Hello!
1. この自転車はかなり古いけど、何もないよりはましだ。
My translation: "This bike is quite old, but it's better than nothing."
I'm assuming よりはましだ = より (than) + は + まし (better) + だ (is), but I can't quite grasp the purpose of は here.
2. 何を送ると、書いてありますか。
This is a comprehension question about the contents of a letter. I am very frustrated that this simple sentence is causing me problems. Is と a quote marker? Is it something like:
書いてありますか = Is it written (in the letter) ...
何を送ると = what is sent?
Even if this is so far correct, I'm still not sure what it actually means or how to convert it into normal English.
3. もうすぐ、斎藤さんが、結婚されるでしょう？
Is 結婚される honorific-active ("is marrying") or passive ("is being [i.e. getting] married")?
4. 待てば海路の日和あり。
Translation given: "Everything comes to those who wait."
I understand this is presumably a proverb or set expression, but what does the Japanese literally mean? Is it something like "If you wait, then (good) weather for a sea voyage will arrive"? What is あり? Is it from ある, and, if so, why is the あり form used at the end of a sentence?
5. なんだか見当がつきません。
Translation given: "I've no idea what's happening."
Again, I would like to know the exact literal translation of the Japanese, and, especially, which of the seemingly dozens of possible meanings of つきません is intended.
1. この自転車はかなり古いけど、何もないよりはましだ。
My translation: "This bike is quite old, but it's better than nothing."
I'm assuming よりはましだ = より (than) + は + まし (better) + だ (is), but I can't quite grasp the purpose of は here.
2. 何を送ると、書いてありますか。
This is a comprehension question about the contents of a letter. I am very frustrated that this simple sentence is causing me problems. Is と a quote marker? Is it something like:
書いてありますか = Is it written (in the letter) ...
何を送ると = what is sent?
Even if this is so far correct, I'm still not sure what it actually means or how to convert it into normal English.
3. もうすぐ、斎藤さんが、結婚されるでしょう？
Is 結婚される honorific-active ("is marrying") or passive ("is being [i.e. getting] married")?
4. 待てば海路の日和あり。
Translation given: "Everything comes to those who wait."
I understand this is presumably a proverb or set expression, but what does the Japanese literally mean? Is it something like "If you wait, then (good) weather for a sea voyage will arrive"? What is あり? Is it from ある, and, if so, why is the あり form used at the end of a sentence?
5. なんだか見当がつきません。
Translation given: "I've no idea what's happening."
Again, I would like to know the exact literal translation of the Japanese, and, especially, which of the seemingly dozens of possible meanings of つきません is intended.
あり is the sentence final form(終止形) of a classical verb あり, which is the equivalent to ある in modern Japanese. If written in modern Japanese, it will be 待っていれば海路の日和がある/もある.
