これをよんでください

[MeAndroo]

Kevin, I would bet money that everybody else who read this thread had the exact same initial reaction as I did. I'm just surprised that nobody else did you favor of pointing it out.

I certainly attempted to in my first post, but I suspect it was glossed over in favor of more questions.

 

[Damicci]

One thing about learning Japanese via romaji is people will break doen stems with conjugations.
KEVIN:
When you see a suggested conjugation such as:
yonde imasu ka
there are only two instances of japanese grammar here.
The conjugated form of yonde+imasu = yondeimasu and the question particle "ka"
Stem - Conjugate
yonde - imasu
try to remember this when you are conjugating verbs. that way you won't make the mistake of wanting to add a copula instead of a conjugate to a verb stem.

Also the reason why there are 52 lessons is because it supposed to COVER A YEAR 52 weeks/52 lessons = 1 lesson/ 1 week
So you don't need to rush through all the lessons, take time to review each lesson several times.
Rome was not built in a day my friend.

 

[GoldCoinLover]

I think he may have finished with Lesson 30 by now. After all, it's been almost a whole day since he finished Lesson 15.

Huh? I told you I'd take my time with it.
I'm on lesson 16, and am reading that website the above poster just told me about. I can't expec tto learn japanese ina few days, but I've learned alot.
MikeCashさん、本（ほん)をよんでいます。
I'm reading a book right now. (Is the above sentence correct?)
It is called "How to win and influence people" by Dale Carnegie. It's a good book. I don't like it when people label ti as a "Self-help" book. Anyone can benefit from it and it is one of the best books of all time.


What's so hard about memorizing these:
There are 3 types of verbs in Japanese: yodan, ichidan, and irregular.1 First we will look at only some simple yodan verbs, which can end in u, ku, gu, su, tsu, nu, bu, mu, or ru:


All yodan verbs can end in these, right? So, since the other verbs (besides the irregular) can end in eru or iru it makes it easier.

I'm still confused about the ~te forms.

Oh, are they like these?

Iki -> iku -> itte

etc?

What's the hardest right now for me is memorzing Base 1, 2, and 3 forms. I got the dictionary form down, however, the others confuse me. I don't know when to use the other one.

Any tips?

 

[GoldCoinLover]

One thing about learning Japanese via romaji is people will break doen stems with conjugations.
KEVIN:
When you see a suggested conjugation such as:
yonde imasu ka
there are only two instances of japanese grammar here.
The conjugated form of yonde+imasu = yondeimasu and the question particle "ka"
Stem - Conjugate
yonde - imasu
try to remember this when you are conjugating verbs. that way you won't make the mistake of wanting to add a copula instead of a conjugate to a verb stem.
Also the reason why there are 52 lessons is because it supposed to COVER A YEAR 52 weeks/52 lessons = 1 lesson/ 1 week
So you don't need to rush through all the lessons, take time to review each lesson several times.
Rome was not built in a day my friend.

You mean remember how to drop certain aspects to conjuuage?
For example, yonde to conjugate is yomimasu?
I will read it/am reading it.
The changes between yonde imasu and yomimasu seem kind of subtle:
I will read it. (future)
I am reading it. (present)
yonde imasu:
I am reading it now. (I am reading it, right now)
I'm not reading it. (referring to the book)
Hon o yomimasen.
I did not read it. (the book)
Hon o yomimasen deshita.
So, yomu is the base, dictionary form.
So drop the "u" and add an "i" + masu.
Yomimasu
Kore wa hon o yomimasu.
Or perhaps, Kore o hon yomimasu is a better way to say it?I am reading this book.
(I made this sentence up. Hope I conjugated it right)
Now, I gotta learn better how to use the plain dictionary form. Hehe.
I hope I did this right.

 

[Damicci]

I sent you a pm about this. we discussed the kono sono ano and kore sore are already. please note the differences and review it again.

 

[bentenmusume]

I agree 100% with Mike here. It's great that you have a book and you're studying, but you really need to slow down for your own good.

I guarantee you that basically everything you're confused about here is explained in detail in your textbook. You're just going too quickly to take it all in.

You're trying to figure out -te forms, -nagara, and conditionals all at once. Most Japanese classes take at least a year or two to get through all of this. You might feel like you're making rapid progress (and you are, in a sense), but unless you slow down, _really_ read the explanations and study the examples, your understanding of all of these concepts is going to be very shallow. This is going to hurt you when you try to take on "real", non-textbook Japanese.

Also, everyone is using the word "conjugate" in a very confusing way. To "conjugate" a verb just refers to the action of changing a verb into its different forms -- this is "conjugation." For example, "iku" is the dictionary form of a verb that means to go; "iku" by itself can mean "I go", and you can "conjugate" it into "itta", which is past (or perfect) tense, and can mean "I went." "Itta" isn't called "a conjugate", it's the past (or perfect) tense of "iku". Calling all of these different forms of the verbs "conjugates" is just going to confuse you. I don't know what book you're using, but you really need to read the grammar explanations more thoroughly.)

 

[MeAndroo]

I don't know what book you're using, but you really need to read the grammar explanations more thoroughly.)

Sometimes it seems he's not reading them at all.

 

[Elizabeth]

I honestly don't know what else to suggest anymore either. One advantage of a work or exercise book would be that it is self-paced and gives immediate feedback while also allowing for unlimited review. If you don't have all the kana down firm, get one that sequences those first. And think, don't forget, about particles you've already "learned" (to some extent) while working on your verbs !! This is more an example of going backwards that exposes a lack of mastery over aspects you seem to have wasted a lot of time on only to so quickly lose.

 

[GoldCoinLover]

I agree 100% with Mike here. It's great that you have a book and you're studying, but you really need to slow down for your own good.

I guarantee you that basically everything you're confused about here is explained in detail in your textbook. You're just going too quickly to take it all in.

You're trying to figure out -te forms, -nagara, and conditionals all at once. Most Japanese classes take at least a year or two to get through all of this. You might feel like you're making rapid progress (and you are, in a sense), but unless you slow down, _really_ read the explanations and study the examples, your understanding of all of these concepts is going to be very shallow. This is going to hurt you when you try to take on "real", non-textbook Japanese.

Also, everyone is using the word "conjugate" in a very confusing way. To "conjugate" a verb just refers to the action of changing a verb into its different forms -- this is "conjugation." For example, "iku" is the dictionary form of a verb that means to go; "iku" by itself can mean "I go", and you can "conjugate" it into "itta", which is past (or perfect) tense, and can mean "I went." "Itta" isn't called "a conjugate", it's the past (or perfect) tense of "iku". Calling all of these different forms of the verbs "conjugates" is just going to confuse you. I don't know what book you're using, but you really need to read the grammar explanations more thoroughly.)

I don't have a japanese textbook that describes grammar. The I am yan came with a textbook, but I did not get the textbook with it.

What is wrong with my grammar? I'd appreciate it if you would correct my sentences.

 

[The7thSamurai]

Kore wa hon o yomimasu.
Or perhaps, Kore o hon yomimasu is a better way to say it?I am reading this book.
(I made this sentence up. Hope I conjugated it right)
Now, I gotta learn better how to use the plain dictionary form. Hehe.
I hope I did this right.

Please STOP EVERYTHING you are doing and go back and read the following post:
I Got a new CD Program | Japan Forum
It explains the use of kore, and kono, which you obviously don't understand. Do not try to learn a single thing more until you understand it as it's probably the most basic piece of grammar. In fact, spend a good couple of days on only kore/kono, sore/sono, are/ano. Don't practice anything else until Friday.

The difference between kore and kono was THE FIRST thing I ever learnt in Japanese. I remember it clearly, my poor Japanese teacher trying to explain "kore wa akai pen desu" and "kono pen wa akai desu".

 

[GoldCoinLover]

It is a pen.
Kore wa pen desu.

This is a pen.
Sono pen wa desu.

Notice the noun comes AFTER sono, and the particle comes after "kore".

 

[Damicci]

It is a pen.
Kore wa pen desu.
This is a pen.
Sono pen wa desu.
Notice the noun comes AFTER sono, and the particle comes after "kore".

Like bucko said take some more time reviewing the useage.

This is a pen = kore ha pen desu
not sono pen wa desu.
wa you don't need so you have sono pen desu.
well it translate to "that pen."

Review Study Review Study review Study....learn more rinse and repeat.

 

[The7thSamurai]

It is a pen.
Kore wa pen desu.
This is a pen.
Sono pen wa desu.
Notice the noun comes AFTER sono, and the particle comes after "kore".

You wouldn't say "Sono pen wa desu.", that's like saying in English "That pen is", which is just weird. You need to say "That pen is *something*", "sono pen wa blue desu" - "that pen is blue".

 

[Mike Cash]

It is a pen.
Kore wa pen desu.
This is a pen.
Sono pen wa desu.

A perfect illustration of why you should be on Lesson 2 instead of Lesson 16.

 

[Glenn]

One more thing along the lines of the "conjugate" point that jt_ made, modern Japanese doesn't use the yodan verb category anymore; it uses godan. I know Mikawa Ossan explained this before, because I remember reading it and thinking that maybe he should have said "classical" and "modern" Japanese instead of "written" and "spoken" (although the kanji are a bit misleading...).

Here it is: Verb conjugates | Page 2 | Japan Forum