私はかなしい

[yaminohaka]

私はかなしい

is that correct??? is it too formal? and how would you ask someone that question?

かなしいですか?

 

[Gaijinian]

・・・です, if you want to be formal.

yes, you got the question right.

 

[yaminohaka]

is 私はかなしい correct? is it way too formal???

 

[Damicci]

No it's pretty casual with out desu.
私はかなしいです。 Is polite. Probably is a way formal method of saying your sad but I don't know it.

 

[yaminohaka]

Should i use が or は after 私 ですか？ (heheheh is that ですか use correctly?)

 

[Luthien Rogue]

Hi Yaminohakaさん.

As Gaijinianさん and Damicciさん said, there are no grammatical errors in your sentence.

① 私は悲しい。（← Casual） 私は悲しいです。（← Formal）
② 悲しい？（← Casual） 悲しいですか？（← Formal）

「です」 and 「か」 are used in formal speech. If you haven't already, you can read about formal speech here: Link.

should i use が or は after 私 ですか？ (heheheh is that ですか use correctly?)

Someone already answered those questions:

Yes, you got the question right.

Since it was said that you didn't make any mistakes, you can assume you used the correct particle.

Grammar aside, I don't think I would ask a friend 「悲しいですか？」 if I suspected they were sad... I would be more apt to ask my friend:

「何かあったの？」
Or
「どうかしたの？」

 

[yaminohaka]

Greetings Luthien Rogueさん, quick question

Grammar aside, I don't think I would ask a friend 「悲しいですか？」 if I suspected they were sad... I would be more apt to ask my friend:

「何かあったの？」
Or
「どうかしたの？」

「何かあったの？」
Or
「どうかしたの？」
is this the same thing? or is it two different sentences? is one the kana spelling for the sentence? and what does it mean in English? (by the way, how do you say English in 日本語ですか？ （エイゴ？ or エゴ？）
ありがとうございました！

 

[Damicci]

GCL is that you?
English is 英語＝えいご

They are two different questions but generally asking "whats the matter"?

 

[Gaijinian]

GCL is that you?

そうかもしれないですね～

 

[Glenn]

私はそうは思いませんが。

 

[yaminohaka]

Nan desu ka?

 

[undrentide]

みなさん、こんにちは。
I'm new to this forum, today I post in this forum for the first time though I registered as a member some time ago.
どうぞよろしくお願いします。

should i use が or は after 私 ですか？ (heheheh is that ですか use correctly?)

Yaminohaka san, you can use either of them but the meaning is different.
わたしはかなしい。 I'm sad. (Talking about me, I'm sad)
わたしがかなしい。 I'm sad. (It is me who is sad)
Unless you want to emphasize it is you (not someone else) that is sad, you should use は.

 

[yaminohaka]

How is が used??? I don't understand what you were trying to say. in
"わたしがかなしい。" and "わたしがかなしい。" How are they different?

 

[Glenn]

I suggest you get the book "Making Sense of Japanese" by Jay Rubin. I hear he explains the differences wonderfully.

 

[Damicci]

It's like:
A-san: Aw, it's ok!
B-san: Why are you comforting them? I am the one who is sad.<--[watashi ga kanashii desu.]
A-san: Ah!

Then:
B-san: Whats wrong A-san?
A-san: I'm sad. [watashi ha kanashii desu.]

 

[undrentide]

Maybe かなしい sentence is not very good to show the difference.
Here's another example:
(1) は
At a party, you are talking to a stranger.
わたしはYaminohakaです。
(as for me, (my name) is Yaminohaka.)
(2) が
At a party, the host (you've never met him before) is looking for you. He shouted in the room "who is Yaminohaka?"
わたしがYaminohakaです。
(I'm Yaminohaka. It's me who is Yaminohaka.)
Hope the above makes sense to you...

 

[yaminohaka]

a side note, ginko... what does it mean? it look like a big white fish in the tv show..... what is it?

and how do you say please in nihongo? douzo? or dozo? i don't quite know.

 

[Damicci]

Please is really determined by how you are using it.
may I have ~ please? ~ をください。
Please go ahead, (go before me, help yourself, etc) はいどうぞ。
When asking for a favor I think you use おねがいします。
Not sure but if somebody offers you something you can respond with
おねがいします when you accept their favor or offer with out asking for it.
あーさん：私は～さんにメロンパンを買うのがいいですか？
Is it ok if I buy Melon Bread for ~san?
～－さん：はいおねがいします。
Yes, please.

 

[KrazyKat]

a side note, ginko... what does it mean? it look like a big white fish in the tv show..... what is it?

Its not in my dictionary, it may be a made up word or name, I'd need more information. GIN however means silver so thats probably the first part.

and how do you say please in nihongo? douzo? or dozo? i don't quite know.

Thats because you are using roumaji, if you move onto kana quick mistakes like this will be reduced. The word you are looking for is どうぞ. See Damicci's post above for how to use it and some of the other words for please.

 

[Elizabeth]

Please is really determined by how you are using it.
may I have ~ please? ~ をください。
Please go ahead, (go before me, help yourself, etc) はいどうぞ。
When asking for a favor I think you use おねがいします。
Not sure but if somebody offers you something you can respond with
おねがいします when you except their favor or offer with out asking for it.
あーさん：私は～さんにメロンパンを買うのがいいですか？
Is it ok if I buy Melon Bread for ~?
～－さん：はいおねがいします。

Usually a simple 'yes, thank you' is most appropriate in the case they are buying it, for the speaker or someone else. お願いします might give the sense of something having been asked before and you're now inconvenienced at having to repeat the offer.
私は～さんにメロンパンを買って（も）いいですか？ーー＞
May I buy the Melon Bread for...

Please as "onegai" or "kudasai" for purchasing or ordering something are usually interchangeable.

Also, another time you find どうぞ is the English counterpart to "I'm fine....go ahead and do/say what you were going to say..."
もしもし
お邪魔でしたか？
いいえ、別に。。。
本当？
大丈夫。どうぞ。。。

 

[life]

I was actually thinking of asking the difference between kudasai and onegaishimasu while reading through the discussions and I just had it explained well by damicci san. thank you so much. setsumeishite kurete, doumo arigatou gozaimashita. i don&t know if this is correct though.

 

[life]

i mean my nihongo. is setsumeishite the right verb? thanks.

 

[KrazyKat]

Tha'ts right. 説明する to explain.