 倒置法 (anastrophe). This is very common in Japanese poetry/slogans/lyrics because ...
9
votes
Accepted
Particle-と used with numbers: Are these different?
Yes these are different. There are (at least) three ways of using number + counter + と, and they have different nuances.
concrete number + counter + と + adjective
This is for showing a concrete ...
8
votes
Accepted
私と同じ or 私のと同じ when comparing possession
In Japanese, 彼の車は私と同じです is a perfectly natural sentence. When you compare two things, this type of omission* is extremely common in Japanese, and it can be found even in the most formal writings.
(* ...
8
votes
Accepted
What does 「とある」 mean in these sentences?
~とある can be reworded using ~と書いてある in most of the times, but it doesn't mean that it is the abbreviation of the latter. "The sign reads 'STOP'." is a kind of peculiar grammar too, so to ...
7
votes
Accepted
In 十日と待たずに what does the と mean?
This sentence says "(I) will be fired in no more than 10 days." (time)と待たずに is a common set phrase which literally means "without waiting for (time)".
This と is not "if" nor "then". The role of と ...
7
votes
Confusion with Japanese particle と in its multiple uses
You're 90% there. Let's take your list in order, shall we?
1. Quotation Particle
As you noted, if you see it followed by a verb indicating expression (思う、言う、話す, etc.) then it's being used in this ...
7
votes
Accepted
Why is there a と in front of 別?
Originally, と was used after each word in a list. From here:
いくつかの事柄を列挙する意を表す。「君―ぼく―の仲」
[補説] 並立する語ごとに「と」を用いるのが本来の用法であるが、現代語ではいちばんあとにくる「と」を省略するのが普通となっている。
The last と in a list is usually omitted ...
7
votes
Accepted
What does the 「たあ」 do in this sentence?
It is a sound change of "とは". It may be used in old city(下町 in Japanese) in Tokyo.
7
votes
Accepted
What does と in "対象とする" mean?
What does the と in the sentence mean? Wouldn't 対象する work alone?
No, 対象する doesn't work alone (since 対象 is not a suru-verb).
AをBとする (or AをBにする) means "make A B", so クリーチャーを対象とする (or クリーチャーを対象にする) ...
7
votes
Accepted
Why does 冬休みは家族でイタリアやイギリスへ行きました。 have で instead of と?
家族で should be taken as "as a family" rather than "with family"
(Both と and で could be used, though IMHO, 家族で implies that all family members were present whereas 家族と implies you only went with some/...
7
votes
Why does 冬休みは家族でイタリアやイギリスへ行きました。 have で instead of と?
Both 家族で and 家族と are correct.
で can sometimes mark an organization/group which makes some action, as if it were a subject.
It's the third definition on デジタル大辞泉.
動作・作用を行う主体となる組織・団体を表す。「政府側―検討中だ」「...
7
votes
Accepted
Why is the を particle used twice here
This を particle does not necessarily represent the object marker. Let's explore why.
くつを一足 (one pair of shoes)
This を is used in connection with counters. It does not necessarily indicate a ...
7
votes
Accepted
Please help me identify who does what in this sentence and check the translation
The Tatoeba translation is a natural rather than a literal translation. Literally it's saying more like "I will have my sister go to the station by car to meet you". (迎える is a tricky little word that ...
7
votes
Accepted
Difference in sentences (と and に)友達に/と晩ご飯を食べました 彼氏に/とキスした
に has a lot of functions and I won't go into detail of every possible usage of it. Let me just comment on your examples.
友達に晩ご飯を食べました is ungrammatical and makes no sense. 友達と晩ご飯をたべました means "I ate ...
7
votes
Accepted
What does 歩けというの mean in this song?
というの asks rhetorical questions (it's literally just と, 言う, and の). If your mom told you to keep studying for a long time you might say something like 死ぬまで勉強しろというのか "you want me to study until I die, ...
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