Archive for April, 2010
Describing People Posted by Ginny on Apr 29, 2010
You can describe people with this formula : name + は + body part + が + adjective. Here’s an example : 井上さんは耳が小さいです = Inoue has small ears (いおうえ/井上 = Inoue. さん = polite suffix. は = particle. みみ/耳 = ear. が = particle. ちいさい/小さい = small. です = is) Now look at this sentence…
The View of Women in Japan Posted by Ginny on Apr 26, 2010
A woman by the name of Rina Bovrisse is causing some controversy in the fashion industry. A quick Google search of Japan + Prada shows just how “ugly” some of the accusations are. Bovrisse, a senior retail manager for Prada Japan, claims that she was told by the Prada Japan CEO to fire individuals who were “old…
Interrogative + も Posted by Ginny on Apr 23, 2010
The use of an interrogative + も is interesting in that it has different meanings based on whether it’s used in affirmative sentences or negative sentences : いつ (when) + も = always, all the time (1) 真弓の母はいつも忙しい = Mayumi’s mother is always busy (まゆみ/真弓 = Mayumi. の = possessive particle. はは/母 = mother. は =…
Interrogative + か・でも Posted by Ginny on Apr 20, 2010
The use of the interrogative なに (what) + か can mean “something” or “anything” : 何か飲みませんか = Would you like to drink anything/something? (なにか/何か = anything/something. のみませんす/飲みませんます = would you like to drink. か = question marking particle) だれ (who) + か can mean “someone” : 誰かをお待ちですか = Are you waiting for someone? (だれか/誰か = someone. を = particle…
Japanese Festivals in April Posted by Ginny on Apr 17, 2010
The highlight of the かなまら Festival is held in かながわ Prefecture, and is a parade where participants offer prayers to cure infertility and ensure safe child birth for the mother and child. More than ever, this festival has grown in social significance. Japan is facing a future of low birth rates and an increasing aging population. Locals say…
Disjunctive Sentences Posted by Ginny on Apr 14, 2010
We’ve learned how to add clauses, phrases and sentences together, but how do we form disjunctive sentences like “but” and “however”? One way to do it is to use でも : 私はイギリス人です。でも、英語を話しません = I am a British person, but I don’t speak English (わたし/私 = I. は = particle. イギリス = England/Britain. じん/人 = person…
Making Comparisons Posted by Ginny on Apr 11, 2010
Take a look at this comparison : (1) このけいたいのほうがそのけいたいより安いです = This cell phone is cheaper than that cell phone (この = this. けいたい = cell phone. のほうが = more. その = that. けいたい = cell phone. より = than. やすい/安い = cheap.です = is) Here, the grammatical pattern was : noun1 + のほうが + noun2…