Ni arimasu / desu

[kisaragi]

Hi, I have a question about ni arimasu and desu.

When to use which? I did all the examples i could find in Japanese for busy people (lesson 10). I got it all right, except 2 questions:

1)

Where is the car key?
Kuruma no kagi wa doko ni arimasu ka. (correct answer)

Why not
Kuruma no kagi wa doko desu ka?

Is it because you're not certain where the key is ?

2)

Basunoriba wa doko desu ka? (correct answer)
why not
Basunoriba wa doko ni arimasu ka ?

I mean these two sentences are built the same way.
Why is it 'ni arimasu ka' in n°1 and why is it 'desuk ka' in n°2 ?

Or are both possibilties correct?

Thanks !

 

[Elizabeth]

I don't know anyone who actually uses it, but aside from a misspeak in the guide (are there any examples like that?) the only difference I can think of would be ni arimasuka? for something which was actually put or placed somewhere (although this doesn't hold for "doko ni aru" (no, ka, etc)). Or somehow it is being considered as more polite....

 

[NANGI]

Konnichiwa Kisaragi-san!

Where is the car key?

Dochira ni Kuruma no Kagi ha arimasu ka?
Kuruma no Kagi ha Doko ni arimasu ka?
Kuruma no Kagi ha Doko desu ka?
Kuruma no Kagi Doko desu?
Kuruma no Kagi Doko?

I think all answers are correct. But upper sentence is more polite than lower.

NANGI

 

[kisaragi]

Konnichiwa Kisaragi-san!

Where is the car key?

Dochira ni Kuruma no Kagi ha arimasu ka?
Kuruma no Kagi ha Doko ni arimasu ka?
Kuruma no Kagi ha Doko desu ka?
Kuruma no Kagi Doko desu?
Kuruma no Kagi Doko?

I think all answers are correct. But upper sentence is more polite than lower.

NANGI

Ah, so everything is correct ... great to hear that. Thank you.


I have another question, the correct word for 'milk'

is it:

miruku or is it gyuunyuu ?

 

[rquethe]

This discussion can be found a little bit ways down the board. It seems either is correct. But the consensus below concludes that ミルク is a much boader word for milk, while 牛乳 is specifically milk from a cow.

 

[kisaragi]

Ah, ic !

Thanks !

 

[lzydesmond]

Ah, so everything is correct ... great to hear that. Thank you.


I have another question, the correct word for 'milk'

is it:

miruku or is it gyuunyuu ?

pls check out this url : Correct word for milk | Japan Forum Also, like NANGI have said both sentences are the same.

 

[kisaragi]

pls check out this url : Correct word for milk | Japan Forum Also, like NANGI have said both sentences are the same.

That post was online ?? I remember creating a topic for the 'milk' problem. But when i pushed the "submit" button i got about 200 pages of unknown characters in my post. After a while i refreshed and never found my topic again.

So ... woohoo ! you found my topic !

 

[lzydesmond]

yes it is still online. I posted there a few weeks ago.