Need a good translator for this one

Ok is this correct?

Watashi no inu ga shukudai o tabemashita.



"My dog ate my homework."

Or am i missing something to describe the homework as mine..

God said:

Ok is this correct?

Watashi no inu ga shukudai o tabemashita.

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Hmm, I'm always at risk with 'wa' vs 'ga' but that looks OK to me.

God said:

Or am i missing something to describe the homework as mine..

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I think it can live without it. Note however that I doubt that that expression made it into Japanese :?

what do you mean, "I doubt that that expression made it into Japanese."?

God said:

what do you mean, "I doubt that that expression made it into Japanese."?

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I mean the expression "The dog ate my homework" probably doesn't exist in Japanese. It's quite likely that however accurate the translation is, or isn't, they won't "get it".

Maybe they'd take it as a valid excuse? They have both dogs and homework in Japan, right? Perhaps the homework was beef and gravy flavored...

I don't think the Japanese would get it as an excuse or reason for why you didn't turn in the assignment. The way it is set up is more like a straightforward, unemotional statement of fact which wouldn't even come off right in English.

Elizabeth said:

I don't think the Japanese would get it as an excuse or reason for why you didn't turn in the assignment.

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I agree. In fact it isn't a real excuse for anything in English - it's a traditional fake excuse.

Elizabeth said:

The way it is set up is more like a straightforward, unemotional statement of fact which wouldn't even come off right in English.

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I think you're being too fussy here - I don't think it needs any particular phrasing in English as long as 'dog' 'ate' and 'homework' are in the sentence in the right order just about anything will do.

Then I'll Make It Exist, Muahahahahhahaahhahahahahahhahahhahha

Watashi no inu ga 。。。。私 の 犬 が 宿題 お タベマシタ ！！！！

God said:

Then I'll Make It Exist, Muahahahahhahaahhahahahahahhahahhahha

Watashi no inu ga 。。。。私 の 犬 が 宿題 お タベマシタ ！！！！

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I see you're going to make the Japanese give up their を particle at the same time. :?

God said:

Then I'll Make It Exist, Muahahahahhahaahhahahahahahhahahhahha

Watashi no inu ga 。。。。私 の 犬 が 宿題 お タベマシタ ！！！！

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They'll at least get your drift with 食べちゃったんです, it may even be such a novel accounting of the facts you'll get a pass on cultural grounds alone.

I think you're being too fussy here - I don't think it needs any particular phrasing in English as long as 'dog' 'ate' and 'homework' are in the sentence in the right order just about anything will do.

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Assuming there is a plausible strategy to be uncovered, it seems to me the most convincing English dialogue needs to be as minimal and abashed as possible. Relying more on nonverbal cues than grammatical modification.

What happened to be your homework ?
Well....once again that old dog....

I'm not a native speaker of course, but I'd say

宿題は犬に食べられてしまったんです。
Shukudai wa inu ni taberarete shimatta n desu.

This is the passive form of taberu. You often use the passive form when something bad is done to you by someone else. I have even heard it called "meiwaku no ukemi" - "hassle passive".

You can use "ga" (and I think "o" also, according to a Google search) instead of "wa" as the particle for "shukudai", but because you have probably just been asked "where is your homework", I think "wa" is better because it is slightly emphatic.

You use the "te" form of the verb plus "shimau" (here "shimatta" for the past tense) to indicate both that the homework was "eaten up" (shimau indicating finality) and that it was regrettable (which is another use of shimau).

You put in a "n" because you are giving an explanation of what happened.

If you want to "ibaru" (put on an arrogant attitude) you can end with "yo", ("shukudai nara inu ni kuwareta n da yo, monku an no ka?") but normally you would apologize before or after this sentence, or both. Probably "sumimasen" at the start and "moushiwake arimasen" at the end, or something.

I wouldn't bother saying "watashi no inu" because it's probably obvious whose it is. Kids who are of the age to make up such excuses don't usually use "watashi" because it's too formal and grown up anyway, in my experience.

good info post.