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1500 questions
30
votes
3 answers
30
votes
3 answers
What's the difference between による, により and によって?
I don't understand when you use them and what the difference is between the three.
For example, when you say:
火事によって多くの森林が焼けてしまった。
今回の地震による津波の心配はない。
soga
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What does the use of a dash (instead of a character) to extend a sound mean?
I came across the sentence 混乱する気持ちもよーくわかる in my manga. I have translated it, but the use of the dash (which was vertical in the actual vertical text) stumped me for a bit (I thought it was よう at first, not よお). I was under the impression that a dash…
AlbeyAmakiir
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30
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2 answers
Usage of ～を好き outside of embedded clauses
日本語文法の初心者です :D
In general, を is not used with 好き because 好き is a na-adjective:
彼は猫が好きです。 — correct
彼は猫を好きです。 — incorrect
If this part is "embedded" as a clause, を is also acceptable, and this phenomenon is asked and answered in other questions…
naruto
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30
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5 answers
Why is it 日本語がわかります instead of 日本語をわかります?
From what I understand, は is the topic marker, が is the subject marker, and を is the object marker.
One of the first sentences I learned doesn't seem to fit the rules I described above. The sentence is:
わたしは日本語がわかります.
watashi wa nihongo ga …
Alan C
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30
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2 answers
Why do 適当 and いい加減 refer to both considerate and inconsiderate things?
I understand that 適当【てきとう】 can mean both "appropriate" and "whatever/vague". How do you know 適当な人を教えてください means "please inform me of the appropriate person" as opposed to "please tell me about whatever kind of person you want"? Is this determined…
Avery
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30
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5 answers
Difference between そうです、 ようです and らしいです.
Here are the example sentences.
デイビットは料理が上手そうです。
デイビットは料理が上手なようです。
デイビットは料理が上手らしいです。
Firstly, what does デイビット mean as based on reading alone its sounds like 'debit' to me which is a strange name to have.
Secondly, all three of these grammar points…
Mononoke
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30
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1 answer
Why are points used where furigana would be normally?
Sometimes in mangas there are points where you would expect normally furigana. What meaning is it supposed to have?
olorin
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30
votes
5 answers
What is the meaning of all those "w"s in email and SNSs?
You see a lot of w and ww and even www in Twitter and casual chat. What does it mean? I've always thought it was わいわい but never found out. How is it pronounced?
Here's an example from Twitter
なんでじゃろうねwwとりあえず電車なうだから間に合いそう笑
nevan king
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30
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4 answers
When is it appropriate to use お疲れ様 (otsukaresama)?
I know the general meaning of using お疲れ様です／でした to express gratitude for some work, but I'm a bit fuzzy about appropriate times to use it.
I know it is a common saying when leaving for the day, and I've also seen it in email when replying to someone…
Troyen
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29
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2 answers
What's the difference between the kanji forms for わかる?
The verb わかる can be written using either 分かる, 判る, or 解る - what's the semantic difference between these forms, if any?
bdonlan
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2 answers
Is ま (ma) related to ほ (ho) or は (ha) related to よ (yo)? What does adding a bar to the left mean?
I understand these character similarities might be arbitrary, like M and W being flipped. But it's tripping me up enough times that I thought if I knew a reason, perhaps it would help me memorize these characters.
ち (chi), き (ki), and さ (sa) are…
ubershmekel
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1 answer
ないで vs なくて: combining phrases with negative verbs
Can you use 〜なくて instead of 〜ないで in the following sentence without changing the meaning?
病気になると、一切化学薬品や抗生物質を使わないで、鍼や指圧や漢方薬で直します。風邪の時は何もしないで暖かくして、寝ているだけです。
In general, what's the difference between 〜ないで and 〜なくて?
Ross
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29
votes
1 answer
Did ありがとう come from Portuguese "obrigado"?
I have heard before that ありがとう came from the word "obrigado" in Portuguese. Is this true and is there any evidence to support this, or is it an old wives' tale?
Jesse Good
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29
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2 answers
Difference between 丸い and 円い
Both come up with the same reading and definition in Jisho.org (round/circular), and both are listed as common words. Is there any preference between the two or should I simply learn both as interchangeable?
tsukaima
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