This is a mobile optimized page that loads fast, if you want to load the real page, click this text.

Need a word or phrase translated?

Elizabeth said:
In a sentence like this, communicating a request or relaying a message,
you ni is used as an indirect command to paraphrase the direct quotation.
Click to expand...

Thank you! That makes perfect sense to me now. However, there is one more thing in this chapter using the particle "to" that I don't quite get:

hanashite(speaker) no hanashi to kikite(listener) no aizuchi de kaiwa ga susumimasu (advance).

aizuchi = giving a nod or gesture of understanding

For some reason the "to" particle and the "de" particle in this sentence don't make sense to me.

Am I right to think that this sentence means "Because of the listener's nod with the speakers story, the conversation continues" ? That doesn't quite sound right, but that's the best I can do at the moment. Any help would be appreciated. This is irking me.
 
That to is the "and" to, and the de is the "by means of" de. So it's more like "the conversation advances by the speaker's story and the listener's aizuchi." Not a good translation, but you get the point, right?
 
Glenn said:
That to is the "and" to, and the de is the "by means of" de. So it's more like "the conversation advances by the speaker's story and the listener's aizuchi." Not a good translation, but you get the point, right?
Click to expand...

Oh ok, I think I see it now. Since I know now what it definitely means, I'll work it out in my head. I appreciate it, thanks!
 
Can somebody help me with a translation of this quote please:
Even when we don't see eye to eye
we ' re always heart to heart
Click to expand...
Thank you in advance!
 
Kennin said:
Can somebody help me with a translation of this quote please:
Thank you in advance!
Click to expand...
たとえ、意見が一致しないときでも（しないとも？） 私達の心は、常に一緒です。（？）

Even when we don't agree, our hearts (minds !) are always together.

内容が高度なだけに細かい間違いも多きかもしれないけど。。。誰かが訂正してくださいね。
 
Thank you already.
Yet: "agreeing" is not what is meant, I guess. "Even when we don't see eye to eye" means more like "even when we are far apart", "even if we are not together", I think.
Furthermore, I sense "heart to heart" and "eye to eye" as being the strength of the quote. Isn't there a way to translate "heart to heart" and "eye to eye" more literally?
 
See eye to eye in English and as an extension the Japanese translation are nearly always metaphorical for agreement or harmony of opinions, do you mean more like "even if we are not face to face" ? I'm sure there are more literal translations, how much sense it will make I can't vouch for in advance.
 
Kennin said:
Thank you already.
Yet: "agreeing" is not what is meant, I guess. "Even when we don't see eye to eye" means more like "even when we are far apart", "even if we are not together", I think.
Click to expand...

I am afraid that, as Elizabeth has said, seeing eye to eye means to agree on an issue.

I interpreted your quote as meaning "even if we don't agree on every issue, we are both working together for the same thing" (although I wasn't quite sure exactly what heart to heart means) It sounds like you wanted to say "Even when we are far apart, it feels as if you are here beside me"?


It is unlikely that a translation of your phrase could still contain a form of eye to eye and heart to heart, since they are idiomatic phrases and Japanese tends to work differently from English.
 
If that is the core meaning, I still can't be sure this is what the OP wants to hear....but how do these sound to everyone as possibilities ? Not as elegant as the first try in my opinion.
たとえ、一緒にいないときでも、（たとえ、私達は、遠く離れているとも）あなたがわたしのそばにいるような気がするよ。

訳がまだはっきりとわかりませんね。。。
 
I think that たとえ一緒いなくても is better than たとえ、一緒にいないときでも. Also, たとえ私達は遠く離れていても is better than たとえ、私達は、遠 く離れているとも, but I'm not sure that either is really right. Of course, I could be wrong, too...
 
Yeah, the latter I was sort of making up as I went along so any problems there won't be awfully surprising
たとえ一緒いなくても gives me the impression although we're not together....
たとえ、一緒にいないときでも. even when (the times) we're not together....

とにかく、直訳すると不自然になりますね。
日本語、Kennin さんの言葉の表現で、
英語に同じ事は無いので、
伝えにくくなりますね。
 
Last edited:
Then maybe just 一緒いない時(に)も. I don't know, something about たとえ一緒にいない時でも just seems wierd to me.
 
It actually came straight from an answer NANGI san gave a few years ago that I made note of at the time....perhaps a typo or miscopy or something along the way ? I dunno, although I guess I don't see the same problem. いないときでも is certainly acceptable as a standalone phrase.
 
The whole phrase (たとえ一緒にいない時でも) came from a response that NANGI posted? If so, then I concede. I guess it's my non-native intuition getting in the way (and I don't recall having ever seen that before).
 
Yes, I don't pretend to appreciate the distinction with "ni mo" but
at least I was able to find the appropriate thread....

I need someone to translate something | Japan Forum
 
Alright, so it's perfectly fine. Never mind I said anything, then.
 
"A smile is the cover of whom do not show their insecurity", "Our happiness starts this morning", "A superior power watches over us", "help me to leave", "This ends tonight", and what "gennei" means if it means anything, thanks.
 
Ohayo,

Could someone please help me with the kanji for "my heart belongs to Eri"? I know how to write the name "Eri" in katakana, but that's about it.

Also, is there a Japanese saying or proverb, or a common historical reference related to when two people want to be together, but circumstances beyond their control prevent that from being a possibility? Is there a phrase or character that conveys "a love not possible" or something along those lines? Sorry, I know this is a bit vague... imagine two people head over heels for each other, but one of them has already been promised to another and therefore they cannot be together kind of thing...

Arigato!
 
kanji for "my heart belongs to Eri"
Click to expand...
私の心はエリのもの

There are lots of kanji for the name "Eri", so you need to ask Eri herself which kanji is used for her name.


How about 禁断の恋 (kindan no koi)?
 
There's a phrase I hear often in animes, that apparently translates into "are you feeling well?" and the context is slightly different than a "genki desu ka?" The thing is, I have never seen it written, not even in hiragana, but it sounds something like "guwai wa dou da?" and is asked when someone had some kind of sickness or physical complications of any sort.

Anyway, would anyone share some input on this matter? Also, is it valid to ask: 体はだいじょうぶ?

ありがとうございます。
 
具合（ぐあい）はどうですか
In a situation when someone is recovering from some kind of sickness etc.

For part 2, the easiest way to find out if something is valid, or at least commonly said (even if wrong 笑), is to use google. In this case 体は大丈夫ですか gives 30,000 hits so its fine.
 
いいタイミングですね。 何時もありがとうございます、キャットさん。 (let's hope I didn't mess up the meaning of this sentence)
 
Ok, sorry to pop in here again with a tsumaranai shitsumon, but it's bothering me.

amerika ryokou no tsua(tour) ni moushikomimashita (applied for).
hitori heya o moshikomu (apply for) to donogurai takaku narimasu ka

Regarding these two above sentence, why is the usage "ni" in the first sentence, but not the second, even when it's using the same action? Does it have to do with past/present? I'm a bit confused.
 
こんばんは、皆さん。お元気ですか。今週と先週はとても忙しかったですよ。たくさん日本語を習いました！今週普通体を勉強しました。いいですね。とにかく、質問があります。「日本人はこんなことを知りたくないんだ？」はいいですか。英語で意味は「Don't Nihonjin want to know these sorts of things?」ですか。

本当に、ありがとうございます。
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

  • Sticky
Need a Kanji Translated? Just ask!
81 82 83
Replies
2K
Views
308K
Ukigumo
N
"Proverb" Translation
2
Replies
35
Views
75K
Swede
S
M
Help with translation
Replies
12
Views
59K
Jerry1834
J
H
What is "half-width" number?
Replies
6
Views
79K
Mike Cash
A
Need to change car navigation/audio/video system language to English
Replies
11
Views
115K
Rich345
R
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…