Dialogue 2: Grammar Notes

Grammar Notes for Dialogue 2

後(あと)で／前(まえ)に

In Lesson 17 (Dialogue 4), we learned "after" and "before" connectives --- あと（で） and まえ（に） respectively as shown below.

N (Event)	の	あと(で) まえ(に)
ばんごはん	の	あとで	えいがに行きました。	I went to a movie after dinner.
あさごはん	の	まえに	ジョギングします。	I jog before breakfast.

The Nの part can be replaced by a whole sentence and create S1あとで, S2 ("After S1, S2") or S1まえに, S2 ("Before S1, S2") constructions respectively.

S1	あと(で) まえ(に)	S2
ばんごはんを食べた	あとで	えいがに行きました。	I went to a movie after I had eaten dinner.
あさごはんを食べる	まえに	ジョギングします。	I will jog before I eat breakfast.

The following costraints apply. For the あと（で） connective, S1 must be in the past tense (e.g., 食べた). For まえ（に） connective, S1 must be in the non-past tense (e.g., 食べる) regardless of the tense of the main clause (S2). The following sentences are both ungrammatical.

S1	あと(で) まえ(に)	S2
＊そつぎょうする	あとで	日本に行きます。	[Ungrammatical] I am going to Japan after I graduate.
＊あさごはんを食べた	まえに	ジョギングしました。	[Ungrammatical] I jogged before I ate dinner.

Secondly, only affirmative sentences are allowed in S1 for both expressions.

Compound verbs (書き始(はじ)める, 書き終(お)わる, 書きかえる, 書き入れる, etc.)

In Lesson 25 (Dialogue 1), we have seen an example of compound verbs --- 書き入(い)れる (to fill in). This verb consists of two verbs: 書く (write) + 入(い)れる (put in). To combine two verbs into one, the first verb must be in the ます ending form (verb stem) as shown below. Not all verbs can be freely combined like this, and only a limited number of V2 can be used.

V1 (stem)

V2

かき (write)
とり (take)
まぜ (mix)
かり (borrow) いれる (put in)
いれる (put in)
いれる (put in)
いれる (put in) to fill in
to adopt/include
to mix in
to borrow

とり (take)
かし (lend)
もち (hold/have)
おもい (think) だす (take/push out)
だす (take/push out)
だす (take/push out)
だす (take/push out) to take out
to lend out
to carry outside
to recall/recollect

かき (write)
いれ (put in)
とり (take)
き (wear)
はき (wear) かえる (change)
かえる (change)
かえる (change)
かえる or がえる (change)
かえる (change) to rewrite/revise
to switch around
to replace
to change (clothes)
to change (shoes)

●	コーヒーにミルクをまぜいれた。	I mixed sugar into the coffee.
●	この図書館では本を持(も)ち出(だ)せません。	You can't take books out of this library.
●	家に帰って、ふくをきがえました。	I came home and changed clothes.

Among these compound verbs, the second verb (V2) can refer to the beginning part or ending part of actions as in Ｖはじめる ("begin to V") or (Vおわる) "finish V-ing." The transitive verb, つづける ("to continue [something]") can be used to refer to continuing actions.

V1 (stem)

V2

ふり (rain/snow)
たべ (eat)
つかい (use)
よみ (read) はじめる (begin)
はじめる (begin)
はじめる (begin)
はじめる (begin) begin to rain/snow
begin to eat
begin to use
begin to read

ふり (rain/snow)
たべ (eat)
つかい (use)
よみ (read) おわる (finish/end)
おわる (finish/end)
おわる (finish/end)
おわる (finish/end) stop raining/snowing
finish eating
finish using
finish reading

ふり (rain/snow)
たべ (eat)
つかい (use)
よみ (read) つづける (continue)
つづける (continue)
つづける (continue)
つづける (continue) continue to rain/snow
continue to eat
continue to use
continue to read

●	この本を読み始(はじ)めてから、一週間です。	It's been a week since I started to read this book.
●	それを読み終(お)わったら、言って下さい。	Please let me know when you finish reading it.
●	１０日間、雨がふりつづけています。	It's been raining for ten days.

FYI:

ふりつづける ("continue to rain") can optionally be said by using an intransitive version of つづける. That is, つづく as in １０日間、雨がふりつづいています。

Ｓということがある／ない: Quoting abstract notions 1

We learned the construction Ｖたことがある "I have an experience in having V-ed" in Lesson 23. By adding という to this construction, the reference becomes more indirect "I sometimes have experiences like..." If S is in the non-past tense, Ｓということがある can refer to occasionsional present-day experiences.

S
という ことがある
ことはない

いやだ
ということがある
Sometimes, I have experiences like saying "I hate it."
＝いやなことがある: Sometimes, I hate it.

わからない
ということはない There is no way I don't understand it.
(LIt. "I never have a situation like saying 'I don't understand it.'"
＝わからないことがある: Sometimes, I don't understand it.