Japanese Language Help

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bashiek
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O-hisashiburi desu minna-san: I wanted to add about "utoshi"-does "annoying" fit the meaning better than "How frustrating"? Also about "danje de"-I heard it in another anime at the end of the sentence (it was translated as "not ever"). Finally, does "daitai" mean "besides"? Any help will be appreciated; thanks.
 
Hello everyone. Does anyone know if "itadakimasu" is also used by Japanese people before they eat small things like fruit, candy bars, etc.? Thanks.
 
Does it have to be solid for them to say that ? because I've seen in anime people drinking beverages, coffee etc without saying anything like that. Same for goshousama deshita.
 
george1234 said:
Does it have to be solid for them to say that ? because I've seen in anime people drinking beverages, coffee etc without saying anything like that. Same for goshousama deshita.
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Gochisou-sama deshita. And it doesn't have to be solid, but you have to be thanking someone for what you're eating or drinking. So, for example, you won't say it when you prepare your own food/drink, or get it from a vending machine etc. Also you may skip it in very familiar situations.
 
I'm taking a Japanese Language class this semester since it will be useful for understanding Anime and other things from Japanese Culture better.

So far we have only learned Hiragana, we'll be learning Katakana near the end of the semester, I do have a question still.

Is the correct way to use "Boy" or "Girl" in Japanese the short or long vowel version because I see both used frequently?

Shounen or Shonen
しょうねん or しょねん
Shoujo or Shojo
しょうじょ or しょじょ

I'll post again if I have more questions.
 
Aurora3500 said:
I'm taking a Japanese Language class this semester since it will be useful for understanding Anime and other things from Japanese Culture better.

So far we have only learned Hiragana, we'll be learning Katakana near the end of the semester, I do have a question still.

Is the correct way to use "Boy" or "Girl" in Japanese the short or long vowel version because I see both used frequently?

Shounen or Shonen
しょうねん or しょねん
Shoujo or Shojo
しょうじょ or しょじょ

I'll post again if I have more questions.
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To elaborate on aki's post, the correct way is indeed "shounen" and "shoujo" however "shonen" and "shojo" is used often because of the way "ou" is used in english which is not the same and may confuse some people. ie. the "ou" in "shout" is not the "ou" in "shounen/shoujo".
 
and to provide another example of おう->o, we almost always spell the capital as Tokyo but if you write it out in hiragana it's Toukyou.
there's also おお->o (Wakana Otaki is Wakana おおたき / Osaka is おおさか)
or おお->oh (Rin Tohsaka is Rin とおさか)
romanisation can be a pain sometimes, can't it

EDIT: I just tried pronouncing shounen and shoujo using the sound of ou in "shout." lmao
 
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Hello. I have a few questions.
1. What is the minimum time that is used for "o-hisashiburi desu"? I mean, like, how much time can pass from one meeting to the next for it to apply?
2. Has anybody else also experienced this-mixing up Hiragana and Katakana when you are copying out lyrics, passages, etc.?
3. I haven't started reading yet; however, I recognize some kanji. Does anybody have any way of telling when to use the on/kun readings when you don't know the word? What about for seiyuu names?
4. If anyone has taken the JLPT, can they answer this question--will radicals for each kanji be questioned on the test?

Thanks and take care minna-san.
 
Bashiek said:
Hello. I have a few questions.
1. What is the minimum time that is used for "o-hisashiburi desu"? I mean, like, how much time can pass from one meeting to the next for it to apply?
2. Has anybody else also experienced this-mixing up Hiragana and Katakana when you are copying out lyrics, passages, etc.?
3. I haven't started reading yet; however, I recognize some kanji. Does anybody have any way of telling when to use the on/kun readings when you don't know the word? What about for seiyuu names?
4. If anyone has taken the JLPT, can they answer this question--will radicals for each kanji be questioned on the test?

Thanks and take care minna-san.
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1. imo several months or longer …. you wouldn't say "long time no see!" to someone you haven't seen in three days right? Maybe a few weeks to a month at the shortest.
2. Usually you would use katakana for foreign/loan words so for me personally I don't mix them up. Sometimes I type certain words in katakana on purpose though (in an informal situation).
3. It really depends on the context/situation. You eventually kind of learn the difference.
ie. 年 can be read as "toshi" or "nen" 去年 =kyonen　今年 =kotoshi
For seiyuu names (and names in general) , usually kunyomi but onyomi is also possible
ie. kunyomi = 木村 (Kimura) and onyomi = 佐藤 (Satou)
… it really depends and some just have a completely different reading so some native Japanese people have trouble sometime with names.
4. You do not need to know specific radicals, but they will switch the radicals on kanji to test if you really know it, so prioritize memorizing the kanji because a lot of Chinese characters look alike.

my two cents but feel free to correct me anyone ;;
 
Dear Shiro-san: Thanks for the reply. I'll learn the radicals as well then.

Take care.
 
Dear Aurora3500-san: Hajimemashite. I just wanted to add that I have sometimes seen a line over the "o" in shonen and shojo to indicate that the vowel is extended. Maybe this will help.

Take care.
 
Hello everyone. Does anyone know what the standard phrase for "Don't get ahead of yourself!" is? If so, please let me know. Thanks.
 
Bashiek said:
Hello everyone. Does anyone know what the standard phrase for "Don't get ahead of yourself!" is? If so, please let me know. Thanks.
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There are a few ways to say this, but a common way is 調子に乗るな (choushi ni noru na) or 調子に乗らないで (choushi ni noranaide) which sounds less abrasive to me …. but I would be careful using them and use them in the appropriate context (like not to your superiors).
 
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