What does this conversation mean?
- Thread starter prt1987
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先輩
- 8 Mar 2013
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No, there is not any one (person).
The closest thing to "donata" is the "one" in the answer.
But as you just said, try to avoid mapping each word to english, once you reach a certain level, things will require you to "accept" new concepts, instead of "relate" things to another language
- 5 May 2013
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for what it's worth, 'daremo' is usually considered a word meaning 'anyone'; such as in 'daremo inai' - 'there isn't anyone there'.
But though it gets its own dictionary entry, 'daremo' is just a compound of 'dare' + 'mo'.
'donata' is just a more formal version of 'dare' and so even if 'donatamo' doesn't rate a dictionary entry of its own, it's still the same meaning.
But though it gets its own dictionary entry, 'daremo' is just a compound of 'dare' + 'mo'.
'donata' is just a more formal version of 'dare' and so even if 'donatamo' doesn't rate a dictionary entry of its own, it's still the same meaning.
Mo is a particle. It modifies whatever is before it. There is no equivalent in English. When used with a interrogative pronoun with a negative verb, it usually means any.
nani mo arimasen. There isn't anything.
Dare mo imasen. There isn't anyone.
Nani mo wakatteinai. You don't understand anything.
nani mo arimasen. There isn't anything.
Dare mo imasen. There isn't anyone.
Nani mo wakatteinai. You don't understand anything.
- 22 Feb 2008
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Isn't it a typo of "Jiyon-san to ratanaa-san no ushiro ni donata ka imasu ka?"? "Donata ga imasu ka?" is asking who the person behind the two persons is, so the answer "Iie, dare mo imasen / donata mo irasshaimasen (No, no one is there.)" is odd for this question. On the other hand, "Donata ka imasu ka / irasshaimasu ka?" is asking if there is someone behind them. This fits the context.
