Q/A and advice for 2012/Future VCE Japanese Students

[RazzMeTazz]

We are learning the ’そうです。’ pattern in class right now, to describe what things look like and I was confused as to whether these were right or wrong.

It doesn't look like it will rain:
雨がふらなそうです。

It did't look like it was going to rain:
雨がふらなそうでした

It doesn't look quiet:
しずかじゃなそうです

It didn't look quiet"
しずかじゃなそうでした。



Thank you! I would ask my Japanese teacher but I don't understand her well and sometimes she gets confused herself! :s

[jibba]

We are learning the ’そうです。’ pattern in class right now, to describe what things look like and I was confused as to whether these were right or wrong.

It doesn't look like it will rain:
雨がふらなそうです。

It did't look like it was going to rain:
雨がふらなそうでした

It doesn't look quiet:
しずかじゃなそうです

It didn't look quiet"
しずかじゃなそうでした。



Thank you! I would ask my Japanese teacher but I don't understand her well and sometimes she gets confused herself! :s

Hi Razz

When using そうです with a negative such as ～ない or ～じゃない it becomes ～なさそうです or ～じゃなさそうです
You might've learnt that いい becomes よさそうです in your text book, this is just an extension of that.

All your sentences are missing the さ
so they should be

It doesn't look like it will rain:
雨がふらなさそうです。

It didn't look like it was going to rain:
雨がふらなさそうでした

It doesn't look quiet:
しずかじゃなさそうです

It didn't look quiet"
しずかじゃなさそうでした。

Hope that helps

[RazzMeTazz]

Hi Razz

When using そうです with a negative such as ～ない or ～じゃない it becomes ～なさそうです or ～じゃなさそうです
You might've learnt that いい becomes よさそうです in your text book, this is just an extension of that.

All your sentences are missing the さ
so they should be

It doesn't look like it will rain:
雨がふらなさそうです。

It didn't look like it was going to rain:
雨がふらなさそうでした

It doesn't look quiet:
しずかじゃなさそうです

It didn't look quiet"
しずかじゃなさそうでした。

Hope that helps

ohhh okay!! Omg that helped so much thankyou

Yeah my textbook does include the part about 'よさそうです。’

Does that mean if I were to say " It doesn't look good'
Would it be: よくなそうです。

Thanks!!! so much!

[jibba]

@Razz

No because よくない also ends in ～ない (negative) so it would become よくなさそうです

Just remember that さそうです is used for negatives and いい

[RazzMeTazz]

@Razz

No because よくない also ends in ～ない (negative) so it would become よくなさそうです

Just remember that さそうです is used for negatives and いい

Omg I meant to write よくなさそうです
hahah yeah I'll remember

thanks!

[RazzMeTazz]

What do they mean by descriptive nouns, in Japanese?

[jibba]

They mean な adjectives : )

[RazzMeTazz]

They mean な adjectives : )

Thanks!

[RazzMeTazz]

Does the term 'あまり’ mean "not really" and "very much"

How would you know when which definition is being used?

And also can it be spelled 'あんまり’ as well?

[RazzMeTazz]

If you were saying "I am strong at Japanese"

Do you use the particle 'は’ or 'が’

eg1. 私は日本語はとくいです。

eg2.私は日本語がとくいです。

Or can the 'が’ particle only be used in this context when you are saying "My Japanese is good"
- 私の日本語がとくい　です。

Thanks!

[Hokiksyo-min]

If you were saying "I am strong at Japanese"

Do you use the particle 'は’ or 'が’

eg1. 私は日本語はとくいです。

eg2.私は日本語がとくいです。

Or can the 'が’ particle only be used in this context when you are saying "My Japanese is good"
- 私の日本語がとくい　です。

Thanks!

From what I understand, you would use が.

’は’　is generally used for the main subject of the sentence, i.e.
私は学生です。- As for me, I am a student.
'が’　is more general, or it is used to introduce a new noun.
The ’私は’　can be omitted, so it's safe just to say ’日本語がとくいです。’

Jibba could probably give a better explanation of が、but I am pretty sure that in any context が　is used when you're talking about being bad/good at something.

[Fyrefly]

If you were saying "I am strong at Japanese"

Do you use the particle 'は’ or 'が’

eg1. 私は日本語はとくいです。

eg2.私は日本語がとくいです。

Or can the 'が’ particle only be used in this context when you are saying "My Japanese is good"
- 私の日本語がとくい　です。

Thanks!

Only example two is grammatically correct.
Your first example, and your last sentence are incorrect.

Hokiksyo explained it well.

Does the term 'あまり’ mean "not really" and "very much"

How would you know when which definition is being used?

And also can it be spelled 'あんまり’ as well?

I guess usually depending on context and the rest of the sentence?

あまり美味しくない = Not very tasty.
あまり疲れた = Very tired.

あまり is more common than あんまり, but yes they mean the same thing.


The confusing thing is, often people use あまり in a sentence like "Don't overdo it". So the sentence ends with a negative, but the あまり is the "very much" version that indicates something is excessive.

e.g. あまり無理するな or あまり無理しないで = "Don't overdo it" or "Don't work excessively".


Considering this, I think the easiest way to think of あまり is as "very".

あまり美味しくない = very not tasty --> Not very tasty.
あまり疲れた = very tired --> Very tired.
あまり無理しないで = very overwork don't --> Don't overdo it.

[jibba]

Thanks to Hokiksyo and Fyrefly for their explanations!

I agree with Fyrefly that a better literal translation for あまり is "very". 
But as あまり is mainly used with negative forms of words, "not very" might be a more common translation. 

"not really" as a translation might work in some circumstances but I think the vast majority of circumstances would translate to "not very", "very much" or "too much".
 
For example:
あまりしんぱいしないで Don't worry too much!
あまり日本語を話しません I don't really speak Japanese that much. OR I don't speak Japanese very much (Just translate it how you would find it most natural, sometimes some words don't translate literally)
このえいがはあまりおもしろくないです。 This movie is not very interesting.

[jibba]

If you were saying "I am strong at Japanese"

Do you use the particle 'は’ or 'が’

eg1. 私は日本語はとくいです。

eg2.私は日本語がとくいです。

Or can the 'が’ particle only be used in this context when you are saying "My Japanese is good"
- 私の日本語がとくい　です。

Thanks!

I would get into the habit of always using が when describing things with adjectives such as 'I'm good at..."
So to say I'm good at Japanese, you should say
私は日本語がとくいです。

The third example kind of makes an exception to the general rule, as 'My Japanese' becomes the subject of the sentence so you would need は particle instead of が
私の日本語はとくいです。

But if you had another subject in the sentence, you would use が like you do with the general rule of adjectives
ie:
先生は私の日本語が上手だと言いました。
Note how you have to use 上手 instead of とくい as someone else is stating you are good at something (make sense?)

Hope that helps!

[RazzMeTazz]

I would get into the habit of always using が when describing things with adjectives such as 'I'm good at..."
So to say I'm good at Japanese, you should say
私は日本語がとくいです。

The third example kind of makes an exception to the general rule, as 'My Japanese' becomes the subject of the sentence so you would need は particle instead of が
私の日本語はとくいです。

But if you had another subject in the sentence, you would use が like you do with the general rule of adjectives
ie:
先生は私の日本語が上手だと言いました。
Note how you have to use 上手 instead of とくい as someone else is stating you are good at something (make sense?)

Hope that helps!

Thanks!! that helps me so much!!! )))

Hi Razz

When using そうです with a negative such as ～ない or ～じゃない it becomes ～なさそうです or ～じゃなさそうです
You might've learnt that いい becomes よさそうです in your text book, this is just an extension of that.

All your sentences are missing the さ
so they should be

It doesn't look like it will rain:
雨がふらなさそうです。

It didn't look like it was going to rain:
雨がふらなさそうでした

It doesn't look quiet:
しずかじゃなさそうです

It didn't look quiet"
しずかじゃなさそうでした。

Hope that helps

You are really good at explaining things!


Would きれいじゃない　でした

be the same thing as:

きれいじゃなかった　です。

??

I would get into the habit of always using が when describing things with adjectives such as 'I'm good at..."
So to say I'm good at Japanese, you should say
私は日本語がとくいです。

The third example kind of makes an exception to the general rule, as 'My Japanese' becomes the subject of the sentence so you would need は particle instead of が
私の日本語はとくいです。

But if you had another subject in the sentence, you would use が like you do with the general rule of adjectives
ie:
先生は私の日本語が上手だと言いました。
Note how you have to use 上手 instead of とくい as someone else is stating you are good at something (make sense?)

Hope that helps!

Oh, I knew that you can't use '下手’ and ’上手’ when talking about yourself or school subjects
But I didn't know you had to use them, when talking about others!
So you cannot use 'にがて’　and ’とくい’ when talking about other people?