Elusive questions!

I have a couple of questions that I have never really asked my teachers or friends. Instead, I've just tried to mimic the examples of their usage as naturally as I can. I'm sure I'm using them wrong. Help!

First, what is the difference between the following words:
実際、事実、実は、本当、マジ

I know the first two have a more scientific/concrete nuance. But what about the others?


Second、how exactly should I be using どういうX？
If I say どういうこと？ Does that mean "What kind of thing?"

Can I substitute "どういう" with "どんな" and still have the same nuance?
And on that note, how do I use "という" in a sentence??
Finally, staying with the topic, does "何の" also have the same meanings as "どういう" and "どんな"??


Lastly, what exactly is the difference between:
どうして、なんで、なぜ
I know that when answering, questions that use どうして, you must reply using から, but do they all essentially mean the same thing?

Much obliged!

jljzen said:

First, what is the difference between the following words:
実際、事実、実は、本当、マジ

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i think 実は translates as "Actually.." and 本当 as "Really.../real" with マジ as a colloquialism of the same meaning

Second、how exactly should I be using どいうX？
If I say どういうこと？ Does that mean "What kind of thing?"

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It usually means "What does that mean?/What do you mean?" like どういう意味？

Can I substitute "どういう" with "どんな" and still have the same nuance?
Finally, staying with the topic, does "何の" also have the same meanings as "どういう" and "どんな"??

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I'm not sure of the answer here but for example we can say どんな映画が好きですか。"What kind of movie do you like?" and 何の映画が好きですか。means "What movie do you like?"

I don't think we can say どういう in this case.

And on that note, how do I use "という" in a sentence??

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There is a thread on this already, if I find it I'll link it. LINK

Lastly, what exactly is the difference between:
どうして、なんで、なぜ
I know that when answering, questions that use どうして, you must reply using から, but do they all essentially mean the same thing?

Click to expand...

I'm afraid I don't know of any nuances here but I more often than the others see なぜ used to mean "the reason".

I'm not sure of the answer here but for example we can say どんな映画が好きですか。"What kind of movie do you like?" and 何の映画が好きですか。means "What movie do you like?"

I don't think we can say どういう in this case.

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I don't have time to answer fully now (and anyway am not sure I know completely why I prefer "Donna eiga" or "Donna yotei desuka?" yet "Douiu tokoro desuka?" seems OK), but here is a partial explanation I received a while back on Sou and sonna (ni) if you had any doubts about it.

「そんな」より「そんなに」のほうが良いと思います。 「そんな」は、「そんなに」を短くしたので俗語っぽいです。 大体同じ感じでだと思いますが、 、「そう」より「そんなに」の方が無難だと思います。

I'm afraid I don't know of any nuances here but I more often than the others see なぜ used to mean "the reason".

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Naze, doushite, nande in decreasing order of politeness is the main difference.

Elizabeth said:

I don't have time to answer fully now (and anyway am not sure I know completely why I prefer "Donna eiga" or "Donna yotei desuka?" yet "Douiu tokoro desuka?" seems OK), but here is a partial explanation I received a while back on Sou and sonna (ni) if you had any doubts about it.

「そんな」より「そんなに」のほうが良いと思います。 「そんな」は、「そんなに」を短くしたので俗語っぽいです。 大体同じ感じでだと思いますが、 、「そう」より「そんなに」の方が無難だと思います。

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なんでそんな説明しましたか。

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deadhippo said:

なんでそんな説明しましたか。

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どうしてすべてが「ほとんど同じではっきりとした違いを説明するのは難しい」ということですか？ わかった？

名詞によって「どう」と「どんな」と分かれるという文法も聞いたことがないけど。

Basically after asking around a bit, "どういう映画" or "どういう予定" are as natural and fine as "どういうところ" There may be some subtle differences in nuance or tone, but the people I talked with couldn't immediately come up with instances where one was OK and the other not.

Good attempts everybody.

I can't really think of a case that is not suitable to replace "どういう" with "どんな". The difference? I really don't know honestly. I think it really a personal opinion/preference. It sounds to me, どういう sounds little more formal. But as far as I know both are pretty much exactly the same.

実際=in fact, actual、事実=fact、実は=actually, in fact, to tell the truth、本当=truth, true, real、マジ=serious

Keep in mind that not all Japanese use them rightly. We can make mistakes in the usages, especially in conversational ones.

どうして、なんで、なぜ

They are again the same in the meaning. But なんで is more for a casual use. どうして and なぜ are more formal. You can reply with から for any of the three when giving the answer.


Well Elizabeth さん,

「そんな」and 「そんなに」 are actually the same. に has to be added when used before an adjective. It isn't a short version of そんなに.

But your guess is not a bad shot. Usually short versions of words and expressions are rather slangish.


I hope all of you know already that there are so many words that have the same meaning in Japanese. When you see those words and expressions, focus on how they are used in an example sentence or dialog. The differences are often the level of politeness. Yes, very often.

「そんな」and 「そんなに」 are actually the same. に has to be added when used before an adjective. It isn't a short version of そんなに.

But your guess is not a bad shot. Usually short versions of words and expressions are rather slangish.

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As I said, that explanation was actually a quote from a Japanese friend.
I use it as you indicated above, with "ni" as the normal adverb-maker.
Although it is my sense as well that "konna" or "sonna" can sometimes sound disparaging or disapproving, so I try to take care not to overdo those.

Well, native speakers are not expected to have greater insight into analyzing their grammar, particularly in the case of Japanese perhaps....

umm true in general. But some are always exceptional. Sonna or Konna can be more casual when compared to other ways to say those. So your sensitive and careful usage of words can help you write Japanese properly.

When I talk to people, I don't say, "It's I." I understand the grammar is wrong, but that's how people say. The practicality sometimes can be more appropriate. Maybe you want to be a Japanese grammar teacher? You surely know and are good at Japanese.

Politeness is so important in Japanese even among friends, but people still use casual ways to say things. (excluding slangs) Anyhow, grasping the nuances is very hard. They are so subtle, yet we usually pick right one for the right situation without thinking much in a second. I guess that's how it goes with native speakers?

私の同僚はそんなに頭が悪くてうんざりですよ！

上の頭が悪い同僚の分ですが、「そんなに」と言う部分が不自然ですか？
その代わり、「あんまり。。。もう」と置き換えた方が良いでしょうか
「私の同僚はあんまり頭が悪くてもううんざりですよ！ 」だけだという言い方が出来ますか。

それぞれ意味やニュアンスが違うみたいなので使うときは、どの言葉がぴったりか良く考えて
選ぶことが出来るといいと思います。


この場合は、どうして「そんなに」が使えないのか誰か説明してください。ありがとう。

この説明でわかっていただけましたか？

OK, I think I understand now. I should have given more of a context for the explanation of their stupidity -- it would be the English equivalent of "My colleagues are that stupid (not so stupid...or stupid to such a degree...) and I'm seriously fed up by it !

たとえ話として例だけではない.