To be

[Tomii515]

I know these:

i know how です is formal 'to be', and だ is informal. Well, I know they are basically the same, but they have some differences. anyways.

I was wondering. The special things... like

'to be' -te form?
'want to be'
'to be being'
etc...

isn't the -te form で?

So... would, 'im being an *****' be:

僕は馬鹿でいます

??

and how about 'want to be' O_O?

thats all im worried about right now

thanks!!!

-Tommy

 

[Elizabeth]

I know these:
i know how です is formal 'to be', and だ is informal. Well, I know they are basically the same, but they have some differences. anyways.
I was wondering. The special things... like
'to be' -te form?
'want to be'
'to be being'
etc...
isn't the -te form で?
So... would, 'im being an idiot' be:
僕は馬鹿でいます
??

である is not a form of です similar to がある and there is no copula でいる。


ぼくは、バカなことしている。

and how about 'want to be' O_O?

バカ になりたい。

 

[Tomii515]

ugh -_- haha

of course the most used verb ever has to be ther most complicated!! haha XD

thanks anyways

 

[Charles Barkley]

I think the problem you're experiencing right now is based on translating what you want to say in English into Japanese, which is natural when you are beginning. But, when you stop translating, this probably will largely disappear. 'To be being'--that's the kind of phrase that comes from overthinking how to say something.

 

[Tomii515]

I was just wondering if you could say that. Because, since i couldn't find it anywhere, i didnt think you could. And yeah.

 

[Elizabeth]

I think the problem you're experiencing right now is based on translating what you want to say in English into Japanese, which is natural when you are beginning. But, when you stop translating, this probably will largely disappear. 'To be being'--that's the kind of phrase that comes from overthinking how to say something.

It's an overextension of 'am being' which is perfectly natural English and 'am doing a stupid thing' which is fine in Japanese.

 

[nekocat]

私は馬鹿です。 I'm a fool.
私は馬鹿をやっています。/私は馬鹿(なこと)をしています。 I'm being an idiot.

 

[Tomii515]

私は馬鹿です。 I'm a fool.
私は馬鹿をやっています。/私は馬鹿(なこと)をしています。 I'm being an idiot.

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I understand that... well, the second sentence. It's like, 'I do being idiotic'literally or something?? I don't know, but I understand

THANKS!

btw: what does 'yatte imasu' mean? 'yaru' 'yau' 'yatsu'??? @_@

I'll try looking it up *looks up*
haha

to have sex XD I remember that word >_> It also has other meaning....

urr... i think i understand. But, couldn't that also mean 'I'm having sex with an idiot' haha <_< >_>

 

[Elizabeth]

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
I understand that... well, the second sentence. It's like, 'I do being idiotic'literally or something?? I don't know, but I understans
THANKS!
btw: what does 'yatte imasu' mean? 'yaru' 'yau' 'yatsu'??? @_@
I'll try looking it up *looks up*
haha
to have sex XD I remember that word >_> It also has other meaning....
urr... i think i understand. But, couldnt that also mean 'I'm having sex with an idiot' haha <_< >_>

Are these very common, though ? I usually hear some variation of bakana koto yatte iru/shitte iru...

Or is that more like for always being stupid/doing stupid things...? There's a way to work in itsmo and bakari I don't have time to think of now...:XD

 

[Tomii515]

Are these very common, though ? I usually hear some variation of bakana koto yatte iru/shitte iru...
Or is that more like for always being stupid/doing stupid things...? There's a way to work in itsmo and bakari I don't have time to think of now...:XD

Oh? @_@ I'm confused again

Hmm... maybe not ☝

----

Also, let's see if I got this straight...

です = to be [formal]
だ = to be [informal]
で = to be [-te form]
～ことをしています （～をやっています/～ことをやっています） = to be being [formal] {not literally}
～のしてる （～やってる/～のやってる） = to be being [informal] {not literally}
～なりたい = to want to be {lit: to want to become}


Hmmm....? Correct? no?

@_@

 

[Charles Barkley]

です = to be [formal]
だ = to be [informal]
で = to be [-te form]
～ことをしています （～をやっています/～ことをやっています） = to be being [formal] {not literally}
～のしてる （～やってる/～のやってる） = to be being [informal] {not literally}
～なりたい = to want to be {lit: to want to become}

-I said this earlier, but I don't think you're thinking about things in a productive way. First let me recommend a dictionary for you: Kodansha's Communicative English-Japanese Dictionary. Its written by Peter Sharpe and in a purple binding. This dictionary will allow you to look up things based on what you want to say in English. If you try to do that using a normal dictionary, often the Japanese will be fitted to make the English work. But in this book, the Japanese is pretty natural.

-yaru is the same as suru. It means to do something and can be applied to a variety of contexts. It is a less formal word than suru, so be careful using it. One of its meanings is to have sex. But that would depend entirely on context, in the same way that taberu, noru, daku etc could mean the same thing based on context. Think of the english word 'do'...

-Try not to think too much about the word 'to be' or the concept 'to be.' That really wont help you learn Japanese. What will help you is learning the contexts in which the different forms are used and what using a form in the context will allow you to say. The way you do that is by massive exposure to dialogue/text.

 

[Elizabeth]

Oh? @_@ I'm confused again
Hmm... maybe not ☝

Don't sweat it too much. Even more than with English there are multiple ways of saying virtually everything (Being an idiot/acting stupid/foolish/dumb...).

バカなことやって（して）いる。
↑ What all the people around me probably use probably because it is longer and thus less blunt.

～ことをしています （～をやっています/～ことをやっています） = to be being [formal] {not literally}
～のしてる （～やってる/～のやってる） = to be being [informal] {not literally}
～なりたい = to want to be {lit: to want to become}
Hmmm....? Correct? no?
@_@

I'll find some sentences when I have a chance that can only use やってる.

 

[Tomii515]

Thanks for your help