My grammar questions

[Zuba]

どうもありがとうございます。

こんにちは、皆さん。元気ですか。今日は休みです。Labor Dayです。

Next up is adjectives. い adjectives attach directly to the noun you want to modify and な adjectives you need to put a な before the noun. な adjectives conjugate just like です and い adjectives are as follows: negative くありません、negative pastくありませんでした, and past かったです. You remove the final い and attach one of these forms.

この水は冷たいです。 This water is cold.
今日の天気は暑くありません。 Today's weather is not hot.
母の鞄は重かったです。 My Mom's bag was heavy.
元気な女は優しかったです。The energetic woman was nice.
最近隣の人は静かじゃありません。 Lately, the neighbor is not quiet.

Nest is 好き and 嫌い . For these the thing you like or dislike is marked with が.

私は鶏肉が好きです。 I like chicken.
カイさんはうるさい音楽が嫌いです。Kai hates loud music.
私はアイリさんのことが好きです。I love Airi. One note is that 好き is used to say you love someone in a romantic way. The person followed by のことが好き expresses love.

Now is ましょう. This form is used to say "lets." It also shows the speakers intention.

家に帰りましょうか。 Shall we go home?
大変な宿題を勉強しましょう。 I will study this hard homework.

 

[Toritoribe]

大変な宿題を勉強しましょう。 I will study this hard homework.

～ましょう is a polite form, so it can't be used as a monologue.
cf.
難しい宿題をやろう。

～ましょう indeed can express the speaker's will if it's said to second person, but ～ます is more common in most cases.
e.g.
この宿題は大変だけど、やりましょう（＝ やります）。
This homework is hard, but I will do.

 

[Zuba]

どうもありがとうございます。

おはようございます。皆さん、元気ですか。私は元気です。forumを使って、仕事に行きます。

In order to link multiple verbs together, as in "I did X, then Y." you use the て form.

今週の月曜日私は六時に起きて、コーヒーを飲んで、朝ごはんを食べて、学校に行きます。 I will get up at six, drink coffee, eat breakfast, and go to school this Monday.
東京に行って、食べましょうか。 Shall we go to Tokyo and eat?

Next is てください . This is used to politely request someone do X for you.

その本を読んでください。 Please read that book.
待ってください。 Please wait.

You can just use the て form to make requests to close friends and family.

テレビを消して。 Will you turn off the TV, please?

Next is てもいいです. This is used to ask for permission or to give permission to do X.

私はこの椅子に座ってもいいですか。May I sit in the chair?
サムさんはお菓子を食べてもいいですか。 May Sam eat the candy?
入ってもいいです。You may enter.

To say "you cannot do, as in you do not have permission" you use ていけません。

ゲームしていけません。You cannot play games.
いいえ、夜小さい車を運転していけません。No, you cannot drive the small car at night.

Next is ましょうか which can be used to offer assistance.

私は重い箱を持ちましょうか。 Let me carry the heave box.
窓を開けましょうか。 Let me open the window.

じゃ、また。

 

[Toritoribe]

forumを使って、仕事に行きます。

The -te form has many functions. When connecting two or more clauses, the meaning differs depending on the relation between the two clauses preceding and following "-te". ～を使って is used to indicate the means/tool in most cases, thus, it means "with using~ ", rather than "I used ~, and then... ".
e.g.
タクシーを使って会社に行きました。（＝タクシーで）
I went to the office by taxi.

電話を使って彼に連絡を取りました。（＝電話で）
I contacted him via telephone.

To say "you cannot do, as in you do not have permission" you use ていけません。

Isn't it ～てはいけません?

 

[Zuba]

どうもありがとうございます。

おはようございます。皆さんは元気ですか。私は元気です。

It is てはいけません I forgot to add it. Whoops

That is cool how the te form can connect clauses like that. It seems to loosely connect them. Does this apply to specific verbs?

鉛筆を使って、手紙を書きました。 Using the pencil I wrote the letter.
車を運転して、横浜にいきました。Driving the car I went to Yokohama.

じゃ、また。

 

[Toritoribe]

Yes, that's right.

 

[Zuba]

どうもありがとうございます。

こんにちは、皆さん。元気ですか。私は元気です。

I learned about the ている form. It basically has three forms.
To show a continuous state. I have not covered this one as of yet.
To show a continuous action.
To show a change that is more or less instant and retains its significance into the present.

私は公園で本を勉強しています。 I am studying a book at the library.
サムさんは今日学校で泳いでいません。Sam is not swimming at school today.

私は図書館に勤めています。 I work at the library. This sentence can also mean "I am working at the library right now."
東京に住んでいます。I live in Tokyo. I assume this form is the one to represent the instant change. As you may have lived somewhere else, but you now reside in Tokyo.
私はお店の前に立っています。I am standing in front of the store. I again assume this is the instant change one. As I am now standing in front of the store and the change was more or less instant and has significance to the present.

Next is how to say "Person A has X."

キムさんは手が小さいです。Kim has small hands.
ルーさんは頭がいいです。Ru is smart.

Next is the term form of adjectives and nouns. For い adjectives you remove the final い and add. くて. For both adjectives and nouns you just add で。

このラメンは安くて、美味しいです。 This ramen is cheap and delicious.
キムさんの車は青くて、高いでした。Kim's car was blue and expensive.
新しペンは便利で、いいですよ。This new pen is convient and good.
パムさんは校長先生で、優しくて、元気ですか。 Is Pam a principal, nice, and energetic?

Finally is にplus a movement verb to show the purpose of movement.

私は郵便局に切手を買いに行きます。 I will go to the post office to buy stamps.
日本に勉強に行っています。I went to Japan to study.
キザさんは家に遊びに来ていました。Kiza came to the house to hang out.

I also have one other question. Should I be trying to speak Japanese throughout the day? I want to say stuff, but I am worried that I might be using grammar wrong and building bad habits.

じゃ、また。

 

[mdchachi]

I also have one other question. Should I be trying to speak Japanese throughout the day? I want to say stuff, but I am worried that I might be using grammar wrong and building bad habits.

You mean to yourself? I would say so. I keep a running commentary in my head all the time i.e. "think in Japanese." It's really helps identify missing vocabulary and speech patterns. Like say you're thinking to yourself, "dang my balls itch" and then you may realize you don't know how to verbalize that in Japanese. And so you find out. And the cycle repeats.

 

[Mike Cash]

Should I be trying to speak Japanese throughout the day? I want to say stuff, but I am worried that I might be using grammar wrong and building bad habits.

My grandmother told my mother not to go into the water until she knew how to swim.

My mother is 76 and can't swim.

You know some way to learn how to swim that doesn't involve a little spluttering and flailing about? I don't know a way to learn how to speak Japanese that doesn't involve making errors.

 

[Toritoribe]

私は公園で本を勉強しています。 I am studying a book at the library.

図書館: library
公園: park

本を勉強する sounds awkward. It means something like "to study about book making/binding/publishing" to me. 本 is a tool for study, so 本で object を勉強する is more common.

サムさんは今日学校で泳いでいません。Sam is not swimming at school today.

This also can express "haven't experienced yet".

私は図書館に勤めています。 I work at the library. This sentence can also mean "I am working at the library right now."

勤めています always means " I work at/for the library." It can't be used to indicate one of the working places they are working at right now.

東京に住んでいます。I live in Tokyo. I assume this form is the one to represent the instant change. As you may have lived somewhere else, but you now reside in Tokyo.

There is no problem with 生まれた時からずっと東京に住んでいます, thus, it's not "change".

このラメンは安くて、美味しいです。 This ramen is cheap and delicious.
キムさんの車は青くて、高いでした。Kim's car was blue and expensive.
新しペンは便利で、いいですよ。This new pen is convient and good.
パムさんは校長先生で、優しくて、元気ですか。 Is Pam a principal, nice, and energetic?

ラーメン
高かったです
新しいペン
パムさんは校長先生で、優しくて、元気です。 is no problem, but it's semantically odd to list those things in a single question.

日本に勉強に行っています。I went to Japan to study.

If you already returned to your country, it should be 日本に勉強に行っていました, and if you are still in Japan now, it's 日本に勉強に来ています.

キザさんは家に遊びに来ていました。Kiza came to the house to hang out.

The same goes to here. 遊びに来ていました shows that he already left the house, and is not there now.


As you can see, the ～ている form is one of the hardest things to grasp for non-native learners. You will gradually understand the concept, step by step.

 

[Zuba]

どうもありがとうございます。

Thanks for the advice about speaking. I will make a effort to have a conversation in my head using Japanese. I also found the audio CDs for Genki 1 and the workbook online. My friend could not find them when he gave me the textbook and workbook. Now I can get even more practice and learning in!

おはようございます。皆さんは元気ですか。私は元気です。

The て form of 来る and 行く is really interesting. So 行く shows that you went somewhere or are there. And 来る shows you came somewhere or where somewhere.

私は図書館に行っています。I am at the Library. This shows that I went to the library and I am now there.
スーさんは大学に来ていました。 Su went to the college. This shows that Su went to the college, as in the location of the speaker, then left.
私はあの大きい会社に勤めています。I work at that big company.

じゃ、また。

 

[Toritoribe]

The て form of 来る and 行く is really interesting. So 行く shows that you went somewhere or are there. And 来る shows you came somewhere or where somewhere.

私は図書館に行っています。I am at the Library. This shows that I went to the library and I am now there.

Not really. The key to understand the concept of 行く and 来る is the location of the speaker or sometimes the location of the speaker's viewpoint. The action/movement coming towards to the speaker is 来る, and 行く is for going away from the speaker.
私は図書館に行っています。 can be valid, for instance, in a message you left to your family member(s) in your home. You were at home when you wrote this message, and the library is the destination to go, so 行く is used here. Thus, it's more likely future tense "I will go to the library, and will be there." If you already reached the library and tell someone that you are there, you have to say 私は図書館に来ています。.
Another possible interpretation is a present habit; I (usually/every day) go to the library.

スーさんは大学に来ていました。 Su went to the college. This shows that Su went to the college, as in the location of the speaker, then left.

Yes, but it also can be a past habit; Su used to come to the college. In this case, it can be valid even if the speaker is not in the college now. Instead, it's considered that the viewpoint is in the college.

 

[Zuba]

どうもありがとうございます。

Ok. So 行く shows movement away and then remaining there, and 来る shows movement towards and staying there. It can be the speaker or the speaker's viewpoint, like a building.

会社に来ています。I am at the company. So this one shows the movement is towards me, the speaker, or towards the company.
彼は午後二時に家に来ていませんでした。He did not come to the house at 2. This one shows the movement is towards the speaker, or the speaker's house.
ルーさんは郵便局に行っています。Ru will go to the post office and be there. This shows Ru went to the post office and that is away.

じゃ、また。

 

[Toritoribe]

Ok. So 行く shows movement away and then remaining there, and 来る shows movement towards and staying there. It can be the speaker or the speaker's viewpoint, like a building.

Be careful not to confuse 行く/来る and 行っている/来ている. The meaning "staying here/there" is from "いる".

彼は午後二時に家に来ていませんでした。He did not come to the house at 2. This one shows the movement is towards the speaker, or the speaker's house.

That sentence sounds a bit awkward. If the speaker had an appointment with him at 2pm but he didn't come at the time, 彼は午後二時に家に来ませんでした or 彼は午後二時には（まだ）家に来ていませんでした is more common. The meaning is almost the same between these two expressions, but the latter puts more focus on his absence.

ルーさんは郵便局に行っています。Ru will go to the post office and be there. This shows Ru went to the post office and that is away.

Unlike, for instance, 中国に行っています, 郵便局に行っています usually doesn't have a nuance "to be there now", since 郵便局に行く refers to just an errand (e.g. buying stamps) in most cases.

 

[Zuba]

どうもありがとうございます。

I am going to move on and just leave the 行っている and 来ている for latter. As I learn more I am sure the nuance and meaning will be clearer to me. I have the main idea that it is not used as the present progressive form.

 

[Toritoribe]

I have the main idea that it is not used as the present progressive form.

Yes, another expressions such like 行く途中だ or 向かっている are used for the present progressive tense.

 

[Zuba]

こんばんは、皆さんは元気ですか。今日私の仕事はとてもにぎやかでした。でも、私は元気です。

Today I learned about the short form. I am not going to go over how to form these as I already know. However the short form has a few uses.
1. To be used in quotes
2. To be casual in conversation with those you are intimate with, like friends, or to those of lower social rank than you.

私は面白い本を読む。I will read this interesting book. My question is does the short form have the same nuance of the long form in regards to actions being done regularly?
映画を見に行く？ Will you go see a movie? In short form the か in questions is dropped and a rising intonation is used.

To form a quote say what it is then follow it with と言っていました。

タケさんは明日仕事がないと言っていました。 Take said he does not have work tomorrow.
今日雨が降らないと思います。 I do no think it will rain today. One note is that when you want to say "do not think X" change the verb, noun, or adjectives not the 思います part.

To form a request not to do X put the verb in the short negative form and add でください

父の車を運転しないでください。Do not drive my Dad's car.
ケンさんは図書館の前で私を持たないでくさいと言っていました。 Please do not wait for me in front of the library Ken said.

To say you like/do not like doing X or am good at/ not good at X follow the verb in the short form with のが好き

私はゲームするのが得意です。I am good at games.
母は運転するのが上手です。My Mom is good at driving.
エーロンさんは大学に行くのが好きだと思います。 I think Aaron likes going to college.

The list thing for today is about が replacing は. The basic idea seems to be that when you bring up a piece of info that is new to someone else you use が.

山田さんが先生です。Yamada is a teacher. This would be used when the listener does not know about Yamada.
ウメさんが来週末家に来ますといっていました。Ume said he will come to my house next weekend. Again this adds emphasis to the fact the Ume said something and the listener does not know Ume, or does not know about his new info about Ume.

じゃ、また。

 

[Toritoribe]

今日私の仕事はとてもにぎやかでした。

Unlike "town", "busy" is translated as 忙しい for 仕事.

私は面白い本を読む。I will read this interesting book. My question is does the short form have the same nuance of the long form in regards to actions being done regularly?

Yes.

映画を見に行く？ Will you go see a movie?

を is often omitted in casual conversations. Also, it can be an invitation (Would you like to go to a movie with me? ) depending on the situation.

今日雨が降らないと思います。 I do no think it will rain today.

雨が降らないと思います is not wrong, but 雨は降らないと思います is more natural since が emphasizes 雨 too much.

ケンさんは図書館の前で私を持たないでくさいと言っていました。 Please do not wait for me in front of the library Ken said.

Notice that "to wait" is 待つ, not 持つ.
The polite form 待たないでください shows that this is a direct quotation, so you'd better use the Japanese quotation marks 「」.
Your example sentence is ambiguous. The two interpretations;
ケンさんは「図書館の前で私を待たないでください」と言っていました。
(Ken is the subject of 言っていました.)
and
「ケンさんは図書館の前で私を待たないでください」と（誰かが）言っていました。
(Ken is the subject of 待たないでください.)
are both possible. The quotation marks can avoid this ambiguity.
Incidentally, if it's ケンさんが, the latter interpretation can't be possible. ケンさん is always interpreted as the subject of 言っていました in this case, since ケンさんが図書館の前で私を待たないでください is invalidl.

山田さんが先生です。Yamada is a teacher. This would be used when the listener does not know about Yamada.

This would be a bit advanced, but 山田さんという人は先生です is used when the listener doesn't know Yamada. 山田さんが先生です is an answer to a question "Who is a teacher (among them)?", for instance. It can be rephrased as 先生は山田さんです.

ウメさんが来週末家に来ますといっていました。Ume said he will come to my house next weekend. Again this adds emphasis to the fact the Ume said something and the listener does not know Ume, or does not know about his new info about Ume.

It's the same as Ken's case. ウメさんが「来週末家に来ます」と言っていました and 「ウメさんが来週末家に来ます」と（誰かが）言っていました are both possible.

 

[Zuba]

どうもありがとうございます。

I figure I should keep my quotes simpler. I will make them more complex as time goes on, but for just
learning the pattern I should keep it simple.

スーさんは「明日テレビを見る」と言っていました。 Su said "tomorrow she will watch TV."
トムさんは「携帯を忘れた」と言っていました。 Tom said " He forgot his phone."
キムさんは「にぎやかなスーパでリンゴを買いに行く」と言っていました。 Kimu said " She will go buy apples at the busy superstore."

As for が. The book said to use it when a question is asked and you provide the answer. When it "fills in the blank on a information sheet" as they say. Should I just stick to using it in this way for the time being?

あれがアメリカに行きましたか。 Who went to America?
エーロンさんがアメリカに行きました。 Aaron went to America.

じゃ、また。

 

[Toritoribe]

キムさんは「にぎやかなスーパでリンゴを買いに行く」と言っていました。 Kimu said " She will go buy apples at the busy superstore."

My grammar questions | Japan Forum
キムさんは「混んでいる/はやっているスーパーにリンゴを買いに行く/行きます」と言っていました。
or
キムさんは混んでいる/はやっているスーパーにリンゴを買いに行くと言っていました。
(This is an indirect quotation, thus, what Kim actually said might be 今度混んでいる/はやっているスーパーに行ってリンゴ買ってくるんだ or something like that.)
"Busy" has many translations, isn't it?

As for が. The book said to use it when a question is asked and you provide the answer. When it "fills in the blank on a information sheet" as they say. Should I just stick to using it in this way for the time being?

は/が issue is very complicated and hard to grasp even for advanced learners. You would learn it gradually.

あれがアメリカに行きましたか。 Who went to America?

だれがアメリカに行きましたか。

 

[Mike Cash]

This thread may help a little:

は and が | Japan Forum

 

[Toritoribe]

The following thread might be helpful, as well.
は, が and を what's the difference between the following sentences? | Japan Forum

 

[Zuba]

どうもありがとうございます。

Thank you two for the help. I think I understand a little bit more は・が . It does appear to be a very complicated system, at least for a English speaker. I am not going to get hung up on making sure I know all the nuances of it. I know with time I will understand it more.
I am just going to stick with what the I know が can be used for. When a question word is used and a answer is given.

There does appear to be a lot of words to mean busy. :roflmao:

どれがリンゴですか。 Which is a apple?
これがリンゴです。This is a apple.
どの部屋が暑いですか。Which room is hot?
台所が暑いです。The kitchen is hot.

I just want to go over 何か 何も.

父は何か食べていました。Dad was eating something.
家と車庫の間で猫は何か読んでいますか。Between the house and the garage is the cat reading anything?
今朝私は何も飲みませんでした。This morning I did not eat anything.

じゃ、また。

 

[Mike Cash]

今朝私は何も飲みませんでした。This morning I did not eat anything.

Drink

 

[Zuba]