Japanese Language Questions? Ask Here.

I'm watching the first 2 seasons of Women of the Onsen right now and as I watch I try to pick up on the Japanese keywords I have learned so far....like anata wa and watashi wa and skosh(spelling?)...


I have noticed that a lot of times in their conversations in places where I would expect to hear anata wa, the actors are actually saying the person's name.....

for example, when Kauru is speaking to Kaido the english subtitle says "you should smile more"

but she never said anata wa...she said kaido san

I don't understand the other words she is using yet, but it seems as if she is saying...."Kaido should smile more"


why would she use a person's name when speaking directly to him?

TuxedoMaskGiajin wrote:I'm watching the first 2 seasons of Women of the Onsen right now and as I watch I try to pick up on the Japanese keywords I have learned so far....like anata wa and watashi wa and skosh(spelling?)...


I have noticed that a lot of times in their conversations in places where I would expect to hear anata wa, the actors are actually saying the person's name.....

for example, when Kauru is speaking to Kaido the english subtitle says "you should smile more"

but she never said anata wa...she said kaido san

I don't understand the other words she is using yet, but it seems as if she is saying...."Kaido should smile more"


why would she use a person's name when speaking directly to him?

It's more formal.

Especially in working conditions/environment.

Form of respect.

Hi Melz!

I have been studying Japanese language for many years now, but I never encountered discussion on transitive verbs (tadoushi) and intransitive verbs (jidoushi). Like you said, if there is a direct object that needs a "wo" after it and before the verb, then that is a tadoushi verb, I guess, because it is being acted upon by the subject. For example, Watashi wa hon wo yomimasu (I read a book.). For a jidoushi verb, I really cannot think of one because of how Japanese sentences are structured.

Actually you have to get used of this idea in japanese...
didoushi is to express a state of things: like door is open (it doesn't matter who or how it was opened) so you say door ga aitearimasu
tadoushi puts emphasis on the action of opening(who or how) so you say taka san wa door o akemashita etc

so for your traffic police qn... you have to say keisatsu ni tomerareta (passive with tadoushi) cos the emphasis here is on the police (who) stopping you rather than a natural state of "stop"

so you have to know consciously which is tadoushi and jidoushi and whether you want to express a state or the action, before you know which suffix iru or aru to use.. quite tough yah?

comes with practice but i think there are limited jidoushi and tadoushi around

Melz wrote:

gakkou = school.
so gakkou no sensei should means teacher of the school.

I hope that helps. ;)

domo arigatou. ;)

domo arigatou... :applaud:

So I guess anytime when I breaks the rule of nature by doing something intentionally or under forced scenerio, I will have to use tadoushi. Guess I just have to place this concept in mind... :P

However, I can i safely say that it isnt really that crucial in normal day to day conversation? Hmmm.... :bonk:

nihongoha muzukashii desu ne... :hehe:

Try translating these into Japanese:

It's warm, please open the window.
The window is open.

(in taxi) Please stop here.
The taxi is parked(stopped) in front of the station.

The door is open.
Please open the door.

These are all tadoushi/jidoushi pairs. Actually they crop up very frequently, you probably already know a bunch but you don't realize it!

Hajimemashite,hehehe.. I am new here :) and just wondering if I can learn more Japanese here...I am taking my first Jap class this semester...

ridiya wrote:
Hajimemashite,hehehe.. I am new here :) and just wondering if I can learn more Japanese here...I am taking my first Jap class this semester...

Welcome to Jdorama, ridiya, hope you enjoy your stay. If you haven't already know, introduction goes here. Oh another thing, you mean you'll be taking JPN classes or Japanese classes. The word J@p is an insulting word to the JPNese. Later!

Opps I am sorry to say that, I really don't know ..thankz for telling me niko2x ... What I mean is I am taking my first year japanese class right now..so still kinda new with Nihongo ..

niko2x wrote:Welcome to Jdorama, ridiya, hope you enjoy your stay. If you haven't already know, introduction goes here. Oh another thing, you mean you'll be taking JPN classes or Japanese classes. The word J@p is an insulting word to the JPNese. Later!

ajb_advance wrote:Try translating these into Japanese:

It's warm, please open the window.
The window is open.

(in taxi) Please stop here.
The taxi is parked(stopped) in front of the station.

The door is open.
Please open the door.

These are all tadoushi/jidoushi pairs. Actually they crop up very frequently, you probably already know a bunch but you don't realize it!

So if I didnt get these wrongly, the usage should be:
atsui desukara, madowo aketekudasai
madoga akimashita.

kokode tometekudasai
takushiga ekino maede tomarimashita.

doaga akimashita.
doawo aketekudasai.

I hope I got the general concept correct. In any case, I am aware of few ji/tadoushi pairs, not alot though. Just that it makes me wonder sometimes which form of verb to use for the correct situation.

arigatou ne... :mrgreen:

OK - I can see the problem. You haven't studied intransitive verbs fully yet! Your transitive forms are correct, but intranstive are not.

For the window example:

‹‚¢‚Å‚·‚©‚çA‘‹‚ðŠJ‚¯‚Ä‚­‚¾‚³‚¢B (1) - exactly what you wrote
....
....
(¡)‘‹‚ªŠJ‚¢‚Ä‚¢‚Ü‚·B (2)

Notice that in (2) you should use the continuous form. The idea is that you are describing a 'state', which is continuous so you use the TE form to describe it. If you moved all your intransitives into this form they would all be correct! I guess as you haven't studied this form yet so don't worry about it.


FYI there is another form which is related to these two, it's also possible to say:

‘‹‚ªŠJ‚¯‚Ä‚ ‚è‚Ü‚·B

This means that someone has (for some reason) opened the window (but you maybe don't know who). TE form + arimasu. As you are using the transitive verb in this case it implies that someone has done it (for the benefit of you or someone else).

Although it seems tricky at first you will soon get used to it - good luck!!

Hi, everyone~

I can help out with anyone learning Japanese to beginner to intermediate, as I am a intermediate learner myself.

Ishooni ganbarou~!

arashinokoto wrote:actually for a chinese and a not understanding a lot of japanese person.. the kanji that appears everywhere helps a lot in explaining stuff.. in varieties especially..

Althought it has the same meaning and written the same way, it's TOTALLY pronounced different.

hi, i'm doing a skit in my japanese class so i'm here looking for some help. i know a lot of the basic words (reults from too many doramas)
could someone just tell me how this would look like in japanese?? i want to be sure mine's right

A: welcome
B:do you have any _____ manga??
A: we have several editions. these over here
B:may i look at that one?
B:how much for this one?
A: 1200 yen
B: o my that's expensive,...can i look at that one over there?
B: how much is this one??
A:1000 yen
B: fine, i'll take this one
A: Thank you very much Please come again

cola_cherry wrote:hi, i'm doing a skit in my japanese class so i'm here looking for some help. i know a lot of the basic words (results from too many doramas)
could someone just tell me how this would look like in japanese?? i want to be sure mine's right

A: welcome
B:do you have any _____ manga??
A: we have several editions. these over here
B:may i look at that one?
B:how much for this one?
A: 1200 yen
B: o my that's expensive,...can i look at that one over there?
B: how much is this one??
A:1000 yen
B: fine, i'll take this one
A: Thank you very much Please come again

A:Irasshaimase!
B:_______ Manga arimasu ka? (What manga are you talking about?)
A:Hai. Arimasu yo. Koko de desu yo.
B:Ano (depends on where it is. Next to the speaker would be "Sono". Away from the speaker and you would be "Ano". I'm assuming it's "Ano") manga o mitte yoroshii desu ka?
B:Kono manga ikura desu ka?
A:Sen Ni Hyaku En de gozaimasu.
B:Soudesuka? Ma, ano, chotto takai desukedo...... Ano, (this case "Ano" means "Um") Ano manga (depends on where it is. Next to the speaker would be "Sono". Away from the speaker and you would be "Ano". Again, I'm assuming it's "Ano") o misettekudasai.
B:Kore, ikura desu ka?
A:A, sono manga ha Sen En degozaimasu.
A:Wakarimashita. Jya, kore itadakimasu no de. Onegaishimasu.
B:Domo Arigatou gozaimashita! Matta yoroshiku onegai itashimasu!


Hope this helps because I can't speak "Keigo" for jack$h*t!!!!


-But may I ask you one question? Isn't that cheating? Or did you already have it written out and want to compare it to what I or/and other members write/type? Tonikaku, Ganbare na! Aa, sou da..... himitsu da yo na??!!

THANK YOU U VERY MUCH!!
and no it's not cheating, i already have one written out. i was just checkin if i written it correctly. ;)

cola_cherry wrote:THANK YOU U VERY MUCH!!
and no it's not cheating, i already have one written out. i was just checkin if i written it correctly. ;)

And how was it? Correct I hope! If you need anything, let me or anyone else know. K? (Golgo_13 is the most proficient out of everyone though)

Just a curious question, if in a real scenario, a person tells the shop owner that the stuff he is selling are all so expensive, wont he get real piss off... :lol:

I dont think he will even want to say "Matta yoroshiku onegai itashimasu". :bonk:

Melz wrote:Just a curious question, if in a real scenario, a person tells the shop owner that the stuff he is selling are all so expensive, wont he get real piss off... :lol:

I dont think he will even want to say "Matta yoroshiku onegai itashimasu". :bonk:

Japanese people are very humble people. Especially in the business scenario. Of course the shop owner will think "what the hell" or something in that demeanor. But the Japanese people have "2 faces". They have their regular personality and personal opinions in which they DO NOT show or express in business "deals" (if you may) or business environment. The second "face" in which they express is in business environments and such-being very humble. The second "face" is the image in which they wish people to percieve of them.
I'm sure you watch dramas and what not. Don't you observe the kind of behaviors they produce? In business, they rarely ever speak up their opinions to their "senpai" more or less customers. It's a different story when they go home or go out drinking with fellow co-workers.
Drinking in Japanese society is different than here in America. Seeing a person passed out on a bench in a train station late at nite is not frowned upon as it would be here in the states. Drinking, to Japanese, is a way to unwind and get to know fellow co-workers better. If one does something stupid during a drinking "outing", all is forgotten and forgiven the next day.
So, I would assume that if this shop owner wants repeat business, it's only common sense and common practice to say "Matta yoroshiku onegaiitashimasu". I'm sure the shop owner wouldn't say something like "F**k off" right? Doing something like that will tarnish his name and business.