The position of "little"

[Mac]

a little = ﾂ渉ｭ窶堋ｵ a (little) bit = ﾂ（窶堙吮?堙ｱ窶堙個）窶堋ｿ窶堙･窶堙≫?堙?、窶堋ｿ窶堙･窶堙≫?堙停?堙ｨ

(1) I a little know.
(2) I know a little.
(3) I know a little bit
(4) I a little bit know.

(5) I'm a little tired.
(6) I'm tired a little.
(7) I'm tired a little bit.
(8) I'm a little bit tired.

I'm confused.
I don't think every sentences are correct.
Would someone please explain about "little"?

 

[GoldCoinLover]

a little = ﾂ渉ｭ窶堋ｵ a (little) bit = ﾂ（窶堙吮?堙ｱ窶堙個）窶堋ｿ窶堙･窶堙≫?堙?、窶堋ｿ窶堙･窶堙≫?堙停?堙ｨ

(1) I a little know.
(2) I know a little.
(3) I know a little bit
(4) I a little bit know.

(5) I'm a little tired.
(6) I'm tired a little.
(7) I'm tired a little bit.
(8) I'm a little bit tired.

I'm confused.
I don't think every sentences are correct.
Would someone please explain about "little"?

Sure. I know english very well, and have a very high grade in english at school. I am learning japanese myself. The word little can be confusing in english. Like kanji, you can use little different ways. The sentence structure is different in english; it's not like japanese. In japanese I think little is "chotto".

(1) I a little know. <--- This one is not correct. It should be: "I know a little."
(2) I know a little. <--- Correct
(3) I know a little bit <--- Same as "I know a little.". It means the same thing.
(4) I a little bit know. <--- Not correct.

(5) I'm a little tired. <--- I'm is just a more easy way of saying, "I am.". This is correct. This sentence means you aren't tired much.
(6) I'm tired a little. <--- Not correct.
(7) I'm tired a little bit. <--- It just means the same as "I'm a little tired."
(8) I'm a little bit tired. <--- Not correct.


If you need anymore help, please let me know. I'd love to help you out.


Good luck!

(8) I'm a little bit tired. <--- It means the same thing as (7). In english, you can switch things around and it still means the same thing. I know it can be confusing, but keep at it. And most importantly, ask questions! The more you ask the more you learn!

Please disregard the first reply to (8). I'm tired and can't seem to find a way to edit it. Anyway, read what I said the second time about (8).

Oh, and in your signature it says to please correct you in any errors you make. Here's an mistake you madeThis is what you said)

"I don't think every sentences are correct."

This should say: "I don't every sentence is correct." I can't really explain this one, it's just how english works.

This should say: "I don't think every sentence is correct." I can't really explain this one, it's just how english works.

Grr, I'm really tired, sorry.

 

[Mac]

Oh, Thank you so much, GoldCoinLover.

I should have asked them more earlier. (^^;

I know a little.
I know a little bit.
I'm a little busy.
I'm busy a little bit.
I understand the meaning a little.
I understand the meaning a little bit.



Thank you again.

 

[Elizabeth]

Oh, Thank you so much, GoldCoinLover.

I should have asked them more earlier. (^^;

I'm busy a little bit.

I should have asked them earlier. Never say "more earlier."

I'm a little (bit) busy.

 

[Mac]

Oh, Thank you so much, Elizabeth.
That is so good to know.

I should have asked them earlier. (practice)

 

[Elizabeth]

Oh, Thank you so much, Elizabeth.
That is so good to know.

I should have asked them earlier. (practice)

Although it sounds a little better without 'them.'

What's the most natural Japanese translation?

ﾂ（窶堙?窶堙≫?堙?）窶伉≫?堋ｭ窶｢ﾂｷ窶堋｢窶堋ｽ窶堙ｧ窶堙ｦ窶堋ｩ窶堙≫?堋ｽﾂ。ﾂ（ﾂ？ﾂ）

 

[Mac]

窶堋ｻ窶堙ｪ窶堙ｧ窶堙娯?堋ｱ窶堙??堙俄?堙や?堋｢窶堙??堙?窶堙≫?堙??伉≫?堋ｭ窶堙嫁ｽﾂｿ窶禿｢窶堋ｵ窶堙??堙ｪ窶堙寂?堙ｦ窶堋ｩ窶堙≫?堋ｽ窶堙ｦﾂ。
I should have asked of them earlier. (^^;;;

I guess.. (^^; hehe

 

[Elizabeth]

窶堋ｻ窶堙ｪ窶堙ｧ窶堙娯?堋ｱ窶堙??堙俄?堙や?堋｢窶堙??堙?窶堙≫?堙??伉≫?堋ｭ窶堙嫁ｽﾂｿ窶禿｢窶堋ｵ窶堙??堙ｪ窶堙寂?堙ｦ窶堋ｩ窶堙≫?堋ｽ窶堙ｦﾂ。
I should have asked of them earlier. (^^;;;

I guess.. (^^; hehe

Ahh, I had no idea Japanese could be even more complex than English

Mac's translation is closer to 'I should have inquired about them earlier.'

 

[Mac]

I had no idea Japanese could be even more complex than English.
窶愿ｺ窶怒ﾅ津ｪ窶堋ｪ窶ｰpﾅ津ｪ窶堙ｦ窶堙ｨ窶堙?窶堋ｳ窶堙ｧ窶堙俄?｢ﾂ｡ﾅｽG窶堙俄?堙遺?堙ｩ窶堋ｱ窶堙??堋ｪ窶堋?窶堙ｩ窶堙遺?堙ｱ窶堙?考窶堋ｦ窶堙遺?堋ｩ窶堙≫?堋ｽﾂ。(?) (^^;

even = [窶敕､ﾅ?r窶ｹ窶ｰ窶堙ｰ窶ｹﾂｭ窶卍ｲ窶堋ｵ窶堙Ь窶堋ｳ窶堙ｧ窶堙可、窶堙遺?堋ｨ

inquire = ask 窶堙ｦ窶堙ｨﾅ蛋ﾅｽﾂｮ窶堙寂?堙≫?堋ｽﾅ津ｪ

I can't understand the Japanese meaning.
Maybe like "maybe-probably", "although-though" ? (^^;;;

http://www.excite.co.jp/dictionary/...h&dictionary=NEW_EJJE&block=39142&offset=1684

 

[Elizabeth]

I think you can use 窶｢ﾂｷ窶堋ｭﾂ、ﾂ尋窶堙銀?堙ｩﾂ、ﾅｽﾂｿ窶禿｢窶堋ｷ窶堙ｩﾂ、窶禿｢窶堋｢ﾂ坂?｡窶堙ｭ窶堋ｹ窶堙ｩﾂ、or 窶卍ｲ窶堙冷?堙ｩﾂ、to mean ask or inquire depending on the sentence. 窶ｰpﾅ津ｪ窶堙窟sk窶堋ｩInquire窶堋ｩ窶堙ｰﾋ?凪?督｡窶堋ｷ窶堙ｩ窶堋ｽ窶堙溪?堙
ﾂ「窶｢ﾂｷ窶堋ｭﾂ、ﾂ尋窶堙銀?堙ｩﾂ、ﾅｽﾂｿ窶禿｢窶堋ｷ窶堙ｩﾂ、窶禿｢窶堋｢ﾂ坂?｡窶堙ｭ窶堋ｹ窶堙ｩﾂ、or 窶卍ｲ窶堙冷?堙ｩﾂ」窶堙??堋｢窶堋､窶堋ｻ窶堙娯?堋､窶堋ｿ窶堙娯?堙??堙ｪ窶堙??堙?ﾅｽg窶堙ｭ窶堙ｪ窶堙ｩﾂ湘ｪﾂ坂?｡窶堋ｪ窶伉ｽ窶堋｢窶堙??堋ｷﾂ。ﾂ（ﾂ？ﾂ）

窶堋ｱ窶堙ｪ窶堙坂?堙遺?堋ｩ窶堙遺?堋ｩ窶堙ｦ窶堋ｭ窶堙??堋ｫ窶堙懌?堋ｷ窶堙仰。

 

[Mac]

Thank you for your explanation.
That is good to know.

I hate conjecture sentences and the others. (^^;;;
could, will, would, guess, think, probably, maybe, suppose, et cetera...

of course = absolutely.
tottaly = something. I've forgotten. (^^;

never mind. Forget everything what I said.

 

[Elizabeth]

No ploblem, Mac. But if you would, could you please try and correct my Japanese as well.

 

[Mac]

Oh, sure. I will correct your sentences, if I can and they are incorrect.

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窶ｰpﾅ津ｪ窶堙窟sk窶堋ｩInquire窶堋ｩ窶堙ｰﾋ?凪?督｡窶堋ｷ窶堙ｩ窶堋ｽ窶堙溪?堙可「窶｢ﾂｷ窶堋ｭﾂ、ﾂ尋窶堙銀?堙ｩﾂ、ﾅｽﾂｿ窶禿｢窶堋ｷ窶堙ｩﾂ、窶禿｢窶堋｢ﾂ坂?｡窶堙ｭ窶堋ｹ窶堙ｩﾂ、or 窶卍ｲ窶堙冷?堙ｩﾂ」窶堙??堋｢窶堋､窶堋ｻ窶堙娯?堋､窶堋ｿ窶堙娯?堙??堙ｪ窶堙??堙?ﾅｽg窶堙ｭ窶堙ｪ窶堙ｩﾂ湘ｪﾂ坂?｡窶堋ｪ窶伉ｽ窶堋｢ 窶堙??堋ｷﾂ。ﾂ（ﾂ？ﾂ）
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窶ｰpﾅ津ｪ窶堙窟sk窶堙?nquire窶堙ｰﾋ?凪?督｡窶堋ｷ窶堙ｩ窶堙娯?堙可「窶｢ﾂｷ窶堋ｭﾂ、ﾂ尋窶堙銀?堙ｩﾂ、ﾅｽﾂｿ窶禿｢窶堋ｷ窶堙ｩﾂ、窶禿｢窶堋｢ﾂ坂?｡窶堙ｭ窶堋ｹ窶堙ｩﾂ、窶卍ｲ窶堙冷?堙ｩﾂ」窶堙遺?堙??堋ｪﾅｽg窶堙ｭ窶堙ｪ窶堙ｩﾂ湘ｪﾂ坂?｡窶堋ｪ窶堋?窶堙ｨ窶堙懌?堋ｷﾂ。

I don't understand why you said ﾂ「窶堋ｱ窶堙ｪ窶堙坂?堙遺?堋ｩ窶堙遺?堋ｩ窶堙ｦ窶堋ｭ窶堙??堋ｫ窶堙懌?堋ｷ窶堙仰。ﾂ」. hehe

 

[Elizabeth]

Oh, sure. I will correct your sentences, if I can and they are incorrect.

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窶ｰpﾅ津ｪ窶堙窟sk窶堋ｩInquire窶堋ｩ窶堙ｰﾋ?凪?督｡窶堋ｷ窶堙ｩ窶堋ｽ窶堙溪?堙可「窶｢ﾂｷ窶堋ｭﾂ、ﾂ尋窶堙銀?堙ｩﾂ、ﾅｽﾂｿ窶禿｢窶堋ｷ窶堙ｩﾂ、窶禿｢窶堋｢ﾂ坂?｡窶堙ｭ窶堋ｹ窶堙ｩﾂ、or 窶卍ｲ窶堙冷?堙ｩﾂ」窶堙??堋｢窶堋､窶堋ｻ窶堙娯?堋､窶堋ｿ窶堙娯?堙??堙ｪ窶堙??堙?ﾅｽg窶堙ｭ窶堙ｪ窶堙ｩﾂ湘ｪﾂ坂?｡窶堋ｪ窶伉ｽ窶堋｢ 窶堙??堋ｷﾂ。ﾂ（ﾂ？ﾂ）
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窶ｰpﾅ津ｪ窶堙窟sk窶堙?nquire窶堙ｰﾋ?凪?督｡窶堋ｷ窶堙ｩ窶堙娯?堙可「窶｢ﾂｷ窶堋ｭﾂ、ﾂ尋窶堙銀?堙ｩﾂ、ﾅｽﾂｿ窶禿｢窶堋ｷ窶堙ｩﾂ、窶禿｢窶堋｢ﾂ坂?｡窶堙ｭ窶堋ｹ窶堙ｩﾂ、窶卍ｲ窶堙冷?堙ｩﾂ」窶堙遺?堙??堋ｪﾅｽg窶堙ｭ窶堙ｪ窶堙ｩﾂ湘ｪﾂ坂?｡窶堋ｪ窶堋?窶堙ｨ窶堙懌?堋ｷﾂ。


窶堋?窶堙ｨ窶堋ｪ窶堙??堋､ﾆ筑ﾆ誰窶堋ｳ窶堙ｱﾂ！

I don't understand why you said ﾂ「窶堋ｱ窶堙ｪ窶堙坂?堙遺?堋ｩ窶堙遺?堋ｩ窶堙ｦ窶堋ｭ窶堙??堋ｫ窶堙懌?堋ｷ窶堙仰。ﾂ」. hehe

It was a little joke.
窶堋ｽ窶堋ｾﾂ湘ｧ窶冖ﾅ陳ｾ窶堙≫?堙??堙ｩ窶堋ｾ窶堋ｯ窶堙遺?堙ｱ窶堋ｾ窶堋ｯ窶堙??堙??堋ｷ窶堙ｦ窶堙仰。

I meant "Isn't this better than the last one ?" Don't you like my Japanese here better than the last sentence ? ☝
窶堋ｱ窶堙娯?｢ﾂｶ窶堙坂?楼窶堙娯?｢ﾂｶ窶堙ｦ窶堙ｨ窶堙?窶堋､窶堙懌?堋｢窶堙?ｽv窶堋｢窶堙懌?堋ｷ窶堋ｩﾂ？ﾂ ﾂ

ﾂ「ﾆ筑ﾆ誰ﾂ好窶堙昶?堙娯?愿銀?堙?最ｾ窶堙昶?堙??堋ｷ窶堙ｦﾂ」窶堙??堋ｵ窶堙?、窶堙??堋｢窶堋､ﾋ?凪?督｡窶堙俄?堙遺?堙ｩ窶堙昶?堋ｽ窶堋｢窶堙闇?'窶堋ｶ窶堙??堋ｵ窶堙･窶堋､窶堋ｩﾂ？
ﾂ

 

[Mac]

It was a little joke.
ﾂ（窶堋ｽ窶堋ｾﾂ湘ｧ窶冖ﾅ陳ｾ窶堙≫?堙??堙ｩ窶堋ｾ窶堋ｯ窶堙遺?堙ｱ窶堋ｾ窶堋ｯ窶堙??堙??堋ｷ窶堙ｦ窶堙仰。ﾂ）
Translating this sentence is a little difficult to me. (^^; hehe.

窶堋ｻ窶堙ｪ窶堙債渉ｭ窶堋ｵ窶堙個湘ｧ窶冖窶堋ｾ窶堙≫?堋ｽ窶堙ｱ窶堋ｾ窶堙ｦﾂ。(This sentence still sounds strange.)

Oh! There are some examples of the sentence in my dictionary.
It's just a joke = ﾂ「窶悳窶堙ｧ窶堙遺?堋｢窶堙?」ﾂ「窶堙吮?堙ｱ窶堙個湘ｧ窶冖窶堋ｾ窶堋ｩ窶堙ｧﾂ」ﾂ「窶堙吮?堙ｱ窶堙個湘ｧ窶冖窶堋ｳﾂ」ﾂ「窶堙吮?堙ｱ窶堙個湘ｧ窶冖窶堋ｾ窶堙ｦﾂ」 (^^;;

I meant "Isn't this better than the last one ?" Don't you like my Japanese here better than the last sentence ?
窶堙や?堙懌?堙ｨﾂ（窶堋ｦ窶堋ｦ窶堙?）ﾂ、ﾂ「窶堋ｱ窶堙ｪ窶堙債催?津｣窶堙娯?堙｢窶堙?ﾂ？)窶堙ｦ窶堙ｨ窶氾??堋ｭ窶堙遺?堋｢ﾂ？ﾂ」ﾂ「窶堋?窶堙遺?堋ｽ窶堙坂?楼窶堙娯?｢ﾂｶ窶堙ｦ窶堙ｨ窶堋ｱ窶堋ｱ窶堙固ｽ窶樞?堙娯?｢ﾂｶ窶堋ｪﾅ停┐窶堋｢窶堙??堋ｷ窶堋ｩﾂ？(^^; I'm not sure.)ﾂ」窶堙??堋｢窶堋､窶堋ｱ窶堙??堋ｾ窶堙≫?堋ｽ窶堙娯?堙??堋ｷ窶堋ｪﾂ。

 

[blessed]

(this is from way back, but...)

The reason why people say "i don't think every sentence is correct" is because you are only refering to one of the sentences:

"I don't think any one sentence is correct"

but if you say

"I don't think any one of these sentences are correct"

you use the plural as what precedes "sentence" is a plural.

in other words, "every" is singular.

 

[Elizabeth]

(this is from way back, but...)

The reason why people say "i don't think every sentence is correct" is because you are only refering to one of the sentences:

"I don't think any one sentence is correct"

but if you say

"I don't think any one of these sentences are correct"

you use the plural as what precedes "sentence" is a plural.

in other words, "every" is singular.

Actually no. "i don't think every sentence is correct" could be either singular or plural, most likely however referring most likely to multiple sentences.

More naturally we do use 'any' or 'any one' though, to mean all....

"I don't think any one of these sentences is correct"
OR "I don't think any of these sentences are correct"

not "I don't think any one sentence is correct" (although "any one" is singular, it sounds like you don't know which one is wrong)