06/08/19

Usage of commas in Japanese sentences?
This might sound like a strange question, but how does the usage of commas differ when used in Japanese compared to English? I believe `りんご、オレンジとバナナ` wouldn't work, but that it's OK to list like... more
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06/07/19

Why is the topic marker often used in negative statements (ではない, ～とは思わない)?
What function does は provide in statements such as 本ではない or 本だとは思わない? I notice the は after と is often left out, at least if a Google search for 思わない is any indication, but there still seems to be a... more
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06/07/19

What are the fundamental differences between the ～と一緒に and the ～とともに fragments?
I'm accustomed to saying `together with` using the `~ to issho ni` fragment, but I've been noticing that some people I talk to phrase this using `~ totomo ni` instead. i.e. 彼女と一緒に日本へ来た。 ... more
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06/05/19

correctness of い adjective + です?
Generally, in all Japanese language classes, the rule you're taught is that です does not follow い adjectives. Instead, い adjectives can act like stative verbs, and as such terminate a sentence by... more
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06/05/19

Can 何で mean "how"?
Looking at <a href="http://www.guidetojapanese.org/learn/grammar/verbparticles">this</a>, it seems that when the word 何 is used with the で particle, it roughly translates into "by means... more
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06/05/19

When going somewhere, is there any difference between e (へ) and ni (に)?
Can you use へ and に interchangeably, as in 北海道へ行く and 北海道に行く? Are there any subtle differences in the use of these two?
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06/05/19

How would you practice spoken English when there is no one to talk to you in English?
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06/04/19

How hard would it be for someone who’s British to learn to speak regular English?
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06/03/19

What does 彼女は私ほど自分のことを好きじゃない mean?
Consider the following > 彼女は私ほど自分のことを好きじゃない。 My attempt is as follows - A: She does not love herself as much as I love myself. - B: She does not love herself as much as she loves me. -... more
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06/02/19

Understand the difference between [dictionary/ない ＋ ようとする] and [volitional ＋ にする]?
I have come across a couple of concepts that seem relatively similar, but I would like an understanding on their differences, if any. The first is the dictionary/ない form + ようとする. And the other is... more
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06/02/19

Unifying concept for noun-adjectives of the pattern Xかな?
Consider these: - ～か： >- 静か >- 愚か >- 厳か - ～やか: >- 穏やか >- 鮮やか >- 賑やか - ～らか: >- 柔らか >- 滑らか >- 明らか There are many more that I've not listed. The か/やか/らか at... more
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06/02/19

How to use 〜かのよう{に・な・だ}?
I understand fine how to use 〜(の)よう{に・な・だ}, but I'm not sure when or how you can add in the か. Here's an example from my book: > ４月になって雪が降るなんて、まるで冬が戻って来たかのようです。 How is this different than if... more
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06/01/19

Is た形 required when using 自動詞 as an adjective?
From the grammar book I learned that when 自動詞 is being used as an adjective, it should change its form to the た形, for example: - 優れ{すぐれ}**た**学生 - 拗れ{こじれ}**た**話し But can I say 優れ**る**学生 or... more
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06/01/19

How do you say "if and only if" in Japanese?
I would like to know how to express mandatory conditions in Japanese. Since Japanese distinguishes between different types of languages, I should probably ask more precisely: What is the right way... more
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05/30/19

Usage of plain i-adjectives or た form (悪かったｖ悪い、良かったｖいい etc）?
Example: > 美人じゃなくて悪かったですね！ (sarcastic) compared to someone who is using a room and is told `あんまり広い部屋じゃなくて悪いな` Or for example the difference between 無事でよかった and I can't think of the... more
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05/28/19

How does the present tense work in a relative clause?
> そんなわけで、まだ日も暮れない夕方の通学路を、駅に向かってゆっくりと歩く俺と加藤。 I encountered this quote in a light novel and am stuck on how to interpret it. It feels like 歩く should be "walking" in this context, but it is not... more
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05/27/19

A break in the 5-7-5-7-7 meter?
So I was reading about Waka poetry and then about the tanka meter, when I came across several poems by Ono no Komachi and Narihira. The ついにゆく poem from Narihira has 8 syllables rather than 7 in the... more
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05/27/19

Difference between ままに and ままで?
What would be the difference between > 扉はやはり音もなく、押されるまま**に**動いた。 and > 扉はやはり音もなく、押されるまま**で**動いた。 When do you use ままで instead of ままに？
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05/26/19

Why are we allowed to use を particle with na-adjectives?
Can someone explain the usage of a _na_-adjective with the を particle? I cannot understand why we can say > ほうれん草を嫌いな人もいる。 because I'd thought that it had to be a が or の particle instead of... more
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05/26/19

What are the general principles of using verbs to modify nouns (e.g. 焦げるトースト/焦げたトースト)?
In all the time I've studied the language, I've never heard or seen anybody even hint at whether the principles from a given language (like using “burnt toast” vs. “burning toast”) carry over, or... more
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05/26/19

Combining に/で particles with 等【など】(or other "etc." stand-ins)?
I was recently trying to make an **open-ended** enumeration of places in a construction that would require the use of a に particle. E.g.: > AやBに行こう or even: > A[and the... more
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05/25/19

に and で revisited?
Consider the statement A: ホテル（に/で）泊まる. For both cases would translate to "I stay at a hotel" in English. However they are answers to different questions. Consider the questions １．どこに泊まる　and... more
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05/25/19

Is it ever right to use ば conditional to mean 'when'?
> 「だっ大丈夫よ、まるちゃんだってわたしたちのタイプだと思うよ、ねぇ」ととし子ちゃんが**なぐさめれば**、「そうだよ。さくらはぼくらの方の仲間だよ」と長山君が笑顔で言い、「そうよ」とたまちゃんが優しくうなずく。 > *(When?)* Toshiko comforted her, saying, "It's alright. I think Maru is our kind... more
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05/25/19

Is it true that にしたって is the colloquial form of にしたところで?
I've been thinking if it is true that にしたって is the colloquial form of にしたところで. In other words, are the bottom two sentences identical in meaning and nuance? 1)... more
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05/25/19

In what situations can you use ぞ as a sentence ender?
When can one use the sentence ender ぞ? I've only ever heard it anime, so I'm unsure of it's actual usage in the real world. Is it not used that often or limited to specific age/gender groups?
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