日本人のよく間違う英語 - common mistakes made by Japanese in English

Maciamo · 22 Apr 2004

Here are the most frequent mistakes made by Japanese people (regardless of their level) when they speak English.

- "in 2 years / 2 years later" = ２年後
ほとんど皆の僕の教えてる日本人は "later"と使う。例えば、「また二週間後」と言いたいなら、"See you 2 weeks later"と言う。これは間違ってるんです。未来というい意味の「-後」は"in ..."と言う。だから、"See you in 2 weeks"は正しい。
"Later"は過去の「-後」で使われています。例えば、「５年前にＡ会社に入ったけど、１年後辞職しました。」、英語でそうなる："I joined company A 5 years ago, but I resigned 1 year later".その場合は"later"と使う。未来か将来の意味だった"1 year later"を使えません。だが、"later"だけで、例えば"See you later"か"I will do it later"はもちろん使えます。期間が決めたら（例：１時間、３週間、１０年間。。。）、「"in"+期間」と言わなければならない。

Mac · 22 Apr 2004

Here are the most frequent mistakes made by Japanese people (regardless of their level) when they speak English.

ここに日本の人々が英語を話すときにもっとも多く作られる（彼らのレベルに関わらず）、数多くの間違いがあります。

Hmm. I've heard "one month later" in a movie before.
Of course, I've heard "See you later" before as well.
But I've never heard "See you 2 weeks later" before.

I'll remember "See you in 2 weeks."

Thank you for teaching English.
Please continue teaching English. (^^;;
Please continue "to teach" English. Can't it use in this case?

Maciamo · 22 Apr 2004

Mac said:
Hmm. I've heard "one month later" in a movie before.

Somebody else told me that and when I asked, it appeared that it was in the subtitle. Keep in mind that the story of a movie is actually like a series of past events. For example, the movie start in 1984, then there is a transition and they write 20 years later (which means in 2004, now) and the story continues from there. "later" can be used for a transition from past to present or past to past, but not present to future.

Please continue teaching English. (^^;;
Please continue "to teach" English. Can't it use in this case?

You can say "continue to do" or "continue doing".

Elizabeth · 23 Apr 2004

Thank you for teaching English.
Please continue teaching English. (^^;;
Please continue "to teach" English. Can't it use in this case?

Grammatically these are great, but Please continue if you have a chance or Please continue if you have time are probably closer to natural speech patterns. Since it isn't necessary to emphasize English or repeat "teach."
In this case, it appears Mac is an administrator trying to convince Maciamo to stay on at his present job -- Please continue teaching English here no matter what.

Mac · 23 Apr 2004

Thank you for helping me, Elizabeth.

If you have a chance or time, please continue are probably closer to natural speech patterns.

If you have a chance or time, please continueは恐らく、より自然な話し方に近づくでしょう。

Since it isn't necessary to emphasize English or repeat "teach."

英語を強調すること、または"teach"を繰り返すことは必要でないので。

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
「since = ～ので、だから（文頭に置かれる場合、直接の原因を表し、becauseより意味が弱く、asより強い）」
・Since you feel tired, you should rest.
あなたは疲れているのだから、休養をとるべきだ。
・Since the car isn't working, we'll have to take the train.
車が動かないのだから、私たちは電車に乗るべきだ。
・It must have rained since the ground is wet.
地面が湿っているところを見ると、雨が降ったに違いない。

「emphasize（えんふぁさいず） = 強調［力説］する; （言葉に）力を入れる; （形・色などを）目立たせる.」
「necessary（ねせさーり）= 必要な」
「pattern = 模範, 手本; 型, 基本型, 様式; 模型; 模様, 柄; （服などの）見本, 例; 機構; 情勢, 傾向.」:note:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In this case, it appears Mac is an administrator trying to convince Maciamo to stay on at his present job -- Please continue teaching English here no matter what.

この場合、MacがMaciamoに彼の現在の役目を留まるように納得させているようなAddministratorに見える。
"no matter what" is difficult to translate to me. Hmm.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
「It appears (that ... .) = どうも....らしい。（...のように見える）」
「convince = 確信［納得］させる」
「present = 現在の」:note:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hmmm. It appears I have said a terrible thing to Maciamo.
My friends have said "teach me is unnatural" as well before.
But "If you have a chance or time, please continue" is enough to say?
I think I don't know what I wish for him/her. :?
How about "If you have enough time, please continue helping"? (^^;;;;

Elizabeth · 23 Apr 2004

Mac said:
Thank you for helping me, Elizabeth.

If you have a chance or time, please continue are probably closer to natural speech patterns.

If you have a chance or time, please continueは恐らく、より自然な話し方に近づくでしょう。

Since it isn't necessary to emphasize English or repeat "teach."

英語を強調すること、または"teach"を繰り返すことは必要でないので。

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
「since = ～ので、だから（文頭に置かれる場合、直接の原因を表し、becauseより意味が弱く、asより強い）」
・Since you feel tired, you should rest.
あなたは疲れているのだから、休養をとるべきだ。
・Since the car isn't working, we'll have to take the train.
車が動かないのだから、私たちは電車に乗るべきだ。
・It must have rained, since the ground is wet.
地面が湿っているところを見ると、雨が降ったに違いない。

「emphasize（えんふぁさいず） = 強調［力説］する; （言葉に）力を入れる; （形・色などを）目立たせる.」
「necessary（ねせさーり）= 必要な」
「pattern = 模範, 手本; 型, 基本型, 様式; 模型; 模様, 柄; （服などの）見本, 例; 機構; 情勢, 傾向.」:note:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In this case, it appears Mac is an administrator trying to convince Maciamo to stay on at his present job -- Please continue teaching English here no matter what.

この場合、MacがMaciamoに彼の現在の役目を留まるように納得させているようなAddministratorに見える。
"no matter what" is difficult to translate to me. Hmm.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
「It appears (that ... .) = どうも....らしい。（...のように見える）」
「convince = 確信［納得］させる」
「present = 現在の」:note:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hmmm. It appears I have said a terrible thing to Maciamo.
My friends have said "teach me is unnatural" as well before.
But "If you have a chance or time, please continue" is enough to say?
I think I don't know what I wish to him/her. :?
How about "If you have enough time, please continue helping"? (^^;;;;

Because in Maciamo's case, you already said "Thank you for teaching English,"
I just mean you don't need to repeat teaching or English. Mac probably didn't really mean for these sentences to be read together, though.....

Mac · 23 Apr 2004

Ah... I see.
英語を教えてくれてありがとー。
英語を教え続けてください。(Please continue teaching English. *But This sentence is bad.)
続けてください。(Please continue)

また今度英語を教えてくださいね。 would be better. Hmm. This is difficult to translate though....
Please teach English again? next time?...hmmmm.

英語を教えてくれてありがとう。続けてください。
Thank you for teaching English. Please continue...
Hmm, I think this sentence is natural.
Okay I think this is good.

Elizabeth · 23 Apr 2004

Mac said:
If you have a chance or time, please continueは恐らく、より自然な話し方に近づくでしょう。

Is 近づくでしょう (approaches) better than 近くに感じでしょう、近くに感じられる?

Since it isn't necessary to emphasize English or repeat "teach."

英語を強調すること、または"teach"を繰り返すことは必要でないので。

Maybe 理由は英語を強調。。。
Or 必要でないから・ので・ためです。

In this case, it appears Mac is an administrator trying to convince Maciamo to stay on at his present job -- Please continue teaching English here no matter what.

この場合、MacがMaciamoに彼の現在の役目を留まるように納得させているようなAddministratorに見える。
"no matter what" is difficult to translate to me. Hmm.

Hmmm....Maybe just shigoto for job. And this tomaru (止まる), tsuzukeru for stay (continue) are also OK (?)
Administrator -- Kanrishoku (?)
No matter what -- Doushite mo (?)

Also for convincing -- Maciamoに言い聞かせる (?)

以上です。最近、私にとって日本語を勉強するのに一番役に立つのはマクのポストを読む事です。又は、マクのポストを読む事は日本語の勉強方法のなかで最も役に立ちます。
でも、MaciamoにＭａｃの前の返事についての文ですが、ただ冗談言っているだけなんだったから。. 本気にするなよね。 :relief:

訂正してくださいね。後ね。。。

Mac · 23 Apr 2004

If you have a chance or time, please continue are probably closer to natural speech patterns.

If you have a chance or timeは恐らく、より自然な話し方に近づくでしょう。
If you have a chance or timeは恐らく、より自然な話し方でしょう。
I think don't need to translate like "より近くに or something"
So I think "are closer" = only "より" in this case.

So I think より自然な話し方になるでしょう and より自然な話し方でしょう
and より自然な話し方に近づくでしょう are correct in that case.

It must be so difficult to English speakers.... (^^;;;;
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

I don't like the word "Administrator" in Japanese.
So I use "Administrator" instead of the Japanese. :happy:
Well, Let's try to translate the sentence again.

In this case, it appears Mac is an administrator trying to convince Maciamo to stay on at his present job -- Please continue teaching English here no matter what.

Before
この場合、MacがMaciamoに彼の現在の役目を留まるように納得させているようなAddministratorに見える。
After
この場合、MacがMaciamoに現在の仕事を続けるように説得しているようなAddministratorに見える。

Ah...I've missed understanding "stay on"
"stay on" = on の状態のままでいる［ある]

I think the sentence which I retranslated is better.

convince A to do = Aを説得して・・・させる。("persuade A to do" is better)
I convinced him to buy the house.
私は彼を説得して家を買わせた。
I convince to Maciamo to stay on at his present job.
私はMaciamoを説得してに現在の仕事を続けさせる。

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
「最近、私にとって日本語を勉強するのに一番役に立つのはマクのポストを読む事です。又は、マクのポストを読む事は日本語の勉強方法のなかで最も役に立ちます。」

ありがとー。そう言われるとうれしいです。

Elizabeth · 23 Apr 2004

Maciamo said:
"Later"は過去の「-後」で使われています。例えば、「５年前にＡ会社に入ったけど、１年後辞職しました。」、英語でそうなる："I joined company A 5 years ago, but I resigned 1 year later".その場合は"later"と使う。未来か将来の意味だった"1 year later"を使えません。だが、"later"だけで、例えば"See you later"か"I will do it later"はもちろん使えます。期間が決めたら（例：１時間、３週間、１０年間。。。）、「"in"+期間」と言わなければならない。

上の質問ですが、英語で「。。。After」とMaciamoさんの言うように「later」は、ほぼ同じ意味の場合があると思います。 I joined company A 5 years ago, but resigned after a yearと意味は同じです。でも、"After"は過去か将来の「-後（で、に）」でも使われる場合が多い。文の時制によって違う。 After Miki comes home from school, she goes to cram school. Although after only an hour (after spending an hour, after an hour has/had passed) of cram school, she is/was ready to go home.

一方では、[Let's meet back here after shopping for an hour」と言い方はあまい使いませんね。理由は正確にしらないけど。 :? おそらく、買い物のような活動を強調するために、その使い方でOKと思います。

Maciamo · 23 Apr 2004

Another common mistake made by the Japanese :

"My/your most favourite something" => "favourite" means 一番好きな, so there is only one "favourite" thing. "most favourite" sounds like 一番一番好きな, which is redundant.

Mac · 24 Apr 2004

Thank you for helping English, Maciamo.

Hmm. My most favorite thing is ABC.
それを使ってしまうところだった！
:relief: I was just going to use that! (I think....(^^;;
I understood. I will never use that.

redundant (りだんだんとぅ) = 余計な、くどい

Elizabeth · 25 Apr 2004

Mac said:
Thank you for helping English, Maciamo.

redundant (りだんだんとぅ) = 余計な、くどい

More correctly: Thank you for helping (me) with my English, Maciamo.
Also, 不必要 for redundant？

"Most favorite" is still something used in lighthearted conversation or as a joke in idle banter between friends, especially children, but it is obviously redundant.

Mac · 25 Apr 2004

Thank you for helping with my English, Elizabeth. :relief:

A new machine was installed and some of the workmen were made redundant.
新しい機械が入ってきて（取り付けられて）一部の労働者は不要になった。
(from in my dictionary. "from in" my dictionary )

"Most favorite" is still something used in lighthearted conversation or as a joke in idle banter between friends, especially children, but it is obviously redundant.

「most favorite(一番一番好き)」はそれにもかかわらず、陽気な会話、また特に子供たちの友達の間で「暇な冗談を言う者の冗談:?」として使われるが、それは明白に（間違いなく）不要である。

be something? How can it translate?

------------------------------------------------------
lighthearted（らいとぅはーでぃっとぅ） = 陽気な、気軽な
conversation = 会話
joke = 冗談
idle = 暇な
banter = 冗談（を言う）（冗談を言う者？）
obvious = 明白な、すぐ分かる。

Elizabeth · 25 Apr 2004

Mac said:
"Most favorite" is still something used in lighthearted conversation or as a joke in idle banter between friends, especially children, but it is obviously redundant.

「most favorite(一番一番好き)」はそれにもかかわらず、陽気な会話、また特に子供たちの友達の間で「暇な冗談を言う者の冗談:?」として使われるが、それは明白に（間違いなく）不要である。

そういう感じです。

ある意味では、[More correctly]を私の使い方もちょっと余計な言い方ですね。ただ会話を柔らかくしています。ただ「ただしくは」と言うより「もっとただしくは」と言い方が優しい感じがします。時々日常会話では自然に使われることもあります。:note:

Be somethingは、どこから、その表現が見つかったのか知らないのですが。。。。

Mac · 25 Apr 2004

Hehe. Hmm....
be something = ～ are/is/ something ～
I don't understand these sentences.
"It is still something used...."

I thought "It is still used something." =
それはまだ何かに使われています。
But the result of my translator wasn't good.
So, I got? confused.

Elizabeth · 25 Apr 2004

Mac said:
Hehe. Hmm....
be something = ～ are/is/ something ～
I don't understand these sentences.
"It is still something used...."

I thought "It is still used something." =
それはまだ何かに使われています。
But the result of my translator wasn't good.
So, I got? confused.

日本語でさえ難しいですね。英語でなんて言うのかな＞＞ :?

Maybe....Is it still used for something? たとえば、 "だいぶ前から使われていない表現を見つかったら "それはまだ何かに使われています？"と聞いたらいいと思います。

Mac · 25 Apr 2004

眠いので日本語で・・・
I'm sleepy, so I'm going to write in Japanese.

うーん・・・Hmm....
The problem was solved by her.
The room is cleaned every day.
The letter is written in English....

There are those sentences in the English world. (^^; the English world?
""Most favorite" is still something used in lighthearted conversation." was used by Elizabeth.

is と usedの間にsomethingが入っています。
There is "something" between "is" and "used".
それがどうしてなのかがよく理解できません。:?
I can't understand why that is.

Well, Good Night. (^^; I'm going to bed. Hmmm....

NANGI · 25 Apr 2004

こんにちわみなさん！
わたしもこの英会話教室、楽しく拝見させてもらっています。

Mac said:
""Most favorite" is still something used in lighthearted conversation." was used by Elizabeth.

is と usedの間にsomethingが入っています。
There is "something" between "is" and "used".
それがどうしてなのかがよく理解できません。:?
I can't understand why that is.

わたしは「"Most favorite"は、それでも軽い会話で使われることがあります 」という訳ではないかと思いました。"something" は、「何か」という意味以外に「多少」という意味があります。だからこの場合の"something" は、「まだ時々使われている」という意味で使われているのだと思いました。「使われることがあります」は、「時々使われている」の変形です。正しいですか？ :?

I thought the translation is 「"Most favorite"は、それでも軽い会話で使われることがあります 」. "something" has a meaning "多少" in addition to "何か". Since I thought "something" was used as 「まだ時々使われている」 in this case. "使われることがあります" is the transformation form of "時々使われている". Is this the right? or correct? :?

南木

Elizabeth · 25 Apr 2004

I'm confused as well. The "most favorite" part of the lesson has no connection to "still used for something."

However, you can say "「"Most favorite]は、それでも軽い会話で使われることがあります。
（Ｂｕｔ）most favorite is still sometimes used （事がある）in lighthearted conversation、different than "used for" （何かに）。こういう意味で使われている(But。。。still）は教科書に出てくるようなお手本のような文ではなかもしれません。Sentences with the expression "(but)....still," as it is used here, may not be examples which popularly appear in textbooks.

[Most favorite]は厳密にいうと間違ったが、よく使ってるんじゃないね.

Mac · 25 Apr 2004

Hello, Nangi-san and Elizabeth.

I know something about cars.
私は車のことなら少しは知っている
（「よく知っている」の控えめな表現）

You look something like that actor.
あなたはちょっと（少し）あの俳優に似ている。
（something like A = いくぶん（少し、ちょっと）Aのような）

He is something of a poet.
彼はちょっとした詩人である。
（be something of an A = ちょっとした（ある能力・性質を持つ人）である。）

(I looked them up from in my dictionary.)

Ahh. I was surprised there were a lot of meanings of "something".
I was surprised a lot of meanings of "something existed .
I was surprised "something" had a lot of meanings.

Let's retranslate the sentences once again.

"Most favorite" is still something used in lighthearted conversation or as a joke in idle banter between friends, especially children, but it is obviously redundant.

"Most favorite"はそれでも軽い会話の中や、暇で（冗談を言い合っている）からかいあっている、友達の間、特に子供たちの間で、冗談として少し使われます。しかし、それは明白に不要である。

akihabara · 25 Apr 2004

みなさん、こんにちは。突然ですがお邪魔します。とてもためになるスレッドですね。
前の話題に戻してすみませんが質問させてください。
「２週間後に会いましょう」と言うときに、次に会うのは２週間以上は先になるという意味で言いたいときは、どのような表現になるのでしょうか？ :?
"See you after 2 weeks" でいいのでしょうか？
"See you after 2 weeks or later" ですか？
よろしくお願いします。

Mac · 25 Apr 2004

I have some questions as well. (^^;

See you in two weeks("week" was a typo.). （～後に）
We'll be able to meet each other within 2 weeks（～以内に）

We may be able to see each other after over 2 weeks. (～以上後に) or
We may be able to see each other over 2 weeks later. (～以上後に)

Are they correct?

Elizabeth · 26 Apr 2004

I have some questions as well. (^^;

See you in two weeks. （～後に）
We will be able to meet each other within 2 weeks（～以内に）

See you in two weeks.
The second one is fine, except for the contraction, We'll for "we will" sounds more natural.

We may be able to see each other after over 2 weeks.:?(～以上後に) or
We may be able to see each other over 2 weeks later.:?(～以上後に)

Are they correct?

By over you mean more than two weeks, right?
We may be able to see each other in a little more than (or, a little over) two weeks.

We may be able to see each other a little more than two weeks after
.....(something in the past).

We may be able to see each other a little more than two weeks later (in this case, "later" has to be now......two weeks after something happened?)

すみません。今、間違いと説明する時間がないですが、それじゃね！

Mac · 26 Apr 2004

Thank you for your help, Elizabeth.

"bye over":?

Well, let's practice of it. （「それの練習をしましょう」のつもり。(>_<)

We may be able to drive the car in a little more than a week.
私たちは１週間とちょっとでその車を運転する事が出来るようになるかもしれない。

We may be able to see each other a little more than 2 weeks after he came back.
私たちは彼が戻ってきた後、２週間とちょっとでお互いに合う事が出来るかもしれない。

Hmm. It appears that the meaning of the sentence is a little bit different sentence compared to the sentence which we want to know,
I used my stupid online translator though.

But I've learnt a new sentence to me. :lol:

Oh, wait a minute. How is this?

We may be able to get the book in more than 2 weeks.
私は２週間以上でその本と手に入れる事が出来るかもしれない。

(^^; I don't think this is correct....

If I wait for 2 weeks, I may be able to get the book.
If I wait for more than 2 weeks, I may be able to get the book. :?

2週間以上後に会えるかもしれない。
If we wait for her for more than 2 weeks, we may be able to meet each other here.
We may be able to meet each other here in more than 2 weeks.:?

2週間後に合いましょう。
See you in 2 weeks.

2週間以上後に会いましょう。
See you in more than 2 weeks

日本人のよく間違う英語 - common mistakes made by Japanese in English

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