15
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Understand the difference between [dictionary/ない + ようとする] and [volitional + にする]
The (よ)う in ～(よ)うとする is volitional. ～(よ)うとする means "try to do ~~" "be about to do ~~", and is attached to the 未然形 (imperfective form) of verbs, as in 「[走]{はし}ろ+うとする」「[歩]{ある}こ+うとする」「[見]{み}+ようとする」etc.
...
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14
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What does volitional form + っと mean?
Yes it's a sentence-ending particle which is usually used in monologues. One article says the main function of this っと is to casually convince/confirm something to the speaker themselves. Perhaps it's ...
- 288k
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What is the use of 〜ようとしている?
For reference, the full sentence is from page 153 of the textbook 上級へのとびら, and reads:
その上、日本のマンガは欧米人の本の読み方さえ変えようとしている。
Grammar
I am used to that grammar construction meaning either "about to ...
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Verb ending in -ん with positive meaning?
That ん isn't a shortening of ぬ, it's a shortening of the auxiliary む.
According to Classical Japanese rules, the negative ~ぬ is the 連体形 of ~ず. This means it is used to modify nouns. In particular, ...
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11
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volitional + nimo 作ろう＋にも?
This is an instance of the pattern VようにもBない
作ろう is what is often called the "volitional form" in English. The root verb is 作る [to make].
にも expresses "even though" and when joined to the volitional ...
- 8,126
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What are the grammar rules behind this clause, 「才能があろうがなかろうが」?
According to 明鏡国語辞典, the が is a conjunctive particle (接続助詞), and it expresses 逆接の仮定条件 (contradictory hypothetical condition? "even if~"/"no matter~~") when attached to the volitional auxiliaries 「う・よう」...
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Why is intentional form used in 「カラオケに行こうと誘われました」?
You should parse it this way:
近所のひとに『カラオケに行こう』と誘われました。
(lit.) I was invited by my neighbor, (saying) "Let's go to Karaoke."
⇒ My neighbor invited me out to Karaoke. / suggested we go to Karaoke.
...
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9
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What is the difference between ～んとする and ～うとする?
見んと (<見むと) is more literary/archaic and can be more bookish than 見ようと.
(You don't say 見らんと)
見んとする (<見むとする) * consists of: み (未然形, imperfective form of 見る) + archaic volitional auxiliary ん (む) +...
- 62.2k
8
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Meaning of volitional passive form
「何, どこ, だれ, いつ etc. + ～～(よ)うが」
「何, どこ, だれ, いつ etc. + ～～(よ)うと(も)」
「何, どこ, だれ, いつ etc. + ～～ても」
mean "No matter what, where, who, etc. ~~". For example:
何を言おうが / 何を言おうと(も) / 何を言っても
(No matter what ~~...
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Why is intentional form used in 「カラオケに行こうと誘われました」?
The form with -ō isn't just for intentions (the intentional mood). It's also for invitations, i.e. an encouragement to do something together (the cohortative mood, like English "let's").
To ...
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Is the volitional form of i-adjectives often used?
This form is classified as modern 口語 (as opposed to 文語), but it sounds old-fashioned nevertheless. It's not something we hear every day. We mostly see this form in fictional old person's speech (like ...
- 288k
6
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「〜てもらおう」の意味は何ですか。
「〜てもらう」 has a basic meaning of "get / make / induce (someone) to do (something)"
In the case of わかる, the form 分かってもらう could mean either "make it understood / make you understand (something)" or "make ...
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Meaning of ようともしない
The auxiliary verb う/よう denotes the subject's will in a broad sense, and you don't have to use "try" in a case like this. I think "He won't/wouldn't even look up from his newspaper" is enough.
You ...
- 288k
5
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What Does the "Volitional" Really Mean?
Same form, different meanings
What's referred to as the Volitional Form is also used to express what the speaker imagines "will happen".
The Volitional Form usually expresses 意思 (willingness) or ...
- 7,311
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What's the meaning of 「〜どんなに抵抗しようとも限り…」
The sentence is invalid. That 限り shouldn't be there. Remove it and the sentence becomes grammatical:
どんなに抵抗しようとも生きている人はいつかは死ぬ。(However much they may resist, living humans must eventually die.)
Or, ...
- 6,125
5
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~あらんことを: Slight Variations and Idiomatic Degree
"～ことを" itself is not that idiomatic, but I think "～があらんことを" is idiomatic.
神のご加護があらんことを: This sounds natural to me. You can safely say "Xがあらんことを" is an archaic-sounding idiomatic phrase which means "I ...
- 288k
5
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Negative volitional+と
Construction and meaning
You might have already encountered the positive volitional + と: this indicates something that the subject is trying to do, such as 店{みせ}に行{い}こうとする: to try to go to the store. ...
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5
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What is the use of 〜ようとしている?
This ようとする just means "about to do something".
Some western manga fans may have already changed their way of reading books, but for now, that's a local phenomenon that has not yet spread to the ...
- 288k
5
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How do you "try" a suru verb? Like "to try to cook"
A suru verb consists of a noun + suru. All conjugation is done on suru.
If you want to use the construction -(y)ō to suru, on a suru verb like ryōri suru, you have to find the volitional of suru, ...
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だろうと how can I translate it?
This と is the quotative-と. volition/inference + と can be used without any explicit following verb, and it means "thinking ...", "trying ...", "hoping ..." or such. だろう is part of the "quote."
...
- 288k
5
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What are the grammar rules behind this clause, 「才能があろうがなかろうが」?
才能があろうがなかろうが
- Whether there is talent or not,
- Whether I'm talented or not,
This is a phrase using the volitional to express a lack of relation.
As for the theme, I found a very simple and ...
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〜ようにする vs 〜ようと思う
I think the key difference between two versions is that the former is passive and somewhat more apologetic and the latter is more proactive.
For example, if a doctor tells you to exercise regularly, ...
- 5,299
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How does "shashin yako" translate to "burn the pictures"?
He's using the volitional form of 焼く which is 焼こう. The volitional form is used to indicate "will" in the general sense and when used in independent clauses, often is translated to "Let's do [something]...
- 3,051
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Why is the Volitional form used here and what would change if it was not used?
The volitional form at the end of a sentence doesn’t always refer to a joint action by the speaker and the listener. Under certain circumstances it refers to an action by the speaker alone. One ...
- 16.3k
4
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Can volitional form mean 'you should ...'
As a guest is leaving a man's house the guest is told:
おみやげをお持ちいたしましょう。
Edit: After this the guest is offered a choice of present to take.
So the owner of the house (the man) tells the guest ...
- 43.5k
4
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Grammar in a modern translation of the 古事記 : ～ようもない
In this case, it isn't the volitional form, but よう(様). See this entry in the 大辞泉, sense 2 and 6.
よう〔ヤウ〕【様】
２ 方法。やり方。
６ 動詞の連用形の下に付いて複合語をつくる。
ありさま、ようすなどの意を表す。
…する方法、…するやり方などの意を表す。
...
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