genki lesson 4

[yangbin]

Hi there,

Could someone could help to explain why in the dialogue 2 lesson 4, this is written :

ひとりでほにゃとおてらにいきました！

first sorry, still dont know how to write the kanji with my software, anyway, my question is about the で?? I thought this particle indicated where the event takes place!
but there I dont catch it maybe there is something that I have understood!

thx

best,

JP

[katafei]

Particles very rarely have just one meaning. (you are in for a treat ^_^)

二人で the two of them (together)
一人で by oneself, alone (as in 'not together')
are pretty much a set combination, I think.
Probably goes under the heading of:
'to show the means of doing something', which is one of the uses of で

Edit:
I guess a more literal translation would be 'with' (as variation on 'to show the means of doing something')
二人で 'with 'two peoplethe ie the two of them (together)
三人で　'with' three people

[Kagemaru]

I want to give this a crack.

で　has many uses, I will answer your question first and attempt the rest. Whatever I leave out, someone will come and clean up I'm sure. Hopefully I cover them all.

1) Will show the mode or the condition of the agent of the action. (Not to be confused with the subject)
山田さんはアパートに一人で住んでいます。
Yamda san ha apaato ni hitori de sundeimasu
Yamada san lives in an apartment by himself.
or
家族中でオーストラリアへ旅行した。
Kazokujuu de oosutoraria he ryokou shita.
I went or made a trip to Australia with the whole family.

2) Will show the location of an action.　Like "at" or "in" to that extent
昨日銀座のレストランで晩ごはんを食べました。
Kinou Ginza no restoran de bangohan wo tabemashita.
Yesterday I had dinner at a restaurant in Ginza.

3)Will show a implement or means. Like "by" or "with" etc
私は日本へ船で来ました。
Watashi ha nihon he fune de kimashita.
I came to Japan by boat.

4)Will show the material used. Like "of" "from" "with"
このケーキは、卵と砂糖で作ります。
Kono keeki ha, tamago to satou de tsukurimasu.
This cake is made of eggs and sugar.

5) Will show the greatest, largest, smallest, oldest, newest etc in a given category. (I hope that makes sense)　Like "in"
世界で一番高い山は何ですか。
Sekai de ichiban takai yama ha nan desu ka.
What is the highest mountain in the world?

6)I can't explain this one well, but will show amount and scope inside a time space.
Like "of" "in" "for"
この本は一時間で読めますよ。
Kono hon ha ichijikan de yomemasu yo.
(You) can read this book in an hour.
or
あのテレビは叙怏~で買える。
Ano terebi ha jumanen de kaeru.
(You) can but that T.V for 100,000 yen.

7)Will show time or age. Like "when" "at the age of"
あの詩人は二曙ﾜ歳で死んだ。
Ano shijin ha nijuugo sai de shinda.
That poet died at the age of twenty five.
or
戦争が終わって来年で五諸Nになる。
Sensou ga owatte rainen de gojuu nen ni naru.
Next year will be fifty years since the war ended.

Will show the reason for something. Like "because of"
病気で旅行に行けなかった。
Byouki de ryokou ni ikenakatta.
Because I was sick I couldn't go on the trip.

I think that's all of them. Let's see what the heavy weights come up with.

[ss]

Yangbinさん
初めまして。　Welcome to TJP.

Genki explained that 一人で is alone, by oneself.
And also if you turn to page 75, it shows some adverbs and other expressions, 一人で is one of them.

Just like adverb phrases in English we have > very, quickly, slowly, finally, furthermore, indeed etc, we just have to remember 一人で is an adverb phrase.

Hope that helps.

[yangbin]

ok thank you everyone, really well detailed !