Learning the Japanese Language

[Madoka]

Yookoso minna-san! Nihongo wo benkyoo shimashou!

At the request of many students, this thread is for teachers and students of the Japanese language to share questions and answers. Please post if you want to ask a specific question or teach a specific lesson. This thread is intended mainly for beginning students; intermediate and advanced students can also find and give information here, and practice their kanji skills in the Kanji Quiz (http://animeacademy.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9526) thread.

Anyone is welcome to post a lesson, but please verify your information with either your textbook or another reliable page on the Internet. If a teacher feels the need to correct or challenge another teacher's lesson, please send a private message and that person can edit the original post. That will prevent any back and forth in this thread and keep it on track.

I'll kick things off and hope that other people have something to contribute!

Lesson 1: Common Phrases

Like Kjeldoran's frequently used terms lecture (http://www.animeacademy.com/anime101/Frequently_Used_Terms/anime101.html), this lesson is for teaching you some starter phrases of the language.

Introducing Yourself (Simple)

Hajimemashite. (ha-gee-meh-mah-she-te)
Hello/How do you do.

[Watashi wa] ____ desu. (wah-tah-she wa [name] des)
My name is _____. (You can leave out the watashi wa and still have the same meaning.)

Doozo yoroshiku onegai shimasu. (doe-zo yo-ro-shi-coo o-ne-guy she-mas)
Nice to meet you. (Literally, please take care of me.)

Introducing yourself is accompanied by a bow with your eyes lowered.

For your name, if you know how to pronounce it in Japanese (from the reading of your name in katakana), speak it that way. If not, stating your name as you normally would is fine. Remember, never refer to yourself with a suffix on your last name. So if I'm introducing myself with my real name (Kelly Bickford), I would say:

Hajimemashite. [Watashi wa] Kerii Bikkufoudo desu. Douzo yoroshiku onegai shimasu.

If you have questions on pronouncing your own real name, post here or send a PM to any teacher and they will help you.

More complicated introductions usually include your name, age, and what year in school you are. A jikoshookai (introduction) usually continues with your hobbies and where you are from. Many people here who have taken Japanese classes can probably tell you about having to stand before the class to give their detailed introductions.

Other Common Phrases

Sumimasen. (sue-me-ma-sen)
Excuse me.

Gomen nasai. (go-men na-sai)
I'm sorry.

Domo arigatou gozaimasu. (doe-mo ah-ree-gah-toh go-zah-ee-mas)
Thank you.

Ohayoo gozaimasu! (o-ha-yo go-zah-ee-mas)
Good morning!

Konnichiwa! (kon-ni-chi-wah)
Good day! (Hello!)

Konbanwa. (kon-ban-wah)
Good evening.

Oyasumi nasai. (oh-yah-su-me nah-sah-ee)
Good night.


That's it for me! I hope other teachers will cover other phrases, writing and reading Japanese characters, and more.

Ganbatte kudasai, minna-san! (Good luck!)

[adultswimmer]

umm madoka, just to check, minna-san would mean students or class? also, could someone set a standard for pronuciation notation? the things like gee (either like the letter g, or like the short sound, it can get confusing) should be easier if thats done.

Minna-san means everyone.

A standard would be good, since I was trying to figure out how the heck to write some of those myself! - Madoka

[MeAndroo]

I guess I'll just add a bit to jikoshoukai...

Things commonly included in one are:

Current company or school is given ownership over you in a sentence, using the "no" particle.

I.E.
"Watashi wa Sony no Andoryuu desu"
"Watashi wa USC no Andoryuu desu"


Commonly used alternative ways of saying "I"

Male:
Ore (very casual)
Boku

Female:
Atashi

Both genders use watashi or watakushi. Similarly, both can use ware, though I'd say it's not as common amongst young people.

To make I into us, just add -tachi at the end of the pronoun for I....i.e. oretachi or watashitachi.

[Kuzu Ryu Sen]

Well, some basics are that all Japanese words are to be pronounced by syllable.

Eg. ame is pronouced "ah-meh". Rather than "aim".

All vowels on the end of Japanese syllables are short. Long vowels do exist, but they are pronounced by stretching the sound of the short vowel, rather than changing it.

Eg. biru --> bee-ru. biiru --> beeee-ru. (it's a little exaggerated, but hopefully you get the idea.

All consonants are short as well.

Long vowels are indicated in romaji by a double vowel or an added u usually.

Eg. Ohayou (the long o can be romanized as oo or ou.)

BTW: Madoka-sensei, that's AWFULLY formal (douzo yoroshiku onegai shimasu) eh?



Topics Covered So Far:

Introductions - Madoka-sensei, Post 1
Pronouns - MeAndroo-sensei, Post 3
Pronouciation - Kuzu Ryu Sen-sensei, Post 4

[Eek]

Originally posted by Kuzu Ryu Sen
BTW: Madoka-sensei, that's AWFULLY formal (douzo yoroshiku onegai shimasu) eh?
I think that learning the distal style is probably better in the long run. Anyone can pick up Japanese simply by common slang, but then they will not really know the word origins, proper meanings, or even the full words themselves.

Anyways, my contribution to the thread is a Katakana study guide I found online not that long ago (Since I am lazy and do not feel like writing out anything lengthy):
http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~mitomits/katakana/

[Nosferatu]

I am having a problem understanding the usage of "de" in the meaning of action or movement. I can understand by using it as "at". Is there any special rule or is it a just because reason.

[Kuzu Ryu Sen]

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

Action indicator de

Particle de is a preposition that shows us where an action takes place:
Kyou ie de taberu. (I'll eat at home today.)
Kodomotachi wa kouen de asonde imasu. (The kids are playing in the park.)

Some exceptions are: Use ni when the verb shows attachment to an object or place, and o when the action passes a place or intentionally covers a wide area:
Kana wa ano isu ni suwatte iru. (Kana is sitting in that chair over there.)
Bill wa Nagoya ni sunde imasu. (Bill lives in Nagoya.)
Futatsu me no kado o magatte kudasai. (Please turn at the second corner.)
Kouen o sanpo shimashou. (Let's take a walk in the park.)

De is used for "among":
Watashi no yuujin de, piano o hikeru hito ga inai. (There is no one among my friends that can play the piano.)

De also indicates a method:
Onamae wa pen de kaite kudasai. (Please write your name with a pen.)
Genkin de haraimashou. (Let's pay with cash.)
Eigo de hanashite kureru? (Would you please speak English?)

De is sometimes used before ii to say that something is good or sufficient as it is:
Kore de ii. (This is okay. [It's good enough.])
Ashita de ii. (Tomorrow will be okay.)

De is sometimes combined with wa to show that something is done within the subject:
Tokushima dewa maitoshi yuumei na matsuri ga okonawareru. (A famous festival is held in Tokushima every year.)

Hope that helps somewhat. I really don't know if there's a reason that particles usually are what they are, I just think its what Japanese uses to indicate the nature of the modified word, really, nothing more than that.

[pyokin]

It's very interesting!
Can the lessons continue?
I'd like to learn more and more Japanese, please.

[Flint]

Is it possible to buy a Japanese dictionary in Las Vegas, NV? I want one so I can pick up a bit of Japanese or look up a random word. Do all Japanese to English dictionaries use romanaji (sp?) or kanji?

[Perfect_Cheezit]

I've only been to Vegas once, but if there is a Barnes and Noble or Border in that city, rest assured they will have one.

[Eso]

Can someone please explain all the uses and nuances of "you ni"?

Most of the time I see "you ni" after a noun or after a verbal phrase, I think. Thanks in advance.

[Flint]

Thanks for answering my questions, Perfect_Cheezit. Do you know where in B&N they'd have it? I'm a bookworm, so I go to bookstores very often, but I haven't looked for a Japanese Dictionary at any of the bookstores.

[Perfect_Cheezit]

I'm not sure where, exactly; if it is a large Barnes and Noble they might have a section dedicated solely to foreign language study, where you can get pocket dictionaries in many languages. Otherwise, just ask an employee and they will point you in the right direction.

[Flint]

Aha. I think I remember seeing a foreign language section. Oh, I believe you when you say you've been here only once. Any native Las Vegian knows: Everything is big in Vegas.

Whoops! GTG, I'm off to Meadows Mall and Suncoast! YES!

[MeAndroo]

Can someone please explain all the uses and nuances of "you ni"?

Hmm...here's my understanding, taken from a book made by Waseda called "Total Japanese."

I.
Plain verb form (a) - you ni - verb (b). Do b so as to do b/Do a in such a way as to b.
Like, yoku wakaru (a) you ni setsumei shimashita (b).
I explained (b) in a way that would be easily understood (a).

The plain form of the verb (a) is always present plain and negatives are fine. Verb b can be present, past, or a command/request.

More examples (straight outta the book):
Ni nengo ni ryuugaku dekiru (a) you ni chokin shiteimasu (b).
I am saving money (b) so that I will be able to study abroad in two years (a).

Michi ni mayowanai (a) you ni chizu o motteitta (b).
I brought a map (b) so I wouldn't get lost in the streets (a).

II.
Another way to use you ni is:
Verb - you ni suru.
Make an effort to do -verb-.

Tatoeba:
jikan ga kakaranai you ni shimashita
I made an effort not to take too long.

If you use shiteiru, then the connotation changes to "make it a rule not to -verb-.

Ex: ryoukou chuu ha narubeku namamizu wo nomanai you ni shiteita.
I make it a rule not to drink unboiled water during my travels.

III.
Verb - you ni naru.
Reach the state of -verb-.
(the verb is often in potential form, which has not been covered here yet)

Arukeru you ni narimashita.
I have become able to walk.

shinbun wo yomeru you ni naritai na.
I want to reach the state of being able to read newspapers/I want to be able to read newspapers.

IV.
Plain present verb - you ni - person - ni - iu.
Tell -person- to do -verb-.

Juuichi ji ni kuru (verb) you ni haha (person) ni iimashita.
I told my mom (person) to come at 11 o clock (verb).

You can also use other speaking verbs similar to iu, like tanomu (ask/request), tsutaeru (relay/convey message), chuuii suru (warn/caution).

Sono koto wa/ha dare ni mo hanasanai you ni tanomimashita.
I asked him not to tell anyone about that.

Shorui wo hayaku teishutsu suru you ni kachou ni chuuii sareta.
I was advised by my boss to turn in the documents quickly.
(this uses the passive verb form of suru, sareta)

V.
Anything - no you ni - (verb optional).
Like/as anything.
This isn't in my book, but I remember it from talking to people.

Tatoeba:
Itsumo no you ni asondeiru bakari.
Like always, you're only playing.

Tori no you ni tabemashita.
He ate like a bird.

Natsu no you ni atsui hi da.
It's a day as hot as summer.

There might be more, but this is as far as my general knowledge goes.

[Eso]

Thank you very much.

[pyokin]

Hi
I'd like to know, please, how you difference
"kono"
"zono"
"ano"
Thank you.

PYKN

[Madoka]

Kono means "this."

Sono (not zono) means "that."

Ano means "that over there".

[MeAndroo]

Just a little more on sono...

"Sono" is used when talking about what your listener is holding/near/talking about (usually something you don't know about). For example, if the listener were talking about a movie, and you hadn't seen it, you might say, "sono eiga omoshiroi no ka na." If you were talking about his shirt, you'd say sono shatsu.

[Darkmane]

Here's a thing that's been bothering me for sometime. I've noticed that the word "mitai" (I suppose it is the verb "miru" in volitional form) has two extra uses:

I. [noun] + mitai -> (seems) like [noun].
For instance, "yume mitai", is an often heard saying in anime, which, naturally, means "seems like a dream".

It seems to me a bit different from "[noun] + no you ni", in that it is not an adverb. I have never seen it used to describe an action is done in a way similar to something.
For instance, you could say: "tori no you ni tonde ita", "(I) was flying like a bird", but "tori mitai tonde ita" does not seem appropriate. It also works in other direction: "[noun] + no you ni" is used to describe the way actions are performed (in other words, it makes an adverb), as is indicated by the ni particle at the end. I don't think saying "yume no you ni" is appropriate; it means more "does like a dream" instead of "seems lke a dream".

II. [te form verb] + mitai -> want to [verb]
I'm not sure about this one, but it seems like a rather uncommon way to express volition. Usually you'd just use the volitional form, like "bijutsukan ni ikitai" (I want to go to the art mesuem), but you can use "bijutsukan ni itte mitai". I think this is a more literary way of saying things, but that's only a speculation.

Well, that was just what I've noticed. Am I correct about those two uses? Are there any more uses I've missed? Please tell me.

[Natsuke Takeda]

quick way to learn the accent...

a-ah
i-ee
u-oo
e-eh
o-oh

If you can't remember or pronouce that, remeber this phrase:

"Ah, we soon get old"

brought to you by Animeinfo's Japanese guide, all credit to AnimeInfo

[Darkmane]

To add some more to what Natsuke Takeda have said, you have to pronounce these vowels plainly. In other words, there are no diphtongs in Japanese like there are in English, so you shouldn't be changing the vowels sound in the middle.
Long vowels have exactly the same sound as their shorter versions, they're only elongated. A long vowel should take roughly twice the time of a normal vowels.

The long vowels are written like that:


a -> aa
e -> ei
i -> ii
o -> ou
u -> uu



That's all that can be said about the vowels, I think. They're probably the easiest part of the Japanese language to tackle.

[pyokin]

What's the difference between
ano
are
kore
zore?
I'm still lost, I'll a special lesson about all those words!! XD
Thank you....

[Natsuke Takeda]

it depends on what difference you're talking about, the definition, the pronounciation, etc?

Then maybe this thread can be more specific on what you need...

[Darkmane]

Japanese demonstrative pronouns (that is, the Japanese counterparts of this, that, these and those) are very logical and therefore simple to follow. While there are many such pronouns, almost all of them follow the same basic set of rules.
To make things easier to understand, I'll begin with the simplest triplet of pronouns, kore sore and are:


kore - this. Closest proximity - things that relate directly to the speaker. Refers to an object you are holding or generally owns, something that happened to you, an idea that belongs to you, etc.
sore - that. Further proximity - things that relate to the listener (the one the speaker is talking to). Refers to an object the listener owns, something that happened to him, something that he said, etc.
are - that over there/that yonder - Furthest proximity. While there's no commonly used equivalent in English (we'd usually just use "that" to point at something far away), it still isn't hard to grasp. When you use this pronoun you are refering to something that is neither close to you nor to your listener, for instance, an object in the other side of the room.
[/list=1]

After we cleared up these ones, it's easier to work with the rest. kono, sono (not zono) and ano are just the possessive versions of the aforementioned three pronouns. Unlike English, Japanese differentiates between a regular demonstrative pronoun, which used alone, to a possessive demonstrative pronouns, which is followed by another word. I'll give an example in English to make it clear:

[list]
"This is a strange place." - this acts as the subject here.
"That was awful!" - that acts as the subject here.
"This wall has many scratches on it." - the wall is the subject. This is used to further specify that the wall we're talking about is this wall.
"That cat was definitely black." - the cat is the subject. That is used to further specify that the cat we're talking about is that cat.


As you see, there is a difference between those two kinds of uses, even if only in meaning. While we use the same word for both uses in English, in Japanese we'll be using two different sets of words. kore sore and are will be used for stand-alone pronouns (like the first two examples) and kono, sono and ano will be used when the pronoun is merely describing another word (like the latter two examples).

There are other words which are structured similarly to the pronouns above, which makes it easy to remember their meanings. Keep in mind the following prinnciples:

[list=1]
a word starting with 'ko' usually refers to the closest proximity. More examples: konna (such as this), kochira (this way, this direction, this person), koko (here).
a word starting with 'so' usually refers to the further proximity. More examples: sonna (such as that), sochira (that way, that direction), soko (there).
a word starting with 'a' usually refers to the furthest proximity. More examples: anna (such as that over there), achira (the yonder way, the yonder direction), asoko (yonder). Note that we say asoko instead of just ako. This is the only irregular I can think of right now.
a word starting with 'do usually refers to a question word. So dore means "which one?" and dono "which". More examples: donna (what kind of?), dochira (which way?), doko (where?).
[/list=1]

There are also the words koitsu, soitsu and aitsu (and also doitsu, but be careful not to confuse with the word for Germany). They are basically abbreviation of "kono yatsu", "sono yatsu" and "ano yatsu". They deviate a bit from the proximity order, in that koitsu doesn't mean "I", and soitsu doesn't mean "you". I think the meaning of all three is very similar (perhaps "koitsu" can be used to say "you" sometimes), but I'm not absolutely sure about that. Just keep in mind these words are very familiar, don't use them too carelessly, or you'll get scolded. Remember the chapter of Hikaru no Go where Hikaru called Ogata-9-dan "aitsu" and think about the shocked response of the Kiin clerk.
:jawdrop

And that's it, for now. Hope it isn't too short. :GD

Edit:
I stand corrected by Kuzu Ryuu Sen, what he says more than makes sense.
pyokin - Fortunately or unfortunately (depending on your point of view), I easily get carried away and write down long posts. Anyway, in answer to your question: you don't have special words for "those" or "these" in Japanese. Since there is no plural form in Japanese, you say "this dog" the same way you'll be saying "these dogs". Both are "kono inu".
To make clear that you're talking about more than a single object you can use the constructs like the "-tachi" suffix (for people and also for animals), so you can say "kono inutachi". This will no longer be vague, and it will be apparent that you're talking about multiple dogs. There are also other methods to indicate plurality, like doubling the word, in some cases (ware (I) - wareware (we)), but whatever method you use, it doesn't change anything gramatically. That is, you don't have to use different pronouns with such a noun or conjugate the verbs differently. This makes Japanese easier than most other languages in that sense.

[Kuzu Ryu Sen]

Wouldn't koitsu, soitsu, and aitsu be closer to "this person", "that person", and "that person over there"?

[pyokin]

Waaaa
Let me thank you, Darkmane, you shouldn't but it's such a graet work!
I can tell that I liked those lessons...(Btw, how do you say "those" in japanese?)
Congratulations for all the teachers or people that collaborate with this, and Arigatou gozaimasu!
Well, as we are the dec 31th, happy birthday (thee are many students born in this day!) and
OMEDETOU GOZAIMAASU!!

[Eso]

I have a question: I have been reading carefully and I came across 3 ways to say "seems like"

Two of them have already been mentioned in this thread already: (noun) no you ni and (noun) mitai

The third is (adjective) sou. An example I heard was : ureshii sou.

Can someone verify these?

[Tenshi no Rakumei]

does anyone know of any really good Japanese learning tools that are availiable in bookstores (tapes, books, etc.)?

[Darkmane]

I'd the English word with the closest meaning to sou is "so". But it may be just because they sound similar. ;)
Seriously, it means "so", "like" or "seeming". This word as many uses, among of which the most apparent is for the stock Japanese replies, like the following:

sou da/sou desu - it's like that - indeed.
sou ka/sou desu ka - is it so? - I see.
sou desu ne - it's that way, isn't it - Yeah, that's right.

Besides that sou is, indeed, used as a suffix for adjectives like you described. Just take a note of an exception like "kawaisou" (don't know if there are any more) that has nothing to do with seeming cute.
For yet another use of "sou" let me repost a link to a site that was mentioned here before (At least, I think it was):
http://www.timwerx.net/language/jpverbs/lesson37.htm

[Flint]

I have a quick question. How do you decide what words can be "squished together" to form one new word, and what has to be said as a phrase? Is it just like English where we have a definite set of words? I've noticed that many compound Japanese words (esp. in Romanji) seem to be made of smaller words strung together.

[Seppuku]

do you meen like what kanjis go together?
like “dŽÔ (densha) its the kanji for electricity and car compounded it makes train. but you cant really make assumptions or you might be writing something you shouldnt be saying. im not quite sure what you meen by
"and what has to be said as a phrase? Is it just like English where we have a definite set of words?"

BY Pyokin
...(Btw, how do you say "those" in japanese?)

used as adjectives either�@"sorero" or �@"arero" depending on how far the object was "sorero" would be like "sore" and "arero" like "are" for distances

for instance
sorero no hon wa ikura desu ka? how much are those books right there

arero no hon wa ikura desu ka? how much are those books over there

[Flint]

Sorry for not being clear. I meant the Romanji words.

BTW, what is "no" used as? A connecting word? I've noticed in a lot of Rurouni Kenshin fanfics "Kenshin no baka" is a common phrase.

[Kuzu Ryu Sen]

"no", basically, a particle indicating possession.

Kenshin no baka.

Subject = Kenshin.

Object = baka

Particle no indicates that the subject possesses the object. Kenshin possesses baka, or in natural English, Kenshin is a baka.

[Flint]

*snickers* Sorry. KRS, the way you said it was hilarious, especially considering your sig and ava. ^_^

About my question: If I wanted to, say, create a phrase like "shadow dragon" could I just find the Romanji or kanji for "shadow" and "dragon" and stick them together? Like hikageryuu or something? It does look funny...

[Kuzu Ryu Sen]

To create words/names for things that naturally don't exist in Japanese, the general principle is to combine kanji that tell people what the new word is supposed to mean.

So theoretically while you could do that, remember that each Japanese kanji have many different readings given the context. So just doing that may not be correct, but a Japanese speaker will still get what you tried to say.

[pyokin]

[/B][/QUOTE]

BY Pyokin


used as adjectives either�@"sorero" or �@"arero" depending on how far the object was "sorero" would be like "sore" and "arero" like "are" for distances

for instance
sorero no hon wa ikura desu ka? how much are those books right there

arero no hon wa ikura desu ka? how much are those books over there [/B][/QUOTE]

Thank you a lot, it seems like I understand better that lesson...

And... How do you say congratulations?

PYKN

[Madoka]

Originally posted by pyokin
And... How do you say congratulations?

Omedetou gozaimasu!

That's the formal way to say it. To say it informally, just say, "Omedetou!" (Pronounced "oh-meh-deh-toe!")

[Flint]

Hello, Madoka! Haven't seen you post in a while. Have all the proffesors gone on a Harry Potter Professor ava spree or something?
Anyway, KRS, considering the fact that I don't know Kanji, what would be the "proper" way to create a word in Romanji? Is just sticking the Romanji words together acceptable?

[Kuzu Ryu Sen]

Since romaji is just the romanization of the pronounciation of Japanese script into the Roman alphabet, as opposed to a separate alphabet/language, you would do exactly the same as with the kanji.

[Tamanegi Sensei]

Question: I want to say kick ass in the form of praise in japanese. How do you translate it into romaji?

[Kuzu Ryu Sen]

err...

"sugoi" (or the slang form, "sugei" <-- someone correct me on this, I don't know much about what I like to call "Sano talk") would probably be closest to what you are trying to convey.

While the word is usually translated as amazing or something to the like, it can also be translated as like "sweet!" or something like that.

I think it might be romanized as "sugee," but you have the usage and pronunciation right. - Madoka

[Tamanegi Sensei]

I thought oishi or somethin like that is translated to sweet

[Kuzu Ryu Sen]

I don't mean sweet as in the taste, I mean as in "f'in sweet!".

Oishii is delicious btw.

[Flint]

Hey, KRS, what do you mean by "Sano talk"?

BTW, Kenshin refers to himself as "sessha". Or at least, he does in fanfics. Is that an actual word, or did he create that himself?

[Madoka]

Originally posted by Flint
BTW, Kenshin refers to himself as "sessha". Or at least, he does in fanfics. Is that an actual word, or did he create that himself?

"Sessha", like "degozaru," is an antiquated form of speaking that indicates humility.

Note that when Kenshin gets angry (or goes into Hitokiri Mode, as I like to call it) he refers to himself as "ore" rather than "sessha." "Ore" is a much stronger, informal way to say "I."

[Kuzu Ryu Sen]

What I call "Sano talk" is where the "ai" sound at the end of a word turns into a "ei" sound. It's sorta a slang type of talking, and there's a formal name I'm sure, but I don't know what it is. Basically, it's what Sanosuke (and countless other characters) talk like.

On the de gozaru/sessha note, the two have become so antiquaited that they're now referred to as part of "samurai talk". I.E. you'd only ever hear that in old samurai movies.

When Kenshin goes hitokiri, he reverts to what we know as modern Japanese, ending his sentences with desu as opposed to de gozaru.

Just on that note, how come Kenshin (or anyone else for that matter save Cho and Tae) doesn't speak Kansai-ben? Given all the time he spent in Kyoto and such.

[Flint]

I can't answer your question because I have no idea what you are talking about, but I do have one question of my own:

When you say that "ai" changes to "ei", do you mean that something like "hai" would be pronounced like "hey"?

[Kuzu Ryu Sen]

No, I've really only heard it on words like janai and sugoi, and them turning into janei and sugei. I'm far from an expert on this subject, you'd have to consult someone who's actually been to Japan and/or studied the language more than I have.

But for an example, listen to Sano rant, then listen to Kenshin talk. There's a stark difference.

[MeAndroo]

Just on that note, how come Kenshin (or anyone else for that matter save Cho and Tae) doesn't speak Kansai-ben? Given all the time he spent in Kyoto and such.

Well, I'm pretty sure Japanese people get set in their ways of speaking Japanese. Even time spent in other regions wouldn't change the way you speak that much, especially into something as drastic as kansai-ben. The character definitely calls for something more serious, and I don't think Kenshin using antiquated Japanese would translate well into Kansai ben (de gozaruya? :D )

As for words going from ai to ei, I think you can do it on most words. I've even heard the -tai forms of verb (wanting to do stuff) changed to -tee. There's a part in Naruto where a certain ninja wants to see his partner and says mitee. A LOT of Japanese guys tend to use this, but it's definitely a casual thing.

When you say that "ai" changes to "ei", do you mean that something like "hai" would be pronounced like "hey"?

Yup. I think Onizuka even says it like that in a couple eps. Not as cool as using ssu instead of desu, but still cool.

Question: I want to say kick ass in the form of praise in japanese. How do you translate it into romaji?

I've heard Japanese people use "yatta" (I/you/we did it!) as well, even for other people.

[Eso]

Originally posted by MeAndroo
As for words going from ai to ei, I think you can do it on most words. I've even heard the -tai forms of verb (wanting to do stuff) changed to -tee. There's a part in Naruto where a certain ninja wants to see his partner and says mitee. A LOT of Japanese guys tend to use this, but it's definitely a casual thing.

To add on to this, you can change the present plain negative form of a verb to its "-ee" form.

Ex. Zenzen wakaranai. --> Zenzen wakaranee.

Ex2. Kareshi ja nai yo. --> Kareshi ja nee yo.

And I can't emphasize this enough. This is for casual usage only. It won't be too pleasant if you were to say this to someone socially superior to you.




On another note, I have a question. These two words "kitto" and "kanarazu" seem to mean the same thing to me. What exactly is the difference between them and in what types of situations should they be used?

Kitto - without fail; certainly; surely
Kanarazu - certainly; without fail; positively

[Tamanegi Sensei]

Question: In order to call someone, dude in japanese, I must know how to say dude in japanese. Any ideas?

[Chichiri Sama]

I doubt they have a word for dude. Just play Disagaea and you'll see =P

You could say Otoko I guess... which I think, means man. (correct me if I'm wrong).

[TheGunslinger]

You could always say " Dude "....A lot of Japanese words are really american, just spelled in Katakana.

[Seppuku]

Originally posted by Chichiri Sama
I doubt they have a word for dude. Just play Disagaea and you'll see =P

You could say Otoko I guess... which I think, means man. (correct me if I'm wrong).
yeah otoko means man but it most likyl doesnt have the same meaning as in the usa. to them it would probably be like someone coming up and saying "hey human"

[Nyssa]

Heh heh heh. Saying "dude" in Japanese would be kinda of weird given that my electronic dictionary says dude is: yarou, yatsu, or hito.
So, I really can't imagine someone coming up and saying, "Oi, yarou!"
and it being a good thing. ^^ Seppuku's right.

[pyokin]

Another question for that Japanese topic
In: tanoshimini shiteimasu
What "ni" means for that? And in general?

ah
Arigatou gozaimasu, Madoka san.

[Madoka]

Originally posted by pyokin
Another question for that Japanese topic
In: tanoshimini shiteimasu
What "ni" means for that? And in general?


Ni is a particle word, which means it is similar to prepositions do in English. Particles are one of the toughest parts of learning the language.

Your example, tanoshimi ni suru, is actually a expression that means "look forward (to something)." In that case, tanoshimi means "enjoyment", and suru (shiteimasu being the present verb form like -ing) means "to do". Loosely, it could mean "to have enjoyment in," and then evolve into the current meaning of looking forward to something.

Ni in particular can mean "by," "at," "in," or "to" (and more) depending on the context. Check out this link for a full list of uses:

http://japanese.about.com/library/weekly/aa090901a.htm

I forgot how much I hate particles!

[soundchazer]

Originally posted by Madoka
I forgot how much I hate particles!

I second you on that! It was always my weakest link in my grammar classes. They would do quiz tests just relating to particles.

[pyokin]

Well, thanks, it's really great!
I sure have to improve my grammar...I've never lliked it, but still.

[.hack//BT]

I'm curious...what does 'wo' mean?

[Kuzu Ryu Sen]

Basically, its a particle that indicates the object of a sentence.

Noun (w)o Action --> the action is done to the verb.

For more info:

http://www.learn-japanese.info/lesson6.html

[pyokin]

Wo is in relatoin to the verb, giving a precision or something like that??

[Tamanegi Sensei]

Since you guys said that kick ass is sugoi and I appreciate it, but now how can I say that in the form of an insult like "I'm goin to kick your ass" or "Not the pointed end you (dumbass)"?

[Kuzu Ryu Sen]

First, Japanese does not have words that are so flexible like ass and f*ck in English, which can serve as verbs, nouns, etc...

For dumbass, just use one of the litany of Japanese swear words like bakayaro or ahondara etc...

[Flint]

I've got another quick question. What is the difference between nani and honto? From what I can tell, they both mean "what?"

[Kuzu Ryu Sen]

Nani is what. Hontou is truth.

So if you say "houtou?", it's actually saying "is that true?"

[pyokin]

And how do you say "how much"? (not of the prize, the quantity)

[Madoka]

Originally posted by pyokin
And how do you say "how much"? (not of the prize, the quantity)

I think you can say it both ways with the phrase, Ikura desu ka? and the meaning is taken from the context.

I'm sure there's another way to say it that someone else can add. :) That's just the only way that came to mind.

[Flint]

That brings up another question. Why is there such a difference in the way some Romanji words are written? The main example I've seen is "o" and "ou". For example, I called it "honto", but KRS called it "hontou" which is correct, if one is correct?

[Edit] I forgot to add, what is "honto ni"? I read it somewhere and I think it means "really?" but I'm not sure.

[soundchazer]

Originally posted by Flint
That brings up another question. Why is there such a difference in the way some Romanji words are written? The main example I've seen is "o" and "ou". For example, I called it "honto", but KRS called it "hontou" which is correct, if one is correct?

[Edit] I forgot to add, what is "honto ni"? I read it somewhere and I think it means "really?" but I'm not sure.


It is hontou... which means the last o should be LONGER.

[Kuzu Ryu Sen]

Originally posted by Flint
That brings up another question. Why is there such a difference in the way some Romanji words are written? The main example I've seen is "o" and "ou". For example, I called it "honto", but KRS called it "hontou" which is correct, if one is correct?

[Edit] I forgot to add, what is "honto ni"? I read it somewhere and I think it means "really?" but I'm not sure.

The long o sound can be romanized in many ways, from oh, to oo, to ou. In hiragana, it's written *o-u most of the time though. *= any or no consonant.

And yes, "hontou ni" is just another way of saying "is it true?"/"really?"

[Tamanegi Sensei]

What hte hell does yakiniku mean?

[MeAndroo]

What hte hell does yakiniku mean?

It essentially means grilled meat (yaku = grill, broil; niku = meat), but is reserved for the style of food that is Korean barbeque. I prefer the Korean style of yakiniku to the Japanese one, but that's just me.

[Tamanegi Sensei]

Oh so thats what it means. Kinda like burned sauteed spam right? That an example of yakiniku?

[Eso]

Any difference between subarashii and suteki na ?

[Kuzu Ryu Sen]

Originally posted by Eso
Any difference between subarashii and suteki na ?

Not according to my Japanese teacher.

[Orax]

What would happen if you speak real casual to someone who is 'socially superior'? I would really like to know what the mildest case would be up to the worst case if possible. Also, not only to someone who has more social status to you, but also if you address another person of the opposite sex in the wrong way. Just wondering why it's so stressed.

[Chichiri Sama]

Originally posted by Orax
What would happen if you speak real casual to someone who is 'socially superior'? I would really like to know what the mildest case would be up to the worst case if possible. Also, not only to someone who has more social status to you, but also if you address another person of the opposite sex in the wrong way. Just wondering why it's so stressed.

Well, if you were to speak casual to your boss, you might get fired.

Anyone else would just find you rude and probably would not like you very much.

[MeAndroo]

What would happen if you speak real casual to someone who is 'socially superior'? I would really like to know what the mildest case would be up to the worst case if possible. Also, not only to someone who has more social status to you, but also if you address another person of the opposite sex in the wrong way. Just wondering why it's so stressed.

Well, it's not much different from English. Imagine calling your boss "bro" or "dude." Imagine going up to a girl and addressing her by saying, "hey you." I'll admit Japanese is a little more extreme, but you get the idea. Since verb conjugation is also more involved in Japanese, there becomes more distinct lines between levels of politeness. A TA for one of my Asian history classes hated living in Japan (she's Japanese) and used to use over the top polite language with social superiors, thus coming across as sarcastic. Good stuff.


Thought I'd drop another quick lesson...hope you guys know verb stems. This is real basic intermediate stuff, so you Japanese speakers out there should know this...(some taken from "An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese," some from "Total Japanese").

Basically, a verb stem is the part of the verb that would come before -masu in a basic conjugation, i.e. tabe-masu (tabe is the stem) or kiki-masu (kiki is the stem).

I.
(verb stem) -nikui
It is hard to do -verb-.

suteeki ha, ohashi de ha tabenikui
Steak is hard to eat with chopsticks.

Kanji ha kakinikui.
It is hard to write kanji

II.
(verb stem) - yasui.
It is easy to do -verb-.

Kirei na ji ha yomiyasui.
It is easy to read pretty handwriting (literally characters).

III.
(verb stem) -hajimeru.
To start doing -verb-.

Gofun yasunda ato ni, mata oyogihajimemashita.
After resting for five minutes, I started swimming again.

IV.
(verb stem) - owaru.
To finish doing -verb-.

Karita hon wo yomiowatta no de, toshyokan ni kashimashita.
I finished reading the book I borrowed so I returned it to the library.

V.
(verb stem) -nagara...
While doing -verb-...

Ongaku wo kikinagara, benkyou shimashita.
While listening to music, I studied.

--nagara is not used with verbs like iku (go), kuru (come), wakaru (understand), etc because it indicates a state of continuous action.

That's all for now...I usually try to keep lessons with some kind of theme, but not this time. Enjoy.

[Eso]

Question: Sometimes I read and I see -shi added to the plain form of verbs. What exactly does this do to the verb?

Question #2: What does "mama" mean? Ex. kono mama de...

[Chichiri Sama]

What does "yada" mean? I thought I knew, but I dont think I do. Is there multiple meanings? I'm not quite sure and it's not in my dictionary.

[Madoka]

Originally posted by Eso
Question: Sometimes I read and I see -shi added to the plain form of verbs. What exactly does this do to the verb?

Adding -shi to the end of a verb means, I/she/he did this, this, and this, in no particular order. (If you want to say you did something in a specific sequence, you would use the -te form of the verbs.)

Question #2: What does "mama" mean? Ex. kono mama de...

I've heard it translated as "in this way" and sometimes just as "as". Kono mama is often translated as "as (it) is."


Originally posted by Chichiri Sama
What does "yada" mean? I thought I knew, but I dont think I do. Is there multiple meanings? I'm not quite sure and it's not in my dictionary.

If you're thinking of it as the phrase I think you're thinking of, it's usually said by girls and means basically, "I don't like that." Sometimes they say it embarassed, and other times as an exclamation. It's actually the phrase iya da, but comes out more as yada. Iya probably is in your dictionary.

I'm pretty sure those are the right answers to your questions, but as always I don't mind being corrected if I'm off!

[The_Promise]

Well, it is about time I got to posting a lesson on this topic. So here goes!

How to give commands in Japanese:


Giving commands in Japanese is quite easy. the construction is:

Conjunctive form of verb + nasai

ex:
kaku---> kaki + nasai = kakinasai - write
taberu ----> tabe + nasai = tabenasai - eat

Here are a couple of sentences illustrating further examples of the command form of verbs:

motto yasai o tabenasai - Eat more vegetables.
wakatta hito wa te o agenasai - Those who have understood, raise your hands.

There is also a plain equivalent of the nasai command, it is formed by:

Class 1 verbs: Root + e column hiragana, kau-->kae, kaku--->kake,etc.

Class 2 verbs: Root + ro, taberu-->tabero, miru-->miro

Class 3 verbs: Irregular suru-->shiro, kuru-->koi

This command form, called the imperative, sounds very blunt and harsh though. Apparently female Japanese speakers should not use it at all. It is ok to use it when quoting someone however :).

A humorous example my text gives for this imperative form is,

biiru o motte koi! - Bring me beer!



-Lesson taken from Yookoso book 2

[rvx3452000]

Kay, as all yall know, i'm pretty much new to Japanese, trying to teach myself, but there are some hiragana i can remember!!
Here's a list:
su
ne
me
ya
yu
yo
ra
ri
ru
re
ro
wa
o-the second one
n
e
u
i
ke
se
so
chi
te
to
na
ni
nu
no
ha
hi
ho
ma
mi
mu
mo

Can you guys help me? Thanfks!

[Madoka]

Originally posted by rvx3452000
Can you guys help me? Thanfks!

First of all, here's a link to a full table of hiragana if you haven't found one already:

http://www.cjvlang.com/Writing/writsys/hiraganamc.html

If you roll-over each one, the katakana shows, but don't worry about those just yet.

I would also suggest not worrying about learning how to write them correctly yet. My recommendation is:

1. Print that page.
2. Cut out the characters alone, without the reading in the corner.
3. Paste them on an index card and write the reading on the back.
4. Go through them however many at a time to begin learning them.

Because it's hard to teach stroke order over the Internet, you shouldn't try to write them yet because you might form bad habits that are hard to break later. (Stroke order is the order in which you write each line of the character. Believe it or not, it makes a huge difference.) If there's someone there who can teach you how to write them in the proper stroke order, though, I don't see why you shouldn't get started.

I can't offer any tips for remembering the hiragana themselves, but I do know one trick for remembering the order of the "alphabet" so you can later go through them in your head without needing flashcards.

The link I posted shows the hiragana in their specific order. A, i, u, e, o, ka, ki, ku, ke, ko, and so on. There's a sentence you can learn to remember that order:

A king says, "Take no heed, my young royal worshippers."

That gives you a, k, s, t, n, h, m, y, r, w. If you can remember the order and sound of the first line (a, i, u, e, o) you can go down the list of hiragana with the first letters of the words in that sentence:

a-i-u-e-o
ka-ki-ku-ke-ko
sa-shi-su-se-so
ta-chi-tsu-te-to
...

It's not foolproof -- you're going to have to remember there's no "ti" or "tu", for example, and know the correct ones are "chi" and "tsu." You'll also have to remember to stick the "n" at the end. But later when you're trying to run down the list in your head, that might come in helpful (assuming I explained it well at all).

I still use that trick to this day to help me remember all the hiragana.

[EZ_D!NG0]

This is really cool, plz keep posting more lessons. i've been hoping to find someone to help me with some q's, just need to get through it all.

[Chichiri Sama]

That brings up something Madoka. In our book, our book has weird romanization.

ex:

tu instead of tsu
ti instead of chi
zya = ja
syo = sho

and some other ones (like hu = fu). Our book explains the conversion and such, but i swear no one listens. Our teacher completely failed to go over the basics, and because of it, half the students speak like total dumbasses (or maybe just Americanize it). it drives me completely BATTY. This one girl says nan desu ka, but she says nan like man, but with a n. Also instead of ototoi, she says "ototoui" (kinda like o-to-two-ie). Worst part, our teacher doesn't even correct her when she says it. She corrects other people sometimes, but not always.

She never told us about the distinction in the r's or fu/hu.

Blah.

Sorry, i felt like ranting.

[MeAndroo]

Conjunctive form of verb + nasai

While this is one way to give commands, I certainly have never used it...we should probably also give the te and te kudasai forms.

The te verb form is one of the most commonly used. Pretty important stuff.

For ichi-dan verbs, also known as ru verbs: Drop the ru, and add te.
Taberu -> tabete
okiru -> okite

For go-dan, or u verbs, it gets more complicated. The ending is determined by the final kana in the plain form of the verb.

Ends in u, tsu, ru: drop final kana, add tte
Tsukuru -> tsukutte
Motsu -> motte

Ends in mu, bu, nu: drop final, add nde
Nomu -> nonde
Yomu -> Yonde

Ends in ku: drop the ku, add ite
Kaku -> kaite
Kiku -> kiite

Ends in gu: drop the gu, add ide
Oyogu -> oyoide
Nugu -> nuide

Ends in su: drop su, add shite
Hanasu -> hanashite
Kasu -> kashite

Irregulars:
Suru -> shite
Kuru -> kite

For a polite command, do the te form, then add kudasai.
For a polite request, do te form and add moraemasenka, kuremasenka, itadakimasenka. Each of these has a different politeness level, but that's a can of worms I won't open here.

The te form has plenty of other uses, but those will have to wait for another lesson.

[Kuzu Ryu Sen]

So, in terms of politeness, is the -nasai form on par with the -te form? And isn't there a -ke form imperative as well?

[MeAndroo]

So, in terms of politeness, is the -nasai form on par with the -te form?

Definitely not. Nasai isn't polite at all...it's used by superiors to address lower people, i.e. a mother telling her son to do something, or to emphasize that people really want you to do something. This is one reason why in Naruto, Sakura telling Naruto to do stuff always sounds so naggy.

And isn't there a -ke form imperative as well?

I'm not quite sure what you're referring to...

[Kuzu Ryu Sen]

Originally posted by MeAndroo
Definitely not. Nasai isn't polite at all...it's used by superiors to address lower people, i.e. a mother telling her son to do something, or to emphasize that people really want you to do something. This is one reason why in Naruto, Sakura telling Naruto to do stuff always sounds so naggy.

I'm not quite sure what you're referring to...

So the nasai form is less polite than the basic -te form (without the kudasai etc...)?

And regarding -ke, as in deteke, ike, etc...

[Tamanegi Sensei]

"May I ask the time?" I want that in kansai form or katakana, I get those 2 mixed up sometimes.

[Madoka]

Originally posted by Hybridragon
"May I ask the time?" I want that in kansai form or katakana, I get those 2 mixed up sometimes.

I'm not sure if you meant kanji or katakana, or wanted to know how to say it in Kansai-ben... but I can write the ways to say "what time is it?" in katakana, hiragana, and kanji for you. (You might have to enable Japanese encoding to see it.)

Nanji desu ka?
ƒiƒ“ƒWƒfƒXƒJ�H
‚È‚ñ‚¶‚Å‚·‚©�H
‰½Žž‚Å‚·‚©�H

[rvx3452000]

I went to the site, and it's good and all, but i have index cards, and thats how i know what i know and don't know.

Thanks for that phrase, i'll be sure to use it! Time to study!!

[MeAndroo]

So the nasai form is less polite than the basic -te form (without the kudasai etc...)?

Right, because it's more direct and because of the hierarchichal implications. Nasai would rarely be used amongst equals and never to someone higher than you. You can use the te form w/ equals. If you want to use kudasai while showing respect:

o (verb stem) kudasai

Matsu -> O machi kudasai

I'll edit this later if/when I find exceptions...I'm pretty sure there are some.

And regarding -ke, as in deteke, ike, etc...

Well, ike is the regular imperative of iku, which The_Promise covers. I'm pretty sure by deteke you mean deteike, which basically means "get out!"

[animegoddess1]

Hajimemashite. Where are the accents???
(confused^_^)

[I_am_I]

could you possibly define accents a bit more specifically? If you mean the syllables you state more boldly, it's HAjimeMAshite, I believe.

[animegoddess1]

I_am_I, that's exactly what I was looking for!
I wasn't sure if it was like Haji mema shite, or HAjimeMAshite.

Here's another one. I've heard kawaii used a lot. Am I right is assuming it's used like "cool!"

[Kuzu Ryu Sen]

Kawaii = Cute.
Kakuin = Cool.

[Jun_Inohara]

Originally posted by Kuzu Ryu Sen
Kawaii = Cute.
Kakuin = Cool.

I think you mean "kakkoii" ^^;;


Oh, and MeAndroo, it's worth it to mention that you can shorten "deteike" to "deteke" just like shortening "teiru" to "teru" ^^ May not really be used by the people around here and not perfect grammar by any means >D but it's worth knowing ^^;;

[Kuzu Ryu Sen]

Originally posted by Jun_Inohara
I think you mean "kakkoii" ^^;;


Aa, domo.

[MeAndroo]

Oh, and MeAndroo, it's worth it to mention that you can shorten "deteike" to "deteke" just like shortening "teiru" to "teru" ^^ May not really be used by the people around here and not perfect grammar by any means >D but it's worth knowing ^^;;

Definitely, but I was trying to leave the real casual stuff for later. I guess there's no time like the present.

Verb in te form-iru is used to signify "the state of doing -verb-."
EX.
taberu - to eat
tabeteiru - to be eating
tabeteinai - to not be eating, OR to not have eaten yet at a time when you plan to eat soon.
If someone asked you if you had eaten today, and you hadn't, you could say "mada tabeteinai," but if someone asked you if you had eaten yesterday, and you hadn't, you would say "tabenakatta or tabemasendeshita."

For casual use only:
Word shortening part 1

You can shorten the teiru part to teru
tabeteiru -> tabeteru
shiteiru -> shiteru

You can also shorten when using -te oku.
Renraku shite oku -> renraku shitoku
Kutsu o nuide oku -> nuidoku

Other japanese speakers, please add more as you see fit...thanks.

[Eso]

Is there any difference between kanarazu and kitto?

[Lord Krell]

Krell Desu, yoroshiku onegai shimasu. igirisu kara kimashita. Dochiara kara desu ka. gakusee desu, nani o shite imasu ka.

[Nick_2.0]

Hello! I am interested in learning Japanese. Unfortunately, I am no longer at school so would have to learn from a book rather than classes. Could anybody please recommend a good book for learning Japanese?
Thanks in advance.
Nick.

[Chichiri Sama]

Originally posted by Nick_2.0
Hello! I am interested in learning Japanese. Unfortunately, I am no longer at school so would have to learn from a book rather than classes. Could anybody please recommend a good book for learning Japanese?
Thanks in advance.
Nick.

Nakama 1 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0618131051/qid=1068334045/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/103-1353973-5476636?v=glance&n=507846)

It's a pretty good book. You could probably find one cheaper using www.campusi.com and just search for the ISBN number. Hope this helps.

[Nick_2.0]

Thanks a lot for the info! $85 seems a bit harsh, though. Anyone else got any good recommendations? Thank you.

[Chichiri Sama]

two quick questions that my book couldn't answer:

what does "ikuze" mean? I know it means to go, but does it mean we go? let's go? casual?

also.

is there a way to say verbstem + masho (tabemasho) casually?

[MeAndroo]

is there a way to say verbstem + masho (tabemasho) casually?

Yup. It's called the volitional form

Tabemashou becomes tabeyou.

1-dan verbs drop the ru and add you.
EX
Neru -> neyou

5-dan verbs change their last kana to the -o form (i.e. mu -> mo) and add an u.
EX
Nomu -> nomou
Asobu -> asobou

Suru -> shiyo
Kuru -> koyou

what does "ikuze" mean? I know it means to go, but does it mean we go? let's go? casual?

Definitely casual, but the exact meaning can change based on context. It can mean let's go, I'm going, or here I come.

[Smitty]

Originally posted by Nick_2.0
Thanks a lot for the info! $85 seems a bit harsh, though. Anyone else got any good recommendations? Thank you.

Well, if your goal is to learn basic conversational Japanese, I recommend the Living Language set. It's $25 and it comes with a coursebook, a dictionary, and two CDs or cassettes. The lessons are divided over six weeks and it's actually quite simple to learn with. The program was developed by the government for officials bound overseas so it's comprehensive and quick, and it gives you a very good foundation if you decide to continue learning. Hope I helped! :GD

[Nick_2.0]

Nice one! I'll have to look into this. Thanks a lot everybody!
Nick.

[Natsuke Takeda]

I've currently entered into a Japanese class in my high school, and that would be my suggestion to everyone out there, as learning the basics in HS or college makes everything easier...

If you can't, there's always Japanese tapes you can listen to while sleeping...

"You can quit smoking, smoking is like those army of thingys from those power ranger shows, just beat them and they will go away!!!"

oops, heh, wrong tape...

[Tamanegi Sensei]

True or False? Chinpoko is japanese for dyck, replace Y with I. I just heard from a couple of friends.

[Madoka]

Originally posted by Hybridragon
True or False? Chinpoko is japanese for dyck, replace Y with I. I just heard from a couple of friends.

It's true.

[Tamanegi Sensei]

Well I'll be damned, I learned a new japanese insult ot call people. What about....was it benicha, beikoku, or uh... aw dammit I can't remember

[Bane the ECF]

Originally posted by Madoka
It's true.
True, but it's not a term usually used to call someone a bad name. Consider it equivalent of the term pen!s. :)

Originally posted by Hybridragon
...beikoku...

Is a shorthand term commonly used to denote the United States in written Kanji.

Originally posted by Chichiri Sama
two quick questions that my book couldn't answer:

what does "ikuze" mean? I know it means to go, but does it mean we go? let's go? casual?
"We're going." It's a male casual term typically used between peers. As noted, it references that going is a matter of fact, and the person being told so doesn't usually have much of a choice (like a driver talking to the backseater, or a guy saying he's going to your house.)

also.

is there a way to say verbstem + masho (tabemasho) casually?

verbstem + "oh" or "yoh" (ikoh "let's go" or tabeyoh "let's eat"). That would be a more casual version of "ikimasho" or "tabemasho".



Bane


Please don't triple post! Check out the Lounge FAQ for other forum rules if you haven't had a chance to already. - Madoka

[Tamanegi Sensei]

I know this is a cliche question, but I want to make sure. Karaoke is japanese for empty orchestra right. Tell me yes and I'll give you a nickel

[The_Promise]

Originally posted by Hybridragon
I know this is a cliche question, but I want to make sure. Karaoke is japanese for empty orchestra right. Tell me yes and I'll give you a nickel

Yes, that is exactly what it means the kanji in the first part of the word means open or empty, like karate, empty hand.

[Tamanegi Sensei]

Tepanyaki, what is that? Some kinda beef seen in Benihana?

[Daisy]

I know about 500+ Japanese words including phrases..heheXD. I can't write them down..it's just too many but i'll write some..hihi:

bakane/bakero/baka - stupid/moran/fool
hana kosu -booger
kosu -shit
domo/domo arigato/arigato/arigato gozaimashita - thank you/thank you very much
tadaima - I'm home
yamero - stop (it)
yume no - dreams
mirakuru - miracle
aoi - blue
yayoi - gay
megane-kun - word referring to a person wearing glasses

well, that's all see ya!

[Canti_Sama]

eiga=movie
aishteru=i love you
watashi= I
boku wa (name) desu= my name is ____ (males only)
moshi moshi= hello on the telephone
hiten= lightning

theres some for you people to chew on

[Bane the ECF]

Originally posted by Canti_Sama
hiten= lightning
Isn't the normal translation for lightning = kaminari? Hiten is usually translated to "lightning fast" used in the topic of special attacks during combat.


Bane

[Canti_Sama]

i think it is thanks for the correction

[shewolf]

i only know the basics and some words... :(
Anata no namae wa? (Your name is?)
Watashi no namae wa_____ (My name is___)
Domo Arigato(thanks alot)
Arigato Gozaimasu(act of thanks has not ended)
Arigato Gozaimashita(act of thanks has ended)
Kunnichi wa(hello)
O genki desu ka?(how are you?)
Yoshi!(that's right/alright)
Yo koso or Irashaimasu(Welcome)
Dewa mata(see you later)
Sayonara(goodbye)

[Tamanegi Sensei]

Hey what DOES Ikaruga stand for anyway? Ikahuga? Ikaruga dammit!

[shinigamikender]

Here's something from the Okayama dialect, although you can't use it anywhere else(or in polite conversation) because people will have no idea what you're talking about.

Dere Umee = Very sweet(Okayama dialect, particuarly slang-y)

Normally say this after you've eaten something you liked in *very* casual situations.

[Chichiri Sama]

Originally posted by Hybridragon
Hey what DOES Ikaruga stand for anyway? Ikahuga? Ikaruga dammit!

someone punch me if i'm wrong, but I belive Ikaru is the verb for angry. So if it means something close to that, I dunno. I have never seen the game, but if it's written in katakana, it's probably just a name.

[Kuzu Ryu Sen]

Originally posted by Hybridragon
Hey what DOES Ikaruga stand for anyway? Ikahuga? Ikaruga dammit!

Ikaruga: (n) Japanese grosbeak; (P)

Yes, the kanji matches. Ikaruga is a bird.

[Baka Senpai]

i wus just wondering...how many kanji you're suppose to know by the end of a typical first year japanese language course?

wus it 800?

[Bane the ECF]

First year? I would say you should learn all hiragana, katakana, and maybe 100 kanji. That, and learning the spoken language was about the extent I learned when I took 1st year of Japanese language in my college.

800 kanji is about what you'd learn through elementary school or something.


Bane

[Chichiri Sama]

Originally posted by Baka Senpai
i wus just wondering...how many kanji you're suppose to know by the end of a typical first year japanese language course?

wus it 800?

It depends on the school. Some schools go slower than others.

Our university goes dreadfully slow (and it's not a small university either). I hate it. I only take it because it's better than nothing.

[Tamanegi Sensei]

Tanegashima may be a gun in Onimusha 2, but I got no idea what it means. Any clues?

[Baka Senpai]

cools 100 sounds pretty nice
so thats liek memorizing how to write 100 varying alphabets right

[MeAndroo]

cools 100 sounds pretty nice
so thats liek memorizing how to write 100 varying alphabets right

Well, 100 can be a bit high...again, like Chichiri said, it depends on the school. My college only taught us about 50 by the end of an academic year. The number you learn goes up every semester, i.e. 3rd = 70, 4th = 120, etc. Or you could study in Japan and try learning 40 a WEEK...maybe not learning, more like temporarily memorizing.

If you want to get a head start on some of the simpler kanji (numbers, colors, etc.), try
http://www.kanjisite.com
This site has the kanji used for the JLPT (up until nikyuu, the 2nd hardest test), an international measure of Japanese ability. While not comprehensive, it's a great introduction to kanji's on and kun readings, as well as how to combo some of them. G'luck.


Tanegashima may be a gun in Onimusha 2, but I got no idea what it means. Any clues?

We'd have to see some kanji to figure that out...names tend to be a bit tricky, since multiple kanji have the same reading and completely different meanings.

[Diane Chiang]

(Question:) If I'm correct . . . kanji is the Chinese form; romaji is the sound in English; hiragana is the lowercase alphabet, katagana is the uppercase, right?

(Just checking.)

[Madoka]

You're close. :) Kanji is the Chinese writing that replaces hiragana in some words. Romaji is writing out a Japanese word in English (and therefore also the sound) -- for example, "ohayou gozaimasu" is romaji.

Hiragana is the "alphabet" for Japanese words, sentence particles, and the like. You can write words in hiragana that have a kanji, but the kanji is preferred. Katakana sounds exactly the same as hiragana but looks different, and is used for writing foreign words, foreign names, and sometimes for emphasis.

If you have Japanese encoding on your computer, here are the differences:

watashi - Romaji
Ž„�@- Kanji
‚킽‚µ - Hiragana
ƒ�ƒ^ƒV�@- Katakana

[Diane Chiang]

Thanks, Madoka.

[Bane the ECF]

Another difficult part of Kanji in Japanese is the multiple possible ways of pronouncing the same Kanji.

Citing Madoka's above example, there are several ways to pronounce the kanji "watashi":

watashi, watakushi - myself, or me. This pronounciation is used when the kanji is standalone, and the kanji can be easily identified by the pronounciation. It's called kunyomi.

shi - This pronounciation is only used in conjunction with other kanji, and cannot be used alone because it would be impossible to figure out which kanji you're talking about otherwise. An example of it's use would be shifuku, or personal clothing (as opposed to seifuku, or school uniforms.) This type of pronounciation is called onyomi.

Anyways, I can post a few more examples of kunyomi vs. onyomi when I get home to a PC that allows for Japanese IME. :)

[kunyomi] Ž„ - watakushi, watashi [myself]
[onyomi] Ž„•ž - shi(fuku) [personal clothes]

[kunyomi] �¶‚«‚é - i(kiru) [to live]
[onyomi] �¶–½ - sei(mei) [lifeforce]

[kunyomi] “à - uchi [within]
[onyomi] “à—e - nai(yo) [contents]

Bane

[Chichiri Sama]

Hi guys I need some help.

Does anyone have any good links that explain the different radicals that appear in kanji? It doesn't have to be really thorough, but something nice.

Also, does anyone have any links to a webpage that has information on adjective endings and/or verb endings (ex: Yasashiso = seems nice. Ikitai = I want to go)

Thanks for your help guys.

[Eso]

Since kanji was introduced to Japan by Chinese buddhist monks, I'll explain how the radicals work in Chinese context.

In the Chinese language, words are constructed several different ways. The first are the pictographs, characters that look like what they are describing. However, a very small percentage of the characters fall into this category. The second category include the combining of two pictographs to form an abstract idea. The third category include radicals. This group is made up of a radical and another character. The way this works is that the radical usually denotes what the character is associated with. If you were to look at the character for river, you will see 3 strokes to the left. These three dots is the radical and denotes that this particular character is dealing with water, since the radical means "water".
The second part to the character for river dictates how the word will sound. So now you put these two together. The radical tells the group to which it belongs and the second part tells how it should sound.
This is how it is done in Chinese. Japanese kanji is essentially Chinese characters, so more often than not, Chinese people will have a very vague idea of what a paragraph is saying. However, please note that the Japanese do have many words that are entirely different from Chinese.

A good example was when I was in Narita airport and I saw the sign for emergency exit. It is absolute gibberish in Chinese.

A good link for adjectives, verbs, and many words attached to both is www.timwerx.net

[Canti_Sama]

i know a LOT of kanji and can make my way through japan but what is reccomended to know i know theres a certain amount

[Bane the ECF]

Originally posted by Canti_Sama
i know a LOT of kanji and can make my way through japan but what is reccomended to know i know theres a certain amount
8th grade level is considered literate, which is something like 1200 kanji (or something like that, I can never remember anymore.) At some point, I actually technically learned all of that, but I'd be kidding myself if I could say I knew more than a couple hundred now (and 10 of those are...well, 1 through 10. :D)


Bane

[Tamanegi Sensei]

Damn! I just got struck by Zanmato, Yojimbo's special attack in X-2 where it reduces your life points to a single 1 digit. BTW whats the hell does it mean?

[Miss Megumi]

Hey Madoka! I need major help! I need to figure out how to speak fluent Japanese before I go there(very soon like 3 months!). I know I;'m a hopeless case but PLEASE HELP ME PLEASE OH PLEASE!!

[Chichiri Sama]

Originally posted by Miss Megumi
Hey Madoka! I need major help! I need to figure out how to speak fluent Japanese before I go there(very soon like 3 months!). I know I;'m a hopeless case but PLEASE HELP ME PLEASE OH PLEASE!!

Fluency? Impossible.

take a summer course at a local university. that's about your only hope.

[Madoka]

Originally posted by Miss Megumi
Hey Madoka! I need major help! I need to figure out how to speak fluent Japanese before I go there(very soon like 3 months!). I know I;'m a hopeless case but PLEASE HELP ME PLEASE OH PLEASE!!

Chichiri is unfortunately correct; you won't be fluent in that amount of time. You should focus on some key phrases to help you if you need; any phrasebook should have some good ideas on what to start with. If you're very ambitious, you can also take the time to learn hiragana and katakana so you can read some signs and other information. There are quite a few tips in this thread for learning hiragana and katakana, but remember: flashcards are your friend.

The only other advice I can give is to look for classes offered by any schools in your town, as Chichiri said, or perhaps find a Japanese conversation group or association.

Good luck, and I hope you enjoy your trip!

[Kentaro-kun]

learning japanese is so hard, i'm taking a summer course starting in june that lasts for only 3 weeks but gives you a basic look at the japenese language, i'm trying to get a hard start, but i'll tell ya what, it's NOT easy!...any tips? LoL

[Eso]

I have one tip for you. Do NOT attempt to translate directly from English to Japanese and vice-versa. These two languages are incredibly different so translation in the mind constantly is a tough thing to do. You see, many people who start out with any language tend to literally translate words word for word rather than take the entire concept or picture the sentence is conveying and just SAY it in the other language.

Once you get this ingrained into your head, I believe you will think Japanese is not so tough. You will begin to understand why they made the grammar the way it is and why it works. This is how I approach all languages and I'm confident to say that I had success in all languages taken such as Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese.

An example: Take the sentence "There is a dog on my bed." If you seriously try to translate that word for word, then you're in trouble. Just get the picture of a dog on your bed into your head. No need to get a picture of English words into your head. Once you have the picture, just say it in Japanese. It's not that easy as first, but you'll eventually understand what I'm saying.

Keep at it and good luck, all of you!

[Kentaro-kun]

Thanks Eso :)

[Chichiri Sama]

Yeah I agree. Once you get used to it, the Japanese structure is not all that hard.

We started with the minimum amount to be considered a sentence (Neko desu. It's a cat) and worked our way up making the sentences a little longer over time. When you do this, you know where a word should be put and why. If you try to skip into long sentences from the get go, it seems very difficult.

[miyu-miyu]

is was very help full b/c i new almost no japinesse.

[shewolf]

guys could someone help me out?

Whats the difference between ...SAN and ...SAMA?
e.g sakura-san and sakura-sama?

[Madoka]

Originally posted by shewolf
guys could someone help me out?

Whats the difference between ...SAN and ...SAMA?
e.g sakura-san and sakura-sama?

"sama" is much more honorific than "san", almost worshipful. Here is a list of most honorifics used in names:

-chan (chahn): Small or baby. Used among very close friends and relatives, especially females
-kohai (ko-hah-ee): One's junior. Usually substituted with –kun or -chan
-kun (kun): Used among very close friends and relatives, especially males
-sama (sah-mah): Lord. Used when addressing people of utmost respect or when referring to gods. Usually employed in concurrence with a title but can also be used with a name
-san (sahn): A close equivalent to Mr. and Mrs. Used as a respectful method of addressing people of similar status
-senpai (sen-pah-ee): Upperclassman. Used in relation to fellow classmates of higher level or age
-sensei (sen-say): Teacher, master or doctor. Used either at school or while being involved in a discipline or art


Check out Kjeldoran's lecture on Frequently Used Terms (http://www.animeacademy.com/anime101/Frequently_Used_Terms/anime101.html) for other terms that you hear often in anime!

[Tamashii]

Maybe I was just seeing things, but I have seen in some anime where "-chin" was used. Namely Kare Kano, I believe, recalling Tsukino or Kano using "-chin" instead of "-chan", etc.

Also, why are there some instances where senpai is spelled "sempai"? What is the difference, if any? Or even better, which one is the correct one?

[Bane the ECF]

Originally posted by Boco
Maybe I was just seeing things, but I have seen in some anime where "-chin" was used. Namely Kare Kano, I believe, recalling Tsukino or Kano using "-chin" instead of "-chan", etc.

Also, why are there some instances where senpai is spelled "sempai"? What is the difference, if any? Or even better, which one is the correct one?
"-chin" isn't a proper term. I've heard it being used only by peers as a very informal, intentional mispronouciation of the term "-chan".

The correct romaji spelling is "senpai" and pronounciation would be senn-pai. There is no extended "m" sound in the Japanese language. "Sempai" is simply misspelled.


Bane

[AlterGenesis-X]

Originally posted by Boco
Maybe I was just seeing things, but I have seen in some anime where "-chin" was used. Namely Kare Kano, I believe, recalling Tsukino or Kano using "-chin" instead of "-chan", etc.

Also, why are there some instances where senpai is spelled "sempai"? What is the difference, if any? Or even better, which one is the correct one?

1) I don't recall seeing anyone using -chin.

2) I beleive Senpai is the proper one to use.

[shewolf]

Originally posted by Madoka
"sama" is much more honorific than "san", almost worshipful. Here is a list of most honorifics used in names:

-chan (chahn): Small or baby. Used among very close friends and relatives, especially females
-kohai (ko-hah-ee): One's junior. Usually substituted with –kun or -chan
-kun (kun): Used among very close friends and relatives, especially males
-sama (sah-mah): Lord. Used when addressing people of utmost respect or when referring to gods. Usually employed in concurrence with a title but can also be used with a name
-san (sahn): A close equivalent to Mr. and Mrs. Used as a respectful method of addressing people of similar status
-senpai (sen-pah-ee): Upperclassman. Used in relation to fellow classmates of higher level or age
-sensei (sen-say): Teacher, master or doctor. Used either at school or while being involved in a discipline or art


Check out Kjeldoran's lecture on Frequently Used Terms (http://www.animeacademy.com/anime101/Frequently_Used_Terms/anime101.html) for other terms that you hear often in anime!

thank you!

[saber_kite]

I studied basic Japanese several months ago and really need to practice what I've learned so that I won't get rusty. Japanese is syllabic, like my native language so it's easier to learn it as compared to French. Hehe. Thanks for all the info here. It's really helpful!

[Addesan]

My fellow students, I require thine aid! 'Tis with great sorrow in my heart that I announceth my disknowledge in matters concerning archaic ways of speaking in the foreign tongue of Japanese. Mine elementary schooling doth not allow for it. 'Tis of my intention to inquire at thee, students, if it were the case that thou might knoweth of terms that art in a state of similarity with antiquated English. A fair request, ist not? Wilt thou not help me in this, my time of great need?

[Bane the ECF]

Originally posted by Tsukasa
My fellow students, I require thine aid! 'Tis with great sorrow in my heart that I announceth my disknowledge in matters concerning archaic ways of speaking in the foreign tongue of Japanese. Mine elementary schooling doth not allow for it. 'Tis of my intention to inquire at thee, students, if it were the case that thou might knoweth of terms that art in a state of similarity with antiquated English. A fair request, ist not? Wilt thou not help me in this, my time of great need?
Umm, my modern Japanese is pretty good, but I'm not too sure about my archaec skills. :sweat

[Addesan]

Originally posted by Bane the ECF
Umm, my modern Japanese is pretty good, but I'm not too sure about my archaec skills. :sweat

Dito. That's why I really want to learn at least a little. It's fun sometimes to chime in with archaic English, I thought it might be equally fun in Japanese. That's when it hit me -- I know nothing of archaic Japanese beyond some antiquated words. Hence: Help. Anyone with a bit of wisdom to share regarding this?

[Barciad]

Okay, I am interested in learning Japanese but have not got the faintest idea where to start. Any suggestions/pointers in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. So far a friend has given me three pages of common Japanese phrases, but personally I feel that learning a language requires far more than that.

[Bane the ECF]

Originally posted by Barciad
Okay, I am interested in learning Japanese but have not got the faintest idea where to start. Any suggestions/pointers in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. So far a friend has given me three pages of common Japanese phrases, but personally I feel that learning a language requires far more than that.
I would look into your local college and see if they offer Japanese language courses. You could also look for Japanese self-learning books, but classes are probably the best way to go due to student-teacher interaction.


Bane

[Chichiri Sama]

-What's the difference between on-kun and kun-yomi readings? How do you know which one to use and when?

..=(.. i had so many good questions, and i forget them all. I'm sure i'll think of them.

edit: one other question. I've already taken 2 semesters of classes, but I'm also starting to self-study on my own as well, and even went as far as to get a new textbook (my wallet says ouch). Do you have any tips to help learn and maintain the information I learn since I won't be in a class environment to retain it?

[Bane the ECF]

You mean the difference between on-yomi and kun-yomi?

By definition,

Kun-yomi is the unique pronounciation of the kanji. Which means that you can explicitly identify a kanji via it's kun-yomi definition.

On-yomi is a pronounciation of a kanji that requires structure (in conjunction with other kanji or in a sentence) around it for one to be able to identify it.

Knowing which to use when is the most difficult part of the usage of kanji. (Actually learning the kanji itself is the most difficult! :D) Typically, general rule of thumb says that you use kun-yomi when using the kanji alone. On-yomi is more commonly used in conjunction with other kanji. This rule is by no means concrete, so it becomes a matter of practice and learning exceptions too.

Here are some examples of both usages I posted earlier in this thread:

[kunyomi] Ž„ - watakushi, watashi [myself]
[onyomi] Ž„•ž - shi(fuku) [personal clothes]

[kunyomi] �¶‚«‚é - i(kiru) [to live]
[onyomi] �¶–½ - sei(mei) [lifeforce]

[kunyomi] “à - uchi [within]
[onyomi] “à—e - nai(yo) [contents]


Bane

[Kimura]

does anyone know an English to Japanese/Japanese to English translator that goes from English to ROMAJI and ROMAJI to English?? I've been having a hard time finding anything of the sort. Any help would be much appreciated.

[Tamashii]

What is up with the S and U's when they come together?

First: "Desu" is pronounced "DEHS" but there are those who say "Deh-soo". Why?

Second: Why is the U silent when it comes after an S. Such as "Bakuretsu"; the U is silent. The same would go for other words with U's after the S. But of course, the U isn't silent when the word starts with "Su".

[Chichiri Sama]

Boco- I think if it comes at the end of the sentence, it's just a way to say it. I've heard both "des" and "desu". Could be wrong though.


One other question i saw the other day when I was playing SMT. What's the difference between urusai & urusei? Does this work for any other Adj?

[Kuzu Ryu Sen]

Originally posted by Boco
What is up with the S and U's when they come together?

First: "Desu" is pronounced "DEHS" but there are those who say "Deh-soo". Why?

Second: Why is the U silent when it comes after an S. Such as "Bakuretsu"; the U is silent. The same would go for other words with U's after the S. But of course, the U isn't silent when the word starts with "Su".

the u in su is actually not silent, but very faint, regardless of where the syllable is in the word. Something like suteki could still be pronounced closer to steki and people would understand. However, the u really comes out when people stress every syllable, like when someone emphasizes desu by saying "de-su".

Originally posted by Chichiri Sama
Boco- I think if it comes at the end of the sentence, it's just a way to say it. I've heard both "des" and "desu". Could be wrong though.


One other question i saw the other day when I was playing SMT. What's the difference between urusai & urusei? Does this work for any other Adj?

I believe urusei is the slangy form of urusai, like janei and janai, or sugei and sugoi.

[Chichiri Sama]

really? that's the other thing that was bothering me, thanks. Ja nei was driving me crazy. I thought it was some dialect from somewhere. Guess not eh?

[Bane the ECF]

Nope, it's slangified Japanese. :D

[Tamashii]

How and when do I use "Boku" and "Watashi", "Anata" and "Kimi"? It seems like boku and kimi is used more often, or are they used interchangably?

[Chichiri Sama]

boku and watashi can be used interchangibly (sp?) if you're a male (boku is for males). girls could use atashi instead of boku. though, saying watashi/boku over and over again obviously isn't a good idea.

as for anata/kimi. kimi is used for girls (kimi wa, Yukiko desu ne? = You're Yukiko, right?). Anata could be used for guys or girls, but anata is also sometimes used by wives to their husbands for dear, so be careful. Also, saying you is pretty casual. With people you don't know well or superiors (like teachers), you should stick with using their family name. Also, like boku and watashi, use it sparingly. My teacher says often that Japanese people don't like to say "you" over and over because it puts more emphasis on a single person and that's not their way (or something like that...)

[Tamashii]

Then what is the male version of "Kimi"?

[Bane the ECF]

Originally posted by Boco
Then what is the male version of "Kimi"?
"anta" is often used when referring to males
"omae" is also used, but at a slightly lower honorific (more casual)


Bane

[tarotgurl13]

hi,
Umm, I know some words but the spelling might be off. See, my friend told me some Japanese words. they are:
Baka Inu-stupid dog.
Baka niko-stupid cat.
Yasha-demon
Baka shonen-stupid boy.

Some she didn't tell me the translation of are these:
Kodo shinu masu
and Chi si(sigh) mudo gawki(again I don't know the translation of these words and I don't know how to spell any of them.) Just trying to help expand your Japanese vocabulary.

[Chichiri Sama]

kodo shinu masu? Well.. shinu is the verb to die, right? Kodo has a lot of meanings, so i'm not sure by context alone.

[Tamashii]

Originally posted by tarotgurl13
hi,
Umm, I know some words but the spelling might be off. See, my friend told me some Japanese words. they are:
Baka Inu-stupid dog.
Baka niko-stupid cat.
Yasha-demon
Baka shonen-stupid boy.

Some she didn't tell me the translation of are these:
Kodo shinu masu
and Chi si(sigh) mudo gawki(again I don't know the translation of these words and I don't know how to spell any of them.) Just trying to help expand your Japanese vocabulary.

Isn't demon also "Oni"?
Baka neko :)

and oh...

Welcome to Anime Academy :D

[Mikeido]

Consistently oni means demons though it can also be translated as devil, monster, or even as to what would appear to just be exotic humans if the context is right, i.e. one of the tales I'm reading from a book of Japanese Tales. The writer, or translater has them labelled as oni, though the seem to be 'exotic humans'. Probably up to no good though, crazy exotic humans.

Following up on a few posts up, 'Ka-re' is also a word for he, though it's reserved for among casual aquaintances and friends. The feminine of the same style being ka-no-jo.

No idea if the above's been covered already, apologies if it has, though this is an interesting thread an forum in general so I intend to read through it. Whether I'll be able to add anything of consequence by the time I find the end of it again will have to be seen, though as is I wouldn't count on it. Gotta catch up on my external reading a bit more before then.

[Tamashii]

I'd like some translations on the following words:

Soul (tamashii?)
Spirit
Life (n)
Death (n)
To Live (v)
To Die (v)
To Struggle (v)

Thanks

[Keitaro]

Ah, these are pretty easy, I actually know them. Keep in mind these words have many synonyms, so there might be a better way to say them depending on how you want to use them.

Soul - no clue. this word cant easily be translated. Maybe someone else can help here. I think tamashii is probably not the way you mean it, because the shi is probably indicating that it's the soul of a dead person. Maybe im wrong tho.
Spirit - ki. unless you do mean as in a ghost? In that case there are many ways to say it, but I think its most commonly yurei, tho I think that word has more of a negative connotation, like an evil spectre. I suppose just ghost in general would be rei..?
Life (n) - inochi
Death (n) - shi
To Live (v) - ikiru
To Die (v) shinu
To Struggle (v) - how do you mean? if you mean like to fight and struggle in a physical way, it's abareru. If you mean like struggle internally, I have no idea.

You have to be really specific on the meaning of the words, because there arent just straight translations.

[Tamanegi Sensei]

"The entire world begins a new as the peace of aasu." I laughed so hard when I hear that, but is aasu what I think it is?

[Chichiri Sama]

Ok, how many general slangs are there? I already asked about ja ne instead of ja nai. Is there anything else like this? Isn't zo the equivalent of yo? Anything else that is common?

[Hideki]

Originally posted by Chichiri Sama
Ok, how many general slangs are there? I already asked about ja ne instead of ja nai. Is there anything else like this? Isn't zo the equivalent of yo? Anything else that is common?

ebichu the show , teaches alot of slang...

boy oh boy, you peeps should just go to barnes and nobles or something and pick up a how to speak/ learn japanese book, or buy one of those japanese textbooks, they're really good for the basics

[Bane the ECF]

To struggle internally, in Japanese would be generally described as kurushimu, or to suffer.


Bane

[Mikeido]

Originally posted by Keitaro
Soul - no clue. this word cant easily be translated. Maybe someone else can help here. I think tamashii is probably not the way you mean it, because the shi is probably indicating that it's the soul of a dead person. Maybe im wrong tho.

Mostly right, yeah. Tamashii for the internal spirit and heart context. This also works for translating spirit in that context. Or hito in sense of a person, "don't tell a soul" sort of thing I figure.

Speaking of spirit, ah this one has more contextual variance indeed. As I already said tamashii works for spirit in the same context as soul. Kokoro also works there. Seishin works in the mond and soul context. Rei in a supernatural being sense of 'spirit' and boorei for more general ghost. Also puting -teki at the end of any of the spirit related ones translates it to spiritual, that context may help, never know.

Guess I can offer one or two little things. Mostly cause as Hideki says, the Language section of Barnes and Nobles has such books that you can take advantage of. I figure the reluctance to do so may be not being quite that intrigued in the language or not having the confidence to learn it. Understandable.

[Bane the ECF]

Yuurei is more of a general ghost.

Boorei if I remember correctly, is a ghost that can't go to heaven or hell because it has an attachment to something on earth when he/she died (like retribution, or the person had a strong desire to complete some task/goal.) Such a ghost haunts the earth, trying to accomplish what he/she was trying to do until someone does it for the ghost.


Bane

[Chichiri Sama]

Originally posted by Hideki
ebichu the show , teaches alot of slang...

boy oh boy, you peeps should just go to barnes and nobles or something and pick up a how to speak/ learn japanese book, or buy one of those japanese textbooks, they're really good for the basics

problem with that is most books don't teach the slang like that (or at least the ones i've seen haven't). Otherwise, that would be a great idea.

[Tamashii]

Originally posted by Mikeido
Guess I can offer one or two little things. Mostly cause as Hideki says, the Language section of Barnes and Nobles has such books that you can take advantage of. I figure the reluctance to do so may be not being quite that intrigued in the language or not having the confidence to learn it. Understandable.

No, just lazy. But there is a B & N down the street, so I'll check it out during the summer (when I have lots of time, maybe I'll take a Japanese summer class).

Thanks for the translations everyone.

[Miko_Yui054]

This section is great. I'm all for this learning together. I've found a CD set at Best Buy that I recommend for basics like the Hiragana, Katagana, and all the info on strokes and it has great basic vocabulary. The set is called "Instant Immersion Japanese". It used to come in a set of 2 cds, now I believe it comes in a set of 4. If you have no luck at Best Buy, Ebay is the next best thing.

[tarotgurl13]

Thank you everybody! I've been learning quite a bit of Japanese here. I'm planning to go to Tokyo,Japan when I'm 19, so this is going to help me