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お |
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Both おすし and おさしみ have a polite prefix お. Putting
お in front of a noun makes the speech soft and polite. Other examples:
おさかな ("fish") and おみず ("[cold] water").
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Both と and や as in おすしと おさしみ are used to combine two
or more nouns. (Note: These particles combine only nouns. It cannot be used to
combine other parts of speech like verbs and adjectives unless they are changed to noun phrases.)
The particle と is called "exclusive AND." The implication of XとY is that "X and Y (and nothing else)." In contrast, the particle や is "inclusive AND." The implication of XやY is that "X and Y (and others not mentioned here)." When you are ordering food at a restaurant, you need to use と as in Xと Yを ください "Give me and X and Y (and nothing else)." If you use や, you will be asked for more information. Xや Yを ください "Give me X and Y (among other things)." → ほかには? "So what else?"
と が すきです。
I like tennis and basketball (and nothing else).
や が すきです。
I like tennis and basketball (among others).
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なすききらい |
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Both すき and きらい are called a "na-adjective" that mean "likes" or "dislikes." Their negative forms
of すきです and きらいです are すきじゃありません and きらいじゃありません, respectively. (We
will learn more about na-adjectives later.) The object of affirmative
predicate (e.g., "liking" or "disliking") is
marked by the particle が.
Xが すきです。 ("I like X.")
Yが きらいです。 ("I dislike X.")
The object of negative predicate (e.g., "not liking"
or "not disliking") is marked by the particle は.
Xは すきじゃありません。 ("I don't like X.")
Xは きらいじゃありません。 ("I don't dislike X.")
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ははは |
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Earlier, we learned that the particle は (/wa/) marks the topic of a sentence. We also learned that the particle は is used commonly in answering negatively to a Yes-No question.
The particle は has a another function of marking contrasts. For example, the following two sentences contain contrasting elements (e.g., something you like vs. something you dislike). These contrasts need to be explicitly marked by using は when the two sentences are spoken together. The particle は replaces the particles が and を (and も), but it is added to other particles.
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てんぷら |
が |
すきです。 |
+ |
さしみ |
が |
きらいです。 |
てんぷら |
は |
すきです |
けど/が、 |
さしみ |
は |
きらいです。 |
たなかさん |
が |
きます。 |
+ |
スミスさん |
は |
きません。 |
たなかさん |
は |
きます |
けど/が、 |
スミスさん |
は |
きません。 |
は replaces を. |
こうちゃ |
を |
のみます。 |
+ |
コーヒー |
は |
のみません。 |
こうちゃ |
は |
のみます |
けど/が、 |
コーヒー |
は |
のみません。 |
は is added to に. |
どようび |
に |
あります。 |
+ |
にちようび |
には |
ありません。 |
どようび |
には |
あります |
けど/が、 |
にちようび |
には |
ありません。 |
は is added to で. |
にほん |
で |
みます。 |
+ |
アメリカ |
では |
みません。 |
にほん |
では |
みます |
けど/が、 |
アメリカ |
では |
みません。 |
In Type 1 expression, when B replies negatively (B1/B2), は replaces が (が→は). Here, B1/B2 implies a contrast (the second function of the particle は). B1 says "The bathroom is not there (but something else may be there)." (In Japan, typically, bathrooms and toilets are separate. バスルーム is where you bathe and トイレ is a room with the toilet facilities without any bath or shower.) B2 says "Ms. Smith is not in her apartment (but someone else may be there)." Optionally, は can be used in affirmative sentences as in トイレは あります ("Toilet (in contrast) is there") or たなかさんは います ("Ms. Tanaka (in contrast) is there") when contrast is clearly intended.
Type
1 |
|
Noun |
Particle |
Noun |
Particle |
Verb |
|
|
Location |
に |
Subject |
が |
あります
います |
|
A1: |
|
へや |
に |
バスルーム |
が |
ありますか。 |
Is there a bathroom in the room? |
B1: |
いいえ、 |
|
|
バスルーム |
は |
ありません。 |
No, there isn't. |
|
でも、 |
|
|
トイレ |
が/は |
あります。 |
but toilet (in contrast) is there. |
A2 |
|
アパート |
に |
スミスさん |
が |
いますか。 |
Is Ms. Smith in her apartment? |
B2 |
いいえ、 |
|
|
スミスさん |
は |
いません。 |
Ms. Smith is not there. |
|
でも、 |
|
|
たなかさん |
が/は |
います。 |
but Ms. Tanaka (in contrast) is there. |
In Type 2 expression, when B replies negatively (B3/B4), は is added to に (に→には). Here, B3/B4 implies a contrast (the second function of the particle は). B3 says "cafeteria is not on the first floor (but it may be on some other floor)."
B4 says "Ms. Smith is not in her apartment (but she may be at somewhere else)." Optionally, contrastive marker は can be added in affirmative sentences as in 2かいには あります ("It's on the second floor (in contrast)") or がっこうには います ("Ms. Smith may be at school (in contrast)") when contrast is clearly intended.
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カフェテリア
|
は |
1かい |
に |
ありますか。 |
Is there cafeteria on the first floor? |
いいえ、 |
|
|
1かい |
には |
ありません。 |
No, there isn't. |
でも、 |
|
|
2かい |
に/には |
あります。 |
but it is on the second floor. |
|
スミスさん |
は |
アパート |
に |
いますか。 |
Is Ms. Smith in her apartment? |
いいえ、 |
|
|
アパート |
には |
いません。 |
She is not in her apartment. |
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|
|
がっこう |
に/には |
います。 |
She is at school. |
If scrambling rule is applied, similar expressions (and many others) as shown below can be obtained.
- このきんじょに/ぎんこうが/あります。 ("A bank is in this vicinity.")
- ぎんこうが/このきんじょに/あります。 ("A bank is in this vicinity.")
- このきんじょに/ぎんこうは/ありません。 ("A bank is not in this vicinity.")
- ぎんこうは/このきんじょに/ありません。 ("A bank is not in this vicinity.")
- にわに/ひろこさんが/います。 ("Hiroko is in the yard.")
- ひろこさんが/にわに/います。 ("Hiroko is in the yard.")
- ひろこさんは/にわには/いません。 ("Hiroko is not in the yard.")
- にわには/ひろこさんは/いません。 ("Hiroko is not in the yard.")
- etc.
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どんな is a question word that means "what kind of."
どんな おんがく means "what kind of music" どんな りょうり means "what
kind of food."
どんな |
おんがく |
what kind of music? |
どんな |
りょうり |
what kind of food |
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Kawasaki's reaction おんがくですか is called an "echo question."
An echo question essentially repeats the question in the Xですか form
("You mean X? Is that what you are asking about?"). In
conversation, echo questions are used as a speech filler to buy
time before answering the question. It is also possible to use わたしですか
("You mean 'me'?" or "You are asking me?") as
an echo question.
かわさきさんは |
おんがくが |
すきですか。 |
Do you like music? |
|
おんがく |
ですか。 |
(You mean) "music"? |
わたし |
|
ですか。 |
(You mean) "me"? |
かわさきさんは |
あした |
がっこうに |
いきますか。 |
Do you you go to school
tomorrow, Mr. Kawasaki? |
|
|
がっこう |
ですか。 |
(You mean) "school"? |
|
あした |
|
ですか。 |
(You mean) "tomorrow"? |
わたし |
|
|
ですか。 |
(You mean) "me"? |
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ほんとう means "truth." ほんとうですか expresses one's surprise (i.e., "Really?").
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The particle も replaces the particles が, を and は (e.g., わたしは わたしも) and adds a sense that the
compared person or object (e.g., "I") is "also"
associated with the predicate (e.g., "I, too, listen to
jazz"). The particle も behaves like the particle は in terms of whether it replaces or is added to other particles.
てんぷら |
が |
すきです。 |
|
どようび |
に |
いきます。 |
|
さしみ |
も |
すきです。 |
も replaces が |
にちようび |
にも |
いきます。 |
も is added to に |
にく |
は |
きらいです。 |
は replaces が |
げつようび |
には |
いきません。 |
|
|
|
たなかさん |
が |
きます。 |
|
にほん |
で |
します。 |
|
スミスさん |
も |
きます。 |
も replaces が |
ちゅうごく |
でも |
します。 |
も is added to で |
やまださん |
は |
きません。 |
は replaces が |
アメリカ |
では |
しません。 |
は is added to で |
|
|
こうちゃ |
を |
のみます。 |
|
12じ |
から |
あります。 |
|
コーヒー |
も |
のみます。 |
も replaces を |
1じ |
からも |
あります。 |
も is added to から |
ワイン |
は |
のみません。 |
は replaces を |
2じ |
からは |
ありません。 |
は is added to から |
When there is no other particle (e.g., relative time expression), も (or は) is just added.
- きょう、いきます。 + あした、いきます。 → きょうも、いきます。あしたも、いきます。
- きょう、します。+あしたは、しません。→ きょうは、しますが、あしたは、しません。
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だれ in だれが…すきですか marks the object (i.e., "whom")
of one's liking. Literally, the sentence means "Whom do you like...?"
rather than "Who likes...?"
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いちばん and とくに qualify the degree of one's liking ("the best/most"
and "especially", respectively). To ask questions "Which/Who do you like the best among X?," the following pattern is used. いちばん + adjective creates the "most/least adjective" form as in いちばんすき "the most favorite," いちばん かんたん "the easiest," etc. Note that the question word どれ is used to ask choices among three or more items. (See どちら below.)
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Q: |
ジャズ |
のなかで |
だれ |
が |
とくに |
すきですか。 |
Who do you like especially among jazz (players)? |
A: |
|
|
まついけいこ |
が |
とくに |
すきです。 |
I like Keiko Matsui especially. |
Q: |
メールと
でんわと
ファックス |
のうちで |
どれ |
を |
いちばん |
よく |
つかいますか。 |
Among email, phone, and fax,
which one do you use the most often? |
A: |
|
|
メール |
を |
いちばん |
よく |
つかいます。 |
I use email the most often. |
The question initially gives a list of things to choose from. The particle と is normally used (not や) to make the list.
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All verbs introduced so far have the ~ます ending (e.g., たべます, のみます, いきます, etc.). This form is called the polite form. When we talk about our likes and dislikes about doing something, we need to make noun phrases from the plain non-past forms of verbs as shown below. きく is the plain form of the polite form ききます.
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わたしは |
ジャズ を きく |
の |
が |
すきです。 |
I like listening to jazz/I like to listen to jazz. |
The plain non-past affirmative form is also called a "dictionary" or "citation" form. In order to conjugate verbs, we need to distinguish different types of verbs as shown below.
|
Polite Forms
(ます Forms) |
Plain Forms
(Dictionary Forms) |
|
かきます
いきます |
かく
いく |
write
go |
いそぎます
およぎます |
いそぐ
およぐ |
hurry
swim |
のみます
よびます
しにます |
のむ
よぶ
しぬ |
drink
call
die |
はなします
だします |
はなす
だす |
speak
take out, submit |
つくります
とります
あります |
つくる
とる
ある |
make
take
there is [inanimate] |
つかいます
いいます |
つかう
いう |
use
say |
まちます
もちます |
まつ
もつ |
wait
hold, have |
います
みます
たべます |
いる
みる
たべる |
is located [animate]
see
eat |
きます
します |
くる
する |
come
do |
For example,
たなか: スミスさんは なにを するのが すきですか。
スミス: わたしは ほんを よむのが すきです。たなかさんは どうですか。
たなか: ぼくは テレビを みるのが すきですよ。
The noun phrase /Verb + の/ can be used in other constructions besides talking about our preferences. For example,
コンサートに いくのは おもしろいですが、カラオケで うたうのは おもしろくありません。
It's interesting/fun to go to a concert, but it's not interesting/fun to sing at Karaoke.
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The following shows how to change the polite う-verbs to the plain う-verbs.
Here is another way of looking at the same changes. The polite う-verbs use the い-row sounds (き、ぎ、し、ち、に、び、み、り、 い) of the hiragana chart (e.g., かきます、およぎます、はなします、まちます、しにます、あそびます、のみます、はいります、かいます, respectively). The plain う-verbs can be obtained by substituting the い-row sounds with the う-row sounds (e.g., substituting き with く as in かきます→かく). This is shown in the chart below in pink.
The plain form of る-verbs is obtained by simply changing ます to る.
おきます おきる ("wake up ")
みます みる ("watch")
たべます たべる ("eat")
います いる ("be/stay")
ねます ねる ("go to bed/lie down")
できます できる ("can do/is complete") |
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If you know the root of each verb, the plain form can be obtained by just adding /u/ to the う-verb root and by adding /ru/ to the る-verb root. ( /wu/ below is pronounced as /u/ or う. /tu/ is pronounced as /tsu/ or つ.)
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The following pattern is used to ask preferences between two choices. The question word どちら (which one [of the two]) is used instead of どれ (which one [of three or more]). のほう is optional. (ほう means "side.") Particle と must be used to list the choices. (Note that there is no "comparative" form of adjectives in Japanese.
|
Xと |
Yと |
どちら(のほう)
which (side) |
が |
~ |
|
Q: |
ジャズと |
クラシックと |
どちら(のほう) |
が |
すきですか。 |
Which do you like better---jazz or classical music? |
This comparison structure is not limited to preference questions. It can be about other topics as shown below. In this case, the particle が may change to others (を, に, で, etc.) depending on the phrase that follows it. If the question is about the frequency/quantity of something, the adjective よく may be used to clarify the question.
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Q: |
ジャズと |
クラシックと |
どちら
(のほう) |
が |
おもしろいですか。 |
Which is more fun
---jazz or classical music? |
Q: |
ジャズと |
クラシックと |
どちら
(のほう) |
を |
よく みますか。 |
Which do you watch more often
---jazz or classical music? |
Q: |
としょかんと |
うちと |
どちら
(のほう) |
で |
よく べんきょうしますか。 |
Which place do you study more often at
---the library or home? |
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To answer the questions using どちら above, we use the following structure. The phrase Xより means "than X." The phrase のほう in Yのほう is optional for nouns.
|
~ |
|
|
ジャズより |
クラシック(のほう) |
が |
すきです。 |
I like classical music more than jazz. |
|
than jazz |
(the side of) classical music |
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If you don't have any preferences between the two choices, you can answer as follows:
|
|
|
ジャズも |
クラシックも |
すきです。 |
I like classical music as well as jazz. |
みるのも |
するのも |
すきです。 |
I like watching it as well as doing it. |
For other questions asking for the comparison of frequency or quantity of something, you can answer them in the following manner.
|
|
ジャズより |
クラシック(のほう) |
が |
おもしろいです。 |
Classical music is more fun than jazz. |
ジャズより |
クラシック(のほう) |
を |
よく みます。 |
I listen to classical music more often than jazz. |
としょかんより |
うち(のほう) |
で |
よく べんきょうします。 |
I study more often at home than at the library. |
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