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1500 questions
16
votes
1 answer
Why do we say 頼もしい instead of 頼ましい?
In a previous question, I posted a list of adjectives produced from verbs using the しい suffix. In each example, it seems that しい attaches directly to the 未然形:
勇む → 勇ま ＋ しい isam-a-sii
悩む → 悩ま ＋ しい nayam-a-sii
喜ぶ → 喜ば ＋ しい …
user1478
16
votes
2 answers
What's the difference between 触る and 触れる?
These two seem to overlap almost completely. The only thing I can really tell is that 触れる seems that it can also be used in a metaphorical sense ("touch on" something; feel; perceive). I'm interested in how they are different in the sense of…
istrasci
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16
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2 answers
Just how rude is 「俺{おれ}」?
Statistics seem to show that (for young males, anyway) 俺{おれ} is beginning to be used more often than 僕{ぼく} to refer to oneself. I have read that 俺 is somewhat rude.
There are certain situations, of course, where you would obviously not want to use…
voithos
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15
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Why is 間{かん} used to denote some amounts of time but not others?
I've been thinking about how to express a duration of time and how in the past I have added 間{かん} in situations where I found that I shouldn't have.
Take the following sentences as…
ssb
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15
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1 answer
ならば vs なら. both are totally interchangeable without affecting the nuance of the sentence?
is it true that なら is merely a short form of ならば and as such, both are totally interchangeable without affecting the nuance of the sentence?
Also, a second question is is ならば more "formal" than "なら" ?
Pacerier
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15
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1 answer
When can I exchange くださる for いただく in expressions of gratitude?
Way back when, I remember being taught that when you want to say a really polite "thank you", sentences such as these are basically the same:
文章を訂正していただきましてありがとうございます。
文章を訂正してくださいましてありがとうございます。
But are they really? Does it make a difference if a)…
Derek Schaab
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15
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2 answers
Expressing the "after [verb]-ing", using 後で, -てから, 後に, 後から?
It's my understanding that when telling what you did after an action can be said using:
た後で
てから
た後に
For instance,
さおとめさんが泳いでから私たちはお祭りで会いました。
さおとめさんが泳いだ後{あと}で私たちはお祭りで会いました。
さおとめさんが泳いだ後{のち}に私たちはお祭りで会いました。
And those 3 forms can be used…
dotnetN00b
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15
votes
8 answers
Is the word ハーフ derogatory?
Is the term ハーフ (mixed-race Japanese/other) derogatory? Can you use it in a newspaper article? Can you use it to describe your boss? If it is derogatory, what word(s) should one use instead?
Amanda S
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15
votes
2 answers
How do you join たる-adjectives?
When joining い-adjectives and な-adjectives, you simply put them in 連用形 + て:
この料理は美味しくて安いです。
田中さんは綺麗で親切です。
However, I have a bit of trouble with たる-adjectives. I couldn't find any resources on it.
If I wanted to say something was 堂々たり and 平然たり,…
LittleWhole
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15
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3 answers
What is the difference between 出来る限り and 出来るだけ?
EDICT gives almost the same translation for these two expressions:
出来る限り; できる限り 【できるかぎり】 (n) as ... as one can
できるだけ 《出来るだけ》 (exp) (uk) as much as one can; as much as possible; if at all possible;
Even the example sentences are almost the…
Lukman
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15
votes
4 answers
森 vs 林 for forest
According to A Guide to Remembering Japanese Characters, 森 (38) is woods and 林 (75) is forest.
But some material I've found online related to Japan seems to indicate 森 is the more correct Japanese word for forest.
Is the book correct or do native…
Huperniketes
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15
votes
5 answers
How would a fluent speaker understand ありがとうございません?
How could that forced negation of a common phrase be interpreted?
This came up as just a part of some free exploration of linguistics, and my friends and I were pondering if it could perhaps be understood as something akin to the English phrase…
JoonasD6
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15
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3 answers
Does the on'yomi of 輪 (リン) have any relation to the English "ring", or is it a coincidence?
Is there an etymological connection between 輪{リン} as in 車輪{しゃりん} and "ring" in English? Or is this a false cognate?
Lou
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15
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What is the difference between 交ざる / 混ざる {まざる} and 交じる / 混じる {まじる}?
Both {まじる} and {まざる} with both initial kanji characters 交 and 混 are intransitive verbs that are translated into this by rikaichan:
to be mixed; to be blended with; to associate with; to mingle with; to join
(まじる has an extra meaning "to interest"…
Lukman
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15
votes
9 answers
What are other language equivalents to Japanese particles?
When a person is learning は and が in terms of particles, what are the best way to relate them to English equivalents?
The closest I can come to explaining them to others is "the" and "a" but I'm not sure if there's a better way to explain them.
This…
Armstrongest
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