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Nihongo Grammar Beginner

Grandia1017

後輩
25 Apr 2011
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I am currently learning Japanese language on my own. Of course with the help of books. And I was constructing sentences on my own. However, I'm not so sure with my grammars if they're correct.

Some are below:
Part-ji shigoto o mite imashita. (I was looking for a part-time job.) I don't know the Japanese word for 'part' in 'part-time'. :sorry:

Doshte. (Why did I?)

Watakushi wa Letterman o kaimass de hoshigamashta. (I wanted to buy a Letterman.)

Watakushi wa onnanoko-cut or otokonoko-cut o erabu de ikite shimasen. (I don't know if I'm going to choose girl's cut or boy's cut.)

Yeah, I know that my grammars were disaster. :p Please do help me by correcting me. Domou Arigatou.:)
 
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I'm taking Japanese as an undergrad credit. I may not able to help you much with the grammar, but can do with your vocabulary.

Part-time job: アルバイト,in romma system it's arubaito

Doshte. means why in general, it's not limited to past tense nor first person.
And the romma spelling should be "Doushite".

Watakushi is the humble expression of "I", if you are not writing the entire sentence in humble expression, then the "watakushi" sounds a little wired. Should be watashi.
I would say "watashi wa letterman wo kaitaideshita."

I don't know the word for girl's/boy's cut either.
 
If you're serious about studying Japanese then I think it's best to stop using romaji as soon as possible. (Sorry I can't confidently help with your sentences; I'm permanently stuck somewhere between beginner and intermediate level!)
 
Part-ji shigoto o mite imashita. (I was looking for a part-time job.)
The verb "miru" doesn't have the meaning "to find/search". "To look for" in your example sentence is usually translated to "sagasu" in Japanese.

Arubaito o sagashiteimashita.

Watakushi wa Letterman o kaimass de hoshigamashta. (I wanted to buy a Letterman.)
You can use -tai form(pre -masu form of verb + tai) for "to want to do".

kau(to buy) -> kaimasu -> kaitai(= to want to buy)

The -tai form of a verb conjugates as an i-adjective, so the polite past form of "kaitai" is "kaitakatta desu".

Watakushi wa onnanoko-cut or otokonoko-cut o erabu de ikite shimasen. (I don't know if I'm going to choose girl's cut or boy's cut.)
I don't know if I'm going to choose A or B.
A o ebabu ka B o erabu ka wakarimasen./A ka B ka dochira o erabu ka wakarimasen.

I think this might be a bit advanced for pure beginners.;-)


I completely agree with eeky-san. You'd better learn hiragana/katakana first.
 
thanks a lot

Thanks a lot guys. 👍
I forgot the first two sentences. They are just simple sentences but I forgot it. -_-"
The last sentence, I don't know if..., quite not understood by me.:p I guess it's just advance just like what you said. XD

Well then, arigatou gozaimasu. :)
 
As part of my learning, please let me know if I am on the right track regarding of my grammar. XD
Watashi wa 'Deluxe First Press Edition' o hoshigarimasu. O-takai doushite desu ka. (I want Deluxe First Press Edition. Why are you so expensive?)
I don't know the Japanese word for "so" in the "so expensive".
Thanks a lot! :)
 
kanji: (私は)Deluxe First Press Editionが欲しいです。
hiragana: (わたしは)Deluxe First Press Editionがほしいです。
romaji: (Watashi wa) Deluxe First Press Edition ga hoshii desu.

The suffix "-garu" can't be used for first person. The particle "ga" acts as the object marker with "hoshii".


kanji: どうしてそんなに高いんですか?
hiragana: どうしてそんなにたかいんですか?
romaji: Doushite sonna ni takai n desu ka?

See the explanation regarding 'explanatry "no"' linked below. "N" in the example sentence above is the euphonic change of "no".

Noun-related particles - Tae Kim's Japanese grammar guide
 
Domou Arigatou Toritoribe. :) It helps a lot.

'Bout your post regarding 'learning first hiragana/katakana', I was just thinkin'.. How will I learn constructing sentences using Hiragana/Katakana if I don't know Romaji.. Sorry I'm just a beginner and I don't even know the procedures in learning Nihongo. :( I'm just not sure what topics I should learn first. XD I am currently studying all (hiragana/katakana/romaji) at the same time. +_+
 
The way I see it you can do one of two things (or both, if you really want to): 1) read stuff written in both romaji and kana until you're used to the kana and can drop the romaji; 2) drill the kana.

They aren't that hard to learn. You could do both of them in a week or two if you really wanted to. The grammar and vocabulary won't change.
 
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