Need a word or phrase translated?

[briareos]

Can someone help translate this? It's something about learning English.

誰かあー英会話の勉強の仕方教えて

 

[Elizabeth]

Can someone help translate this? It's something about learning English.
誰かあー英会話の勉強の仕方教えて

Someone tell me how to study English conversation.

 

[Elizabeth]

そこで、そうかね、もう死ぬのかね、と上から覗き込むようにして聞いてみた。
[覗き込むようにして]
My book translates this 'you ni shite as "make as if to 'peer into'". However, I've only ever seen it as "try to (do something)". Would it be correct to say "(I tried) to look at her to (ask and see; 聞いてみた)"?

I don't understand this sentence, either...anyone else ??

 

[briareos]

Thanks Elizabeth!! Great!

 

[epigene]

そこで、そうかね、もう死ぬのかね、と上から覗き込むようにして聞いてみた。
[覗き込むようにして]
My book translates this 'you ni shite as "make as if to 'peer into'". However, I've only ever seen it as "try to (do something)". Would it be correct to say "(I tried) to look at her to (ask and see; 聞いてみた)"?

This is something I've never noticed until you pointed it out...

The short answer to the question is yes, the translation is correct. Usage of ～ようにして does not have a fixed translation and must be learned from practice, I guess.

Kenkyusha's JE Dictionary gives some good examples:

-ようにする (-y nisuru)
do sth so that….
風邪をひかないようにしなさい.
Take care that you don't catch cold.
言われたようにしなさい.
Do as you are told.
…するようにしましょう.
I will see (to it) that…. ｜ 〔先生が生徒たちに〕 Be sure 《to wash your hands when you get home》.
明日はなるべく来るようにいたします.
I will try and come tomorrow.
私は健康のため 1 日 30 分歩くようにしている.
For my health, I make a point of walking thirty minutes a day.
電話番号を間違わないようにしろよ.
See that you get the phone number right, will you?
酔っぱらわないようになさい.
See that you do not get drunk.

This one also:
-ようになる (-y ninaru)
start [begin] to do.
病人は歩けるようになった.
The patient started walking.
息子が酒を飲むようになった.
My son started drinking.
わが家にツバメが来るようになってから 3 年たつ.
It's been three years since the swallows began to come to our house.
そのドアは, 前に人が立つと開くようになっている.
The door is so made as to open when a person stands in front of it.
3 月に入り, だんだんストーブが要らないようになってきた.
Now that it's March it's getting so that, little by little, we don't need the space heater anymore.
駅のアナウンスってのはもっとはっきり聞こえるようにならないものかね.
Don't you suppose that something could be done to make the announcements at the station more clearly heard?

HTH! (Sorry! I'm getting lazy... )

 

[elektrokitten]

Wow, this is a great thread, if only I could translate the Japanese into broken down syllabols in English.

Arigato Gozaimas~

 

[pinkichan]

Please help me translate this to Japanese... because my boyfriend will probably call from now and i have to inform him about my flight..

here's what i want to say to him..

"I called the ticketing agency last Monday and as of that day, July 3 until 7 are still available.. so I asked them to booked me on July 7 and said that I have to pay the ticket until Tuesday.. so they phoned me on Tuesday morning and asked if I'm still buying the ticket because if not they are going cancel my booking on the 7th, I said I'm not.. because i was expecting to receive the money Monday afternoon but it hasn't coming until now.. "


Please help me guys, I want to say this exactly correct with my bf.. because my Nihongo is still not good.. I don't think I can say all this properly..

Thanks!

 

[TheImmigrantSong]

How would I say the following....

1. I came to Japan one year ago from America

2. I have studied Japanese one year

3. Try your best!
Anything other than "ganbatte ne?"

4. Where would you like to go?
Doko ni ikimasu ka????

5. How do I recharge my "suica" card?

6. I need to study more.

7. I want to __run__ .

Thank you guys! That damn suica card...:emoji_blush:

 

[pinkichan]

Guys please kindly translate this for me..

"I'm having problem with my cellphone right now.. sometimes it just turns off when I'm receiving a call.. I tired calling my number from another phone and I heard it ringing but my phone's not and its turns off.. its kinda weird. sorry.."

Thanks guys..
Please... its again I need to explain with my bf... please help me guys...
million thanks!

 

[Fuumei]

This is something I've never noticed until you pointed it out...
The short answer to the question is yes, the translation is correct. Usage of ～ようにして does not have a fixed translation and must be learned from practice, I guess.
Kenkyusha's JE Dictionary gives some good examples:
-ようにする (-y nisuru)
do sth so that….
風邪をひかないようにしなさい.
Take care that you don't catch cold.
言われたようにしなさい.
Do as you are told.
…するようにしましょう.
I will see (to it) that…. ｜ 〔先生が生徒たちに〕 Be sure 《to wash your hands when you get home》.
明日はなるべく来るようにいたします.
I will try and come tomorrow.
私は健康のため 1 日 30 分歩くようにしている.
For my health, I make a point of walking thirty minutes a day.
電話番号を間違わないようにしろよ.
See that you get the phone number right, will you?
酔っぱらわないようになさい.
See that you do not get drunk.
This one also:
-ようになる (-y ninaru)
start [begin] to do.
病人は歩けるようになった.
The patient started walking.
息子が酒を飲むようになった.
My son started drinking.
わが家にツバメが来るようになってから 3 年たつ.
It's been three years since the swallows began to come to our house.
そのドアは, 前に人が立つと開くようになっている.
The door is so made as to open when a person stands in front of it.
3 月に入り, だんだんストーブが要らないようになってきた.
Now that it's March it's getting so that, little by little, we don't need the space heater anymore.
駅のアナウンスってのはもっとはっきり聞こえるようにならないものかね.
Don't you suppose that something could be done to make the announcements at the station more clearly heard?
HTH! (Sorry! I'm getting lazy... )

Thank you very much Epigene-san! I was hoping it wouldn't have to get any more complicated than it already was. It's the first time (as far as I can think) that I've seen it used that way. Perhaps this entire time I have always seen it as "try to" and never thought otherwise. Now that I think about it, both definitions could be used in this situation (I think) and it would seem almost impossible to tell them apart in my eyes. A bit disheartening. Thanks for your input. Also, I apologize to Elizabeth-san for not putting in more context. It was a line from a short story by Natsume Souseki.

"At that point - 'Yes that's right isn't it, you're going to die aren't you?' I said by (making it as to peer into her eyes) to ask and see."

 

[FrustratedDave]

Guys please kindly translate this for me..

"I'm having problem with my cellphone right now.. sometimes it just turns off when I'm receiving a call.. I tired calling my number from another phone and I heard it ringing but my phone's not and its turns off.. its kinda weird. sorry.."

Thanks guys..
Please... its again I need to explain with my bf... please help me guys...
million thanks!

@pinkichan , how about you give it a try and then others can correct you? Its not that I don't want to do it, but if you are getting nothing out of it I am and others are not inclined to translate things for you.:emoji_thumbsup:

 

[Elizabeth]

How would I say the following....
1. I came to Japan one year ago from America

１年前に、アメリカから日本に来ました。

アメリカから日本に来たのは１年前のことでした。(It was one year ago that I came from America to Japan).

2. I have studied Japanese one year

一年間、日本語を勉強していますよ。

3. Try your best!

Anything other than "ganbatte ne?"


え？？本当？？You mean like がんばれ！(Go for it!) :emoji_grinning: OK, maybe try something else。。。ベスト・全力・最善・を尽くして。。。nah, still too strange... 頑張ろう！頑張ろう！

4. Where would you like to go?

Doko ni ikimasu ka????

どこに行きたいの（ですか？）

5. How do I recharge my "sucia" card?

Hehe, sucia makes it sound really, really awful...suica is such a cooler name desune. :emoji_thumbsup: I don't know the word used for recharge either...but just tell them you need to 入金 (にゅうきん or add money) and I'm sure they'll figure out how take it from there. :emoji_stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:


どのように（どこで）、スイカの入金（チャージ)をするのですか？ (How/where do I recharge my suica card)

どのように（どこで）、スイカの入金（チャージ)ができますか？(How/where can I recharge my suica card?)

スイカの入金（チャージ)の仕方を教えてください。

Vending machines, fare adjustment machines, ticket offices, mobile phone...everywhere you go these days there's a card recharager. :emoji_stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

6. I need to study more.

もっと勉強しなければならない。

7. I want to __run__ .

In a physical sense ? or Run back to America ? :emoji_blush:

 

[Elizabeth]

Thank you very much epigene-san! I was hoping it wouldn't have to get any more complicated than it already was. It's the first time (as far as I can think) that I've seen it used that way. Perhaps this entire time I have always seen it as "try to" and never thought otherwise. Now that I think about it, both definitions could be used in this situation (I think) and it would seem almost impossible to tell them apart in my eyes. A bit disheartening. Thanks for your input. Also, I apologize to Elizabeth-san for not putting in more context. It was a line from a short story by Natsume Souseki.
"At that point - 'Yes that's right isn't it, you're going to die aren't you?' I said by (making it as to peer into her eyes) to ask and see."

Neither "making an effort to peer down at her" or "making like I was peering down at her" are particularly clear English but after all 漱石 started as a haiku poet and pure poetry was the foundation of his work, always. :

 

[Elizabeth]

please help me translate this to japanese... coz my boyfriend will probably call from now and i have to inform him about my flight..
here's what i want to say to him..
"i called the ticketing agency last monday and as of that day, july 3 untill 7 are still available.. so i asked them to booked me on july 7 and said that i have to pay the ticket until tuesday.. so they phoned me on tuesday morning and asked if im still buying the ticket coz if not they are going cancel my booking on the 7th, i said im not.. coz i was expecting to recieve the money monday afternoon but it has'nt coming untill now.. "
please help me guys,,, i want to say this exactly correct with my bf.. coz my nihonggo is still not good.. i dont think i can say all this properly..
thanks!

Because I still haven't recieved the money, I could not buy an airline ticket.

Okane wo mada uketoranai node, koukuuken wo kau koto ga dekinakatta yo.

"i'm having problem with my cellphone right now.. sometimes it just turns off when im recieving a call.. i tired calling my number from another phone and i heard it ringing but my phone's not and its turns off.. its kindda wierd. sorry.."

The cell phone seems to be broken.

Keitai denwa ga koshou shite iru mitai yo. Sumimasen.

 

[pinkichan]

Thanks Elizabeth.. you're really an angel!

 

[Supervin]

Hiya, can someone please explain ってか? It seems to be used whenever a person brings up something new in a chat. Is the longer ていうか used in the same way? And is this the same as ていうかさ?

Do the more formal versions like というより実は have a different usage?

Cheers.

 

[epigene]

Hiya, can someone please explain ってか? It seems to be used rather whenever a person brings up something new in a chat. Is the longer ていうか used in the same way? And is this the same as ていうかさ?
Do the more formal versions like というより実は have a different usage?
Cheers.

Yes, it derives from ていうか (which in turn derives from というか、というより).

However, ってか is already an established colloquialism among young people, so you can use it as it is--especially if you belong to the under-40 crowd...

 

[Charles Barkley]

I find myself trying to say the following things but always feeling awkward after the attempt.

When I first ______;

When I first came to Japan, .... (ie, during the time period immediately after my arrival)
日本に来て初めの頃、

Would I be better off in the above example saying something like:

日本に来たばかり...

Or would something else altogether be better? I find myself often wanting to contrast my experience when I just arrived with my current experience, but I don't feel comfortable switching the time period to 'right after my arrival.'

馬刺しを食べて初めての時、おいしいふりをしたけど、二番目の食べたとき本当においしかったと思った。
The first time I ate rice horse, I pretended that it was delicious, but the second time, I really thought it was good.


---

Similarly, how do I say, the first ____

The first 15 minutes of the program were good, but the last 15 minutes sucked.
あの番組は最初の十五分は良かったけど、最後の十五分はだめになってしまった。


Can 最初の and 最後の section off time, pages, other things?

Like, the first 2 weeks: 最初の二週間
the last 15 pages 最後の十五ページ

Thanks in advance.

 

[undrentide]

When I first ______;
When I first came to Japan, .... (ie, during the time period immediately after my arrival)
日本に来て初めの頃、
Would I be better off in the above example saying something like:
日本に来たばかり...

To me 日本に来たばかりの頃は sounds more natural.

Or would something else altogether be better? I find myself often wanting to contrast my experience when I just arrived with my current experience, but I don't feel comfortable switching the time period to 'right after my arrival.'
馬刺しを食べて初めての時、おいしいふりをしたけど、二番目の食べたとき本当においしかったと思った。
The first time I ate rice horse, I pretended that it was delicious, but the second time, I really thought it was good.

To contract the first experience with the second one, I might say:
最初に馬刺しを食べた時はおいしいふりをしたけど、二度目に食べたときには本当においしいと思った。

Similarly, how do I say, the first ____
The first 15 minutes of the program were good, but the last 15 minutes sucked.
あの番組は最初の十五分は良かったけど、最後の十五分はだめになってしまった。
Can 最初の and 最後の section off time, pages, other things?
Like, the first 2 weeks: 最初の二週間
the last 15 pages 最後の十五ページ

Your usage of 最初の and 最後の are fine.
あの番組は最初の十五分は良かったけど、最後の十五分はだめになってしまった。
If the programme lasts total 30 minutes, you can also say
～残りの15分は良くなかった（ひどかった）。

 

[Elizabeth]

To me 日本に来たばかりの頃は sounds more natural.

Is 日本に来てすぐの頃は also workable here ?

 

[FrustratedDave]

To contract the first experience with the second one, I might say:
最初に馬刺しを食べた時はおいしいふりをしたけど、二度目に食べたときには本当においしいと思った。

Undrentide, I am not trying to sound picky as you already know your example is perfectly fine , but I would use "初めて" instead of "最初に" in this instance. 初めて馬刺しを食べた時はおいしいふりをしたけど、二度目に食べたときには本当においしいと思った。 To the listener it will be a little more softer on the ears.

 

[FrustratedDave]

Is 日本に来てすぐの頃は also workable here ?

Elisabeth ,that is perfectly ok , actualy again, as I said earlier "日本に来てすぐの頃は" will sound a lot more softer to the listener rather than "日本に来たばかりの頃は".

It all depends on how "堅い" or formal you want to be.

 

[undrentide]

Undrentide, I am not trying to sound picky as you already know your example is perfectly fine , but I would use "初めて" instead of "最初に" in this instance. 初めて馬刺しを食べた時はおいしいふりをしたけど、二度目に食べたときには本当においしいと思った。 To the listener it will be a little more softer on the ears.

Oh, yes, I do agree!
I automatically used 最初に as it was used in the example given by Charles but come to think of it, indeed 初めて would be even more natural.

 

[Elizabeth]

Elisabeth ,that is perfectly ok , actualy again, as I said earlier "日本に来てすぐの頃は" will sound a lot more softer to the listener rather than "日本に来たばかりの頃は".
It all depends on how "堅い" or formal you want to be.

OK, thanks FrustratedDave !
That's actually a really interesting commentary on the language. ところ used as a point in time I have heard called slightly harsh or 堅い as well and I thought that friend was just naturally oversensitive....and probably they still are, But at least it makes a little more sense now knowing there are alternative available.
That'll make her happy to see how I'm 'coming along'.

Another difference may be that すぐの頃 allows for a more elastic time frame (perhaps in weeks or months rather than the 10 days (or less) of ばかり。。。

 

[Charles Barkley]

undrentide: I saw in your post where you rewrote my example about tasting basashi, that you changed 「本当においしかったと思った」 into 「本当においしいと思った」

As I was writing it, I remember waffling back and forth between the past and present tense for おいしい. Why did you use it in this case? Are there rules for when to use past and when to use present?