Hi everyone! Thank you for visiting Maggie’s room.
Feel free to leave any message. I will try to answer your questions here. But please make it simple.
I can handle one or two questions. (If they are not too complicated..)
I love you all but please understand that I don’t translate or dictate lyrics, your personal letters, messages or help your homework here.
Hope you don’t take it personally. Though I’d like to help everyone, if I do for one person, which means I have to do for thousands of people everyday. Thank you for understanding. ありがとう！
496 Comments
Hi maggie sensei!
”それが還るべき道であるならば……、”
is それが here a conjunction or a subject?
”In fact, if there is a way back, I should go for it” Does this actually make sense? If それが is a subject I have no idea what that sentence means
please bear with me and thanks in advance!
Context:
”そういう厄介なものはおいていってしまったんだろう。
けれど私は、
これからも煙草と屋上とヒラヒラ服を着たいい女でいることだろう。
それが還るべき道であるならば……、
私はふと向日葵の事を思い出していた。”
Hello, Let me help you again while sensei is gone
そういう厄介なものはおいていってしまったんだろう。
You will leave that troublesome things alone
けれど私は、
But I
これからも煙草と屋上とヒラヒラ服を着たいい女でいることだろう。
From now on, been a good girl wearing fluttering uniform with rooftop and smoke, wasn’t it
それが還るべき道であるならば……、
If “it” is the road that I must return to,
私はふと向日葵の事を思い出していた
Suddenly, I remember about sunflower
You see here that それが means “it”
So this “it” refers to the sentence above (The things about her being a good girl wearing fluttering uniform)
So the girl implies that She doesn’t like her previous lifestyle being a good girl but If she must do it, She will return to that point.
Tell me again if it is not clear
@nangryo
Thank you for helping Real Umineko!
@nangryo Thanks for taking your time I REALLY APPRECIATE IT OK
Could SORE WA be used instead of SORE GA? Are they exchangeable in this case?
Would the meaning stay the same?
Hi Read Umineko,
No, you can’t say “sore wa” in that case. It should be “sore ga” because it emphasizes “sore”.
Hello Maggie sensei,
Could you please help me about ～といったら・～といえば・～というと
For example
My friend: Ah, the gold price is very cheap today.
Then, if I want to say “Speaking of cheap, I remember that today we can buy the flight ticket at cheap price”.
Could I use them all toittara/toieba/toiuto ?
(1) 安くといえば、飛行機のチケットが安く買えるそうなんで。。。
（２）安くというと、飛行機のチケットが安く買えるそうなんで。。。
（３）安くといったら、飛行機のチケットが安く買えるそうなんで。。。
Or if there is any incorrect in my understanding, could you help me to correct it.
Thanks my Lady.
Hello!
OK, first 安く is an adverb so you have to change it to either 1) 安い or with a verb 2) 安く買える（もの）
And (1) and (2) work but (3) is not natural.
(1) 安いといえば/安く買える(もの）といえば、飛行機のチケットが安く買えるそうなんで..
（３） 安いといったら/安く買える(もの）といったら、飛行機のチケットが安く買えるそうなんで。。。
ありがとうございました。助かります。
どういたしまして💕
Hi Maggie sensei its me once again
so………
What does ってやつ mean?
I feel so confused
It came from here:
異世界召喚ってやつー？
”どうなってんだ？
どう見ても作り物じゃねえよな
ってことは…
つまりこれはひょっとして―
異世界召喚ってやつー？”
Hi
やつ = referring 1) a person (he/she/that person) in a very rough way 2)things, objects, events, non-living things
〜ってやつ “the thing that is called ~”
The one in that sentence is “That is what you call 異世界召喚？”
Helo sensei.
Please help me again.
What meaning “ぴたっとめ”?
ぴたっとめに衣装つくってくれてたので.
基本ぴたっとめ！
It is a coined word
tight”ish”
Thank you very much sensei
No problme!
Hi 👋
I have a question about the usage of さ.
i guess there are many ways of using it and also kind of hard to directly translate it. I try to see it as (you know.) As in 無敵さ invincible “you know”, with a bit of attitude/certainty feeling to it. Anyway to the question.
I hear it beeing used in negative sentences. If something bad happend , for example 仕事はいい事ないしさ、雨がふるしさ。。and its also used with て like , 昨日、いろいろあってさ、彼女にあってさ〇〇.. i guess it has something to do with that the person dont want to tell everything?
Would really like to hear what your thoughts are about it. Thank you for all the hard work. I used to live in Japan for 1 year and i been there a few times now. Everytime i get there it feels like coming home.
Regards,
Chris
Hi Chris,
First, I have a lesson on ~ さ ＆ み(Click this link)
As for the phrases in your questions
仕事はいい事ないしさ、雨がふるしさ
昨日、いろいろあってさ、彼女にあってさ
This さ is different. It is a casual interjectory particle, such as ね and よ
You can finish the sentence with さ or insert it in the middle of the sentence.
There is no specific meaning. It is something like “You know/You see/Like you know..” in English.
You say that while thinking about what to say next (Ex. あのさあ, それではさあ,etc.) or make your speech less too direct so that it softens your speech but it could be a bit annoying if you overuse it.
I bet you hear that a lot in casual conversation when you come visit here the next time.
Hehe yeah 😅. Hope things turn back to normal soon..
If you have time for one more,
にらむな dont glare sounds harsh right.
But if i use って, にらむなって it sounds softer.
Could i use this as a teaser? as in (dont glare) but i say it with a smile on my face :).
And same with たべみなって (try to eat it).
i guess my question is, can the って be used in these situations as a playful way of saying dont do something.
Thanks again
Yes, って can make one’s command softer but it sometimes adds the feeling of frustration. ~ って（言っているだろう） I’m telling you
So
食べてみな (You can say that softly or harshly)
食べてみなって (it could sound softer or stronger.)
So the intonation is very important.
Maggie先生
いつもご指導いただき、ありがとうございます。
和文を英訳するみたいな質問がありますが、聞いてもよろしいでしょうか。
What is the difference between 目を配る and 目を配らせる?
Example Sentence: AさんがBさんの存在に目を配らせる。
If I am not mistaken, らせる makes something causative. So I interpreted “目を配らせる” to mean “to make someone pay attention (to something).” So I thought the sentence to mean “A caused B’s existence to pay attention (to something).” But I do not think my translation makes sense. I thought it would be better if “目を配らせる” was replaced with “目を配る”.
I would greatly appreciate your guidance in understanding where I’m going wrong.
お忙しいところお手数をお掛けしますが、何卒、よろしくお願い致します。
こんにちは、Adrian,
Ah good question. I have never thought about that.
Actually
目を配る and 目を配らせる mean the same “to pay attention/keep an eye on〜” .
As you said 配らせる is a causative form but the literal translation is “to make one’s eye pay attention to B”
So I would say 配らせる requires more attentions than 配る
どうでしょうか？
なるほど、承知いたしました！
お忙しいところ、お時間を割いていただきありがとうございます。
Best wishes to you and your family! Hope everyone is staying safe.
お役に立てたら嬉しいです。☺️
Hello Maggie sensei
Thank you very much for your lesson
I want to ask you to see the conversation with my boss below
1. Boss : (私の家でのんびりと食事中）
私：すむません、その皿がもう上がったなら渡してください。洗ってあげるから
(How to make this more polite?)
2. Is this right?
教えてあげる ＞ 教えてさしあげる ＞ 教えさせてもらいます ＞ 教えさせていただきます
Hello
1. It depends on the relationship with your boss but it is too casual.
You don’t say てあげる when you talk to someone superior.
I would say
もうお済みでしたらお下げします。
もう、お済みですか？ それではお下げします。
3. Actually you should avoid using 教える with someone superior. 教えてあげる is fine but even if you say 教えさせていただきます, it may sound rude.
Hello Maggie sensei
thank you as always
please correct below sentence if it is wrong
触っただけで田中さんが智恵さんに鼻から鼻血が出るようにさせた
thank you as always
Hmm I wonder if 田中さん has some supernatural power..
If you say 出るようにさせた, it involves Tanaka-san’s intention to make her breeze and it contradicts with 触っただけで
And 鼻血 is from one’s nose so you don’t have to say 鼻から
The natural way to say is just
田中さんが智恵さんに触っただけで鼻血が出た。
Maggie sensei actually I’m training to be interpreter and it is reaalllly long way to speak like japanese native.
I’m not an english speaker but can speak close to native (I only took 3 years to master it)
But for Japanese it’s been 4 years now and I say I don’t have any confidence to speak close to native.(Might at some point give up though T_T)
Let me ask sensei another question
Please check all the below sentences OK or Not :
１．田中さんは知恵さんにベッドに寝かせた
２．田中さんは知恵さんにベッドに寝させた
Here I confuse what to use? 寝る or 寝かす to make Causative
Book said that I must use “intransitive” which is 寝る
３．田中先生は知恵先生に授業を終わらせた
４．田中先生は知恵先生に授業を終えた
Here I confuse what to use? 終える or 終わる to make Causative
Book said that I must use “intransitive” which is 終わる
５．田中さんは知恵さんに水を飲ませた (This is causative active)
６．知恵さんは田中さんに水を飲まされた (This causative passive)
Above is transitive but can be used both in causative active and causative passive
７．田中さんは知恵さんに部屋から出（で）させた
８．田中さんは知恵さんに部屋から出（だ）させた
Here I got more confused. I follow the formula but I think above is not correct
Actually please give me advice how to make “causative sentences” like native speaker
Hi,
I wouldn’t say either 1) and 2)
1) only works if Chie is sick but you have to say 知恵さんをベッドに寝かせた
Or 赤ちゃんをベットに寝かせた
寝させた means to let someone sleep
3) is better than 4)
The object of 終えた should be 授業 not 知恵先生
5 OK
6 OK
7 and 8 both are not right. 出す already has a meaning of “make someone leave” so 知恵さんを部屋から出した
You use causative only when force someone to do something.
Good luck on your dream to be an interpreter!
I see thank you very much Maggie Sensei.
You will always be my sensei. I hope I get a chance to go to Japan T_T
You’re very welcome!
I’m sure you will get a chance to come here sometime!
Hello Sensei
Thank as always for your help
Please help me to check below sentences whether it is grammatically correct or not
授業が終わった
先生は授業を終わらせた
先生は授業を終えた
授業が先生に終えられた
先生は田中さんに授業を終わらせた
田中さんが先生に授業を終わらされた
授業が終わってある
Hi nangryo
授業が終わった OK
先生は授業を終わらせた OK
先生は授業を終えた OK
授業が先生に終えられた Not natural
先生は田中さんに授業を終わらせた It is hard to imagine the situation but if 田中さん is also a teacher and make him/her finish the class, yes.
田中さんが先生に授業を終わらされた Not natural
授業が終わってある Not natural
Hello sensei thank you for your help
im thinking how to make it more natural so i came up with an idea
先生が田中に授業が終わるようにさせた
いかがでしょうか
まだ間違いがあったら添削して頂けますか
sry sensei I also want to ask these below.
授業が先生に終えられた Not natural
Is this because I use verb 終わる??
I have same example sentence likes this
殆どの犯罪行為が彼らの手になされた
田中さんが先生に授業を終わらされた Not natural
so it will become
田中さんが先生に授業が終わるようにされた
I hope sensei can help me, thank you very much
授業が先生に終えられた
It will be more natural to say 先生は授業を終えた
終えた to finish the class. (The time has come and the teacher finishes the class. It doesn’t require the teacher any effort.)
Maybe some other verb might work.
田中さんが先生に授業が終わるようにされた
is not natural either.
Maybe some other verb might work…
For example AはBに授業をやめさせらた。(That means A was forced to finish or quit the class by B)
thank you very much maggie sensei
Keep studying!
Hello sensei.
Please help me.
What the meaning “〇〇を散々やってきまして”?
The full sentence is “白目を散々やってきまして”.
What that means is “several times showing/doing white eyes”?
Please help Sensei, thank you so much
Hi Reguler
〇〇を散々やってきた = I used to do ~ a lot./I have been doing ~ a lot.
I guess that person has been rolling her/his eyes back a lot
Thank you so much sensei.
You’re very welcome!
Hi again Maggie-sensei. I have another question for you, and I’m so glad this is here so I can ask.
How does one count Yen? I know it’s a number ending with “en”, but, for example: Is 300¥ “Sanen”きんえん? And 200¥ as “Futaen” ふたえん?
あリがとーごぎいます！
I just realized that my question was kind of dumb. I forgot that it would actually be “San-hyakuen” for three digit numbers.
Hi Taylor
1 yen = ichi en
2 yen = ni en
200 yen = nihyaku en
So you use “hyaku” for three digit number but
100 is “hyaku en” not “ichi hyakuen”
300 yen = sanbyaku en so “hyaku” changes to “byaku”
And other irregular ones are
600 yen = roppyaku en
800 yen = happyaku en
Thank you Maggie-sensei. ^^’
Anytime!
Hello sensei,
I need more of your help
T_T
thank you very much for your answer
please check below, if there is any grammatical mistake
嬉しそうな顔
嬉しくなさそうな顔
綺麗そうな部屋
綺麗じゃなさそうな部屋
Thank you beforehand
You can say all of them.
嬉しそうな顔
嬉しくなさそうな顔
嬉しい is someone’s feelings.
You are looking at someone’s face and assume their feelings, either he/she is happy or not.
Now when you see a room and judge if it’s clean or not, you say
綺麗な部屋
綺麗じゃない部屋。
You say
綺麗そうな部屋
綺麗じゃなさそうな部屋
When you assume someone’s room for example by their personality or what you heard from.
thank you very much for your help sensei
No problem!
Hello maggie sensei I always thank you for your help
can i ask you this question, since it is really confusing
食べさせてください
means = please let me eat?
食べさせてもらう
means = i will let one feed me
please correct me if i am wrong
Hello nangryo,
Yes, that’s right.
Also 食べさせてください means “Feed me/someone (like your family, pet)
食べさせてもらう You get someone feed you or someone closer (family, pet)
then lets say, i want to ask someone to feed me in a way like あーん, obviously girl
so i would say
食べさせてくれますか
Yes!
食べさせてくれますか？
Or just 食べさせて ( ^o^)ρ(^0^ )
confusing but fun. ありがとうございました
どういたしまして💕
Hello again,
I’m sorry for one more questions.
Today I reviewed some grammars I have learnt but still found them confusing…
Regarding たほうがいい, my understanding is there is difference when adding よand no adding よ.
～たほうがいいよ, I think I will use to make advice to my friend
～たほうがいい（と思います）, I think I will use to make a general statement of what is better (this is an opinion, not a specific advice to my friend)
For example,
Case 1
My friend: Oh I have a cold。
Me : 病院に行ったほうがいいよ。
I will not say 病院に行ったほうがいいと思います。
Is my understanding correct or not sensei.
Case 2
My friend: Oh, the young generation now often goes travel a lot, not study.
Me: 若いときはいろいろな経験をしたほうがいい（と思います）
I will not say 若いときはいろいろな経験をしたほうがいいよ
Could you please help to correct my understanding if something wrong.
Thanks my Lady.
Hello again,
Yes, your interpretation is right.
One thing that I can add here is you can still give advice with ほうがいいと思います is you attach よ at the end.
病院に行った方がいいと思いますよ。
若いときはいろいろな経験をしたほうがいいと思いますよ。
Hello Maggie sensei,
I’m still genki too. But a little bit busy…
Thanks a lot for your explanation. Your explanation always makes me feel clear and clean.
You’re very welcome! Stay genki!
Hello Maggie sensei,
How are you? Today could you please help me about しまいます。
Could it be possible to use ～しまいますto show the completion of action with regret in the future?
For example,
Ｔomorrow, I will lost money from my bank account. (coz I failed in the stock market)
あしたお金が無くなってしまいます。Does it make sense?
One other meaning makes me confused is
これからコーピしてしまいますから。。。
I don’t think it means “the completion of something” anymore. But what does it mean in this case, sensei?
Thanks my Lady
Hello Frozenheart,
I’m genki. How have you been?
~てしまう
When you describe some state/condition: You can express your fear or anxiety for the outcome: I’m afraid all the money will be gone tomorrow/nobody would come if we raised the price.
Ex.あしたお金が無くなってしまいます。
Ex. 値上げをしたらお客がこなくなってしまいます。
When you use it with volitional verb, you can simply express the completion of work.
これからコピーしてしまいますから。。。I will finish making copies now.
もったいないからみんな食べてしまいます。I will finish eating everything because I don’t want to waste the food.
Hi Maggie-sensei!
What is the difference between る+方がいい vs て+方がいい vs た+方がいい？
For example:
食べる方がいい vs 食べて方がいい vs 食べた方がいい
I know the last one is usually what you use when making a suggestion to someone but how is it different from the other two, and when (if ever) would you use the first two examples?
Hi Mira,
First you don’t say 食べて方がいい
食べる方がいい、食べた方がいい can be interchangeable but the difference is:
When you give an advice to someone that they should eat something, you say 食べた方がいい
Ex. 朝ごはんは食べた方がいいよ。 (You should eat breakfast.) It will be unnatural to use 食べる方がいい
When there are more than two choices of action 食べる and compare them, you can also use 食べる方がいい。
Ex. この料理はわさびをつけて食べた方がいい。 I like this food with wasabi. (You are expressing how you want to eat the food)
Comparing some ways to eat the food, without wasabi, with mayo, etc.
Ex. この料理はわさびをつけて食べる方がいい。I prefer this food with wasabi (to another options.)
In this case you can also use 食べた方がいい
Hi, again!
About this sentence below:
Twitterで使われることのある空リプ（エアリプ）というものをご存知でしょうか。
What does this ことのある mean here? I can’t understand that.
At the beginning I thought it could be Vた + ことがある, but it doesn’t make sense to me. I mean, 使われる isn’t past tense
THANKS IN ADVANCE!
Hello,
使われることがある〜→使われることのある 〜
The same meaning.
When you modify a noun(in this case 空リプ）, sometimes you use の instead of が
I explained in this lesson so please check. Click this link → How to modify a noun.
Thank you, I’ll read your lesson right now, Maggie Sensei 😳
OK, if it is still not clear, let me know.
Hello Maggie Sensei,
I hope are well as always
I have some problem understanding something.
I have read your passive 受身 lesson before and struggling to understand this sentences below
時を超え刻まれた悲しみの記憶
Literally I translate like this
(The time that was carved by Memories of sadness)
What I want to know is it the same thing as
時を超え刻んだ悲しみの記憶
(The Memories of sadness that carved the time)
If you see carefully in both sentences, the one who are doing the action is Memories of sadness 悲しみの記憶
Actually in the sentences 時を超え刻まれた悲しみの記憶
Who are doing the action? The time 時 or the memories of sadness 悲しみの記憶?
For your information I got this from song
ETERNAL BLAZE 水樹奈々
I’m sorry to disturb you, I am really struggling to know the actual meaning
おはよう！
OK, first the literal translation is
時を超え刻まれた悲しみの記憶 the sad memory which was engraved over time. (the doer, who engrave the sad memory is not clear. You are focusing on the memories)
時を超え刻んだ悲しみの記憶 the sad memory that one* engraved over time. (It could be the speaker/the listener/the third person depending on the interpretation but in this case the listener, “you”)
Maggie sensei thank you very much, how much i have struggle in this sentence
Good!!
Hi again Maggie-sensei
This sentence, I can’t understand what it means
What is the meaning of both ”とは” and ”打って変わって”
”週の終わり、だからこそもっとも忙しい昼。”
”人々がごった返した駅ビルの屋上……。”
”街の喧噪の中に立っている時とは打って変わって、ここはとても静かだ……。” <<<
Hello I think sensei i busy so I will try to answer your question
街の喧噪の中に立っている時とは打って変わって、ここはとても静かだ
“It is really different from when I am standing inside the crowd of the city, It is really quiet in here”
打って変わる (Verb) = to change completely, to be different
とは = to quote something ( Itself doesn’t have a meaning, you must see the context to understand it’s meaning)
Example :
女の子とは年齢が若い女性のことを指す
(A/The) Girl is indicating the young female
Here you can translate とは as (A/The)
Thank you for helping Read Umineko, nangryo!
Thank you!
Hello Again Maggie Sensei
いつもお世話になっております
また宜しくお願いいたします
今回の質問は歌から来ました
ある子どもの歌でこんな風に聞いていました。
“掌を太陽にすかせて見れば、まっかに流れる僕のちしお”
私の質問は、
１．ちしおの定義はよく判りませんので、教えて頂けますか
２．掌を太陽にすかせて見ればという表現もあるけど、つまりその人は手を顔の前に当てて太陽に向けた状態でしょうか？
こんにちは、
有名な歌ですね。
1. 「ちしお」は、「血潮」と書きます。流れる「血」= bloodのことです。
2. そうです。手を目（顔）と太陽の間にあげてみると、自分の手が透けて見えて（see through) 自分に流れる血の赤い色が見えるということです。
最初はよく理解できませんけどマギー先生のおかげで全部解きました、ありがとうございました
よかった〜♪ 😊
Hello sensei
I have come to disturb you again T_T
Please tell what is the difference between
めんどくさがらないで
めんどくさくしないで
Seems pretty same to me T_T
Thank you very much
Hi nangryo
めんどくさがらないで = Don’t be lazy. / Don’t feel something is too much trouble. (talking about someone’s feelings)
めんどくさくしないで = Don’t make something troublesome/too complicated (You need an object. Ex. 手順をあまりめんどくさくしないでください。= Please do not make the process too complicated.)
hello sensei
can you make -garu with all I-adjectives?
let say うるさい = うるさがる
it works with 苦しい、痛い、面倒くさい、など
Hello,
No, it won’t work with all the i-adjective.
Check the common ones in this lesson.
Thank you very much Maggie Sensei
My pleasure!
Hello! How are you?
Could you please help me with this:
”そういえばお昼になるといなくなるわねえ”
what does ”とい” mean in this context?
context:
GIRLA: ”あとサターニャも誘ってみようと思ってるんだけど”
GIRLB: ”サターニャっていつもどこで食べてるの？”
GIRLA: ”そういえばお昼になるといなくなるわねえ”
Hi, Read Umineko
”そういえばお昼になるといなくなるわねえ”
Let me break it down.
そういえば = Now that you mention it
お昼になると = お昼 (= lunch time) 〜になると = when it turns ~, when it is time to eat lunch, と indicates the condition “when ~, something always happens/whenever ~ ”
→Whenever it’s lunch time
いなくなるわね= (She) disappears/ (She’s) gone
I see that she is watching anime gabriel dropout episode 2
Someone knows the anime very well. (^_−)−☆
こんにちは
マギー先生、いつもお世話になっております
少しお尋ねしたいことが下記に書いてあります
下記の文章に見て何か間違っているところがあれば訂正して下さい
”鋏はちゃんと洗わないと錆付いてになりますよ”
宜しくお願いいたします
こんにちは、nangryo
前の部分はいいので最後の部分だけ直します。
”鋏はちゃんと洗わないと錆付いてになりますよ” →錆び付いてしまいますよ。
Hello Sensei
Thank you for your answer
How can I connect Verb with なる
In this case = 錆び付く + なる =
or maybe using なる is not correct, so you use しまいます
You don’t use なる with 錆び付く
錆び付く is a verb “to get rusty”
〜になる is used with a noun or adjective.
And by adding 〜てしまう, you can express undesirable result.
ありがとうございました
どういたしまして💕
Hello maggie sensei
What does ”(…) no koto to shika kanjirarenai” mean?
I know what each word means, but still I can’t understand, maybe I’m missing something
I can’t understand it, can you break it down for me? oh no maggie sensei what do I do 😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢
this is where it came from ”風に舞う薄紅は, たしかに美しくはあったが俺にはたしかに美しくはあったが、俺にはただそれだけの事としか感じられない。”
Hello Pretty Girl Detective Club!
それだけのことしか感じられない = I could just feel that
それ(that) refers to what comes before, Usubeni who dances in wind is beautiful.
So the speaker does think Usubeni is beautiful but there is nothing more. He/She doesn’t feel anything else.
マギー先生、
初めまして！今日はこのサイトを 見つけました！☺️
５ヶ月ぐらい日本語を勉強すると、日本の友達とよく話ししますが、時々理解できない文法があります。
個チャで”I’m going to go eat!”って言いたかったから、”食べてくる！！、、、あ？食べていく？？食べてくる？どっちの方がいい？？”って聞いたと、友達は”食べに行ってくる！”って答えました…
先生、どんな時に”〜に行ってくる”を使えますか？なんか混乱しています…
教えてください！
ちなみに、下手な日本語すみませんでした！よろしくお願いします！
こんにちは、耶紅鈴！
日本語での質問なので日本語で答えますが、もしわからなかったら英語でしますので言ってくださいね。
現在いるところに帰ってくるときは、「食べてくる」でも「食べに行ってくる」でもどちらでも使えますが、普通は、「〜に行ってくる」は、「食べてくる」よりも感覚的に少し離れたところに行くときに使います。
Hello Sensei
As always Thank you for your answer
Please tell me again the difference between
晴れているにも関わらず、雷に打たれた人もいた
晴れているのに、雷に打たれた人もいた
I think it means the same but
Please tell me If I can say it interchangeably in conversation.
Hi nangryo
These two sentence mean the same.
関わらず (“regardless/despite of”) shows the contrast of two contradicted facts and it is stronger than のに.
thank you sensei.
I am learning for n1 this december
more question will come.
hope you can help @_@
You’re welcome!
N1の勉強がんばってくださいね。
Hello Maggie Sensei
I always thank you for your answer
Can you see these sentences below and help me to find out something?
友達と歩いていた女子校生は、駅ビルの屋上と同じ高さまで浮かび上がった後、そこから垂直に落下して地面に叩き付けられた
友達と歩いていた女子校生は、駅ビルの屋上と同じ高さまで浮かび上がってから、そこから垂直に落下して地面に叩き付けられた
What is the difference between
上がった後
上がってから
or it is just the same?
Can I use both normally in the conversation
Thank you very much sensei
HIi nagyo
Wow! She must have some super power.😂
Your two example sentences mean the same. 浮かび上がった後/浮かび上がってから + something happened
Action (a) てから、Action (b)
Action (a) た後、Action (b)
They are interchangeable in a lot of cases.
The subtle difference is てから emphasizes the action A so you often use it as a condition
Wash your teeth and then go to bed. (You should wash your teeth first before you go to bed.) 歯を磨いてから寝なさい。
後 is used when Action (b) happened right after Action (a)
Right after I washed my teeth, I went to bed. 歯を磨いた後、寝た。
I see sensei, thank you very much
I got this from novel. so yes
あまりにもファンタジーな表現でした
You’re very welcome!
Hello Maggie sensei,
I come across an interesting phrase and I would like to try changing them in Japanese.
Meet the right person the wrong time (it’s really a tragedy)
Is it出会うべきではないときに出会うべき人に会う
Meet the right person the right time (it is happy ending)
Is it 出会うべき時に出会うべき人に会う
Thanks my Lady
Hi Frozenheart.
Yes, they both work!
Hello Maggie sensei,
Could you please help me about ともかく・はさておき。They are confusing to me.
この店は店の雰囲気はともかく、料理の味は最高だ。
Is it possible to use はさておきalso
この店は店の雰囲気はさておき、料理の味は最高だ。
Thanks my Lady.
Hello Frozenheart,
Aはともかく〜
Aはさておき〜
You use both ともかく and さておき when you talk about something putting the topic (A) aside.(For example, A is something negative so focus on something positive.)
I guess you can say both
この店は店の雰囲気はともかく、料理の味は最高だ。
この店は店の雰囲気はさておき、料理の味は最高だ。
It implies the atmosphere could be bad or ordinary but the food is good.
The difference between さておき and ともかく is you also use さておき when you change the subject.
The common usage is 冗談はさておき Joking aside, (You don’t say 冗談はともかく）
I understood this point now. Thank you so much, from my heart :3
You’re very welcome!
Hello Maggie sensei,
Could you please help to check my sentences
1/僕の青春に残念なことは一つがある。
何もない僕は一生ずっと守ってあげたい人に出会った。
I want to say
My springtime has 1 regret. When I had nothing, I met the person I wanted to protect with all of my life.
Me at the present also has 1 regret. When I have everything, I can not meet her- the girl I wanted to protect with all of my life
僕の現在に残念なことも一つがある。
すべてがあった僕は一生ずっと守ってあげたいあの彼女に出会えない。
2/女の子は自分の真の愛に裏切られるまですべて天使だ。
Girls are all angels, until their true love are betrayed.
3/ 片思いはは嬉しさも悲しさもある。
永遠に断られないのに、永遠にアクセプトされない.
Unrequited love has happiness and sadness.
Never be declined but never be accepted.
Thanks my Lady.
Hello Frozenheart,
1/僕の青春に残念なことは一つがある。→僕の青春には残念なことが一つある。
何もない僕は一生ずっと守ってあげたい人に出会った。→僕になにもなかったとき、〜The rest is fine
2/女の子は自分の真の愛に裏切られるまですべて天使だ。
→女の子は自分の真の愛が裏切られるまでみんな天使だ。（If you say 自分の真の愛に切られる, that would be a passive sentence. Until they are betrayed by their true love.)
3/ 片思いはは嬉しさも悲しさもある。→片思い（I would use the kanji 想 to make it sound more romantic.→ 片想い）には〜the rest is fine
永遠に断られないのに、永遠にアクセプトされない.→OK. Or 断られることは決してないが、受け入れられることもない。）
How’s that?
ありがとうございました。どうも！
どういたしまして☺️
Hello, Maggie-sensei!
I’m having some trouble translating this sentence:
“答えのないことに答えをつけるように考えていきたいんです。”
The best I can come up with is this:
“to answer questions without actually answering them.”
If you have time, I would appreciate your help. Thanks!
Hi Joji
The main verb is
考えていきたい “I would like to (try to ) think” and the part before ように describe how you want to think (as/ in the way)
答えのないことに答えをつける
answering the matters which don’t actually have answers.
Thanks so much for your help!
You’re very welcome, Joji!
Hello Maggie Sensei,
Would be grateful if you could help me understand the following phrase:
一日中ずっと歩き回るわけでもないし，座りっぱなしでもないというのがすごく理想的だなと感じています。
Does this sentence mean the person is saying “it’s not that I walk around all day or don’t sit, but I also feel it’s very ideal . ” ?
Any help would be greatly appreciated !
Thanks !
Hi BJ
The speaker is giving two reasons why he/she feels the current job is ideal.
（A) １日中ずっと歩き回わるということはない
and
(B) 座りっぱなしではない
It might be more clear to translate from the last line.
I feel my job is pretty ideal because it is not that I walk around all day nor remaining seated the whole time.
Hi Maggie Sensei,
Thanks very much for helping me to understand this sentence.
I really appreciate it !
Have a fantastic week !
先生、ありがとうございました!
よかった！！ 😊
BJもいい週末を過ごしてくださいね。
Hello Maggie sensei,
How are you?
It’s been a long time.
Today, could you please help to check my sentences
(1) 花が咲いていたが果実がないのは問題がある?
魚なので必ず泳ぐ？
花だけ咲いて、果実がない恋愛でも色が輝き。そんなかがやき色を見られて、僕の青春には全然後悔がない。
I want to say
Flower blossoms but generates no fruit, and then so what?
Must fish swim at all cost since it’s a fish?
The love itself is the blossomed flower. Though it never has fruit, the color is beautiful.Seeing such a beautiful color in my spring time, I have nothing to regret.
(2) 見逃すのはだめという二つなのは帰宅の最終電車と心のすべてで君を愛する人だと母が娘に言っていた。
I want to say
Mom said to daughter, there are two things in life you shouldn’t miss, the last train to home and the person who loves you with all of his heart.
Thanks my Lady.
Hello Frozenheart! 久しぶり！ How have you been?
(1) OK, let me tweak a little to make it sound more natural.
花が咲いていたが果実がないのは問題がある?
→花は咲くのに果実をつけないのはなにか問題がある？
魚なので必ず泳ぐ？
→魚だったら必ず泳ぐ？
花だけ咲いて、果実がない恋愛でも色が輝き。
→愛は、咲く花そのもの。果実をつけなくてもその色は輝く。
そんなかがやき色を見られて、僕の青春には全然後悔がない。
→そんな輝いた色を見られて、〜(the rest is fine.)
(2)
見逃すのはだめという二つなのは帰宅の最終電車と心のすべてで君を愛する人だと母が娘に言っていた。
→It is a long sentence so why don’t you change the word order and divide into two sentences? : 母は、人生には逃してはいけないものが二つあると娘に言った。（If the mother was repeatedly saying that 言っていた）
それは、最終電車（or just 終電）とあなたを心から愛してくれる人だ。
さすがMaggie 先生….
I feel the beauty in your modification. Are you a writer too?
ありがとうございました。
Haha I wish I were. (^_−)−☆
Love your writing!
Hello, Sensei!
Thank you for your lessons!
Could you please help me to translate this:
仕事に対しても、遅刻はしますけど、すごく頑張っちゃうんですよね。だからしわ寄せが違うところに行っちゃってるんですね、家庭とかに。
Hi wildchild
I’m sorry as I wrote in the description above but I don’t do the translation but which part you don’t understand? しわ寄せ？
Yes. This:しわ寄せ. And 家庭 Is it family or home?
OK, 家庭 here means “family”
しわ寄せ means “give negative effect on something due to something”
So this person tries so hard at work that it affects (negatively) besides work like his/her family.
Thank you
Hope that helps.
Hello sensei
I’m sorry to always trouble you with my question
I have a silly question
How do you say
a. I want to buy 10 apples
b. I want to buy 27 apples
c. I want to buy 10 slices of A4 paper
d. I want to buy 27 slices of A4 paper
Also when using -counter(一つ、一枚、など）
Just to make anything simple they tend to use 個 for everything (Is this true?)
Hello nangryo
a. りんごを（or りんごが）１０個＊買いたい （or 十＝とう）
b.りんごを（or りんごが）２７個買いたい
c.A4の紙を（orA4の紙が）１０枚買いたい
d. A4の紙を（orA4の紙が）２７枚買いたい
ひとつ、ふたつ or 個 is a general counter.
コーヒー一杯ください→Instead you often say コーヒーひとつ/1個ください。
but you don’t change 枚 to 一個・ひとつ
thank you very much sensei now i understand
Good! 😊
Hello maggie sensei
I am always grateful for your answer
Please tell me about these things
１．PBIに検査をしてもらいます
２．PBIに検査をさせてもらいます
３．PBIが検査をしてもらいます
４．PBIが検査をさせてもらいます
I don’t really get the idea which one doing what?
Please help me to tell the differences between them
Hello Nangryo
Before I answer your question,
PBI in your example sentence is thyroid function test? Or an organization name?
すみません、会社の名前でした
OK,
１．PBIに検査をしてもらいます I’ll ask PBI to check ~ / I’ll have PBI to check ~.
２．PBIに検査をさせてもらいます It only works you are related to PBI (for example PBI is a subsidiary of your company) and you tell someone on behalf of the organization, Let me have PBI to check ~ (for you.)
３．PBIが検査をしてもらいます Not natural
４．PBIが検査をさせてもらいます Is it similar to 2 but you emphasize PBI making it clear not other company but PBI.
Thank you very much as always for your help maggie sensei
You’re very welcome! 😊
Hi maggie sensei! I just wanted to ask, what’s the difference between a verb stem +終える and stem + 終わる? For example, 僕は本を読み終えた vs 本を読み終わった or 僕は寝終えた vs 寝終わった
Hello Avery,
V終わる = intransitive verb (the action is done.)
V終える = transitive verb (It involves’s doer’s will.The speaker/writer finishes doing something.)
寝終えた／寝終わった is not so common because 寝る is a bodily function and you can’t control.
なるほどー、説明してくれてありがとう！ So would it be correct to say 「本を読み終えた」 because 読む is transitive, and 「マラソンを走り終わった」? But when I go on websites like jlptsensei.com or japanesetest4you.com and look up “Stem+終わる” they give example sentences like 「もう自分の部屋を掃除し終わりましたか」, 「宿題の作文を書き終わったのでテレビを見ます」, or 「新聞を読みおわったら寝なさい」. Those verbs all transitive, so shouldn’t the 終わる’s be replaced with 終える?
OK, I didn’t go into too deep in my previous comment because it is complicated but I should have explained..
As I said technically 終わる is used when something is over naturally and 終える involves one’s will to finish.
However, 終わる is one of rare verbs that can be used as intransitive verb and transitive verb.
For example when the class is over the teacher says
これでクラスを終わります。
(So as your sentences, 本を読み終わる・掃除し終わる）
If you replace the verb 終えます（読み終えます・掃除し終えます） it requires more effort to finish doing something.
Hello Maggie Sensei
Thank you as always for your answer.
I want to know the meaning of わかるもの
in these sentences
美亜は森の中を進み続け、やがて目の前にはある光景が広がった
血塗れの男：ふむ、身に付けている布は食用ではないな
男がいた
背丈の低い草むらに男が立っていた
彼の全身は血に濡れ、異様な雰囲気を醸し出している
すぐには、状況が理解できなかった
どうしてこんな森の中に、血塗れの男がいるのか
そして、どうして明らかに服とわかるものを口の中に入れているのか
意味がわからず、美亜はただぼんやりと見つめることしかできなかった
英語で説明するのが難しい場合は日本語で説明すればいい、お願いします
こんにちは、
(明らかに服とわかる= you can tell it’s clothes easily) このわかるはto tellという意味です。よかったらこのレッスンを勉強してください。（知る／わかる）
Note for you:
すればいい is a bit too strong. (Giving a permission to someone low. Like you may do ~ if you want.)
英語で説明するのが難しい場合は日本語で説明すればいい →英語で説明するのが難しい場合は、日本語で説明してください。
I’m really sorry maggie sensei
i think its a bit hard to learn japanese
I will keep in mind to use keigo properly
You don’t need to apologize at all. That was a little note for you to improve your Japanese and I am not telling you to use keigo with me. You can talk to me in casual Japanese. 😉
これからもがんばって日本語で書いてみてください。
always thank you for your help maggie sensei. please correct me since im still not used to the language
I’m always here to help your Japanese. 😊
Oh, I see now. So 本を読み終えた would imply that the speaker has/was putting effort into finishing it, and 本を読み終わった would imply that the speaker simply finished reading the book, and leaves it at that. Is that correct?
Yes, that’s right. 😊
Hi maggie-sensei,
I just want to properly ask for your permission to use your notes for my Japanese language class assignment. Your notes are really easy to understand.
Hello Mari98
Thank you for asking my permission but I don’t understand what kind of class assignment you are talking about. 🤔
Hello Maggie-sensei,
I need your help again. I’m having trouble with this very long sentence. I tried to break it up into several parts, but I’m still having difficulty with it.
“ペリ・ウブがペリ・ウブのまま新しいペリ・ウブを叩きつけるその姿は右にならえの世の中において素直に生きることの素晴らしさを気付かせてくれる時代を引率する存在に成り得るとさえ思わせてくれる。”
Also, once in a while I see “発信” used in a sentence, but I’m not sure how to translate it. I’ve read it as meaning “dispatch/transmit”. I’ve chosen to use “communicate” when translating it, but I’m still not sure if that’s appropriate. Here’s an example of how it’s used in a sentence.
“そうやって視覚的な楽しみ方が出来る発信の仕方をしていきたい。”
As always I would appreciate your help when you have time. Thank you very much!
Hello Joji
I’ll help you to break this down.
1) “(ペリ・ウブがペリ・ウブのまま新しいペリ・ウブを叩きつける)その姿は topic ( ) describes 姿 (The way )
2) (右にならえの)世の中において location ( ) explain what kind of world ＊右へならえ literal meaning is “to do the same thing as one’s right person does” and it means to do the same thing following other people.
3) ((素直に生きることの素晴らしさを気付かせてくれる)時代を引率する)存在に成り得る the writer’s opinion: She could be an existence to lead the ear/time which makes you realize ~~~
4) とさえ even ~ (quoting 3)
5) 思わせてくれる。” the main verb (made me think)
発信する You often use it “to post something on the Internet (and spread the information)”.
“communicate” is two ways but 発信 is one way.
Thanks so much for breaking down the sentence, Maggie-sensei! That’s a huge help
After you explained it, I think I understand how to use 発信する. I didn’t realize you could specify one way and two way communication.
よかった！😊
マギー先生、お久しぶりです。勇士です。
お元気ですか。お体を気を付けてください。
ちょっと日本語を勉強していて、「用意」と「準備」の単語が出ました。英語に翻訳したら殆ど同じみたいですが、マギー先生は説明して頂けませんか。
今後も宜しくお願い致します。
勇士
こんにちは、勇士！ お久しぶりです。元気でしたか？
「用意」と「準備」は、大体、同じように使えるのですが、（食事の用意をする＝食事の準備をする）基本的な違いは、「用意」は何かをするときに物をそろえるときに使い、
「準備」は物をそろえる(用意よりも、必要のないものの準備も含む）以外に環境や精神的なことも含まれます。
ですから
EX. 彼と結婚する心の準備がまだできていない
（X用意）
EX. 試験の準備をする （試験に出そうなところを勉強する・受かるために勉強する）
EX. 明日の試験の用意をする （試験に行くために筆記用具やお財布などがあるかどうかチェックすることも含まれます。）
また競争などでスタートするときに「用意ドン！」という特別な言い方もありますよ。
こんにちは、マギー先生！はい、元気です。マギー先生は元気そうで何よりです。
そうなのですか。分かったかも知れません。色々な言葉まだ学んでいませんので分かった事を伝えてみます（まだ理解出来ない場合には英語をご自由にどうぞ）。「準備」は何かする為に、心も具体的な事も揃える(to arrange?)。「用意」はもっと具体的な物事だけ。それは合っていますか。じゃないと上記書いてある事を英語での説明頂けないでしょうか。
再度、ありがとうございます。
はい、わかっていると思います。😊
あっそうなのですか。びっくりしました。そんなに理解出来ると思いませんでした。
ありがとうございます。
いつもお世話になります。
また連絡します。お気を付けて下さい。
勇士
Hello, Sensei Maggie
Could you please let me know what “~てきたつもりだった” means in the following sentence?
「自粛を続けながらも、小さな楽しみをコツコツ積み上げてきたつもりだった。」
https://www.sankei.com/smp/column/news/200608/clm2006080001-s1.html
Hi Jeremille
Vてきたつもり
I thought I was (or had been) doing something but the reality is different or something unexpected.
So the mother had been building up a little pleasure for the children at home during the quarantine.
But once they heard the school was open, they got excited and the mother felt a little sad.
(I explained Vたつもり in this lesson so please check.)
Thank you for letting me know.
You’re very welcome! ☺️
Hello Sensei,
i just found “ニコ厨”, do you can explain to me what the meaning?
It is a derogatory term to refer to Niconico douga （ニコニコ動画） users.
Hello Maggie Sensei
Thank you for your lesson
Can I say this sentence in Japanese?
1. 何についてのメールでしょうか
(If wrong, how to correct this sentences)
2. I was told that 一週間後
have two meaning
いっしゅかんご means “One week later” = 来週
いっしゅかんあと means “After one week” not same as 来週
Example :
Please tell me how to tell
a. I will have done the homework 2 weeks later
b. I have done the homework after 2 weeks
Thank you very much sensei
Hello nangryo
1. 何についてのメールでしょうか
OK!
2.来週 is based on the present time.
So when you are talking about the past or future based on certain event, you use １週間後
Something happened* and I went to see my friend one week later (from that time*) .
それから１週間後に友達に会いに行った。
Then the doctor told me to go visit him in a week.
医者は１週間後にまた来るように言った。
As for the difference between ご and あと, I would say ご is more common and あと is more conversational and more limited.
a. I will have done the homework 2 weeks later ２週間後に宿題を終えます。
b. I have done the homework after 2 weeks ２週間後に宿題を終えた。
c. I will be done my homework in two weeks. (今から）２週間後に宿題を終えます。
Hello maggie sensei
thank you very much now i understand completely
Great! You’re very welcome! 😊
Hello Maggie Sensei!
I just read your lesson on Te-ageru/kureru/morau
Kanojo ni bangohan wo tsukutte moraimashita.
– My girlfriend made dinner for me (because I asked her)
or I had my girlfriend make dinner for me
Te morau – to recieve something or make someone do something.
However, recently I came across this sentence
いとこ の たんじょうび に とけい を あげた のに、 気 入って もらえなかった.
Could you please explain the part after “I gifted my cousin a watch on his birthday, but …”
Is moraenakkatta for the tokei or what? I couldnt understand it. The watch didnt receive his liking?
Hi Sanichan!
OK so the first part means #I gave a watch to my cousin for his/her birthday”
あげた here means physically gave a watch to the speaker’s cousin.
The second part 気入って もらえなかった. = The cousin didn’t like it(the watch) .
気にいる= to like
気に入ってもらえる = someone likes something you gave or made and you feel happy about it.
気に入ってもらえない= someone doesn’t like something that you gave or made and you feel sad.
So this もらう doesn’t mean “to receive a watch”
(Someoneに + Verbて+もらう = someone does something for your favor
(Someoneに + Verbて+もらえなかった = Someone didn’t do something for you.
Hi, Maggie-sensei!
While looking at example sentences from (https://jlptsensei.com/learn-japanese-grammar/%e3%81%a6%e3%81%8b%e3%82%89-te-kara-meaning/)
I saw this sentence and wondered how come を wasn’t used instead of は:
空き缶は潰してからゴミとして出してください。
Please crush your empty cans before putting them out as garbage.
Could it be a typo or is this actually correct usage?
Thank so much in advance!
Hi Noel,
No, it is not a typo.
As you said,
空き缶を潰す: 空き缶 (empty cans) is an object of the action, 潰す(to crush)
So you can say
Ex. この空き缶を潰してください。
Ex. 空き缶を潰してゴミとして出した。
Now, the example sentence,
空き缶は潰してからゴミとして出してください。
You can say 空き缶を潰してからゴミとして出してください。when you simply explain the procedure but when you bring up a topic and talk about it, you use は.
So the literal translation is
“As for empty cans, crush (them) before putting them out as garbage. ”
Hello Maggie Sensei
いつもお世話になりました
少しだけお尋ねしたいことがあります
下記の文章を見て訂正してもらえませんかんか
彼は無理に田中さんに車の運転（制御かな？）を取りしまった
ありがとうございます
こんにちは、nangryo
英語の文章も入れてください。
取り締まる(とりしまる) は”crack down”という意味ですがそうなると彼の仕事は警察になります。
無理にはいやがる人に対してforce to do somethingという意味ですが、警察だったら取り締まりは仕事になるので無理には使いません。
Hello sensei
This is the english sentences
He forced to take the driving from the driver
つまり、彼は田中さんの意思を構わないで強引に車の運転を奪ったつもり
宜しくお願いいたします
運転を奪うとは言いませんが、ハンドルを奪うという言い方があります。
彼は無理やり田中さんからハンドルを奪った。（でもちょっと危ないですね。^^;）
ありがとうございます
Maggie Sensei
Well I want to describe the situation I read from the book where The protagonist (主人公) take the car driving by force from his friend. But I can’t find the right word.
If I ask Maggie sensei.
What is the most appropriate way to say it?
If there is a sentence that Tanaka-san is driving, you can say
彼は（強引に）運転を代わらせて自分で運転した。
了解しました
ありがとうございます
Maggie Sensei
どういたしまして😊
Hello,
this lesson
“How to use the particle も ( = mo) & 「一★も」 “, I understood most of It. Actually, it was pretty easy. the question is, does も can be in a (simple) present sentence or even in a negtive (simple) past sentence because I noticed the lack of the present tense examples in the lesson.
For example(I made up this sentence):
-100円もかかる。
-100円もかからなかったよ。
Thanks in advance.
Hi Abdo,
Good question!
Yes, it can be used in a (simple) present sentence or even in a negtive (simple) past sentence
-100円もかかる。 It cost “100 yen”.
-100円もかからなかったよ。 It didn’t even cost 100 yen.
Hi Maggie sensei,
Could you explain the difference between 中 and 内?
Cheers.
Hi Germaniac
There are so many ways of using 内 and 中 but which usage confuses you?
Like “among” ~?
日本の食べ物の中で何が好きですか？ (X 内）
What Japanese food do you like among all the Japanese food?
この３つの中でどれが一番好き？= この３つの内でどれが一番好き？
= Which one do you like the best among these three?
during/while
午前中は仕事をしています。（x内）
= I am working in the morning.
子供が寝ているうちに昼ごはんをつくろう。(X中）
= I am going to make lunch while my child is sleeping.
日本の食べ物の中で何が好きですか？
Why doesn’t 内 work here?
Also, when we’re saying that something is inside another thing (physically), we use 中 right?
(e.g. お金は箱の中です)
What if we wanna say that the money is outside the box instead? Do we change the 中 into 外?
I know we can just say that the money “isn’t inside the box” instead, but I’m curious because from what I read, 外 is the antonym of 内 not 中.
Thanks again for keeping up with my curiosity^^
When you are talking about “kinds” you use 中
（But if you are talking about time period, amount, numbers, etc, you can use 内 or 中
Ex. １日の内で朝が一番忙しい
Ex. 三つの内でこれが一番高い）
If the money is outside of the box, you say 外
お金は箱の外にあります。
I see, thanks Maggie sensei^^
Anytime! 😊
Hi maggie
I was wondering if you could explain the use of つつある.
I understand it to be the same as している or していく, is that correct?
Is there more nuance to the meaning?
As always, thanks!!
Hi kaus
つつある means “to be in the process of doing/happening” and it is a formal/literal expression.
状況は変化しつつある。
The situation is changing. (The situation is in the process of changing.)
You can also say →変化してきている / 変化している
The difference is Vつつある expresses constant or gradual changes towards certain direction/goal.
ている can be used just to describe what is happening right now.
今、彼を呼んでいます。I am calling him right now. (describes what is happening now/what someone is doing now.)
In this case you can’t say 彼を呼びつつあります.
Vつつある and Vてきている are very similar.
As I said つつある expresses constant/gradual changes, きている focuses on the changes up to the present moment. (how things has changes up to now.)
Perfect explanation, thank you!
よかった！😊
Hey Maggie Sensei
How does になる work in this sentence? 異世界の人にとっては 即戦力になる人がやって来る
I’ve been told it means “someone who is already battle ready” but I thought になる means, to become, to get.
Someone also sent me this
４ ある働きをする。作用する。「不用意な発言が紛糾のもとと―・る」「将来のために―・る話」but I can’t understand it.
Could you help me understand this? Thanks.
Hi Noah
As you said, になる means”to become” or “to be”
So 即戦力になる人 means
the people who will be (or who can be) “immediate fighting strength”
Thanks Maggie Sensei
Can you think of other examples where になる means “to be”?
(Also, I really like the site, thanks for all your had work! :))
OK, for example, I want to be of your help. あなたの力になりたい。
Hello Maggie sensei, how are you?
Could you help to check my sentence please!
僕が自分でこそ君に幸せをもたらしてあげたい。ほかの人なら、安心できない！
I want to say
= I want to bring you happiness by myself. If that is the other person, I will not stop worrying (if he can).
Thanks my Lady.
I’m good! How are you?
僕が自分でこそ→You don’t say that. How about 僕だけが君を幸せにしてあげたい。他の人では安心できない。
Hi Maggie Sensei,
I received the following message on an instagram post:
ぜひフォローさせてください.
Since I don’t speak Japanese, I checked on google translate but it gave me two translations depending on the target language I choose!
Could you please give me a hint about the meaning? And what would be the most appropriate answer to give?
Thanks a lot in advance.
Hi Eric
ぜひフォローさせてください. means “Allow me to follow you (your Instagram)”
That person is very polite. (^_−)−☆
Thank you very much!
Would an answer like ありがとうございます be sufficient? Or どうもありがとうございます?
ありがとうございます = Thank you. / (more polite) ありがとうございます。Thank you very much.
But for me, ありがとう = Thanks! is good enough. 😉
どういたしまして！
Thank you ! And i have a reply!
So I’m back with a little question again.
What would it be the polite way to respond to
“見つけてもらえて嬉しいです
これからも宜しくお願いします” ?
Many thanks !
You can say こちらこそよろしくお願いします。
ありがとうございます !! That is really kind of you !
I have always been interested in Japanese but still felt indecisive. You’re providing so much! Thank you Maggie Sensei! I’m diving into it!
You’re very welcome! 😊
Hello Maggie-sensei,
I don’t understand the use of “でずが” in the following sentence, because it doesn’t really seem to mean “is” in this context and it also doesn’t look like a politeness-marker to me:
“現在、東南アジアをはじめ南米、ヨーロッパ、アフリカなど世界80か国以上の国で食べられているカップラーメンですが、皆さんはこれが日本でできたということを知っていましたか。”
(Everbody, did you know that the Cupramen, that is nowadays being eaten in east-asia, america, europe, afrika and more than 80 countries is made in Japan?)(<= My interpretation of the sentence)
It seems like the "これ" is refferencing the first relative sentence with the "です", but i dont really understand why they use "です" in this context.
Can you please explain this to me 8)?
Thank you in advance
ありがとうございます。
Hello Tom,
Your translation is good and natural.
This ですが means “as for”. You bring up the topics first and explain in the following sentence.
So this is not natural but the literal translation will be..
As for the Cupramen which is eaten ~~~~ countries, did you all know they(= Cupramens) are made in Japan?
Other example
明日の会議ですが、何時に始まりますか？
(The topics is tomorrow meeting)
= (literal translation) As for the tomorrow meeting, what time does it start?
= What time does the meeting tomorrow start?
Hello, Maggie-sensei!
I wanted your help again with a couple things.
I’m not sure how “違って” is used in this sentence:
“４人だった時はレイドバックした感じ、みんなそれぞれが違っていいと言いますか。”
I understand that Chigau means “different/differ from”, but I’m not sure if I’m reading the meaning correctly. “We were different from each other”.
I’m also not sure how “受け止められた” is used in this sentence:
“なので、すごくスッと受け止められたところも多かったんです。”
I read Uketomeru as “to catch/to react”, but I’m not sure.
I’d appreciate your help when you have time. Thanks!
Hi Joji,
Yes, that 違う means “different (from each other)”
It is OK to be different from each other.
受け止められた here means “to be able to take ~ “
Thank you as always!
You’re welcome!
こんにちは、Maggie先生!
お久しぶりです。
I am reviewing my N4 lessons and I saw these sentences:
一人でこの荷物を「の」は無理です。
絵を描く「の」が下手です。
薬を飲む「の」を忘れました。
Can you please explain the use of 「の」 in all 3 sentences? Is it possible to give the same meaning if I omit 「の」?
If you already made a lesson about this, I apologize for being redundant.
Anyways, keep safe always and thank you.
Hi Annie,
元気でしたか？ 😊
First, 一人でこの荷物を「の」は無理です。
→I think it missing a verb, Ex. この荷物を運ぶ(hakobu) のは無理です。(or 持つ= motsu)
OK, this の in these three sentence has a function to nominalize a verb.
I can’t carry this baggage by myself.
一人で荷物を持てない・運べない
(Literal meaning) “Carrying this suitcase by myself” is impossible. ( = It is impossible to carry this suitcase by myself.)
一人で荷物を運ぶのは無理です。
Make the verb, to paint, as a noun.
I am bad at painting.
絵を描くのが下手です。
I usually take medicine after meal (いつも薬を食後に飲みます。） But (でも）
I forgot “to take medicine”. What I forgot is “taking medicine”
Please check this lesson for other usage of の. Click here.
Thank you, sensei!
You’re very welcome, Annie! 💕
Hello Maggie sensei,
Is the word 真愛（まあいかな）often used in Japanese?
For example, if I say
君は僕の真愛にほかならない。
How is the nuance it cause ^^
Thanks my Lady
Hello, Frozenheart
真愛（まあいかな）？ I have never heard of it.
You say 真の愛= True love
And old classic Japanese 真愛し（まかなし） = my dear, beloved ~ but it is rare to use in modern Japanese.
Hello again,
I wrote more sentences today. Could you please me to check them!
1/ 外での雪の花になるといいな。
雪の花が散っている天国まで飛んでいけるから
I want to say ” I wish I could be the snow flower at the sky. So that I can fly to the heaven which is full of falling snow flower”.
2/ 冬が来て、冬の風は君をふるえさせるだろう。でも心配しないで、僕はいるから。
I want to say
Then winter comes, the wind will make you cold. But don’t worry, coz I’m here.
3/あの日の記念、覚えているの？愛の言葉を言ったあの日。雨の中に僕たち二人一緒にしたあの瞬間。
I want to say
Do you still remember, our old day. The day we talked about love. The moment we were together in the rain.
The weather is extremely hot in my place. The hot weather makes my brain and imagination full of winter ,snow flower and rain …
Hi there,
1/ 外での雪の花になるといいな。
Your English translation is “sky” →空で雪の花になれたらいいな・空の雪の花になれたらいいな
雪の花が散っている天国まで飛んでいけるから Good
2/ 冬が来て、冬の風は君をふるえさせるだろう。でも心配しないで、僕はいるから。
僕がいるから is better. The rest is good.
3/あの日の記念、覚えているの？
You don’t say 記念 here..How about just あの日のこと覚えている？
愛の言葉を言ったあの日。
→talk about I would say 愛を語り合ったあの日。
雨の中に僕たち二人一緒にしたあの瞬間。
→Following the English translation: 雨の中、僕たち二人が一緒にいたあの瞬間を (I would just leave the sentence with を on purpose. This sentence goes to the first sentence 覚えている？）
詳しく説明してくれて、ありがとうございます！！！
Love you !
どういたしまして💕
You are a poet! 😊
Hello Maggie sensei,
Could you help to check my sentences !
I’m practicing ～にすぎない
1/ 愛はただ過ぎた風にすぎない
I want to say ” Love is just a wind that passed by”
２・ぼくはただ学生にすぎない。君に幸せをもたらすわけがない。
I’m nothing but just a student. I can’t bring you happiness.
Thanks my Lady.
Hello,
Your sentences are grammatically good but I have some suggestions.
1. ただ過ぎた風→ The common expression for 風 is 通り抜ける
通り抜けた風に過ぎない
2. OK but you can also add の →ただの学生に過ぎない
ありがとうございます！Thanks my Lady.
You’re very welcome! 😊
Hello Maggie sensei,
I hope you are fine. Thanks as always for your work, it’s very helpful !
Could you please help me with the following sentence ?
宣伝力があるマスコミにアピールした方が、色々な人に興味を持ってもらえるのではないでしょうか。
While I understand every word and the meaning of the sentence, I’m not sure about how “方が” is used here. Usually, after it, there is an adjective but here it’s a whole sentence ! Moreover, it doesn’t look like a comparison…
手伝ってくれるとありがたいのです。
Have a nice evening :))
Sarah
Hi Sarah
First you know how to use
~V方がいい = It will be better if you do ~/You’d better do ~
“V1した方がV2” means “In order to do V2, it will be better/more effective to do V1”
Let’s make your sentence short so that you can see the structure.
マスコミにアピールした方が、色々な人に興味を持ってもらえる
If we (or you) appeal to the media, we(you) get people to become interested more.
Konnichiwa magie,in this sentence”Kono otoko wa jinsei saidai no ayamachi desu”, what is the exact meaning of “saidai no ayamachi” in English and what is the role of “no” here?
Hello Ramya
人生最大の過ち = jinsei saidai no ayamachi= means the biggest mistake in one’s life.
の (=no) has a function to modify a following noun in this case “過ち=ayamachi”
Arigatou gozaimasu Maggie sensei
Douitashimashite, Ramya! 😊
先生、教えてください。I am struggling to understand something spoken by an old person who has a style of speaking that I’m not very familiar with. The sentence is: はよ座らんか I am assuming that it is something like an offer to sit down. Could you please help me understand this sentence? What would it be in “normal” Japanese?
As always, thank you so much for your fantastic site. I am almost done with a personal translation project I chose to do to challenge and improve my Japanese. Your site has been a great help and I am truly appreciative. You are so kind to not only provide so much wonderful information, but to even personally help anyone who asks. 心からありがとうございます。
Hi, Brittany
はよ座らんか！ means はやく座りなさい = Sit down now!
It is originally a dialect for certain areas in Japan.
はよ= 早く
座らんか= casual command form of 座る (rough/male speech)
Ex. はやく食べなさい→はよ食べんか！
Ex. はやく行きなさい→はよ行かんか！
Thank you so much for your nice message!
なるほど！本当にありがとうございました！
どういたしまして、Brittany💕
こんにちはマギー先生！
いつもお世話になっております。
質問があります。以下の文をアニメについて文章に見かけましたが、解析がちょっと難しいです。
”雨の日に宅急便を届けるシーンや旅館で働くシーンも、私たちが見ているようで見ていない「仕事」に活気を与えられていて、新鮮である。”
特にこの部分：私たちが見ているようで見ていない「仕事」…
見ているようで見ていないって意味があまり分からなくてどうすれば解析できますか。もし英語で説明してわかりやすくなればそれはいいです。
よろしくお願いします。
こんにちは、altuser
V１ようでV２ない →It may look V1 but actually not V2/ You might think V1 but actually not V2
V2ないようでV1 →It may not look V2 but V1/ You might think not V2 but actually V1
見ているようで見ていない~ →見ているように見えるかもしれないけれども実は見ていない
(We may think /It appears that we are paying attention to “the work” but actually we are not (paying attention)”
あ、なるほど！:-D
ありがとうございました、先生！
どういたしまして💕
Hello Maggie sensei,
Could you please help me about てでも and てまで
I can not distinguish the following sentences
a/2倍の金額を払ってでもそのコンサートのチケットがほしい。
b/ 2倍の金額を払ってまでそのコンサートのチケットがほしい。
Thanks my Lady.
a/2倍の金額を払ってでもそのコンサートのチケットがほしい。
Good!
The speaker wants to get a ticket even paying double.
b/ 2倍の金額を払ってまでそのコンサートのチケットがほしい。
てまで is usually used in a negative sentence.
For example
→2倍の金額を払ってまでそのコンサートに行きたくない。
Hello Maggie-sensei,
Could you help me about さえ・まで!
Are they interchangeable when going with noun ?
If some cases they are not interchangeable , could you possibly teach me?
For example,
1/ こんな簡単な機械は、子供でさえ使える
Can I use made also?
2/ こんな簡単な機械は、子供まで使える
And how about the followings?
3/ 一番賛成してくれると思っていた母まで私の結婚に反対した
4/ 一番賛成してくれると思っていた母さえ私の結婚に反対した
Take care,
Thanks my Lady.
1/ こんな簡単な機械は、子供でさえ使える OK
or you can also say この機械は簡単だから子供でさえ使える。
2/ こんな簡単な機械は、子供まで使える
If it doesn’t have “こんな簡単な” it works.
この機械は子供まで使える
さえ(even children) sounds stronger than まで (indicating the range of people who can use.)
3/ 一番賛成してくれると思っていた母まで私の結婚に反対した
Good
4/ 一番賛成してくれると思っていた母さえ私の結婚に反対した
OK
You can say
母でさえ
いつもありがとうございました！
どういたしまして💕
（いつも→ありがとうございます 😉）
先生、こんにちは！! Thank you so much for your wonderfully helpful site! I am having trouble understanding ずっこけて. The verb ずっこける appears to have various meanings, but I was wondering if there were possibly any slang or non-dictionary meanings I could be missing. Additionally, もっとなんかこう has been causing me some struggle. I know なんか can be a filler word, so I’m thinking this phrase could be translated as “more like this” or “more of this.” Am I on the right track? 本当にありがとうございました！
こんにちは、Brittany
ずっこける is a casual way to say こける which is mainly used in Kansai area and it means 転ぶ (korobu) to fall, fall down, stumble, trip
ずっ is added to emphasize the action of falling down.
It also implies the gesture of falling down on purpose when you hear something unexpected or ridiculous in a funny way.
I don’t know how long this video will be there but I will show you a good example of ずっこけ gesture from Yoshimoto Theater in Osaka.
Click this link.
So you use this expression in daily conversation when you hear something ridiculous or unexpected.
ずっこけそうになった・ずっこけた, etc. = I didn’t see it was coming.
なんかこう…is used when you looking for a right word.. (somehow)
もっとなんかこう I don’t know what but is there anything better such as….
そっか！ The ずっこける comment was said in response to such a gag. So saying 何ずっこけて would be like saying “What are you surprised/shocked (about)”?
Yes,何ずっこけてるの? “What are you surprised/shocked (about)”? / What is the big deal? / You are overreacting!
新しいことを学びました！ありがとうございました！
よかった！ 😊
You said at the top that you don’t translate lyrics, (eek), but would you mind translating one word for me that happens to come from a song? I’m trying to understand why in the Tale of Princess Kaguya the children sing まわって お日さん 呼んでこい – what is the こい doing here after ? Anyway, sorry to bother you, and don’t answer this if it does break your guidelines.
Hello Jemina,
Do you know the meaning of 呼んできて (= yonde kite) which means “Go get someone” ?
来い(こい) is a stronger command form of 来て（きて）.
So お日さん（を）呼んでこい means “Go get the Sun.
No I didn’t know yonde kite thank you for explaining it
You’re very welcome, Jemina! 😊
Hai sensei,
わたしははにチョコレートをもらいました。
The particle “に” in the sentence above is confusing. Is not “から” the correct usage for this? Is this usage used in daily conversations? can you please tell when and where ni and kara should be used?
Thanks
Hello Avent,
I think it is missing one は
わたしは、ははにチョコレートをもらいました。
It is not a mistake.
You can say から as well but when you receive something from someone you can also use a particle, に
It is not just for daily conversation but also used for formal writing/speech.
You use に when you receive the favor from someone.
Ex. 母に新しい服を買ってもらった。/ 母から新しい服を買ってもらった。
= Haha ni atarashii fuku wo katte moratta./ Haha kara atarashii fuku wo katte moratta.
= My mother bought me new clothes.
(Literal meaning: I received the favor of buying clothes from my mother.)
Hello Maggie sensei,
Could you please help me about だけある and だけに.
They sound the same to me but I’m not sure.
For example
１０年も日本に住んでいるだけあって、日本のことをよく知っている
１０年も日本に住んでいるだけに、日本のことをよく知っている
Is there difference, sensei?
Thanks my Lady.
Hello there,
１０年も日本に住んでいるだけあって、日本のことをよく知っている
１０年も日本に住んでいるだけに、日本のことをよく知っている
In this case you can say both だけあって and だけに and they are both the same meaning.
The slight difference is
(A) だけあって (B)
(A) is something positive and (B) is something you can expect from (A)
(A) だけに(B)
Besides the same usage that I mentioned above, you also use だけに to express something negative or unexpected
When you heard some negative news about her regardless you knew she was trying so hard, you say
彼女ががんばっているのを知っていただけに残念だ。
Awesome! Thanks a lotttttttttt
どうもありがとうございました！
Gooooooood!!! ☺️
Hello Maggie sensei,
Could you help about どころではない
Would it be possible to say
忘れるどころではない.
I mean “This is not the time to forget”.
And is it different with
忘れがたい.
Take care,
Thanks my Lady.
Hi again,
Yes, you can say 忘れるどころではない
There is no way that I will forget about ~. It is on the contrary. I (will) remember ~ well.
忘れがたい means “It is hard to forget”
Thanks Maggie sensei,
And how about ようがない, sensei?
わすれようがない and 忘れるどころではない, they both mean “there is no way that I will forget”. How to distinguish them?
Thanks my Lady
忘れようがない also means “There is no way that I forget about ~ ”
but どころではない is used to bring up some extreme example and says “It is far from (that) ”
Ex. 今、仕事どころではない。
There is no way that I can think of work right now.
the speaker’s situation is far from work.
ようがない means “impossible to do something”
Ex. そうとしか答えようがない。
= It is impossible to answer other than that.
Hello Maggie sensei,
How are you ?
Today my question is about 以上は・からには・上は. Are they the same Sensei?
For example, would it be possible to say
留学するからには、ちゃんと目的があるのでしょうね
留学する以上は、ちゃんと目的があるのでしょうね
留学する上は、ちゃんと目的があるのでしょうね
Thanks my Lady.
Hello Frozenheart,
I’m good. How have you been?
以上は・からには・上は are very similar but
留学するからには、ちゃんと目的があるのでしょうね Good
留学する以上は、ちゃんと目的があるのでしょうね Not natural
留学する上は、ちゃんと目的があるのでしょうね Not natural
Let’s change the following sentence a little.
When you give strict advice
留学するからには、しっかり日本語の勉強してきなさい。
留学する以上は、しっかり日本語の勉強してきなさい。
留学する上は、しっかり日本語の勉強してきなさい。（more literal)
Expressing one’s strong will
留学するからには、しっかり日本語の勉強をしてきたい。
留学する以上は、しっかり日本語の勉強をしてきたい。
留学する上は、しっかり日本語の勉強をしてきたい。（more literal)
ありがとうございました！
どういたしまして💕 勉強がんばって！
Hello Maggie Sensei
Thank you for your explanation as always
I just have one question
what is the difference between
第四目と第四次
Also please give me example sentences
Thank you very much
Hi Nangryo
I think 第四目 is a typo. What did you wanto say
You mean the difference between 第~回目 and 第~次?
They mean the same and 第~回目 is more general and you tend to use 第~次 to describe the stage, process or phase.
Thank you very much.
I am not very sure, but how do you say this sentence?
The forth door from the left
左から第四目のドア
(上記の文章に間違いがあったら教えて下さい）
The forth holy grail war
第四次聖杯戦争
第四回の聖杯戦争
（どちらが正解なのか？）
Hello Maggie-Sensei,
I hope you’ve been well. It’s been a while and I need your help again. I was having trouble with these two sentences.
“でも、悩んだ末に、必死に頑張っている姿をファンの方に見ていただいて、何かを届けるのがアイドルなんだって思って”
I can only translate the first part:
“However, after worrying, I looked at how hard fan are working”
I’m also having trouble with this:
“以前は、歌もダンスも完璧な菜々美ちゃんの背中を見て、みんなが付いていくみたいな感じだったんですけど”
I translated it like this:
“In the past, I would look at Abe’s back and see her dance and sing perfectly
and it felt like everyone in the group is connected to her and follows her every move.”
I would appreciate your help when you have time. Thanks!
Hi Joli,
I don’t check your English translation but give you the general idea, OK?
So you got the idea of the first part. The last part 何かを届けるのがアイドルなんだって思って”
The literal meaning of 何かを届ける is “deliver something” but here it means idol is the one who gives fans something (intangible) such as dream, pleasure, hope, etc.
As for the second part I think you got the idea. Just which part is “connected to her”?
Thanks for your help as always, Maggie-sensei!
どういたしまして💕
Hello Sensei. It’s me again.
Please help me.
I often hear “◯◯さんをおえよ” like in drama or movie.
i try to find meaning of “おえよ” but nothing.
Can you teach me what meaning, function or how to use おえよ?
Thank you Sensei
Hi Just K
The original verb is 追う =おう = ou = to chase, to follow someone
追え=おえ=oe is a command form and よ is a suffix that you attach after the command form to emphasize the meaning.
It is for male speech.
So 追えよ = Why don’t you follow / go after/ chase + someone
Hello again,
After studying ないことには for a while, I got messed up
I don’t know which case I will use ないことには. Since I still can not see the difference between ないことには and なければ～. Could you please help me!
Are the following sentences different
1・お金がなければこの計画が進められない
２・お金がないことにはこの計画が進められない。
Thanks my Lady.
Hi again,
Basically ないことには and なければ mean the same so you can say both
1・お金がなければこの計画が進められない
２・お金がないことにはこの計画が進められない。
ないことには is stronger than なければ.
いつもありがとうございました！
どういたしまして 🐶❤️
Hello Maggie sensei,
Today could you help me about ないことには・を抜きにしては
If goes with noun, are they interchangeable? For example
１・インターネットを抜きにしては現代社会は成り立たないといってもいい。
Is it OK with ないことには
２・インターネットでないことには現代社会は成り立たないといってもいい。
Thanks my Lady.
Hello, yes, you can use them both but change 2) a little.
インターネットでないことには→インターネットがないことには
Maggie先生、
こんにちは。これは質問ではないですが、感謝です。
高校生の時、Maggie先生のサイトを使って、今、９年ぐらい日本語を勉強しています。（５年ぐらいサイトを使っていました！）
Maggie先生の優しさのおかげで、私の日本語が上達できました。貧乏な大学生なので、この知識を無料で教えていただいてありがとうございました！
去年、日本に留学して、Maggie先生のサイトがないなら、日本語力を進めなくて、日本に留学する機会がなかったので、感謝しています。
日本語まだまでですが、頑張っています。誠にありがとうございました。
こんにちは、Forest!
なんと５年もこのサイトを使ってくれていると聞いて感動しました。
本当に嬉しいです。
これからもがんばってレッスンを作り続けるのでForestもがんばって日本語の勉強を続けてくださいね。
Maggie先生、こんばんは。
私はタオと申します。一つ質問があるんですが、先生は教えていただけませんか。
自動詞は受身形がありますか。
例えば、壊れる＝＞壊れられる。
壊れられるの意味がありますか。
ありがとうございます。
こんにちは、 タオ
活用上の受身形は、「壊れられる」ですが、使いません。
使役受身の形を使います。
壊す（他動詞）→壊される
Ex. おもちゃを(someoneに）壊される
Maggie先生、こんにちは、
はい、分かりました。ありがとうございます。
先生、私は例文があります。先生はチェックしていただけませんか。
私は弟にパソコンを壊されました。
“私”と”弟”を省逆したら、文の意味正しいですか。
パソコンが壊されました。
先生、ありがとうございます。
私は弟にパソコンを壊されました。OK
パソコンが壊されました。OK
どちらの文章も合っています😊
先生、いつもありがとうございます。文法の説明は本当分かりやすいです。先生のおかげで、日本語の文法はだんだん分かります。
Maggie 先生、今はコロナウイルスの問題はとても危険です。先生と家族は健康のためにお気を付けくださいね。
ありがとうございます！
Hà Thảoさんも気をつけてくださいね。１日も早く収束することを願っています。
Hello Maggie Sensei,
I’m sorry to bother you with this, I’m not sure if this counts as a difficult question or not, but I’m not really sure where to find the answer to this one. I have a Japanese acquaintance who I chat with and he corrects me sometimes, but this correction he recently gave me is confusing me on the particle “も”. He’s not a teacher so he can only correct me on what sounds more natural without going into detail.
「そうか、前作のどうぶつの森もそうだったね。子供の頃は時間を進めたけど、今はそんなことをしてもつまらないと思ってるよ。」
I thought that the 「今はそんなことをしてもつまらないと思ってるよ。」 part would sound like “Even if I do that it’s boring,” implying “Animal Crossing is boring even if I advance the time in it,” but my acquaintance says that’s not the case. I’m not sure how you determine what も hints at and what it doesn’t.
Hi Argillite,
I don’t know the previous dialogue so it is hard to interpret “そう” in the first sentence.
Your interpretation could be right depending on the context but it could be just “advancing time” is boring now.
今はそんなことをしてもつまらないと思ってるよ。
It used to be fun or interesting to advance the time when I was a child but even if I advance the time, I found it boring.
I see, so what も implies to be included is just based on context and if there’s no reason to think something would be included then it isn’t implied to be?
I think I get it now, thank you!
No problem.
FYI
も has a function of “also” or emphasizing what comes before.
Vても means “even if, even”
Please check my lesson How to use ても Click this link
Sensei.
Can you explain to me about meaning オフ感.
What i only know オフ is off and 感 is feeling, emotion etc.
but オフ感?
I try to search it in google but nothing.
Please give me explanation and example.
Thank you sensei
Hi Just K
オフ is from an English word “Off” (the state of not working: day-off, after work, after school)
感 is “feeling, atmosphere, impression, touch”
So オフ感 is the word to describe the way someone is relaxed being away from work (Ex. wearing casual clothes, not wearing heavy make up, chilling out, etc.)
For example celebrities take selfies in their private time. They look more relaxed in the picture.
Those picture are オフ感ある写真
39 sensei
No problem!
Hello Maggie sensei,
Could you please help about たとえ～ても and ~としても ・にしても!
I’m wondering if the followings are interchangeable.
１・たとえ周りの人たちにどんなに反対されても、ぼくはプロの歌手になりたい。
２．周りの人たちにどんなに反対されるとしても、ぼくはプロの歌手になりたい。
3.周りの人たちにどんなに反対されるにしても、ぼくはプロの歌手になりたい。
It’s so difficult.
Thanks my Lady.
Hello,
Among these three 1 is more natural.
2. would be possible with past tense どんなに反対されたとしても
2 is more hypothetical
3 is not natural.
ありがとうございました！！！
どういたしまして💕
Hello Maggie sensei,
Could you please help me about ものの・ながらも.
Are they interchangeable ?
For example,
(1)
レポートの締め切りは今日だ。レポートを今日中に出すとは言ったものの、終わりそうにない。
Is it Ok too?
レポートの締め切りは今日だ。レポートを今日中に出すとは言ったながらも、終わりそうにない。
(2) 値段は安いものの、質はいい。And
値段は安いながらも、質はいい。
(3)4月とはいうものの、まだ暖かくない。And
4月でありながらも、まだ暖かくない。
My second question is whether there is case that only ながらも can be used, not ものの。
Thanks my Lady.
Hello Frozenheart,
(1) No, you don’t say 言ったながらも （If you are talking about the third person, 言いながら works)
(2) Yes. 値段は安いが質はいい is more common in conversation but you can say both, ものの、ながらも.
(3) 4月とはいうものの、まだ暖かくない。 OK
4月でありながらも、まだ暖かくない。I guess it’s OK
It would be more natural to mention something unusual for April more clearly, though.
Ex. ４月でありながら気温は30度まで上がった。
The cases that you use ながら(も) but not ものの
Ex. この子は、子供ながらよく物事を理解している。
If you want to use ものの、you have to change the form a little.
Ex. この子は、子供とはいうものの、よく物事を理解している。
Other than that, if I think of more examples, I will add them here.
ありがとうございました！
Many thanks, from my heart :3
Anytime! 💖
Hello dear Maggie Sensei,
How have you been doing?
Could you explain me the difference between 「石鹸をつける」and 「石鹸をのせる」if there is one? Does it depend on the fact it is a bar or liquid, or maybe something else?
Thank you so much for your help! 健康なままでいてね。
Hello Rapunzel,
How have you been?
石鹸をつける to put the soap (on a sponge,etc.) / apply soap to a cloth
つける is a general word when you apply liquid, cream or foam on something.
石鹸をのせる which you rarely use but it means “to place the soap on something”
You, too. Stay genki, OK?
Thank you, Maggie Sensei! I was just wondering what it will be like if we mean our face or hands😉
Oops, here we go. The tablet glitches again😳
(No worries. I erased the previous message.)
If you put the soap on your hands or face, you say 石鹸をつける or just say 手（顔）を石鹸で洗う。
Hello Maggie sensei!
I’ve been busy lately but I set some time aside today to practice my Japanese 😊
Can I ask about 聞こえる? It is intransitive but I see it being used very often in places where I thought the transitive 聞く would be used-
部屋から大き声が聞こえた。
その音、聞こえたか?
Maybe it is because I am thinking about it like English, where you would say Did you hear that?, which is active.
Could you please explain why they use 聞こえる? Thank you!! 🥰🥰
Hi Jasmine,
Good! It’s your day to study Japanese.
聞こえる means “to be heard, to be audible” and you hear something without your intention.
So the actual subject is 声 or 音. So you say
大きい声が聞こえる
音が聞こえる
But if you try to hear the voice or sound, you say
声を聞く
音を聞く
In this case the subject is you.
Hello again,
Could you help me about によって・次第。
Is there any difference if I say
夏の天候次第で米の収穫量がか変わる。
夏の天候によって米の収穫量が変わる。
I ‘m confusing…
Thanks my Lady.
Hi,
They mean the same.
夏の天候次第で米の収穫量が変わる
夏の天候によって米の収穫量が変わる
So when the result changes depending on something, you can use 次第／よって
But you can’t say
好みは人によって異なる。
（x 人次第）
Or when you talking about the cause
不注意によって起きた事故
X 次第
(You might have already read it but Please check my 次第 lesson for the other usages of 次第)
いつもありがとうございます！！！
どういたしまして💕
Dear Maggie,
Could you explain the difference between honsha and honten?
Hello KosokinnoTomo
OK, see the kanji?
*honsha= 本社
社=sha is from 会社(=kaisha) company, office
so 本社 (= honsha) means “main office”
*honten = 本店
The kanji for 店(ten/mise) means shop
So 本店 ( = honten) is “main store”
Hello Maggie sensei,
Today, could you please help me about とは。
I’m confusing about what comes at the end of the sentence.
For example
「傾聴」とは耳を傾けて熱心に聴くということである。This sentence uses ということ.
Can I use ～こと only?
「傾聴」とは耳を傾けて熱心に聴くことである。
And can I use ～という意味です。
「傾聴」とは耳を傾けて熱心に聴くという意味です。
I also see some sentences use ～というもの＠＠
Thanks my Lady
Hi,
Q :Can I use ～こと only?
「傾聴」とは耳を傾けて熱心に聴くことである。
A: Yes.
Q :And can I use ～という意味です。
「傾聴」とは耳を傾けて熱心に聴くという意味です。
Yes.
But you can’t use というものだ here.
Thanks Maggie sensei. I got that point.
My understanding about when to use という意味・ということ is if something is a noun, I will not use ～ということ。Is it correct sensei?
So for this sentence
ＱＯＬとは生活の質という意味です。
I will not use～ こと
ＱＯＬとは生活の質ということです ( because it’s a noun)
I will not use というものだ also
ＱＯＬとは生活の質というものだ。
And, could you teach me some example with ＡとはＢものだ, sensei.
Thanks my Lady.
I am sorry. I don’t quite get what you meant by noun. QOL or 生活の質？
Because you can use verbs with という意味・ということ
for example
損失(noun)というのは失う(verb)ということ／意味です。
失う(verb) ということはなにもかもなくなる(verb) ということ／意味です。
I will not use というものだ also
ＱＯＬとは生活の質というものだ。
→Right. You don’t use ものだ
ＡとはＢもの gives definition of some characteristics.
Ex. 人間とは弱いものだ。
Ex. 文明とは生活を豊かにするものだ。
ありがとうございました！
I’m sorry for making you confused.
Atoha B toiukotodesu.
I mean if B is a noun, then I can not use ということ。
And I’m wondering if my understanding is true.
For example,
ＱＯＬ(A)とは生活の質 (B) ということです。
In my understanding, since B = 生活の質- a noun, so I will not use ということ。
could you possibly help me with this.
Thanks my Lady
You can use a noun + ということ
So you can say
ＱＯＬ(A)とは（日本語で／分かりやすく言うと／日本語で訳すと）生活の質 (B) ということです。
Hello again,
I’m sorry for one more question.
Actually, というものだ・ものだ, something something are too much for me !
For this sentence
文明とは生活を豊かにするものだ。
Can I use というものだ also?
文明とは生活を豊かにするというものだ。
And is it true that when making definition of A,
I just can use
A とはＢものだ
But can not use
A とはＢというものだ。
Thanks my Lady.
I know. I wish I could explain all the details of ものだ here but
Q: Can I use というものだ also?
文明とは生活を豊かにするというものだ。
→No, it’s not natural.
Q:And is it true that when making definition of A,
I just can use
A とはＢものだ
But can not use
A とはＢというものだ。
→Right.
I briefly explained the usage of ものだ／もんだ in this lesson.
Click here.
Hello Maggie sensei,
Could you help me about というものではない !
Is it softer than わけがない. If I say
成功するわけがない.
努力すれば必ず成功するというものではない.
My understanding is I will use というものではない for reducing the aggressive attitude, but I’m not sure. Please help me this point.
Thanks my Lady.
Right 成功するわけがない is much stronger than というものではない
While わけがない is based on the speaker’s strong opinion/feelings というものではない negates the possibility more softly.
This may confuse you more but it is similar to 成功するというわけではない (It is not always true that ~)
ありがとうございました！どうも。
どういたしまして💕
Hello Maggie sensei,
Could you help me about ものか・っこない・はず
(1) 田中が時間どおりに来るものか。
(2) 田中が時間通りに来っこない。
(3) 田中が時間どおりに来ないはずだ。
Are they all OK and just different in the casual style/normal style, sensei?
Thanks my Lady.
Hello Frozenheart,
(1) and (2) are OK and they mean the same. (2) is more casual.
They both involves the speaker’s strong feeling such as distrust in this case.
Also you can add “来るわけがない”
(3) is a little different from (1) and (2)
はず is used based on the past record.
It would be more natural with affirmative form
時間どうりに来るはずだ
If you say 来ないはずだ。 it means he is not supposed to be here on time.
いつも、ありがとうございました！！！
（(「いつも」を使うときは「ありがとうございます」になります。😉）
どういたしまして💕
はい、わかりました。
いつも、ありがとうございます^^
どういたしまして💕
Hello Maggie sensei,
About につけ and たびに, I still have some problems.
Could you please help me!
Are the following sentences possible also?
1/ 父は旅行に行くたびに、その土地の名産物をお土産に買ってきてくれる。
2/ 父は旅行に行くにつけ、その土地の名産物をお土産に買ってきてくれる。
In my understanding, につけ only goes with verb showing emotion.
Thanks my Lady.
Hello,
That’s right. When you use につけ, the following sentence expresses one’s feelings.
So 1) is OK but not 2)
たび is more general.
ありがとうございました。どうも！
どういたしまして💕
Hi, sensei.
can you help me to translate this:
向かい風の方が燃えます。絶対に実現させたい。
Thank you very much, Sensei.
Hello qwerty
Sorry. I don’t do the translation here. Is it a quote from Minao’s blog?
I will give you the gist just for this time.
I get more motivated when the wind is against me. I definitely want to make it happen.”
Thank you sensei, and sorry for my ask
You’re very welcome! 😉
Hello Maggie sensei! It seems recently I have been thinking a lot about the difference nuances between words meaning the same thing… It can be hard to understand when you’re not a native speaker!
I was wondering what the difference between 気分、感じ and 気がする is? It seems when I want to say certain things I feel like one is better to use over the others, but I’m not sure why exactly!
For example:
何か甘い物食べたい気がする。
こうやったら感じが良いですよ。
今日の気分はあまり良くないんだ。。。
It kind of seems instinctively there are different times to use each, but I wanted to know if I’m doing it wrong (?!) or anything!
Thank you 🥰
Hi Jasmine
Hmm it is a bit difficult to explain the whole difference here but let me try.
気分 is mood, a temporary state of mind or feeling
Ex.何か甘いものを食べたい気分だ。
Ex.今日は気分がいい。
and it is also used for the temporary physical state.
Ex.船に乗ったら気分が悪くなった （feeling sick)
感じ is one’s sense, impression
Ex. あの人は感じがいい。（good impression)
Ex. なんか変な感じがする。Something feels strange
気がする to have a hunch , to feel like ~ (the speaker is not certain but feel like something happened or is happening )
Ex. 太った気がする = I feel like I gained weight.
Ex. どこかで声が聞こえたような気がする。= I feel like I heard some voice somewhere.
Thank you for replying to me! I’m sorry for this late reply- I’ve just started uni! I took 2 years off because I wasn’t well so this is my first time going!
I understand completely now, thank you so much! 🥰
No problem!
Stay genki, OK?
Good day, Maggie Sensei
こちらはジョルと申します。日本語を学び始めた時からマギー先生の大ファンでこれほど上達したのはマギー先生のお陰でもあります。最近YouTubeで日本語のレッスンや日本人の妻（そうです。今年の10月に結婚しました。）との生活を撮っています。
一番目の動画をアップしましたが、将来のブログとかにも取り上げていただければ本当に光栄です。見てくれてありがとうございます！どうぞよろしくお願いします。
英語と日本語の字幕があります。
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5Qr_JvhlW0
ジョル
こんにちは、ジョル！
日本の方と結婚されたとのことおめでとうございます！
ビデオ少し見せてもらいました。楽しそうですね。今はレッスンでYouTubeの動画を紹介することはやっていませんが、このコメントのリンクから動画を見てくれる人がいますように。
がんばってくださいね。☺️
Hello Maggie sensei,
Could you please help to check my sentences?
1/ 青春時代というのはただ時間の灰です。
I want to say “What is called by Spring time is just the ash of time”
2/ 普通は、記憶は明白になればなるほど残酷になった。
I want to say
Normally, the more clear the memory is, the more cruel it becomes.
Thanks my Lady.
Hello,
Good for you that you keep studying!
1. Since 時間の灰 is a coined word, how about ただ時間の灰のようなものです。
2. The tense 普通は、記憶が明白になればなるほど残酷になる
Hello Maggie sensei,
Yes, I try to keep studying.
Please remind me if I’m lazy :)))
Haha, it is good to rest once in a while but you are not going to be lazy for sure. 😉
Hello, Maggie-sensei! How are you? I hope you’re doing really well!
Well, I started reading Harry Potter in Japanese and right in the beginning I came across the sentence:
“ずんぐりと肉づきがよい体型のせいで、そのかわり巨大な口ひげが目立っていた。”
I can’t really understand what そのかわり means here. I think it means “instead”, but I doesn’t seem correct in this context.
My translation would be like: “Due to the squat and well-fledged body, instead, a huge mustache was noticeable.”
Without そのかわり it would be perfect, but with it I feel like there’s something wrong.
oooooooooooooooooooooh
Actually I just realized that I missed a line. The correct sentence would be:
“ずんぐりと肉づきがよい体型のせいで、首がほとんどない。そのかわり巨大な口ひげが目立っていた。”
Hello Ryan B
そのかわり means “in stead of” but in this case it might be easier to interpret “regardless or although (having this feature, he has a very large moustache) “
Hello Maggie sensei,
Today my question is about wo towazu/ nikakawarazu?
Is there any difference between them.
And are the followings interchangeable?
1/ 今度の旅行べの参加、不参加にかかわりなく、年会費を納めください。
２・今度の旅行べの参加、不参加を問わず、年会費を納めください。
Thanks my Lady
Hello,
関わりなく and 問わず both mean “regardless”
The basic difference is you use 問わず is only used with a noun.
And the following verbs of 問わず tend to be non-volitional verbs but of course, there are lots of exceptions.
As for your example sentences, (今度の旅行べ must be a typo. →旅行へ)
Both of the sentences are OK but I would say 1) is more natural.
問わず literally means “問わない= not to ask for something/ ~ is not required ” So you often use it when you talk about some conditions.
In classified ad for job, you often see
Ex. 年齢・学歴を問わず
Ex. 性別問わず
ありがとうございました！
I just have one small question.
So when B is not volitional verb, are を問わず・にかかわらずinterchangeable?
For example
性別を問わず、誰でも参加できる。Is it OK sensei
性別にかかわらず、誰でも参加できる。Is it OK too?
Thanks my Lady.
性別を問わず、誰でも参加できる。
性別にかかわらず、誰でも参加できる。
Yes, you can say both of the sentences.
Hi Maggie sensei! 🥰
Today I wanted to use 止し, as in to say that you stopped halfway through something, but I just realised I don’t know how to use it…
I read it somewhere before and then marked it down as being useful, but actually I didn’t write down the example sentence and I have no idea how to use it… Could you please help me?? 😣
I wanted to know how to say you stopped in the middle of writing because of an interruption maybe, or something like that!
Thanks so much!! 🌻🥰
Hi Jasmine,
Please check this lesson. How to use し
I explained the usage of finishing the sentence with し in this lesson. 😊
Hello Maggie sensei!
Thank you so much for pointing me there, I will check it out!! 😊😊 I think the reason I couldn’t find anything is because I was searching up 止し specifically on Google…
Good! I hope that lesson helps.
Hello Maggie sensei,
I looked at the lesson and actually learnt something new!! But I couldn’t find something like what I was looking for… I thought 止し was more like a suffix…?
Please help me if you could!! 😣
Thank you so much! 😊
Ahhh, OK! Sorry. All this time, I thought 止し was a typo and you meant the suffix of し
Now I get it. You were talking about V止し= Vさし
OK, when you have been doing something and stop doing that, you use 止し
The verbs that you can use 止し is limited.
There are the common ones.
食べさし a half-eaten food
読みさしの本 a half-read book
タバコの吸いさし cigarette butt
Oh it’s okay, thanks so much!! 😊😊 I guess people usually use hiragana then? So さし instead of 止し?
Is there a way to know which verbs you can use it with and which you can’t?? If I wanted to say something active instead of passive like ‘I was reading this book halfway then stopped because the bus came’, or something like that, would it be 本を読みさしで、バスが来たのでやめた?
Thank you!! 🥰
止し/さし You can use kanji but hiragana might be more common.
You use it more to modify a noun or describe something is half-way.
読みさしの本
この本は読みさしだ。
As I said the verbs that you use さし is very limited (読む・飲む・食べる・吸う）
To know whether you use it or not, you can use the search with Google or Twitter. Type the verb with さし and see the result.
The common way to use 〜さし is to describe a noun. 読みさしの本、食べさしのピザ、タバコの吸いさし
I would use かけ for the following example
読みさしで、バスが来たのでやめた?
本を読みかけたらバスが来たので（読むのを）やめた。
〜かけ is more general and the verbs that you can use かけ is more than さし
Okay, I think I am understanding more!
Would it be because さし already means ‘half done’, so using it in an active way just doesn’t really make sense?? If I think about it that way I think I understand…
So 食べさしのケーキ and things like that are fine? I guess there aren’t many times you’d use さし then?!
And thank you so much for telling me about かけ！Now I know what to use 😊🥰
Thank you!!
Yes, that’s right! 😊
Thank you Maggie sensei I understand now!! 🥰
Good! 😊
Hello Maggie sensei,
Could you please help to check my sentences!
I’m practicing にしても.
1/ 僕のそぼにいると決めるにしても離れると決めるにしても、君は毎日幸せに笑うのが一番大切です。
I want to say
Whether you decide to be with me or decide to leave me, the most important thing is your happy smile every day.
2/ 雨にしても雪にしてもあした君のところにいくつもりです。
Thanks my Lady,
Frozenheart
Hello!
1/ 僕のそぼにいると決めるにしても離れると決めるにしても、君は毎日幸せに笑うのが一番大切です。
For the verb 決める、the past tense is better 僕のそぼにいると決めたとしても離れると決めたとしても
Or simply 僕のそばにいるにしても離れる(or 別れる）にしても
The second part: How about
君が毎日幸せそうに笑っているのが一番大切です?
2) Let me change a little.
明日の天気が雨にしても雪にしても君のところにいくつもりです。
But actually 雨が降っても雪が降っても is more natural
ありがとうございました！！！
どういたしまして ☺️
Hello again,
Could you please help to check my sentences.
1/ 通常、記憶は明白になればなるほど残酷になった。
I want to say
Normally, the more clear memory is, the more cruel it is.
２・見逃すのがだめという二つのことは帰宅の最終電車と心のすべてで君を愛する人だと母が言っていた。
Mom told me there are 2 things that you should not miss, the final train to home and the person who loves you by all of his heart.
Thanks my Lady.
Hello Maggie sensei,
Could you help me about A につけ、Ｂ
My textbook says we use it for showing feelings, emotion every time doing something.
My question is whether I can use adj directly to B.
この歌を聞くにつけ、うれしいです。
この本を読むに付け、さびしいです。
My second question is if there is any difference between につけ・たびに
a/母の声を聞くたびに涙があふれてきた。
b/母の声を聞くにつけ涙があふれてきた。
Are they both OK sensei?
Thanks my Lady.
Hello Frozenheart!
You can express one’s emotion but
うれしいです／さびしいです is the state of one’s feelings.
It will be better → うれしくなる／さびしくなる
＊＊
a/母の声を聞くたびに涙があふれてきた。
b/母の声を聞くにつけ涙があふれてきた。
Yes, you can say both and they have the same meaning.
ありがとうございました！どうも
どういたしまして❤️
Hi Maggie sensei! 😊🌻 I hope you are well!!
I has another question today… Is there a difference between using だそう and と聞きました when you are relaying something you heard?
So, maybe 美味しいそう vs 美味しいと聞きました?
Thank you!! 😊😊
Hi Jasmine
Yes,there is a difference. 〜そう can be used for what you heard (聞きました） and also for what you read.
For example, if you read some review of a restaurant in a magazine or website, you can say あの店は美味しいそうです。
Hi Maggie sensei!
Oh okay, so is this right:
そう: For what you have heard or read
聞きます: For what you have heard only
And apart from that there’s no difference in terms of nuances or anything??
Thank you 😊😊
You are right.
The nuance difference is そうです is more vague.
Ex. このお店は美味しいそうです。
Ex. このお店は美味しいと聞きました。
Besides そう is for what you heard/read and 聞きました is for what you heard,
you can specify who you heard the information from with 聞きました
田中さんからこのお店は美味しいと聞きました。
but you can’t say 田中さんから〜そうです。）
Oh, that is interesting!! 😱 I can’t believe I didn’t know that before…
So そうです can’t be used to say things you have heard from other people? It’s probably just how it is, but would there happen to be a reason why?? 🤔
??? When did I say そうです can’t be used to say things you have heard from other people?
I have been saying you can use そうです for what you heard…
You might have misunderstood my last sentence.
You can’t use そうです with “Someoneから” (Who you heard the information from)
田中さんからこのお店は美味しいと聞きました。OK
このお店は美味しいそうです。OK
but you can’t say 田中さんからこのお店は美味しいそうです。
This is more advanced information but you can say 田中さんがいうにはこのお店はおいしいそうです。OK
Hello Maggie sensei!! 😊
Oops, sorry, my phrasing was pretty awful there… I meant to ask, is there a reason you can’t use そうです if you specify who said it? Like if I heard someone from someone in particular, eg 田中さん why can’t I use そうです? Is that just how it is…? 🤔🤔
Thank you!!
Because generally そうです is used when you focus on the information (what you heard or read) more than specifying the source of the information.
If you want to specify the source you say
田中さんが〜と言っていました。
田中さんから〜と聞きました。
Okay I understand, thank you for explaining it to me!! 🥰
No problem!
Hello Maggie sensei,
Could you please help me about 伴って・とともに？
I’m wondering if the following sentences are the same.
メールが普及する伴って、コミュニケーションの方法も変わってきた。
メールが普及するとともに、コミュニケーションの方法も変わってきた。
Thanks my Lady.
Hello again,
Talking about にともなって・とともに、I think about the following 2 sentences too.
If B is volitional verb, are にともなって・とともに still possible?
For example,
地球の温暖化にともなって、さまざまな変化を観察したいと思っている。Is it OK sensei?
地球の温暖化にとともに、さまざまな変化を観察したいと思っている。Is it OK too?
Thanks my Lady.
Hello again,
地球の温暖化にともなって、さまざまな変化を観察したいと思っている。
地球の温暖化にとともに、さまざまな変化を観察したいと思っている。→地球（の）温暖化とともに
You need a verb to express the change (what is going to happen) in the following sentence but the main verb for the following sentence is 観察したいと思っている
If the sentences don’t have the main verb,they both work.
地球温暖化にともない様々なことが変化していく。
地球温暖化とともに様々なことが変化していく。
Or modify the noun 変化
地球温暖化にともなう様々な変化を観察したいと思っている。
In this case you can’t say 共に
ありがとうございました！
Happy Valentine day to my Lady :3:3:3
My rose for you.
Song: The Rose
LeAnn Rimes
….
….
….
Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snow
Lies the seed that with the sun’s love
In the spring, becomes a rose
Happy Valentine’s Day 2u2!!
Thank you for the beautiful rose 🌹
And I love that song,too! ♪
I’ll leave you 🍫 for you here.
Love 🐶💕
Hello Frozenheart!
メールが普及する伴って、コミュニケーションの方法も変わってきた。→メールが普及するに伴って
メールが普及するとともに、コミュニケーションの方法も変わってきた
Yes the meaning is the same.
Maggie sensei, I just wanna say thank you so much for all your contents and efforts. You’re a great teacher, and wonderful person. Thanks!
Hi June,
Thank you so much for your nice message!
It means a lot to me!!
ありがとう 🐶💕
Maggie先生とYukariさん、こんにちは！
I’ve been on your site a bunch of times and this is my first comment ever.
Thank you so much for your lessons, they really helped with my studies and I was able to pass N5 last year. I’m still using your lessons to try to pass N4 this year, too.
I also want to ask if you have any tips for speaking Japanese smoothly? I sound like a robot when I read Japanese aloud, and I stutter a lot when just conversing. I can imagine the words in my head, I just can’t seem to say them out loud. LOL!
Any suggestion or advice will be greatly appreciated.
ありがとうございます。
Hello Annie,
First of all, congratulations! You passed N5 last year. I am sure you will pass N4 this year!
がんばってくださいね！
The best way to improve your speaking skill is to have Japanese friends (in person or on line) but if it is difficult, work on your listening first and then mimic what you hear.
It may not work for everyone but “shadowing technique” , you listen to Japanese phrase and repeat what you heard may work.
You can use youtube video, Netflix or Hulu and watch Japanese shows. Watch one scene again and again and repeat it.
You can do it!!
I like watching Japanese shows on Netflix, so I will definitely try your suggestion.
Looking forward to more lessons. Thank you so much, 先生!
ありがとうございます。<3 <3 <3
Great!!
You can enjoy the show and learn Japanese at the same time.
Enjoy!!! ☺️
Hello Maggie sensei,
Is it possible to combine ~tari ~tarisuru with ~tai?
For example a sentence like; “I want to go shopping and take pictures in Tokyo.” I am having trouble combing the two.
Also thank you very much for all the hard work you do 💕
sorry I forgot to say what I think it would be, which is:「東京で買い物をしたり、たくさん写真を撮ったりしたいです」
「東京で買い物をしたり、たくさん写真を撮ったりしたいです」 Yes,it’s perfect!😊
So the basic pattern is
V(1) たりV(2) たりしたい
Hello Maggie-sensei! Thank you for always helping us with Japanese ♥
May I request a lesson? Or, if it’s easy and short to explain, just a comment!
I’m a bit confused about きっかけ and the sentence structure to use it. I’ve seen をきっかけに, はきっかけで and a couple more variants, with different grammatical structures and a little different meanings. Can you help me please? お願いします！☆
Hi Cristina
Sure, I can make a lesson of きっかけ but it may take some time so I will give you a short explanation.
Aをきっかけに you did something.
Aがきっかけで something happened/you did something.
A triggers the consequence/Because of A ~ / taking advantage of opportunity
For example, you read an interesting book and that book made you decide to go to Japan, you say
この本を読んだのをきっかけに日本に行くことにした。
この本がきっかけで日本に行くことにした。
When something happened and that triggers something,
彼と初めて喧嘩をした。それをきっかけに二人の間は気まずくなった。
= Since I got fight with my boyfriend for the first time, our relationship got awkward.
Thank you Maggie先生！So, the difference is wether I did something or something happened on its own. I see :]
I’ll look forward to the lesson as well!ありがとう！
Right. It shouldn’t be so complicated.
Hello Maggie sensei! あけましておめでとう! 今年も良い年になりますように！！🌻
I asked a question before about using に after a name, and you said it gave a feeling of ‘even’, like 私にできること= something even I can do. And you said you wouldn’t generally put it after a boss’ name as they are higher up than you! I am sorry, can you remind me again- it’s not insulting to use に after someone else’s name, right…?
I read this sentence today: おまえにそんな義理がないだろうが。。。 and was wondering why there is a に after おまえ instead of が or は??
Thank you so much!
Hello Jasmine!
ひさしぶり！ 元気でしたか？
I tried to find your question regarding 私にできること but I couldn’t find it. (Sorry. There are so many questions here so..)
So I don’t remember in what context I told you that but for example, when you ask someone if they can do something or not,
これ、(someone)にできますか？ means “Are you capable to do this?” and it sounds like you are looking down on that person.
**
As for おまえにそんな義理がないだろうが
Yes, you can say ・お前は義理がある お前は義理はない。
に is a location marker and indicates the place or where something belongs to.
You can say
Aさんは音楽の才能があります。A-san has musical talent
But let’s rephrase this sentence. “musical talent” belongs to A-san / Musical talent exists in A-san.
Aさんには音楽の才能があります。（You add は to show the contrast)
元気でしたよ。聞いてくれてありがとう😊
No no, it’s okay! I also have a lot of trouble finding my previous questions… 😱
That completely makes sense, thank you so much! Can I ask, is using に after someone else’s name rude?
For example:
私にもできることます。- Something even I can do.
教師にもできることます。- Something even the teacher can do ?! I’m not sure how it is in Japanese, but in English it’s a bit rude to say it like that…
So I was thinking, can you only use に after your own name? What about teachers, friends, family, bosses, etc…?
Thank you so much!
元気でよかったです！
Yes, にも ( = even) + potential form (Ex. できる、わかる、話せる, etc. ) sounds rude in Japanese as well.
Also でも ( = even) Ex. Someoneでもできる sounds rude as well.
It is safe to use with your close friends or family. (Not with your teacher or bosses.)
Okay thank you, that makes sense!
Sorry for going on about it- but isn’t it rude to use for friends or family too…?
Thank you so much!! 🌻
It depends on your relationship and how you tell the sentence.
You can say that with your close friends or family jokingly.
For example when you worry about someone can do something or not,
Ex. ~にできるかな？ Fine
Ex. ~にできるか心配だよ。Fine
But if you doubt if that person is capable to do something or not
Ex. ~にできるの？ might sound a little cold.
Hullo!!
Okay, I think I understand now!! Yes, I think it is similar to how it is in English. :)) Thank you so much for explaining it- I always wonder how many rude things I’ve accidentally said to people… 😣
You’re very welcome! ☺️
To improve your Japanese, you have to make lots of mistakes. (^_−)−☆
Hello Monday and Hello Maggie-sensei,
Today, I have 2 questions about につれて。
It means the more ~ the more ~, so
(1) I’m wondering if there is any difference ‘ば。。。ほど、にしたがって。
I see the following sentences are the same. But ….I’m not sure.
1/ 日本に来て日が立てば立つほど、会話が上達してきた。
２・日本に来て日がたつにつれて、会話が上達してきた
３・日本に来て日がたつにしたがって、会話が上達してきた。
(2) One more issue is about につれて・にしたがって
運動の量の増減につれて、体重が変化した。Is it OK sensei?
Thanks my Lady
Hello
(1) ~ (3) They are basically the same but
AばAほどB The more A changes, the more B changes.(Focusing on the degree)
AにつれてB If A changes, B will eventually change (The change of A causes B)
AにしたがってB When A changes, B changes following the change of A
(NOte: 日が立つ→経つ）
(2) I understand the meaning but it might be more clear to say
〜が増えるにつれて体重が増えた。
〜が減るにつれて体重が減った
If you want to use the word 増減, how about
体重は運動量の増減により変化した。
Hello Maggie sensei,
If I say
あんな人のことは忘れたし！
And
あんな人のことは忘れたよ！
Is there any difference between ～し and ～よ at the end of the sentence.
I hear a lot of ~ し at the end of the sentence….
Thanks my Lady
Hello,
They are both casual but 忘れたし is much more colloquial (It is mainly used among young people).
忘れたよ is more standard Japanese.
ありがとうございました！
🐶💕
Hello Maggie sensei,
Today, could you please help to check my sentences!
あのとき、青春の僕たちは将来成長してからずっとそばにいられと思っていた。
けど、実はほんとうの成長とは別離ということです。
I want to say
At that time, the young you and me thought that we could be together forever after growing up.
But, actually growing up does mean separating.
Thanks my Lady
Hello,
あのとき、青春の僕たちは
→Hmm You don’t say 青春の僕たち
How about あの青春時代の僕たちは
将来成長してからずっとそばにいられと思っていた。
→将来、大人になってからもずっとそばにいられると思っていた。
The word choice: 成長 is usually used when a child grows up. If you use the word 青春, that means you are already big enough to use 成長.
けど、実はほんとうの成長とは別離ということです。
→だけど、(You don’t start a sentence with けど） 大人になるということは別離（or 別れること）を意味していた。
Remember you have to use the same form, masu form or dictionary form.
T_T. I understand them now
ありがとうございました！！！！
Good! Anytime!
Hello Maggie sensei,
Today my question is about A のもとで・もとに, B
After reading my textbook, I build my own understanding.
But … my understanding may be incorrect. So could you please help to check my understanding.
(1) About A
If A is people then should use もとで, not use もとに
If A is condition/situation, もとに・もとで are both OK.
For example, I think
両親のもとで、すくすく育った。ＯＫ
両親のもとに、すくすっく育った。Is wrong
晴れた空のもとで運動会が盛大に行われた。OK
晴れた空のもとに運動会が盛大に行われた。OK
Is it correct sensei?
(2) About B
If using もとで then B will be action, not be state.
If using もとに, B can be action/ can be state
For example, I think
両親のもとで平等に育てられる。Is wrong
両親のもとで幸せに暮らしてきました。Is correct.
Is it correct, Sensei?
Thanks my Lady.
Hello again!
It is a difficult topic but I think you got the idea!
Good job!
ありがとうございました！どうも。
Thanks my Lady.
どういたしまして💕
Hello Tuesday and Hello Maggie sensei,
Again, could you please help to check my sentences.
1/ 男らしいにふりをしたい,
心が泣きたいけど涙を零さない。
お酒を飲みきれて、思い出があふれてきた。
I want to say
Wanting to act like a man,
Thought the heart wants to cry but I try not to let teardrop down.
Drinking up all wine, I’m full of missing about you.
2/ 昨日のことはどこに行くか知らない川の流れのようだ。
どうしても自分は物事がわからない。
今日は心を悩む多くの悲しみがまた来た。
I want to say
Yesterday, is like a river that where it has flowed is unknown.
I just don’t understand things.
Today, many sadness comes and tangles my heart.
Thanks my Lady.
Hi Frozenheart on Tuesday!
1. 男らしいにふりをしたい,
男らしいふりをしたい but it means “I want to pretend
act like a man is 男らしくふるまう
So 男らしくふるまいたい
心が泣きたいけど
→心は泣きたいけど
お酒を飲みきれて、
→お酒(You wrote ワイン）を飲み干すと
Let me get back to 2. when I have more time.
Talk to you soon!
Hi again,
2.
どうしても means”anyhow/no matter how much one tries” and it is kind of strong.. If that is your intention, fine.
今日は心を悩む多くの悲しみがまた来た。
→ You don’t say 心を悩む, →心を悩ませる
ありがとうございました！どうも。
どういたしまして！ U^ェ^U💕
Hello Maggie sensei,
Could you please help to check my sentences !
I’m trying to improve my writing.
1/ 出会うのは難しい。だけど、離れるのはもっとむずかしい。
なんで東風は強くなくても、百の花は枯れるだろう
I want to say
It’s hard to meet you. It’s even harder to separate from you.
The east wind is not strong but hundreds of flower wither…
2/ ぼくと君がこれから離れていると決める瞬間は息が詰まった。
太陽がなくなっての地球の存在のようだ。
I want to say
At the moment we decide to be apart, I felt really choked up.
Like the earth exists without the sun.
Thanks my Lady.
Hello Frozenheart!
1/ 出会うのは難しい。だけど、離れるのはもっとむずかしい。 OK
なんで東風は強くなくても、百の花は枯れるだろう
→なんで(or なぜ）東風は強くないのに、百の花が（or 百輪の花）が枯れるのだろう
2/ ぼくと君がこれから離れていると決める瞬間は息が詰まった。
→僕と君がこれから離れていこうと(volitional form) 決めた(past tense) 瞬間は息が詰まった。
太陽がなくなっての地球の存在のようだ。
→太陽がなくなってからも存在する地球のようだ。
ありがとうございました！どうも。
Could you please help explain a little bit about からも!
太陽がなくなってからも存在する地球のようだ。
If possible, please give me more example about からも。Thank youuuu !
Thanks my Lady.
Sure
First your sentence 太陽がなくなっての地球の存在
You don’t modify a noun (地球） with V-te form + の
And 存在 is a noun but your English translation is a verb, “to exist” which is 存在する.
In order to modify the verb 存在する, you have to change the part “without the sun”
So the literal translation of 太陽がなくなってからも存在する地球のようだ。
is “It’s like the earth which exists even after the sun disappears. “
Oh my God, thank you so much !
I understand it now.
You’re the best. Love youuuuu!
You’re very welcome! 💕
Dear Maggie Sensei,
Thank you so much for your awesome website! It really helps those who learn Japanese by themselves.
I have already pored through many articles about giving/ receiving concepts in Japanese but still cannot quite understand the subtle nuance of using もらう vs くれる in the sentences:
1) 母はこの手袋をくれた。
2) 母にこの手袋をもらった。
I also came across the notion that Japanese tend to use もらう more often in casual speech.
I’d be very grateful if you clarify it for me.
Dear Rapunzel,
1) 母はこの手袋をくれた。 →Actually 母がこの手袋をくれた is more natural (My mother gave me the gloves.)
2) 母にこの手袋をもらった。 (I got these gloves from my mother.)
1) Who gave me the gloves (focusing on the giver)
2) how you got the gloves. (focusing on the receiver)
You can’t tell the subtle difference from the English translation but you can express your appreciation towards the giver, in this case “mother”, more with 1) くれた (implies the feelings such as “It is so nice of her to buy me gloves” “I am so happy.” ” I am very grateful”, etc.)
Thanks a lot for such a quick response, Maggie Sensei!
早く答えてくれてありがとうございます。
So to sum it up,
if I just mention my gloves, like, by the way and go on with the conversation, it’s more natural to use もらう,
but if I want to emphasize the joy I felt when I got my gloves, or positive emotions I feel whenever I put them on, etc. I should use くれる?
Yes, that’s right!
(But of course you can also express your joy with もらった if you say that “happily”. (^_−)−☆)
Well, so it is not about my emotions as such. It’s when I want to emphasize how great my mum is? ;-)))
Thank you so much, dear Maggie Sensei!
P.S.There was a computer glitch yesterday and I see I posted four messages instead of two. Is there a way to delete those duplicates?
Yes and I’m sure you really appreciate your mom anyway. :D
No worry about the repeated messages. I took care of it.
Maggie Sensei,
Another daunting thing I’d like to ask you about is
if I am talking with someone else about the present my friend got, which verb would sound more natural: くれる or もらう?
e.g.
1)彼氏がみきちゃんに指輪をくれた。Miki’s boyfriend gave her a ring.
2)みきちゃんは彼氏に指輪をもらった。Miki got a ring from her boyfriend.
I also read when you are talking about two people (one of them is close to you, and the other is not), one is giving, the other is receiving, it’s supposed to be like that:
3) みきちゃんはAさんに本をあげた。Miki gave the book to Mr A. -> I should emphasize that Miki is closer to me than Mr A using あげる
4) Aさんがみきちゃんに本をくれた。Mr A gave the book to Miki.-> I should emphasize that Miki is closer to me than Mr A using くれる
Is this still in use or already outdated?
Again, thank you soo much for helping me and for all great work you do on a daily basis! It is really invaluable for Japanese learners.
1)彼氏がみきちゃんに指輪をくれた。Miki’s boyfriend gave her a ring.
2)みきちゃんは彼氏に指輪をもらった。Miki got a ring from her boyfriend.
→2) is more natural.
3) みきちゃんはAさんに本をあげた。
OK. That works.
4) Aさんがみきちゃんに本をくれた。
If Miki is your daughter or granddaughter it is possible but if she is just your friend, I would say it is not natural.
No question here. I just wanted to say I have been living in rural japan studying Japanese where not many people speak English. Every time I have a question you have already answered it, and you have the best explanations out of any other websites. You really are a life saver. Thank you so much!
Hello kaus,
Thank you for your comment.
Your nice words made my day! うれしいです💓
Actually, I thought of a question! When ordering food at a restaurant, if I made a mistake, or changed my mind, what’s the best way to say that? For example
バターチキンカレー１つ下さい。
あっ、やっぱりバターチキンじゃなくて、キーマカレー１つお願いします。
Is this natural? What’s the natural way to change your mind?
Yes, it’s very natural.
There are a couple ways to say that
やっぱり、バターチキンじゃなくてキーマカレーにします。
やっぱり、バターチキンのかわりにキーマカレー１つお願いします。
And if you ordered it once and the waiter left your table once, you call them and say
すみません、さっき、バターチキンカレーを頼みましたが(or 注文しましたが）、キーマカレーに変えてくれますか？
I’m getting hungry now. I go eat some butter chicken curry. 😋
The second sentence is really helpful too, thank you!
Have a wonderful day.
My pleasure!!
You have a great rest of the day,too! 🐶💕
こんにちはマギー先生！
A belated Happy New Year to you!
I have a small question, maybe terminology related.
What is it called, when the furigana given for certain kanji isn’t the same as the regular reading?
For examples, あの娘 is written as あのこ (the こ written as furigana over 娘).
Hello altuser!
Happy New Year 2u2!! 💕
It’s 当て読み = ateyomi.
Thank you very much! Now I can try to look up more references on it :-)
You’re very welcome!
The second sentence is really helpful too, thank you!
Have a wonderful day.
Hello Maggie sensei,
Today my question is about に間して。
I think it is used to emphasize the topic which is very similar to は・が.
So what is the effect if using に間して
For example,
今回の事件に関して、何か詳しいことがわかりましたか。
今回の事件は、何か詳しいことがわかりましたか。
They both mean what did you know about jiken, don’t they?
Thanks my Lady.
I was confused for a moment there, but I think you typo’d に関して into に間して in your question!
If I’m not mistaken, に関して is basically the same as について, I think the former is more formal?
Hi altuser, thanks so much for pointing my typo.
Yes, that’s what I mean, I’m confusing に関して。
Hi Maggie sensei, sorry for my mistake. Gomenasai!!!!
Hi Frozenheart,
Sorry for the late reply.
First of all,
今回の事件は、何か詳しいことがわかりましたか。works if you show the contrast. Maybe not other incident but what about this incident? (It means “As for this incident)
You can also say
→今回の事件で、何か詳しいことがわかりましたか？ It means “In this incident” or “by this incident”)
今回の事件に関して means “about/ regarding this incident”.
I don’t know how to use ずっと…
Hi Sara
ずっと for a long time/ forever
When you are talking about something in the past
Ex. ずっとマギーのことが好きでした。 = I have liked you for a long time.／I have always liked you, Maggie.
Ex. バスをずっと待っているがなかなか来ない。＝ I have been waiting for a bus but it’s taking a time to come.
Ex. これからもずっと一緒にいてください。= Please stay with me forever.
Much ~ er/ even more
Ex. 私の仕事の方が彼の仕事よりずっと大変だ。
= My work is much harder than his work.
Hello Maggie sensei,
Could you please help me the following sentences.
留学中は日本の言語や文化を学ぶのみならず、自分の国のことも伝えていこうと考えている。
Can I use にかぎらず、上に also?
留学中は日本の言語や文化を学ぶ上に、自分の国のことも伝えていこうと考えている。
留学中は日本の言語や文化の学習に限らず、自分の国のことも伝えていこうと考えている。
Thanks my Lady.
Hello,
留学中は日本の言語や文化を学ぶ上に、自分の国のことも伝えていこうと考えている。
Not natural
留学中は日本の言語や文化の学習に限らず、自分の国のことも伝えていこうと考えている。
OK! 😊
ありがとうございました！
どういたしまして 🐶
Hello again,
Could you please help me about のみならず in the followings sentences also!
1/ ビタミンＢのみならず、ビタミンＥも必要な栄養素である。
2/ 残業のみならず休日出勤もしたので、今週はとても疲れた。
Or do I need to use 上に？
Thanks my Lady.
Hi again,
1 and 2: They are both fine.
You can use 上に as well.
ありがとうございました！どうも。
どういたしまして💕
Hello Maggie sensei,
Could you please help me about に限らず・のみならず。
Are there any difference between
1/環境問題は、わが国のみならず、地球全体の問題である
2/環境問題は、わが国に限らず、地球全体の問題である
And the followings:
3/ 電気代のみならず、ガス代や水道代も値上がりするようだ。
４・電気代に限らず、ガス代や水道代も値上がりするようだ。
They are both “Not only…but also” which makes me headache.
Thanks my Lady.
Hi,
1 and 2
3 and 4
You emphasize what comes after のみならず more than 限らず but they mean the same.
あけましておめでとうさん、マギー、ゆかり！
今年を前年よりもっとよか年にせんばね ♪
日本語もがんばろうぜよ！
天人、明けましておめでとう！！！！今年もよろしくね！
新しいMaggie’s Roomの最初のコメントが天人でしたね〜😊
最高の年にしましょう！！