Answering in the Negative.

[Golgo_13]

If you're asked in English "You haven't had dinner yet, have you?" You would answer "No, I have not." You say "no" because you have NOT done what was asked.

In Japanese if you're asked "Mada bangohan tabete naidesho?" The proper reply is "Hai (yes), mada tabetemasen." You answer "hai" because you want to agree with the statement ("Haven't eaten yet") within the question.

Confusing, yes, and there are other examples but this was one I just thought of.

 

[Eelco]

You can also read about the use of yes and no here:

theforeigner-japan.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?board=speak;action=display;num=1065863422

 

[Glenn]

One thing that I noticed about the example that you gave is that the one answering the question wouldn't use 来る. It would be,
"明日来ないの？"
"うん、行かないよ。"

Reason being that Japanese is pretty strict about starting points, and you wouldn't say that you are coming to someone else's house, because you obviously don't start there; it is your destination.

By the way, why did you use ね in the response? That seems strange to me, but maybe I'm misunderstanding ね. The only way that I could understand using it in that situation would be that the one asking the question already knew that there was little likelihood of the one answering going, and the one answering already knew that the questioner knew so. Was that the intended situation?

 

[Golgo_13]

Originally posted by Glenn

By the way, why did you use ね in the response? That seems strange to me, but maybe I'm misunderstanding ね.

Who me?

Where did I do that?

 

[Glenn]

No, not you. I was referring to Eelco. I thought that it would be evident since I posted right under him, but I guess I was mistaken. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Eelco]

ね can also be used to soften the blow a little bit.

Just saying 来ない or 行かない may be a bit harsh.

I chose 来ない here to keep it simple. A situation that comes to mind is when you're visiting someone and they ask if you're coming again tomorrow.

But you're right 行かない would have been better...

 

[Elizabeth]

By the way, why did you use ね in the response? That seems strange to me, but maybe I'm misunderstanding ね. The only way that I could understand using it in that situation would be that the one asking the question already knew that there was little likelihood of the one answering going, and the one answering already knew that the questioner knew so. Was that the intended situation?

Some other ways it can be used :
教科書に出てあるようなお手本のような文ではなあもっと砕けた親しい人が話すような感じです。この「ね」自体にはあまり意味はありません。エリザベスさんに同意を求めてるわけでもないし、エリザベスさんが知っていると思っているわけでもありません。ただ会話を柔らかあしています。ただ「あまり行きません。」と言うより「あまりいきませんね。」といった方が優しい感じがします。日常会話では自然に使われています。

 

[Ewok85]

Think of 'hai' as not so much of a 'yes' but 'correct' . I normally answer a neg-phrased question with a look of confusion and 'sou da ne'. My poor english geared brain cant handle all the negatives!

 

[rquethe]

Reminds me of when I was first introduced to negating verbs. I was infuriated at the idea of saying something that was a seeming double negative. i.e. tamanegi ga zenzen tabemasen. I never don't eat onions.

I soon learned the error of my ways!

 

[MikeH85]

Reminds me of when I was first introduced to negating verbs. I was infuriated at the idea of saying something that was a seeming double negative. i.e. tamanegi ga zenzen tabemasen. I never don't eat onions.

I soon learned the error of my ways!

it's easier if you translate that sentence as "i don't eat onions at all".... makes more sense in english that way

 

[rquethe]

or "I don't ever eat onions." Basically anything that has a very strong connotation.

 

[Elizabeth]

or "I don't ever eat onions." Basically anything that has a very strong connotation.

Outside of the idiomatic expressions, I would consider mattaku or zettai ni as even more forceful.

 

[Golgo_13]

"iie" is the polite form of saying "no."

If someone were harassing or threatening you, you wouldn't say "iie."

Women generally say "Iya!"

Men would say "Yose!", "Dameda!" or "Yamero!"