particles???

[Kuroneko-chan]

Will someone please help me? I'm beyond confused about how to use the particles, especially ga and wa.

[Daichi]

http://www.timwerx.net/language/particles.htm

Hope that helps.

[Mariya]

Hey, this might help as well.

http://japanese.about.com/blparticles.htm

[Kuroneko-chan]

Wow I didn't think people would reply so quickly. Thank you! I'll let you know if they help

[AaRoN]

Daichi...is that cloud strife in ur avatar????
p.s sorry if this is spamming

[Mariya]

Yup, its Cloud from the Advent Children...(sorry if I wasn't supposed to answer that...).

[Daisuke]

AaRoN wrote:
Daichi...is that cloud strife in ur avatar????
p.s sorry if this is spamming

Please, that is what PM's are for.

[Toriyama]

When I was at my local book store buying new books to continue my study of Japanese I saw a book that was 200 pages long and listed over 100 particles. >_<

[Harisenbon]

Toriyama,

over 100 particles? There aren't even that many characters in Japanese. Maybe 100 uses of particles? But even that seems a little high.

My friend has a book with 20 pages devoted to わ　and が. I have one (japanese) will about 4. The Unicom books for the ２・１級　日本語迫ﾍ試験 has a really good reference. You can buy it in clay's store.

[zengargoyle]

Harisenbon wrote:

over 100 particles? There aren't even that many characters in Japanese. Maybe 100 uses of particles? But even that seems a little high.

Harisenbon, some books count many things as particles. i'm not sure what native speakers would consider a particle, but for instance my A Dictionary of Japanese Particles (Kawashima) counts over 100. they include combination particles and just about everything else that might go after a phrase to give a more specific meaning. things like: kara, made, dake, tene, tewa, toieba, tomo, tomoare, nodearu, nagaramo, and so on.

[Kuroneko-chan]

YAY! The websites helped alot! Thanx! On the other hand I'm having trouble understanding how to use desu, arimasu, and imasu ::pout::

[Supergrunch]

As far as I have learned, desu is purely an equaliser eg. "I = big" translates as "watashi wa ooki(sp?) desu". "Arimasu" and "imasu" are used for the other uses of the verb "to be"- "arimasu" for non-living things and plants, and "imasu" is used for living things (not including plants).

Hope that helps.

[Kuroneko-chan]

Uhh ::scratches head:: no not really. When you say I= big do you mean like when you use desu it tells you that I is big? I don't understand what you meant for arimasu ir imasu at all. Sorry...maybe if you gave me a bunkei [sample sentence]?

[Kates]

It's bunREI. :O What he means is 'desu' is used for "X = Y" sentences.
Watashi ha gakusei desu. I am a student. (I = student -- they are the same/equal)
Ringo ha oishii desu. Apples are delicious. (Apples = delicious -- again, equal)

Arimasu means 'to exist (for non-living things).
Toshokan ga arimasu. There is a library.
Watashi no heya de terebi ga arimasu. There is a TV in my room.

Imasu is 'to exist (for living things).
Tanaka-san ha toshokan ni imasu. Tanaka-san is in the library.
Isu no shita ni neko ga imasu. There is a cat under the chair.

How was that?

[AaRoN]

Daisuke wrote:

AaRoN wrote:
Daichi...is that cloud strife in ur avatar????
p.s sorry if this is spamming

Please, that is what PM's are for.

sry forgot about pm i'll do that in the future

p.s can other particles be learn through conversation????