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Need a word or phrase translated?

Hi everyone

After a discussion with the members last time on the board, I have a better understanding of the particles は and が。

But there is still something else that is confusing. For example.

1. 自分がすき - (I) like myself

2. 自分がすきなことを見つける - To find something that I like

Do you see that part in confusion? Both sentences begin with the exact same structure but the meaning of both is entirely different.

In the first sentence, "が" marked what was being liked. In the second sentence, "が" marks who is doing the action.

Would anyone be able to explain why that is so?

For example, would this sentence make sense?

1. 自分がいいと判断したことしかしない - I only do what I judge to be good

Does it make sense? Because of the part "自分がいいと判断した", I am afraid the sentence might turn out to mean "I judge that I am good" (I know it sounds unnatural in English but please overlook in this instance).

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much.
 
が is normally used in relative clauses or subordinate sentences if they have a different subject from the main sentence...In this case the subject is the same and 自分がすき[/U]なこと is a noun phrase but the rule still holds. Besides、好き almost always takes が。

Don't worry too much, though, because が in a relative clause or noun phrase quite often becomes the particle の anyway. 自分が（ usually changed to 私のの好きな）すきなことを私は見つける

（私は）自分（私）がいい（正しい）と思うことしかしない。is how I would say "I only do what I think is good/right。

It still sounds weird through the use of しかない, like you also should be doing things you don't think are right. 。。。。ことするだけですよ。is much more natural for "only" in this example.


I think ("judge") that I am good is "（私は）自分（私）がいいと（私は）思います。

自分（私が） in these sentences perhaps because が is normally used with adjectives expressing perceptions of like/dislike, good/bad, large/small etc, often occuring spontaneously but not necessarily, such as がいい、多い、好きな、きれいな、いやな。。


Cleary, there are several dimensions to the は、が difference that make it a thing hugely complicated to analyze. All you need really is to memorize that this is how these structures normally work and notice the reasons for exceptions which disprove the rule.
 
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Thanks for the detailed response Elizabeth.

I'll try and not focus too much on the little things and just accept that が has a few dimensions rather than just one single use.

Thanks for that.
 
fine82 said:
Thanks for the detailed response Elizabeth.
I'll try and not focus too much on the little things and just accept that が has a few dimensions rather than just one single use.
Thanks for that.
Click to expand...
どういたしまして。 You asked before about two sentences that showed a clear contrast depending on the particle. Here's one that came to mind as I was writing that was one way I leaned them.

1. 私は来たときには、いませんでした。

(私は indicates that it is the subject of the final verb only -- いませんでした。 This means "When he/she/unnamed subordinate clause subject came, I was not there").


2. 私が来たときに、いませんでした。

In 2. 私が is the subject of 来た, が marking a relative clause, and thus the meaning is flipped so 2. translates "When I came he/she/unnamed main subject, was not there.)


There are times I still have no clue why they can't be interchangeble, but hope that is an answer to your earlier question at least...
 
Hi guys I would like to ask something again... please?

how do we say "I thought" in Japanese? like for example "i thought everything was fine".. or "I thought that is the answer...

Please help guys.. thanks so much!
 
Ooops I have got one more to ask...
when you say example: "ai ga hoshii no ni.." or "dakishimetai no ni"

What do you mean by "no ni"?
What does that stands for in English?
Would you mind giving me other example on using that?

Thanks you so much guys in advance....
 
pinkichan said:
Hi guys I would like to ask something again... please?
how do we say "I thought" in Japanese? like for example "i thought everything was fine".. or "I thought that is the answer...
Please help guys.. thanks so much!
Click to expand...
This is only how I have learned it, and I don't know if it's the best way, etc: :

You can add ~と思う (to omou) to the end of the sentence, and you also keep the sentence in short form to make it a "I think..." sentence.
Ex. Xさんはアルバイトがあると思います (X-san ha arubaito ga aru to omoimasu)。 - I think X-san has a part time job.
 
How do you say it in just a casual way.. like when chatting with a friend?
 
I took this online test on Wayback Machine and I'm totally confused at this question:
30. おとこのひとは ｢（ ）｣と おこりました。
[A] しばふに はいらないで ください。 [ B ] じょうずな えですね。
[C] とても おいしいです。 [D] まどを あけても いいですよ。
can someone please translate it?
Also, can someone please explain to me why the answer to the following question is A (wo) instead of B (ni)?
12. わたしは よく こうえん（ ）さんぽします。
[A] を [ B ] に [C] と [D] の
お願いします!
 
を is used for some verbs that involve movement over or around a place. 渡る、通る、曲がる. Maybe 回る. I don't know why and don't have anything more to add, so maybe someone else can fill in the blanks.
 
I use 辞林 which is I think considered pretty much top of the line of Japanese dictionaries. Not much help for usage, though.

Another favorite are any of the Kenkyusha Lighthouse products. This one is
English-Japanese but was written for Japanese learners of English which means it's mostly in Japanese and there's lots and lots of deconstructed English grammar plus loads of idiomatic expressions that you can learn the Japanese equivalents of... :

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/4767415101/103-9488333-3859064
 
Ooops I have got one more to ask...
When you say example: "ai ga hoshii no ni.." or "dakishimetai no ni"

What do you mean by "no ni"?
What does that stands for in English?
Would you mind giving me other example on using that?

Thanks you so much guys in advance....
 
Pinki,

I translate "no ni" as "however". It indicates frustration at being unable to obtain something.

Ai ga hoshii no ni. --> I am looking for love (but unable to find it).
 
My best guess is A -- The man scolded someone for walking on the grass. Although I can't tell for sure without the kanji and am kinda tired anyway.


What's sort of name is Kanjistep if none of the characters display ??? ☺
 
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Oh sorry.. I didn't notice that Buntaro.. thanks a lot..
 

Like what Charles Barkley said, it's related to movement, I guess you could say.

を isn't only used with direct objects, but it can also be used to show movement through a certain area. I other words, 「こうえんをさんぽする」 means to take a stroll through a park. Likewise, 「バスが町(まち)を通った(とおった)。」 means "The bus went through (the) town."

Hopefully I was able to convey the right feeling here.



30. The man scolded (someone), saying ｢（ ）｣.
[A] "Stay off my lawn." [B ] "That's a fine painting/picture."
[C] "That's really delicious." [D] "You may open the window."
 
Elizabeth explained this one already.

The man said something angrily, and the only one that can be said in such a situation is (A) "Don't step on the grass!"

(B) is praise ("What nice picture (i.e., you draw very well)"), (C) is also praise ("Very delicious"), and (D) issues permission ("It's OK to open the window").

(B) is incorrect because "ni" suggests direction in which you are heading. "Sanpo" is walk but strictly walking for exercise or relaxation. So, it doesn't translate into "walk to" in English.

This sentence must be built to say that you are going to "perform walking as exercise" in, at or across/around the park.
In: なかで
At: で
Across/around: を
Therefore, (A) is correct.

@Vagrant
Sorry I didn't notice your post when I wrote this!
 
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そこで、そうかね、もう死ぬのかね、と上から覗き込むようにして聞いてみた。
[覗き込むようにして]

My book translates this 'you ni shite as "make as if to 'peer into'". However, I've only ever seen it as "try to (do something)". Would it be correct to say "(I tried) to look at her to (ask and see; 聞いてみた)"?

 
Elizabeth said:
(私は indicates that it is the subject of the final verb only -- いませんでした。 This means "When he/she/unnamed subordinate clause subject came, I was not there").
Click to expand...
Wait, a sentence initial position word/phrase followed by は is always the subject of the final verb instead of ones before it? I guess that makes sense if I think about naturally sounding sentences, but I never really put that together. So is it true? Any exceptions?
 
Charles,

You asked,

"Wait, a sentence initial position word/phrase followed by は is always the subject of the final verb instead of ones before it?"

--> It has to be that way. Here is an example.

Watakushi wa kare ga kaita hon o yomimashita.

(I read the book that he wrote.)

Here, the word "I" is subject of the verb "read" not the verb "write" because the world "write" is within the dependent clause.
 
Good example for written form .This has nothing to do with charles Question, however in speech it would be "kare ga kaita hon o yomimashita" (I read the book that he wrote.)
 
話がまるで噛み合っていないかもしれませんね。。。

が is normally used in subordinate sentences/relatives clauses if they have a different subject (nevermind the I/myself distinction ) from the main sentence. It's worth to note one major exception comes when は is used in a subordinate position to convey a sense of contrast : それは高いから、私は買いません, for instance, それは meaning because that is expensive I won't buy it while implying another thing is cheaper.


Of course you can add to this : 私は買ったときに、＄２００．００ はらいました。
When I bought it, I paid $200.00. Subjects here are obviously one and the same.
 
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