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Grammar Questions and Problems • Honorific/humble speech using compound verbs

2010-09-06T15:35:15-04:00

Thanks for the responses seems it's a complicated subject, I'll ask my Japanese teacher since our first lesson is on Wednesday

Statistics: Posted by takiras — Mon 09.06.2010 3:35 pm — Replies 3 — Views 125

日本語の練習 (Practice Japanese) • 買い物に行きます！

2010-09-06T13:08:55-04:00

Good work!
Meaning-wise, 98% were comprehensible.

1. style
You'd better to avoid the mixture of
～です,～ます and　～なった, ～たんだ

2. usage of the verb なる／なっている
「ピカピカになる」 present tense
「ピカピカになった」past tense
「ピカピカになっている」present tense
「ピカピカになっていた」past tense

なる means the action
なっている means the condition

「まるで別のビルになっていました」would be preferable.

3.僕の意識を深い念から取り戻したときに
In many RPG, the characters use this kind of expression. It would sound natural if you are a hero in a fantastic game world. But if you use it in the real world, it would sound like..."are you kidding me?" JFYI.

4. 集めてながら
is wrong. It should be 集めながら.

5. 観測しました
This word is used as a technical term. Like...an astronomer observes the nova...
観察しました would be better.

6. 怒ったそう顔をしてったんだ
怒ったような顔を／怒った顔を／怒ったみたいな顔を
してたんだ／していました

There are a couple of other minor unnatural expressions though, it's very well done, I think.

I'll give it a try in a different style. Note that ～た and ～たんだ is interchangeable in any case.
This is only a sample. Hope it helps.

昨日、お父さんが「牛乳が欲しいから店に買いに行きなさい」とぼくに言ったんだ。その店は小さくてボロボロなのであまり行きたくなかったけど、仕方なく出かけたんだ。
確か20分くらいで店に着いた。驚いたよ！　その古くて汚いビルはピカピカになっていたんだ。しかも、大きくなって！　まるで別のビルになっていた。ぼくは気を取り直すと店の中に入った。
店の外側がたいしたことになってたと言ったけど、内側もすごくきれいになっていたんだ。一週間分の食材を買い物しながら、ぼくはまわりをよく観察した。そのうちに、外が真っ暗になった。
家に帰ると、お父さんは怒った顔をしていた。「お前は牛乳を買いに行ったのに、忘れてくるなんて情けないな。もう一度店に行ってきなさい」なんて言うんだ。いやああだ！

Statistics: Posted by NileCat — Mon 09.06.2010 1:08 pm — Replies 1 — Views 76

Grammar Questions and Problems • What does 〜て　おきます mean?

2010-09-06T11:15:37-04:00

One of the functions of ～ておきます is to imply "preparation".

勉強します simply means that you are going to study.
勉強しておきます means that you are going to study .
Which means you expect that you will be finishing the adequate study before the test.

I'm not familiar with the term 意向動詞, I'm afraid. I googled but couldn't find the definition. It's Chinese, isn't it? I can suppose the meaning though, I'm not quite sure which Japanese verbs are called 意向動詞.

e.g.
会議の前に、彼に話します。(the conversation will be made before the meeting)
会議の前に、彼に話しておきます。(the preparation will be done)

アシスタントを手配します。
アシスタントを手配しておきます。

受付で分かるようにしておきます。
(the receptionist will recognize you because the "preparation" is to be made before your coming)

EDIT: I personally think it's similar to "future perfect tense" in English (shall have done) though, I'm not sure.

Statistics: Posted by NileCat — Mon 09.06.2010 11:15 am — Replies 1 — Views 51

Grammar Questions and Problems • what does しまいます mean?

2010-09-06T07:25:50-04:00

I'm sorry if my words have confused some of you. I would be more aware of the abbreviations in my posts next time.

Statistics: Posted by milly — Mon 09.06.2010 7:25 am — Replies 4 — Views 355

Introductions • Yo

2010-09-06T05:45:50-04:00

本当にありがとうございます :D

Statistics: Posted by Kyoku — Mon 09.06.2010 5:45 am — Replies 2 — Views 55

Translation Questions or Discussion • "funya funya" / "dokoro de wa sumanaku naru"

2010-09-06T03:07:23-04:00

its an off-colour joke, she's basically saying he can't get it up. ふにゃふにゃ is used to describe something soft but the only time i've really heard it used is when a woman is insinuating that a guy can't get it up.

Statistics: Posted by 天才0211 — Mon 09.06.2010 3:07 am — Replies 8 — Views 1319

Introductions • お久しぶりです。

2010-09-05T15:46:43-04:00

ありがとうございます。
Thank you Nilecat .

Statistics: Posted by sonix2407 — Sun 09.05.2010 3:46 pm — Replies 2 — Views 130

Japanese Language Proficiency Test • Hooked and Booked...

2010-09-05T07:37:10-04:00

Is everyone aware that there are only about 3 weeks left to register?

http://www.jflalc.org/?act=tpt&id=8

"Registration for the 2010 JLPT will start on August 2nd, 2010 at 10:00AM PT and end on September 24th, 2010 at 5:00PM PT."

Make arrangements now if you plan on taking it this year! がんばりましょう！

Statistics: Posted by phreadom — Sun 09.05.2010 7:37 am — Replies 13 — Views 1421

General off topic • "Summer Goals?": So, how did you do?

2010-09-05T07:10:02-04:00

I'm reasonably satisified with what I got done this summer. Although I haven't done really as much work revising Kanji as I'd have liked, I managed to finish off Genki II. I also got started with Harry Potter, which was actually a pleasant surprise in how I found I could understand pretty well the vast majority of the grammar, and I've already picked up a fair bit of new vocab.

Although I'm not going to be taking an AS level class like I'd initially hoped, I'm going to be taking the exams privately.

Statistics: Posted by ピーター — Sun 09.05.2010 7:10 am — Replies 3 — Views 165

General off topic • Our prayers for SS

2010-09-05T06:39:23-04:00

Oh my god. SS san... I only know the terrible news from kohyin's FB site Nihongo today!!
I thought you are on holiday or busy at work.

How come you will have this kind of infection.. I am so glad to know you are in the stage of recovery. The first message of txkun really shocked me.

I didn't receive see you or message since July.. that's why.

Hope the pain and the complications will be gone soon.

--Bikki.

Statistics: Posted by bikki — Sun 09.05.2010 6:39 am — Replies 29 — Views 2088

Japanese General Discussion • 春香... is this a real name?

2010-09-05T05:15:22-04:00

Yes, a group of students recently visited my school. One of them was named 春香!

Statistics: Posted by toilet — Sun 09.05.2010 5:15 am — Replies 2 — Views 347

Grammar Questions and Problems • Are these sentence forms correct?

2010-09-05T00:55:59-04:00

Oh, 分かった、間違いんですね。

Statistics: Posted by kentaku_sama — Sun 09.05.2010 12:55 am — Replies 5 — Views 167

英語の練習 • The Next Person Game in English

2010-09-04T15:25:13-04:00

Dustin_Calgary wrote:
The next person has something ridiculous in their wardrobe and is willing to share

I bought a cool black hat this summer.
But unfortunately it turned out I look like a typical shady Asian pimp with the hat on...

The next person is a snazzy dresser.

Statistics: Posted by NileCat — Sat 09.04.2010 3:25 pm — Replies 385 — Views 43143

Japanese Language Proficiency Test • Quick 2級 question

2010-09-04T14:41:46-04:00

と・する
格助詞「と」に、動詞「する」の付いたもの

[1]そのように仮定する
e.g.　君がそこに居合わせたとする

[2]そう考える。そう判断する
e.g. これでよしとしよう
　　その可能性もあるとしなければならぬ
　　目標達成は難しいとされている

[3]ちょうどそうしようとしている
e.g.　出かけようとすると、きまって雨が降る

http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E3%81%A8%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B&dtype=0&dname=0ss&stype=0&index=114140700000&pagenum=1
「と・される」is a passive form of it.
In this case, the meaning is [2].

it is held to be...
it is considered to be...
it is assumed to be...
it is regarded as...

http://eow.alc.co.jp/%e3%81%a8%e3%81%95 ... %8b/UTF-8/
http://eow.alc.co.jp/%e3%81%a8%e3%81%95 ... %8b/UTF-8/

Statistics: Posted by NileCat — Sat 09.04.2010 2:41 pm — Replies 3 — Views 94

Culture and Info about living in Japan • I'm going to Japan shortly, need to email homestay family!

2010-09-04T14:19:45-04:00

Do I say はじめまして。ぼくは「なまえ」です。どうぞよろしくおねがいします。? Or do I wait until we actually meet?

That seems very nice to me.
You can say the same thing again when you actually meet them.

おあいするのをたのしみにしています。
（お会いするのを楽しみにしています）
(I'm looking forward to seeing you)
is commonly used.

Enjoy your stay in Japan!

Statistics: Posted by NileCat — Sat 09.04.2010 2:19 pm — Replies 1 — Views 88