Between 上手 and 下手?
- Thread starter Ryan-
- Start date
- 22 Feb 2008
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そこそこ/まあまあ/ある程度/少しは/少しできる
But these are also used as a humble expression of 上手.
日本語は話せますか？
そこそこ話せます。
In reality, the answerer might be able to speak Japanese fluently.
But these are also used as a humble expression of 上手.
日本語は話せますか？
そこそこ話せます。
In reality, the answerer might be able to speak Japanese fluently.
- 22 Feb 2008
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They are adverbs, so basically need to be used with verbs/adjectives they are modifying.
テニスがそこそこできます。
テニスがまあまあできます。
テニスはお上手ですか？
まあまあです。(as the omission of できます ＝ まあまあできます)
テニスがそこそこできます。
テニスがまあまあできます。
テニスはお上手ですか？
まあまあです。(as the omission of できます ＝ まあまあできます)
Red5
後輩
- 30 Jul 2008
- 571
- 11
sorry for interruption ....
that I'm not good nor bad in japanese speaking , in the middle
do you mean by そこそこ
that I'm not good nor bad in japanese speaking , in the middle
Maybe you're looking for 先ず先ず 「まずまず」.
MAZUMAZU is an adjetive "NA" like 上手 and 下手, which means "tolerable".
I don't know exactly if you can use it in this case, but it's an idea:
日本語はどうですか。 How is your Japanese?
先ず先ずです。 It's regular.
- 22 Feb 2008
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Right. You can use そこそこ日本語が話せます. In this particular sentence, そこそこ has a nuance of "relatively well," "somehow fluently."
Ashikaga
もちもちした食感
- 19 Feb 2008
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- 84
es. You may hear 苦手 used more often than 不得意 as a matter of fact.
Ashikaga
もちもちした食感
- 19 Feb 2008
- 2,220
- 84
OK, I will give it a shot.
私は歌が上手です。
私は歌が得意です。
Although the two mean the same thing (I am good at singing), the latter has just a hint of modesty in it. You are not saying flat out that you sing well.
上手/下手 can only be determined by others while you yourself can assess 得意/苦手 about yourself.
Now, having said that, I know some of you say that you hear ppl say all the time 「私は＿＿＿が下手です。」.
While it is a no-no to boast about your singing prowess, it is OK to put yourself down.
Also, only YOU know for real if you really are 得意/苦手 about something. Because even when you find something a piece of cake (得意）、the end result from other ppl's perspectives cannot be always positive. Even if you find something very hard to do (苦手）, chances are you are capable of producing steller results. So, you can use 得意/苦手 only when you are talking about yourself.
Let's say you just performed a very passionate rendition of My Heart Will Go On in front of me. I may compliment you on your singing by saying 「Ｄｒｅａｍｅｒは歌が上手ですね」 but I would NOT say 「Ｄｒｅａｍｅｒは歌が得意ですね」 because I wouldn't know that. All I know is what came out of your mouth sounded good. I wouldn't know if it came easily to you or you had a very hard time making it sound good. You might reply 「どうもありがとう。私はこの歌が得意なんです」 or turn on the Modesty Machine and say 「そんなことないですよ～。 下手だったでしょう？ 苦手なんです、歌は。」.
- 22 Feb 2008
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That's right. In contrast, 上手, 下手 can be used in cases of "to be good at but dislike," "to be bad at but like" respectively.
彼はあんなにゴルフが上手いのに、実はそんなに好きじゃないらしい。
歌は下手だけど、歌うのは好きなんです。(There's a common saying 下手の横好き.)
In addition, 上手/下手 is basically used to express "level of skill," whereas 得意/苦手 is used more for sensuous, subjective, or abstract things.
彼は字(を書くの)が上手です。
彼は数学が得意です。
Elizabeth
先輩
- 22 Apr 2003
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- 135
日本語はたくさん話せるようになりましたか？
If you get asked it like this: Have you reached the point of being able to speak Japanese well? Has your Japanese improved?
And if you think your Japanese ability has improved only so-so:
はい、前よりは話せるようになりました。
少し、上手になりました。are good.
I almost got so lost in the fabulous explanations, too, I forgot the original question. !
If you get asked it like this: Have you reached the point of being able to speak Japanese well? Has your Japanese improved?
And if you think your Japanese ability has improved only so-so:
はい、前よりは話せるようになりました。
少し、上手になりました。are good.
I almost got so lost in the fabulous explanations, too, I forgot the original question. !
