Maggie’s Room (Jan 1st ~ Dec. 31st, 2021)

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, help writing your personal letters or 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 many people everyday.

Thank you for understanding. ありがとう！

371 Comments

  1. Hello Maggie Sensei,
    I hope you are doing well!
    I was watching an anime and came across this sentence:
    帰っておいでよ。

    I do not understand what the おいで means.
    Could you please help me?

    Thanks in advance!

    1. Hello FluffyBooks,
      元気？
      おいで means “to come, to go, to be” in this case it means “to come” = きて = 来て
      帰ってきてよ

  2. Hello sensei; What does ほくそう mean ?
    Got this from a children’s book
    やまのような ほくそう を かちくこや に はこびます
    家畜小屋 >> かちくこや
    運びます >> はこびます

    ありがとう

    1. Hello again soleyman
      I already answered your question but maybe you can’t see it.
      Let me repeat the following.
      I think you are talking about 牧草（ぼくそう = bokusou） not ほくそう (hokusou)
      “ぼくそう” means grass/pasture (for farm animals such as cows)
      Also 家畜小屋 is かちくごや ( = kachikugoya)
      So, I (or They) carry tons of grass (pastures) to the barn.

  3. Hello sensei
    What does ほくそう mean? (a mountain of hokuso??)
    Found in a children’s book
    やまのような ほくそう を かちくごや に はこびます

    ありがとう

    1. Hello soleyman

      I think 牧草（ぼくそう） not ほくそう

      “ぼくそう” means grass/pasture (for farm animals such as cows)
      So, I (or They) carry tons of grass (pastures) to the barn.

  4. Hello Maggie Sensei,

    旅行の出発日は八月三十日になった。
    部屋は綺麗になった

    Versus

    宿題をしなかったので留年することになりました

    Hello Maggie Sensei, can you explain what the difference between になる and ことになる？ as per the above examples?

    1. Hi Mark

      八月三十日になった。 has decided to be ~ (expressing how things has decided)
      綺麗になった to be clean (expressing the change)
      留年することになった = ended up repeating the year
      Verb dictionary form + ことになった = ended up ~ (focusing on the consequences/results)

      If you want to learn more check these lessons
      〜に・となる
      〜ことになる

  5. Hello Maggie Sensei,

    現実に、社会のほうも、欠点のない何でも屋のような人間より、多少欠点はあっても、長所の抜きん出た人間のほうを重要するようになってきている。

    is 長所の抜きん出た人間のほう referring to 1 – 欠点のない何でも屋のような人間 or 2- 多少欠点

    1. Hi Mark
      →2 多少欠点があっても
      So it is comparing A) 欠点のない何でも屋のような人間 and B) 多少欠点はあっても、長所の抜きん出た人間
      And the society comes to give more importance to B) more than A)

  6. Hello Maggie Sensei,

    できる人と思わせるために下準備が必要です。 しかし、実は最大の下準備は、何といっても「自分の知る」ことである。

    I just wanted to confirm the above meaning, does it mean: “To make people think that they can do it, preparations are necessary?” BUT The most preparations are called “I know everything”?

    1. Hi Mark
      「自分の知る」 I think the original Japanese sentence is 自分を知る
      If I am right, “I know everything”→to know yourself/to know oneself

  7. Hello Maggie,

    人間というのは、余程嫌いな相手でない限り、相手の短所より長所のほうに目が行くよう出来ていることが、さまざまな心理実験で明らかにされている、いわゆる「隣の芝部は青い」現象である
    I do get the majority of the meaning of this sentence except the beginning part: 人間というのは、余程嫌いな相手でない限り Does this mean: In regards to Humans: There is a limit as to how much a human dislikes another humanoid?

    Continuing on: The opponent (or other person) strong points rather than weak points are looked at by humanoid 1, and this phenomenon is called the grass is always green/blue on the other side

    1. Hi Mark
      人間というのは、余程嫌いな相手でない限り
      This 限り means “as long as ~” “unless”
      And 相手 is not necessary “opponents”. It could be one’s companions or simply a person who you deal/speak with.
      Humans pay attentions to other’s strong points rather than weak points unless someone they really hate.

  8. Hello Maggie:

    人間というのは、余程嫌いな相手でない限り、相手の短所より長所のほうに目が行くよう出来ていることが、さまざまな心理実験で明らかにされている、いわゆる「隣の芝部は青い」現象である

    I do get the majority of the meaning of this sentence except the beginning part:
    人間というのは、余程嫌いな相手でない限り
    Does this mean: In regards to Humans: There is a limit as to how much a human dislikes another humanoid?

    Continuing on:
    The opponent (or other person) strong points rather than weak points are looked at by humanoid 1, and this phenomenon is called the grass is always green/blue on the other side.

    Am I correct?

    1. 人間というのは、余程嫌いな相手でない限り、相手の短所より長所のほうに目が行くよう出来ていることが、さまざまな心理実験で明らかにされている、いわゆる「隣の芝部は青い」現象である

      What is said as human, can draw their eyes to their opponent’s merit rather than weakness, as long as it is not the opponent that quite disliked by them.
      It has been made clear in various psychology experiment, that is said as (The part of neighbor’s lawn is green) phenomenon.

      こんにちは、マギー先生
      なぜか、新しいコメントを入力できない状態だそうです。
      むしろ、他の方のコメントに返事することが出来てこちらにコメントを書いてみます

      少しお尋ねしたいことがあるのです
      下記の日本語は英語に訳すと合っているかどうか確認してください

      Tom made Mary to give book to Abel
      トムはマリーがアベルに本を渡すように指示しました。

      1. Hello Masteng V2

        Tom made Mary to give book to Abel
        トムはマリーがアベルに本を渡すように指示しました。

        日本語から英語に直したものをチェックすればいいのですか？
        でしたら意味は大体合っていますが、「　指示」という言葉を訳すと gave instructions になります。

        日本語の文章ですが、「マリーが〜」が少し不自然です。
        普通は同じ助詞（この場合は「に」）を２回 使うのを避けるのですが、
        トムはマリーに本をアベルに渡すように指示しました。（または、「渡すように言いました。」）と言ってもいいかもしれませんね。

  9. Hi maggie-sensei! i wanted to say that your website it’s so helpful and the constancy of keeping it for a lot of years it’s amazing!

    Also i was questioning how could be translated these lines:
    お兄さんついてっていいでしょ
    だめ?
    because i was trying to translate it exactly, but it didn’t make so much sense

    1. Hi Zefry

      I don’t do the translation here but let me help you a little. 😉
      The literal meaning of お兄さん is “brother” but you also use it to address a young boy so you should interpret depending on the text.
      Anyway ついていっていいでしょ means “Can I go with you?”/ Can I keep you company?”
      だめ? means “OK?”
      So, →”Would that be OK to go there with you?”

      1. Thank you maggie-sensei, the context was all on it, but in this case, without any context:
        (ワ夕シ…お兄さんとファイト…しちゃってる…)
        what does シ means? in a normal case and the case if 夕 it’s a name
        because シ and し are “shi” but then why using different letters there?

        1. ワ夕シ is from “私 = わたし = watashi= I (first pronoun)
          You are supposed to write it in kanji (私). It is rare to write in katakana so it is confusing.
          I think it is because the writer is expressing some femininity
          I am…. fighting with my brother (or you (addressing a young man)

  10. Hello, Maggie Sensei

    First time come here
    I will try to use my bad japanese here

    少しご質問がありますが
    まず、こちらの下記で書いてある文章をご覧ください

    家族の時間を大切にする夫は、つい本当に大切なものは何なのか私に仕事に夢中になりすぎる気づかせてくれるありがたい存在です

    文章の順番は間違ってるので正しく整理してほしいです
    よろしくお願い申し上ます

    1. こんにちは、餡!

      家族の時間を大切にする夫は、つい仕事に夢中になりすぎる私に本当に大切なものは何なのか気づかせてくれるありがたい存在です

      の方がいいと思いますよ。☺️

  12. Hello Maggie sensei. I tried to post a comment in one of your lessons site, but it doesn’t appear immediately. Then I posted it again and still nothing. Did something change? if my comment appears repeatedly In advance an apology. Thanks.

  13. Hello Maggie Sensei
    こんにちは、この間質問を答えてくれてありがとうございます

    別の質問がありますがお尋ねしたいと思います

    下記の質問を見て間違いがあれば訂正して頂けませんか

    食事は朝の七時、正午、晩の四時、夜の七時に用意される

    私、個人的にこちらの”晩の四時”の部分はちょっと疑問があるので
    そちらは正解かどうか分かりませんが教えてくれるとすごく助かりました

    午後四時なら朝、晩、夜の言い方の間にどちらが一番合っていますか

    1. おはようございます！
      四時はまだ「晩」ではないし、「昼」でもありません。
      ですから一番いいのは、「午後４時」です。

  14. 先生、助けてください

    I have trouble understanding this sentence
    “ずいぶんな言われようと思った”
    I can’t understand the grammatical structure “passive form +ようと思った”
    could you explain to me please?

    1. Hi luci

      Ah OK, this よう means “方 = かた = “a way”
      言われよう a way of being told
      随分な言われよう = 随分な言われ方
      The similar expressions are すごい言われよう / ひどい言われよう = ひどい言われ方/すごい言われ方

      言われる is a passive form
      The way someone talks about you affects you in a negative way or it causes you some trouble
      So the speaker thought way someone puts it/says about you (or someone) was horrible/terrible

  15. Hello Maggie Sensei

    Thank you for your lesson

    I have a request please correct my sentence if you feel it wrong

    若いものと老いものの違いはほとんど目で見分けすることができません

    1. Hi 夕焼
      若いもの→若者
      老いもの⇨老いた者 (but it sounds a little rude) How about お年寄り（おとしより） or 年をとった人
      見分けすること⇨見分けること
      You do 　見分ける with your 目 so it is redundant.So maybe you don’t need 目

      So this sentence is saying you can’t tell young people from old people by just looking at them.
      Is that what you wanted to say?

      1. hello sensei, that is what i want to say. so how do i make the complete sentences

        btw, if you want to say
        “young one” = 若いのは

        how do you say “old one”

  16. 先生こんにちは、
    Thank you for your replies!
    Could you please check these sentences?

    日本のゆうめいな大会は全日本剣道選手権大会です。
    毎年、各都道府県で最高の日本選手はこの大会に参加します。
    オリンピックには剣道がありません。

    ありがとうございます！

    1. 各都道府県で最高の日本選手は→I would say 毎年各都道府県で選ばれた選手 / 予選で優勝した選手がこの大会に参加します。
      オリンピックには剣道がありません。OK or オリンピックの種目には剣道が(or は）ありません。

  17. 先生こんにちは、
    お元気ですか。
    I’ve got a project at school to talk about my favourite tv show.

    When talking about what is IN the tv show, what particle can I use?
    For example,
    ワンピース＿海賊があります。

    Also, I need to describe a character. How can I say something like;
    There is a famous character who is a kendou player. 彼の名前はロロノアゾロです.

    ありがとうございます！

    1. こんにちは、Grace,
      ワンピース＿海賊があります。 →What did you want to say? This sentence sounds like “There are pirates in One Piece”
      When you are talking about people, you say います not あります. But for the show, 出てきます appear is more common.

      It depends on the context but when you are talking about a character in the TV show, you can say
      （show)の + character name
      (show)の中に出てくる + character name

  18. You’re amazing and I love your lessons. They’ve helped me many times during my Japanese learning journey these past few months. That’s all I have to say for now :) おしえてくれてありがとう

    1. Hello humanbean

      うれしいコメントありがとうございます！
      Thank you so much for your kind words! I hope you keep studying Japanese with fun! :)

  19. Hello Maggie

    学者でさえとけない問題が試験に出た。

    What does the で mean in this phrase. I thought で means at a place, but here it is attached to 学者

    Thx in advance

  20. Hello Maggie

    What is the difference between にすく・くする and ことにする

    also between

    になる・くなる and ことになる
    ?

    Thx in advance

  21. Hello Maggie Sensei,

    そこには毎日、一輪だけ花をを買いに来るおばあさんや、ゲーム機と交換に花を買いたいと言う小学生など。

    What does the ゲーム機と交換に花を買いたいと言う小学生 mean in the sentence? Elementary students say that they who want to exchange flowers for a game machine? Or they want to exchange their game machines for flowers?
    Also why is there a と言う there? Is it said that, or is it the students saying it?

    thx in advance

    1. Hi Mark
      ゲーム機と交換に花を買いたいis quoting what the 小学生 is saying.
      小学生は「ゲーム機と交換に花を買いたい」と言う
      →Describe what kind of elementary school student
      「ゲーム機と交換に花を買いたい」と言う小学生
      The elementary school student who says “I want to buy ~ “

  22. Hello Maggie Sensei

    彼の悲しみが痛いほど近くに感じられたのである。
    Can you explain what the ほど signifies here?
    Is it: “I felt to the extent his pain?”
    or “his sadness was to the extent of his pain which I also felt?”

    私が社会人になってからは、彼の書いたものをほとんど読まなくなったせいか、それ以上の感激はなく、正直に言うと、少し物足りない気持ちだった、
    I had a questions about the above sentence, what does the せいか signify, is it せい-か ( I feel bad) or the entire word せいか? Does it mean AND?

    thx in advance

    1. Hi Mark
      ほど 　expresses how much this person feels his sadness.
      So the speaker feels his sadness so much that it hurts

      せい in this case indicates the reason why = because
      せいか（どうかわからないが) the speaker is not sure if it is because I started not to read his writing but~

  23. Hello Maggies Sensei

    若いころからある分野に対して人並外れた知識や興味を持っており、夢中でそれを学ぶうちに、いつの間にかそれを仕事にすることになったという人も多い。

    Can you explain what the に対して means in this context?

    1. Hi Mark
      In this case “towards”

      〜に対して知識を持つ = ~ についての知識を持つ = to have a knowledge towards ~
      〜に対して興味を持つ = ~ に興味を持つ = to have interest in ~

  24. Hello Maggie Sensei.

    医者や学校の先生のように評論家になるための資格試験があるわけではない。

    I wanted to ask is this the same as: 医者や学校の先生の資格試験がある　が　評論家になるための資格試験があるわけではない

    Basically how can I chop up the sentence so it makes sense that doctors and teachers NEED a test, but critics do not need a test?

  25. Hi, Maggie Sensei

    Thank you for your hardwork. I’ve been learning Japanese with you for some years.

    I’d like to have a lesson explaining how to use 適当 / テキトー (tekitou) on positive and negative contexts.

    Thanks!

  26. Hi Sensei,

    For context, this line is part of a song lyric. Two of the translations I found translated it to:

    どこにも行かないと
    “Wherever I go” / “I can go anywhere”

    Is either one of these correct?

    I would have translated it to something like “I’m not going anywhere” because the sentence ends in negative form.

    Thank you in advance for your help, Sensei!

    1. Hi po
      Your translation is right.
      どこにも行かない means “I won’t go anywhere”　・”I am not going anywhere”
      Wherever I go is ⇨どこに行こうと
      I can go anywhere is ⇨どこにでも行ける

      1. Maggie-sensei,

        Thank you so much for your reply. I’m sorry to bother you again but may I ask one more question about the line from before? I should have just included it in the previous message but this is the whole verse:

        その手に導かれて
        たどり着いた答えは
        信じられる
        どこにも行かないと

        Is the translation “I’m not going anywhere” still correct for the last line? Does the [と] at the end change or mean anything?

        (sorry for sending the message twice, i replied to the wrong post before)

        1. Hello again, Po
          A lot of lyrics has so-called “inversion” (reversing the normal word order of a structure)
          So その手に導かれてたどり着いた答えはどこにも行かないと信じられる
          So this と is to quote what the speaker can believe.

          It is hard to judge who is who from these sentences but it could be the speaker can believe that the person who lead him/her with his/her hand is not leaving him/her. So “You are not going anywhere” could be the right interpretation.

          1. Aah, I see. Now that you mention it, I’ve seen this “inversion” in other ways (in manga or spoken). I don’t know why it’s so hard for me to catch them in song lyrics. Why are song lyrics so hard to translate in general? haha

            Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions Sensei! If you ever feel like it, I would love to see a lesson on inversions some day.

            I hope you have a great day!

            ありがとうございます！:)

          2. どういたしまして！
            Just keep it in mind that if the sentence finish with a particle or unnatural way, go back to the previous lines and find the main verb.
            Enjoy studying Japanese. ☺️

  27. Hello Maggie Sensei,

    勿論、今の学年の内容が分からないままで上の学年に上がってしまったら、今より難しい内容についていくことはできない。だが、その生徒に対して、ボランティアが特別に指導をしたりすれば、この問題は改善すると考えられる。

    I wanted to ask what does the についていくことはできない mean? Does it mean the student cannot understand(2) or cannot go up to the next class (3)?

    I chose answer 2, but I do not know why についていくことはできない means understand? Can you explain please?

    2 – 勉強できない生徒が上の学年に上がったときに授業を理解できないこと

    3 – 勉強できない生徒が授業についていけないので上の学年に上がれないこと

    Is 2 correct?

    1. Maggie-sensei,

      Thank you so much for your reply. I’m sorry to bother you again but may I ask one more question about the line from before? I should have just included it in the previous message but this is the whole verse:

      その手に導かれて
      たどり着いた答えは
      信じられる
      どこにも行かないと

      Is the translation “I’m not going anywhere” still correct for the last line? Does the [と] at the end change or mean anything?

  28. Hello Maggie,

    どの学校を選ぶが、もっとよく教えて決めるべきだったと今では残念に思っている。

    what does the above statement mean and its situation? My guess:

    Which school should I have chosen (for me or someone else) I ( or someone else) should have taught and decided what to do, now I am in trouble?

    It does not make sense to me

    2. Hi Mark
      Please check your original sentence
      I think
      どの学校を選ぶが→選ぶか
      教えて→考えて

      I regret that I should have thought more carefully and decided which school to go.

  29. Hello Maggie Sensei,

    禁煙のレストランで一人の客がタバコを吸っている場面で、店側は何と言ってタバコをやめてもらうだろうか。このレストランを禁煙と決めたは店の人だ。

    I wanted to confirm the setting / translation. What does this part mean: 何と言ってタバコをやめてもらうだろうか

    Does it mean: “What can the restaurant owner say, do not smoke” What does this context suggest?

    Also
    話し手の意志があるとあるか、どういうことか

    what does the above があるとあるか and どういうことか mean? What kind of sentence pattern is this?

    thx in advance

    1. Hi Mark

      何と言ってタバコをやめてもらうだろうか means
      How would the restaurant owner ask the customer (who is smoking) not to smoke.

      The sentence 話し手の意志があるとあるか、どういうことか alone doesn’t make sense. 🤔

      1. Hello Maggie,
        sorry I made a typo, it is:

        話し手の意志があるとあるが、どういうことか

        Its a が not a か
        What does the set phrase があるとあるが mean?

  30. Hello Maggie Sensei,

    The person writing this letter is 大山春樹 –

    さて、このたび、私が習っているギターの先生のコンサートが六月十日に開かれることになりました。今回は、先生のお友達であるプロのギタリスト、南ゆかりさんが特別ゲストとして出演されます。

    このコンサートに出演するのはだれは。

    1 – 大山さんと南ゆかりさん

    2 – 大山さんと先生と南ゆかりさん

    3 – 先生と南ゆかりさん

    4 – 南ゆかりさんと特別ゲスト

    Hello, for the answers above I chose number 1, but it was wrong. Why is number 1 wrong? The writer 大山さん said he is learning the guitar ( and I think for the preparations for the concert ) by the phrase 私が習っている. Also where does it say in the above text that 先生 will be performing?

    Thx in advance

    1. Hi Mark
      南ゆかりさん will be a guest player for sure.
      You have to read the first sentence carefully.
      I’ll put ( ) so that you can see the sentence better.
      さて、このたび、(私が習っているギターの)先生のコンサートが六月十日に開かれることになりました。
      ( ) part explain what kind of teacher he/she is. = the teacher that I am taking a guitar lesson from.
      So it is not the writer, 大山さん’s concert. It is a concert that he/she is taking a lesson from.

  31. Hello Maggie Sensei, do you have a ‘potential’ section:

    I wanted to ask about:
    時間もりさんに合わせられます

    Is it the same as:

    時間もりさんに合わせられます = (私の)時間もりさんに合わせられます.

    Can you check this direct translation: In addition to my schedule (時間も) りさん’s schedule also can be changed by りさん?

    So could I also write it as:

    りさん は　(私の)時間　を　合わせられます ?

    Thx in advance

    1. Hi Mark,

      The literal translation would be
      私は時間も李さん(の都合 or ご希望）に合わせられます。
      And if the subject is 李さん
      李さんは、（私の希望の・都合のいい）時間に合わせられますか？

  32. Hello Maggie Sensei, can you tell me what the DIFFERENCE between what these two structures are: (and / or how/when they are used?)

    1. 「~する/しないことを心掛ける」 (~ようにする、~ようにしている)

    and

    2. 「~を実現させることを試みる。」 (~(よ)うとする)

    Thanks in advance

  33. Hello Maggie Sensei,

    1. ああ。ゆうこさん、着物が似合いますね。国の家族にみせたいので、写真を a. 撮ってもいいですか b. 撮ってほしいのですが The correct answer is a in this case, I chose b instead. Can anyone explain why the answer is not b, in my understanding the girl who is talking is wearing the kimono and asking ゆう子さん to take her picture so she could send it to her parents.
    Since the answer is instead a, it means she is asking for permission to take a picture of ゆう子さん who would then be wearing the kimono to send to who’s parents? ゆうこさん’s parents or her own parents?

    2. 冗談を(a or b) です。私は真面目に話しているんです。 a.言わないといい b.言わないでもらいたい The correct answer for this one is b, can anyone tell me why it could not be a?

    Thanks in advance

    1. Hi Mark

      You say “anyone” but I will answer this time. I can leave your question as an open question from now so that anybody can answer you. 😉

      So the speaker is talking to Yuko who is wearing kimono.
      In the first sentence, the speaker is saying 着物が似合いますね。. That’s a compliment to Yuko. “You looks good in kimono.”
      So if you have to choose the following sentence, b) doesn’t make sense.
      A) 写真を撮ってもいいですか Can I take your picture?
      B) 撮ってほしいのですが Can you take my picture?

      The speaker wants to take her picture and send it to his/her family in his/her country.

      2. 言わないでもらいたい I don’t want you to make a joke = Stop kidding me.
      You usually use もらう/くれる to do something nice but you sometimes ask people not to do something annoying

      言わないといい: そんな冗談は言わない方がいいよ would work but not といい sounds unnatural.
      You use といい for something uncertain.

      日本に行けるといいね。= I hope you can go to Japan. / I hope we can go to Japan.
      明日は雨が降らないといいな。I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow.

  34. Hello　Maggie Sensei

    I am trying to understand the GIST of the following passage:

    寄付つきの商品といって、その売り上げの一部はボラティア組織などへ寄付されるというものです。
    値段は安くはないですが、それを買うことで「困っている人の助けになる」ことができます。
    自分の好きなものが手に入り、同時に困っている人の助けになる。

    Ok for this part, I am going to take a stab at it:
    Contributed things are by volunteers? ( but then what does the 売り上げの一部 mean? ) Also I thought といって means however, does it mean however in this context?
    This is what also I do not get, it is saying that the price is not cheap, I thought these are contributions, so they are not only cheap, they are free, correct?
    Then the things I like I can get, and it also helps the people who are in trouble.

    Although I cannot picture in my mind what they are talking about over-all. He gets the things he likes, from where, the contributed items, who contributed them and how does it help the unfortunate people?

    Thanks in Advance.

    1. Hello Mark

      So the writer was talking about some products and explain what they are.

      These are called (といって*）“the products with donation”
      * といって = ~ is called ~ (explaining what it is)
      ~という (to quote) →te-form といって
      Part of sales of these products （売上の一部）will be donated to some volunteer organizations.
      If you understand these parts, the following parts should make sense.

      1. Thank you for your answer Maggie Sensei,

        one part that I do not understand is why is the passive form used here:
        その売り上げの一部はボラティア組織などへ寄付されるというものです。

        「寄付される」
        Why is this a passive form and what does it mean in the sentence?
        When I make a sentence:
        私は蚊に刺された。
        It means I was bitten by the mosquito.

        SO using the same logic, the above sentence would mean:
        One part of the contribution was contributed by the Volunteer organization.
        That is not correct right?

        Thx in advance

        1. OK, compare the following two sentences
          その会社は、売上の一部をボラティア組織などへ寄付します。(the subject is その会社) The company will donate the part of the sales to some volunteer organizations.
          その売り上げの一部はボラティア組織などへ寄付される (the subject is 売上の一部/ It doesn’t say “by whom” but “by the company who sells the products”)
          the part of the sales will be donated to some volunteer organizations.

          1. Thank you Maggie Sensei,
            I guess the problem I am having with is using へ and/or に with passive.
            So with へ it means to give to the organization.
            But if we use に it means something else correct?

            1. 私は蚊に刺された。
            2. その売り上げの一部はボラティア組織など へ 寄付される

            So for 1 above, there is no 3rd person, but in 2 there is a 3rd hidden person, the donator, correct?
            How can I tell if in a sentence there is a hidden 3rd person in the sentence or not?

            Is it because of the に and へ? They cannot be interchanged correct? So if there is a に it means there is no hidden 3rd person, but if we use へ it means there is a 3rd hidden person?

            Thx in advance

          2. You can tell if there is a 3rd hidden person by the context.
            If the readers can tell what you are talking about, you often omit the information.

            For example if you are talking about the live ticket.
            Ex. 整理券は、朝９時から配られます。
            You can’t tell who distribute the tickets but actually it is not important. You can assume the company who organize the concert does it and important thing is how the tickets will be given.

  35. Hello Maggie-sensei,

    I understand the basic meaning and usage of ~として, but I wonder if it can be used in every case you use “as (something)” in English.

    For example, if I saw a beautiful drawing and wanted to say “I would like to have this beautiful drawing as a wallpaper (in my room)”,
    would it be something like:
    壁紙としてこの美しい絵が欲しいです。
    or maybe
    壁紙としてのこの美しい絵が欲しいです。

    Or maybe something entirely else? This particular case of “as” seems tricky to me and I don’t know how I should structure the sentence; I couldn’t find any example sentences either.

    どうもありがとうございます！

    1. Hello Fish
      Yes, you can use　　として in the meaning of “as”
      壁紙としてこの美しい絵が欲しいです。is more natural than 壁紙としてのこの美しい絵が欲しいです。

      or この美しい絵を壁紙として使いたい。

  36. Hello Maggie Sensei
    明るいうちに庭の掃除をしてしまおう

    I think there are 2 meanings, one is feeling bad, and the other is the job is complete, correct? why is there a おう at the end?

    Can you tell me where is your lesson on しまう？ or しまい 　しまった？

    Thx in advance

      1. Sensei
        Ex I have finished my homework.
        Is the following all correct? ちがう?
        しゅくだい を おわる。[終わる]
        しゅくだい を おえる。[終える]
        しゅくだい を しまう。[仕舞う]
        Thank you

        1. Hi soleyman
          終わる can be intransitive/transitive verb so you can say both
          授業を終わります。 I will finish my class. (to finish the class with the speaker’s will.)
          授業が終わります。The class will be finished.

          However when you are talking about one’s homework,
          宿題を終わる might sound a little unnatural.

          These three are fine.
          宿題を終える (transitive verb)
          宿題を終わらせる (causative)
          宿題が終わる (intransitive verb)

          宿題をしまう is OK. to put away one’s homework.

  37. Hello sensei
    What is the meaning 戦豆
    How do you pronounce (using hiragana) 戦豆
    戦豆 の お猿さん は、バナナ が あまり好き じゃありません。
    なぜなら、戦豆 の お猿さん は 日本猿 だから 日本の果物 の方 が 好きです。
    Difference between はじまる and はじめる。 Is the following example correct?
    「はじまりました」 the match have started (said by the spectators)
    「はじめましょう」 let’s play / let’s start (said by the tennis player)
    どうも ありがとう

    1. Hello soleyman

      I checked the word 戦豆. You read it せんず.
      It was a name for a monkey theater group. 戦豆 are the beans that Japanese people ate during the war to give them power. So they named the monkey theater group after the beans’ name to give people power.

      You are right.
      はじまりました　Something has started (intransitive verb): The show/match has started. (from the spectator’s point of view)
      はじめました Someone started something (Transitive verb) * So as you said はじめましょう is from this form

  38. こんにちは、マギー先生！
    インドネシア人のトレザです。
    マギー先生のおかげで、日本語についていろいろ勉強しました。

    ところで、質問がありますが、読んでいるビジュアルノベルの文のことです。
    ゲームを遊んでいた時、この文章を見つかって、気になることがあります。

    「あたりがよく見えないな。。。このでっかい障害物をどけてと。」

    この「てと」形はなんでしょうか。(MCはでっかい人と話していました)

    「退ける」から「どけてと」になると思いますが、どんな時に使いますか。
    「このでっかい障害物をどけたら。」と同じでしょうか。
    そもそも、会話なら、「たら」で終わることができますか。

    「医者に見てもらったら。」とか
    読んだ教科書に基づいて、文章の末尾で「たら」をつけるって聞いたことなくて、気になります。

    ご説明お願いします。

    When can we use -teto form? Is it a shortened conversational form that I don’t know?
    Can I also use “tara” at end of the sentence? I am still learning how to speak/express Japanese naturally. It will be a great help if you can explain Maggie sensei ^^

    1. Hello Treza

      ~てと is used when you talk to yourself. It is for a casual speech.
      So the speaker is listing up what to do in this case.
      I can’t see well here. I guess I am going to remove this big thing in my way first and then…

      Other example
      When you are cooking. You are talking to yourself (Or thinking )
      まず塩をいれて、それから…
      →まず、塩をいれてと..

  39. マギー先生！こんにちは
    いつも綿所の質問を答えてくれて、どうもありがとうございました。
    今回　質問があります。教えてくれませんか。
    「父は親切です。」「親切」は身内や親しい人につかいますか。
    先生、お願いします。

    1. こんにちは、Ha Thao
      自分に対してではなく他の人に親切ならば
      父は（他人に）親切です
      というように使うことができますが、自分や家族に対してならば
      父は優しいです・優しい人です
      の方が自然です。

      1. こんばんは、マギー先生！
        教えてくれて、どうもありがとうございました。
        私はわかりました。

  40. こんにちはマギー先生！

    私はボランティアとして予防接種センターに勤めています。先日、英語が出来ない日本人の接種者(vaccinee?)が私のカウンターに来ました。2年ぶり日本人と話して、接種関する用語も分からなくて、あまりうまくいきませんでした。特に敬語のことです。簡単のことはずのに、「After the observation period (~15 min) is over, you may leave the hall at any time」どうやって日本語で言うと考えられませんでした。「経過観察時間（期間？）が終わったら、自由に出て行ってもよろしいです」って正しいですか。それとも「帰ってもかまいません」ですか。

    1. こんにちは、altuser,

      OK, for example you can say
      接種後約15分は、経過観察のため、こちら (or こちらの会場）でお待ちください。
      その間、問題なければお帰りください。

  41. Hi Maggie Sensei

    Why is に used in this sentence instead of を ? (に捕まる vs を捕まえる)

    畳が側面にある…
    部屋が回転したんだ
    これがこの鬼の血鬼術
    「てる子！　家具に つかまれ」

    1. Hi Noah,
      掴む （つかむ）
      ~を掴む/つかむ = 　to grab something (object of the action)
      〜に掴まる/つかまる = to hold on to the furniture 　(action goes towards certain direction/object)

  42. I want to say “I made grape juice”
    ぶどう で ジュース を つくった。
    ぶどう の ジュース を つくった。
    Which one is correct?
    Both sentence have same meaning?

    Thank you sensei
    ps In Malaysia you need get an invite from a “Government” app to get vaccinated (it is base on age group). How about Japan?

    1. Both of them are correct but the nuance difference is
      ぶどう で ジュース を つくった。　　I made juice from grapes (using grapes)
      ぶどう の ジュース を つくった。 I made juice of grapes/I made grape juice
      You can also say
      ぶどうジュースをつくった。(or グレープジュースをつくった） I made grape juice.

      We don’t use app to get vaccinated.
      They send a letter with vaccination tickets using the postal service.

  43. Hi, Maggie sensei.

    I was studyng the usages of the particle に and I got a few questions.
    What the particle に indicates in these exemples?

    車に乗る。(maybe direction towards)
    家におばけが出る。(maybe direction towards)
    試験に受かる。

    They are all intransitive verbs, have nothing to do with time nor passive action. Maybe the first two sentences heva an motion verb, but the last one I have no idea.

    1. Hi Felipe

      1) to get on/ to ride ~
      You use the particle に
      車に乗る
      エレベーターに乗る
      自転車に乗る
      As you wrote, it indicates the destination for the action

      2) おばけが出る

      When something appears/to show one’s presence in some place, you use に

      舞台に出る appear on the stage
      テレビに出る appear on TV

      3) 試験に受かる

      When you talk about some victory or defeat/passing or failing the exam, you use に
      試験を受ける = to take an exam.
      試験に受かる/合格する/パスする　= to pass the exam
      試験に落ちる

      試合に勝つ　to win the game
      試合に負ける to lose the game

      One’s action leads to some result (destination/result of one’s action)

  44. Hi Maggie sensei! I was wondering if you could explain what follows a sentence that starts with 〜までして。。。

    In my text book some examples are 親に嘘をついてまで遊びに行きたくない。And 嫌な思いまでして、彼女と付き合うことないよ。I wonder if you can end the sentences other ways. For example could you say 1からの作り直しまでさせるなんてひどい！(they are making me start over from scratch!)

    If you could just give some examples of how to end a sentence that uses 〜までして that would be really helpful!

    Thank you!!

    1. Hi Austin,

      1からの作り直しまでさせるなんてひどい！ doesn’t quite make sense but you can rephrase it with 〜ぐらいなら
      親に嘘をつくぐらいなら遊びに行きたくない
      嫌な思いをするぐらいなら彼女と付き合うことないよ。

      Vてまで V means “to want to do ~ so badly even doing something extreme”
      If it is used in a negative sentence
      Vてまで〜たくない/〜ことない
      One does not want to/have to go so far as doing something extreme

      So imagine, you want to come to Japan.
      日本に行きたい
      But what if it causes you a lot of trouble coming here. For example you have to pay $10,000.
      You might think it’s not worth it. You are not desperate.
      $10,000まで払って日本に行きたくない。
      And if your friend is thinking about going to Japan paying that much money, you would tell your friend,
      you don’t need to go paying that much money. (It is not worth it.)
      $10,000まで払って日本に行くことないよ。

      1. Thanks so much for your explanation! So what you’re saying is 〜までして most commonly ends with 〜したくない or 〜ことない, right?

        1. Yes.
          Or 〜までして〜必要はない/〜しなくてもいい = You don’t have to do (giving a suggestion) are also common ones.

  45. Hello Sensei,
    I have a ところ question.
    1. 学校を休んで遊んでいる(???)友達のお母さんに見られた。

    According to my book, the answer to number 1 is ところを
    So my question is for 1, cannot we use ところに instead, since with this it is like saying とき、時, At that time, I was seen by my friends mom. Why is it を instead of に？(Is it because of emphasis? )

    1. Hi

      I explained ところを　ところに　in this lesson so please check it. Link is here.

      As I explained in that lesson
      を ( = wo) is an object marker. You will see the answer if you simplify the sentence.
      友達のお母さんはXを見た。　→(passive form) 友達のお母さんにXを見られた
      X = （私が）学校を休んで遊んでいる

      ところに When two things happen at the same time
      XときにY
      学校を休んで遊んでいるときに友達のお母さんに会った。
      X = （私が）学校を休んで遊んでいる
      Y = 友達のお母さんに会う

      1. Hello Sensei,
        thank you for the link to the ところ section.
        I read through the link and the questions below it but I still do not understand why the following sentence:
        ケーキが上がったところへ子供たちが帰ってきた。
        why is this using とことへ and not ところで？
        The same for this sentence:
        楽しみにしていたテレビドラマが始まったところで電話が鳴った。
        Why is this using ところで instead of ところに or へ？

        They are both similar sentences, after the cake is made, the kids came,
        At the time when the drama started, the telephone rang.
        They both should use ところで because of the past tense of the た before them,
        but they also could both be using ところに or ところへ because those things happened at the same time　時　とき
        right?

        Thx in advance

        1. Maybe you can figure out which one to use with the second verb.
          ところへ(When ~) + a motion/transfer verb/some action is coming towards you　　くる、やってくる、現れる、帰ってくる, 電話がかかってくる
          ところで(After something has done/you finish ~) + other action

          ケーキが出来上がったところへ子供たちが帰ってきた。
          帰ってきた the verb that expresses transfer from one point to the other
          Let me change the following verb
          ケーキが出来上がったところで、お茶をいれよう。
          お茶をいれる other action so you can use ところで

          楽しみにしていたテレビドラマが始まったところで電話が鳴った。
          電話が鳴る　other action
          Change the following verb to see how it changes.
          楽しみにしていたドラマが始まったところへ子供達が帰ってきた。

  46. Hello Sensei,
    I had a quick question of the difference between these 2 sentences:
    4時に (起きなければ) or (起きてからでないと) 飛行機の時間には間に合わない。

    The correct answer is 起きなければ, but why can’t it be 起きてからでないと?

    Thx in advance

    1. Hi Mark

      ４時に起きなければ飛行機の時間に間に合わない is correct.
      If I don’t get up at 4:00, I will miss the flight.
      ~ば indicates the condition.
      In this case getting up at 4:00 is a condition to make it in time for the flight.

      4時に起きてからでないと飛行機の時間には間に合わない。doesn’t make sense.
      “AてからでないとB” means
      “Until ~ finishes ~ / ~ is done (A) + you can’t do ~ / you won’t do ~ / you shouldn’t do ~ (B)
      In other word, → You can do ~ /You will do ~ (B) after you finish something/something is done.(A)

      Ex. 宿題をやってからでないと出かけられない。
      = Until I finish my homework, I can’t go out.

      1. Thank you Maggie Sensei.
        The reason why I was confused is because in my book it says this:
        家族の相談してからでないと買うかどうか決められません

        So does the second part have to be a verb? 買う is a verb in above, 出ます is also a verb in your example, but 間に合わない is not a verb.
        Does this make sense?
        Thank you in advance
        Mark

        1. 家族の相談してからでないと買うかどうか決められません
          This is a typical example sentence.
          You usually use a potential verb (negative form) for the main verb, such as できません、出かけられません、買えません、行けません, わかりません
          Ex. 仕事が終わってからでないと遊べません。
          Ex. 彼に聞いてからでないとわかりません。
          You also use an adjective. Ex. 無理だ, だめだ, 危ない, 難しい

          Ex. JLPTに合格してからでないと日本に行くのは難しい。

          4時に起きてからでないと飛行機の時間には間に合わない。
          The problems of this sentence are
          1) the time, 4:00 and 2) the main verb 間に合わない which just expresses to be in time or not.
          You might see why it is unnatural if you translate it literally,
          I won’t make it in time for the flight until I get up at 4:00”. ???

  47. Hello Maggie Sensei
    Thank you as always

    I want to ask about something I don’t get here

    what is the meaning ロン here
    ロンで世界統一

    Is this supposed to be the borrowed word “Loan”?
    I get it from the game and that is the only context

    1. Hello zenkeeiz
      The literal translation of ロンで世界統一 is
      Unite the world by “RON”
      Is it from a a mah-jong game? If so, ロン (RON) means “to win on a discard / to win a hand by using a discard from another player”

  48. Maggie せんせい
    I can hear the sound of drum beating a few houses away.
    1) たいこ の 音おと が 聞こえる。
    2) たいこ の 音おと が 聞ける。[きく]
    Do both sentence have same meaning?

    どうもありがとう

  49. Sensei! I’m confused about the difference between 〜たら and 〜なら in what situation can we use either and in what situation can we use one but not the other? I’ve kinda just been going with my gut instinct when using them…

    1. Hi Yuki,

      I have long たら and なら lessons so please check them for the details.

      Let’s compare the following
      *友達が日本に行くなら私も行きます。
      If my friends goes to Japan, I will go there, too.

      *友達が日本に行ったら私も行きます。
      Once my friend goes to Japan, I will go there, too.
      (After my friend get to Japan, I will go there, too.)

      **
      *お客さんが来るならお菓子を買いにいかなくてはいけない。
      If the guest is coming, I have to go buy sweets.

      *お客さんが来たらお菓子を買いにいかなくてはいけない。
      After the guest arrives, I have to go buy sweets.

      たら is more general and you can use for both certain and uncertain conditions.But you can’t use なら for certain conditions.

      ◯　５時になったら帰ります。
      X　 ５時になるなら帰ります。

      ◯　夜になったら涼しくなった。/涼しくなります。
      X　夜になるなら涼しくなった。/涼しくなります。

  50. 先生,
    What is the difference between
    鯣 [するめ]
    烏賊 [いか]

    ありがとう
    ps saw one piece episode where, luffy named the giant squid he fought with surume

    1. Hello soleyman

      いか (烏賊） is squid. It is a general name of a sea creature. 🦑
      するめ(鯣） is “dried squid” (sometimes you shred them.) It is something like beef jerky with squid.
      You eat them as nibbles for drinks.
      I don’t know the scene in One Piece but probably he said that to insult the squid.

  51. Maggie先生

    こんにちは。If you write a letter or an email on genkoyoshi, do you leave one/three or no boxes on the first line, before ゆきさんへ、

    Some teachers say no space but someone says leave three boxes, and someone says to leave one. I am so confused. It is for the HSC Japanese exam.

    ありがとう。

    1. Hi Luke,
      ゆきさんへ is a title of your writing?
      If so, you usually leave two or three spaces(boxes) before the title.
      If it is a part of your writing and leave one space(box) before ゆきさんへ
      Maybe you can google typing the following key words
      原稿用紙 題名 書き方

      You can see lots of sites with examples. The visual instructions will help you more.

  52. こんにちは、マギー先生！よろしくお願いします〜質問があります、それはいいですか？

    i wanted to know what the basics of gyaru nicknames are, i have seen them a lot but am confused about if there are any rules on how to make them…

    also, in current gyaru slang, is agepoyo/poyo poyo still popular?

    thank you for your time~

    1. Hello ☆linn

      When I made gyaru lesson in 2011.
      あげぽよ、さげぽよ are totally old fashioned now.
      There are no specific rules for how to make nick names but
      〜るん
      〜りん
      〜たん
      〜ぽん
      etc are the common ones.

      or if your name is Linn リン
      It could be リンリン 😉

  53. Hello MaggieSensei

    Thank you as always for your lesson

    Can you please correct this sentence if wrong

    新作のゲームはもうすぐ発売されそうです

    Thano you

    1. Hello, zenkeeiz

      That means the new game is about to be released.
      Just change は→が
      新作のゲームが〜されそうです。
      Did you want to say “I heard the new game will be released soon.”?
      If so,
      新作のゲームがもうすぐ発売されるそうです。
      If you want to say “The new game will be about to

      1. Hello sensei.

        I also heard like this amd was wondering what is the difference from above sentences.

        新作のゲームが発売だそうです
        is this similar ?

  54. Hello, Maggie sensei. I have a question.
    In a manga that I read, the main character is fighting the bad guys, but then he gets caught in a trap . His enemy say: 残念だったな
    Why is it だった (past form) instead of 残念だな?

    1. Hello Khan,

      I guess he can say 残念だな but to emphasize his attempt failed and it is a done deal, he used the past tense.
      That was unfortunate. / Too bad. You had no luck.

  55. こんにちはマッギ先生！ お元気ですか。

    It’s Grace again :))
    How would you say, “There is a restaurant close to the park”?

    ありがとうございます。

    1. Sorry I just remembered I had another question! What is the word for memory? Not brain memory, but referring to a special memory like hanging out with friends.

      In addition to that question, can you use it like this?
      ”そのとくべつな(memory)があります”

      Sorry to bother you!

    2. こんにちは、Grace,
      公園の近くにレストランがあります。 = こうえんのちかくにレストランがあります。
      If you want to stress “one restaurant”,
      公園の近くに一軒のレストランがあります。= こうえんのちかくにいっけんのレストランがあります。

  56. Hello Maggie sensei,

    My question concerns how to use the verb ‘know’ (しる) when asking for information. Context:
    1. If I am in a restaurant and want to know where the toilet is (I assume there is a toilet), then I can be direct and ask トイレはどこですか. I do this in any language.

    2. If I am outside and ask a stranger something (which might not even exist) then I am indirect, and say something like すみません、このへんにコンビニはありますか. If the person says ‘yes’, then I can ask ‘where?’. Again, I do this in any language.

    3. Sometimes it is more polite to first ask “Do you know (if, whether, how, where) …”. I recently saw some sentences in Japanese similar to the following: すみません、この近くにあるバスていを知りませんか. However, I do not understand how or why the negative (polite) form of shiru is used. I could use the negative form in English, but it is complicated (“You wouldn’t happen to know where the bus stop is, would you?”).

    So, why 知りませんか. If this is a normal expression/usage, then a ‘yes’ answer is good enough. If it is weird and rare grammar, then I will avoid the expression. :-)

    Thanks in advance for your help.
    Michael

    1. Hello Michael,

      Good question.
      You can say　知っていますか？　but negative form is slightly more polite. 知りませんか？
      The affirmative form is more straightforward/more possibilities and negative form sounds softer. It adds the meaning of “happened to V/would it be possible (to ~ )” and it gives less pressure to the listener.

      Is there a convenience store around here?
      この辺にコンビニはありますか？
      この辺にコンビニはありませんか？ (Is there a convenience store by any chance?)

      Could you fix it by tomorrow?
      明日までに修理することはできますか？
      明日までに修理することはできませんか？ (Would it be possible to fix it by tomorrow?)

      Is Tanaka-san here/there?
      田中さんはいらっしゃいますか？
      田中さんはいらっしゃいませんか？ (Is Tanaka-san happened to be here/there?)

      Do you have your ID?
      身分証明書は持っていますか？
      身分証明書は持っていませんか？ (Do you happened to have your ID?)

      I won’t go too deep here but when you ask someone to do something together, negative form is more polite.

      一緒に食べますか？
      (more polite) →一緒に食べませんか？

      1. Dear Maggie Sensei,

        Thanks very much for your explanation and examples. I can recognize the situations, and it works the same way in other countries. When you are asking something, you want to create a safe situation that does not put too many assumptions on the other person. The difference between cultures is that different forms of expression are used.

        I was already familiar with the ませんか form when asking to do something together. But it did not seem to fit with my original question. But now I wonder if, metaphorically, the situations are the same. If Japanese language already had a ませんか form to make requests indirectly and politely, then the same form could be used, but dropping the ‘together’ part of the meaning. So, with the doing repairs example, the paraphrase would be “I’m not expecting you to do repairs by tomorrow and I’m not assuming that you have the time, but it would be really nice if it was possible…” That’s a lot to squeeze into a ませんか but that is more or less what is going on.

        It is not always safe to make too literal translations from one language to another. Everyday language isn’t easy to explain to a non-native speaker, because a native speaker doesn’t always learn rules, but rather learns habits of speech by using the language in real life.

        For example, I was thinking “When do I use a negative form for ‘know’ in English?” In fact, I do occasionally use it but, in contrast to Japanese, this more often happens in casual settings with friends, rather than with strangers. Rather than starting with すみません … I would introduce my comment with a phrase similar to そういえば … or ところで … followed by the negative verb. And, what I’m communicating is “I’m not assuming you should know, and won’t hold it against you if you don’t, but I wonder if …”.

        Sorry for my long comment. I am fascinated by the process of learning a language.

        Best wishes, Michael

        1. I enjoyed reading your comment as well. :)
          And I am also fascinated by your question.
          Learning language is deep and interesting. You are not just learning the grammar and memorizing all the words and kanji.

  57. こんにちはマギー先生！お元気ですか。

    Could you please check these sentences?
    １。うどんを食べとことがありますけどさむいうどんを食べたことがありません。(Is this the right use of けど?)
    ２。うどんはネギが入っています。 (Are these the right particles?)

    ありがとうございます。

    1. こんにちは、Grace!
      はい、元気ですよ〜♪
      １。うどんを食べとことがありますけどさむいうどんを食べたことがありません。(Is this the right use of けど?)
      OK, you don’t say さむい for food. You say　つめたい
      Yes, you can use が・けれど・けど. が is more formal and けど is more casual
      うどんを食べたことはありますが、つめたいうどんを食べたことはありません。(or つめたいうどんはありません。）
      うどんを食べたことはあるけれど、つめたいうどんを食べたことはありません。(or つめたいうどんはありません。）
      うどんを食べたことあるけど、つめたいうどんを食べたことはありません。・ないです。ない。(or つめたいうどんはありません・ないです。ない。）

  58. Hello Maggie Sensei

    Thank you for your lesson

    Can you please check the sentence, if there is not natural or weird feeling in it?

    こちらの本は特別教育をしないで短時間で独学することで日本語を習得したいあなたにとって最適な解決法です

    Thank you again

    1. Hello,
      Not natural but I understand what you mean more or less.
      特別教育 means special education. What about 学校に行かないで

      1. Hello Sensei I Tried to fix it like this

        こちらの本は学校に行かないで独学して短時間で日本語を習得したい人々に最適な解決法です

        How about now?

        1. OK, since you use で/て three times, it will be more clear to change the sentence a little
          For example,
          こちらの本は、学校に行かないで短時間*で日本語を勉強したい人に最適です。.
          こちらの本は、短時間*に独学で日本語を勉強したい人に最適です。
          (独学 implies without going to the school so you can omit one of them)

  59. Hello Maggie先生. I’m confused about the term 二十歳。My textbooks say it is pronounced as ”はたち” but I’ve heard Japanese actors in dramas occasionally pronounce it as “にじゅうさい”. Are both interchangeable or are there specific situations to use one over the other (such as maybe にじゅうさい being a more youthful slang term)? Thanks in advance!

    1. Hello Reeba,

      There are three ways of reading 二十歳
      にじゅっさい
      にじっさい (I would say less common)
      はたち
      (But not にじゅうさい）
      Basically they are interchangeable but when you are talking about coming-of-age, you tend to use はたち more.

  60. Hellu Maggie sensei,

    How are you? I hope everything is going well.

    Today I have a question about さえ and would like to receive your help
    I think さえ can be interchangeable with も in some case, and sometime sound weird.

    I feel no difference between these 2 sentences
    自分の名前さえ知らなかった。
    ＝自分の名前もしらなかった。

    But how about these 2 cases, are they interchangeable?

    (1)
    母も反対された
    母さえ反対された

    And how about the following cases

    (2)
    私の結婚式には大学時代の先生も来てくださいました。
    私の結婚式には大学時代の先生さえ来てくださいました。

    Thanks my Lady.

    1. Hello Frozenheart
      It has been a long time. 元気でしたか？
      自分の名前さえ知らなかった。
      ＝自分の名前もしらなかった。
      Yes, they mean the same.
      FYI you can say
      自分の名前さえも知らなかった。

      (1)

      母も反対された
      母さえ反対された

      You want to say
      Even my mother was opposed?
      Then yes, they mean the same.
      I would add で to the second one though.
      母でさえ

      (2)

      Again I would add も to the second sentence to make it sound more natural.
      先生さえも来てくださいました。

      1. Thanks my Lady. I’m still alive !
        Thanks for your answer. Always clear and always easy to understand.

  61. Hello sensei,

    thank you for your help

    There is a part of this sentence that i dont understand

    涼さんは几帳面そうな感じだったし、5分前に着くことはあっても、流石に1時間も早く来ないだろうな

    here what i dont understand
    5分前に着くことはあっても
    Does it mean he will come 5 minutes before?

  62. Hi Sensei.

    I want ask about “熱大陸”. is it have a meaning?

    I only know “情熱大陸” is title of TV program, right?. But still dunno what meaning of it.
    I became curious because I saw someone write “his name+熱大陸” (ex. 「渡辺」熱大陸). What does that mean in this case?

    Hope my question not violate any rules regarding the subject of the question :)
    Thank you sensei

    1. Hello Unforgiven,

      Right. 情熱大陸 is a title of the TV show which literally means “A continent of passion’
      情熱 = passion
      大陸 = continent

      So if you make a parody title, “name +大陸” works better than “name + 熱大陸”.
      熱 means “fever, heat”. I guess that person wanted to include 熱 to express some “heat” or forgot to erase the kanji. 😉

  63. Sensei, a was listening to a music (HANABI – Mr. Chicken) and just stumble into a diferente particle used with 出来る。
    It goes like that: 「決して捕まえることの出来ない。」- I saw your post about 出来る, but there wasn’t 「のできる」. That’s the same meaning of 「ができる」?

    1. Hi Felipeだから

      Ah, OK, when a verb modifies a noun, the particle sometimes changes to の
      This できない modifies 花火のような光 (firework like light) (BTW, you mean Mr. Children, not 🐔　right? 😁)
      You can say both
      決して捕まえることの出来ない花火のような光
      決して捕まえることが出来ない花火のような光

      I’ll show you another example.
      私はこの歌が好きです。(You can only use が）
      But if it modifies a song, you can use either が or の
      My favorite song
      私が好きな歌
      私の好きな歌

      I have a lesson on that subject. I will add the link later.

      Here you go. →How to modify a noun.

      1. Oh, I see. That’s the difficult part of musics. I’m never sure where a sentence starts or ends… Thank you sensei, and sorry Mr. CHILDREN☆*:.｡.o(≧▽≦)o.｡.:*☆笑.

  64. Hi 先生！
    This is a question about「訳にはいかない」. I saw your lesson on that topic and found it really enlightening. Only one doubt left:

    Who is the subject of いかない？is it the person who “cannot “ do the thing ? Or is the sentence impersonal (like “it rains” in English)?

    Thank you!
    Alessandro

    1. Hi Alessandro,

      OK, for example,
      彼を許すわけにはいけない。 = There is no way that I can forgive him.
      The subject is the speaker “I”.

  65. Hi, sensei. Can you help me to check this translation.

    普段からかなり考えている人じゃないとできないパフォーマンスというか。
    It ’s a performance that can only be done by someone who is thinking about it.

    is it the correct translation? じゃないとできない made me doubt a little

    1. Hi polo,
      Yes, you got the meaning of じゃないとできない right.
      can only be done by ~
      I think you know but 普段から (habitually, always, constantly)

  66. Hi Maggie Sensei,
    I don’t really have a question but more of a request: I was wondering if you would ever make lessons/mini-lessons on それぞれ and Number+Counter当たり(eg 一人当たり).
    They are both grammar structures that I could probably understand if I hear someone else use them, but struggle with using myself because I don’t quite understand what role those phrases play as part of a sentence (noun phrases? predicates?) nor am I ever sure whether or not to follow them with 助詞. The Tobira textbook I use does not explain those aspects, nor does it give enough examples to help me fully grasp the concept. I think your in-depth explanations would be just what I need to finally fully understand them.

    I’m sure you’re busy, but if you think you can or will consider it, please let me know!
    Even if you can’t, your other lessons are wonderful and I will always be grateful for them!

  67. Hello Maggie-sensei,
    Please, please help me with this sentence.
    ラエティで斜めの切り返しをしてもウケるだろうという…
    I’m stuck with “斜めの切り返し” and make me confused how to translate full sentence.
    Onegashimasu, sensei :)

    1. Again I don’t do the translation here but the literal translation is “diagonal counterattack”. It probably means “The way she responds to someone is not straight forward but probably sharp or original and wise.

        1. Hola Claudia,

          Watashi wa hima da./ hima desu. = Estoy libre. / No tengo nada que hacer. (A veces tiene sentido de “Estoy aburrido/a”)

    2. こんにちはマギ先生。私はJLPTN2のために勉強しょうと思っているけどどうやって始めるか迷っています。何か本を勧めてもらっていいと思います。楽しみにしてます。 😍😍

      間違えたところがあったら文法とか語彙とか私に知らせてください。

      I’m from Philippines and I will be working in Japan next month 🤗

  69. Sensei is で and から interchangeable (to express reason)
    eg I won’t buy because it is expensive
    これ は たかい から かいません。
    これ は たかい で かいません。
    Is the following sentence correct?
    せんせい に ききます。I will ask my teacher
    せんせい を ききます。I will listen to my teacher
    よく うた を うたいます。I often sing songs
    うた を よく うたいます。I am good at singing songs

    どうも ありがとう ございます

    1. Hi soleyman

      First to give a reason,
      noun + で
      i-adjecitve + ので

      So your second sentence should be たかいのでかいません
      たかいから
      たかいので
      They both means “because it’s expensive” ので is more formal and から is more conversational.
      せんせい に ききます　 I will ask my teacher.
      せんせいに〜をききます I will ask my teacher about ~ Ex. せんせいにじゅぎょうのじかんをききます。 I will ask my teacher the class time.
      せんせいのはなしをききます。I listen to the teacher’s story.

      よく うた を うたいます。/ うた を よく うたいます。
      they mean the same. I often sing (a song)

      To say “I am good at singing” うたがとくいです。うたがうまいです。うたをじょうずにうたえます。will be better.

  70. Hello maggie sensei

    thank you as always for your kind help

    I want some tips to answer
    通訳のときに工夫したこと

    I actually apply job to be an interpreter for company.
    I will be glad if you give me your opinion.

    1. Only you know what you kept it in mind when you interpret so I can’t answer that.
      But to think what kind of interpreter they want is a key.
      Search “いい通訳には何が必要か” “通訳に求められるもの” etc, on Google. You get some idea.
      (Ex. 正確さ, 情報収集, 的確さ, etc.)

  71. Hello, Sensei!
    I saw this sentence on twitter, but I don’t understand!

    話はあれとして高校性の二人よきよき

    I can’t understand this あれとして part, how could I understand it?

    Is it something like ”Leaving that aside (あれ), The story is that two students are great/good (???)

    先生、お願いします!

    1. This is a very slangy expression.
      話はあれとして It is not common anyway but I assume it is the same as 話は別にして　putting the story aside,
      よきよき is slang word for いい ( = good) (check my latest slang lesson)

      1. Thank you, Sensei. I didn’t know it wasn’t common either.

        I’ll check it right away there are so many slang I don’t know of.

  72. Hi Maggie, really great site!
    I would like to put a special shout-out to my wife at the beginning of my thesis.
    For (name)
    The One I Truly Love

    Or Who I love the Most
    Or anything super romantic or poetic

    Can you give me a good suggestion?
    Many thanks!

    1. Hi martin
      For (name)
      The common ones are,
      最愛の妻、(name)へ
      最愛の妻、nameへ捧ぐ
      But you can add your own phrase such as
      いつも支えてくれる最愛の妻へ

      Your wife is super lucky. :)

      1. Hi Maggie, thank you for the quick reply!
        I hope she feels lucky indeed.
        But I can tell you, I am a very lucky person myself for sure.

        I call her peanut, which became Pinatsu over the years. I guess it’s plural, but that’s fine.

        I did see quite a few translations that look similar to what you wrote, but in all cases it becomes one sentence. Does the following make sense if I break it up in 2 sentences, and is it correct in grammar and spelling:

        To my beloved Pinatsu
        Who always supports me

        最愛のピナツへ
        いつも支えてくれる

        or better to keep as one sentence:
        いつも支えてくれる最愛のピナツへ

        Many thanks again, much appreciated!

        1. One sentence is better. いつも支えてくれる最愛のピナツへ
          Another option is
          最愛のピナつへ
          いつも支えてくれてありがとう

          I think you already know this but you usually write ピーナツ or ピーナッツ for Peanut.
          I assume you are calling her, Pinatsu, “ピナツ” so I didn’t change it.

          3. Hi Maggie, what do you think of this one?
            I think it translates to something like
            To Pinatsu
            True love only for you

            ピナつへ
            真実の愛を君だけに

  73. Hello sensei
    thank you again

    can you please check my sentence?

    振りそうな雨が今週辺りにいずれきます

          1. Rain = 雨
            Rain that is likely to fall = 振りそうな雨
            Rain that is likely to fall around this week = 今週の辺りに振りそうな雨 (こちらの例も正しいですか)
            Rain that is likely to fall around this week will struck new york =
            今週の辺りに振りそうな雨がNewyorkを打つそうです

            Did I do it correctly sensei?

          2. Not natural yet.
            I would just say
            今週辺り、ニューヨークに雨が降りそうです。
            = It is likely to rain in New York sometime this week.

  74. Hello sensei.
    Thank you for your kindness helping everyone.

    I need your help Sensei because i haven’t any idea how to translate this sentence;
    お芝居は限界のない世界 追求するほど伝わるもの
    The play/act is a world without limits, ???

    1. Hello
      There are two sentences.
      お芝居は限界のない世界 Your translation is right.
      追求するほど伝わるもの The pattern is ~ すれば（する）ほど〜 = the more you do ~, the more ~
      The more you pursue, the more you can convey ~

      1. Yes, i’m not sure with “追求するほど伝わるもの”
        Thank you sensei for your help. Thank you so much

  75. Hello sensei,

    Thank you as always

    I want to ask something

    1. 後できりえさんに弁償をさせてもらう
    2. 後できりえさんに弁償をしてもらう

    Who is the person that pay compensation here in both number 1 and 2? Me or Kirie san?

    1. Hello

      It depends on the context.
      The person who has to pay the compensation could be either the speaker or Kirie.

      1.
      1) I will have Kirie to pay the compensation to you later. (The speaker is close to Kirie)
      2) We/ I will pay the compensation to Kirie later.

      2.
      1) I will have Kirie to pay the compensation.
      2) (You are talking about someone in the previous sentence) I will have him/her pay the compensation to Kirie.

      1. Hello sensei,

        thank you for your reply
        i wanna ask if there is a polite way to say

        食べさせてあげる

        1. You don’t say あげる　”to do something for someone superior” so the nuance is different but you can say
          召し上がっていただく

  76. Hello sensei

    thank you for your lesson

    could you please check this sentences?

    12月のいつだったのかこんなに寒かったのか全く覚えません

    1. I’m sorry sensei if you would help mw with only one more sentence

      今日と明日教室参加予定があるので自分の教室からほかの教室まで歩くとき本と傘が濡れないように浮かせなかればなりませんですね

      1. 12月のいつだったのかこんなに寒かったのか全く覚えません
        When is the last time in the previous December when I feel this cold?

        (Description = I go outside and feel cold weather, so i remember that I have experienced it before (maybe last winter or winter 2 years ago, not really remember)

        浮かせなかればなりません
        (Usually in rainy season, if you bring things with you (in this case book and umbrella), You would want them not to touch the ground because it will wet, so you raise it a little higher)
        In my mind > 地面に触れないように本と傘を浮かせる
        I learn it from example sentence below = 壁に身体を預けながら、捻挫した方の足を浮かせて、もう一度片足で立ち上がる

        Also I got it when English speaker says (Cold weather it actually translate to 寒い天気, but I do recheck that there is no word as 寒い天気. This is a common mistake for every Japanese learner), I have studied it for 4 years yet I still can barely manage to speak as native (kinda want to stop learning right now).

        愚痴言うばかりでごめんなさい先生、多分これは最後の質問、少し休みたいと思います

        1. 1st question: OK,　how about changing the word order, 12月にこんなに寒かったのはいつだったか覚えていない・思い出せない
          2nd question: I understand the umbrella but I don’t get why book?? The book is in your hand or under your arms, right? It is not going to touch the ground.
          Anyway, if the ground or floor is wet and you don’t want your umbrella to touch the ground, you can say

          〜傘が地面（ground) or 床(floor) につかないようにして教室移動しなければいけない。

          Right. When you are talking about the cold weather, you just say 寒い

          When you get to the certain level, you might hit the wall. You can decide whether you give up or keep moving on. Don’t stress out. Enjoy every step of learning Japanese. If you get tired, get rest. 😉

  77. Hello sensei,

    thank as always

    can you help me check the sentence?

    今年の売上は三倍まで倍増する

    Thank you

    1. Hi, シロコ

      倍増 means “to double” so using 三倍 “triple” might be a little confusing.
      And you wanted to say “up to triple”? Then
      How about 今年売り上げは三倍まで増える/増加する

  78. Hello Sensei,

    I am always thankful for your answer

    Please tell me simple way to differ the usage of つける　と　かける

    先生、おはようございます。いつもお世話になっております
    少し気になることがあったが、つけるとかけるの見分ける簡単な方法がありますか？あるのなら教えていただけますか？

    1. Hello keeiz

      OK, for example
      🍣に、しょうゆをかける　to pour soy sauce on sushi
      🍣に、しょうゆをつける to dip sushi into soy sauce

  79. Hello sensei

    thank you as always

    can you please check the sentence whether this is natural or not?

    彼はむりやりに運転手から車の運転を代わってもらった

    Thank you very much

  80. Hello sensei

    Good day

    Can you please check my sentence

    御社に是非会社員として入れてください

    May be you can suggest the right sentence

    1. OK, if I just check your grammar

      会社員として is not necessary unless you are looking for some special posts, エンジニアとして、秘書として, etc.

      御社に是非入れてください。is fine grammatically but it sounds a bit too direct.
      There are so many formalities in business Japanese.

          1. I’m doing it for practice in future. 11th February I will do interview with Japanese person via skype

          2. OK, it depends on the company and the type of you job but you usually show your enthusiasm or interests in that company and ask them to consider hiring you.
            These are very formal expressions and it should match your speech so you don’t have to say this but you can say things like
            Ex.御社のお役に立てるよう努力いたします。
            Ex.誠心誠意努力いたします。
            first and then ask them to consider hiring you.
            You can use your style. Good luck!

  81. Hi sensei
    when writing a question is it compulsory to put “?” after か
    eg1 ……ですか？
    eg2 ……です か。
    which is correct, or both also ok?

    お金もっていないから買えません。(eg from one of your lesson から)
    Is the following correct??
    もって = conjugate from もつ to possess
    いない = conjugate from いる to exist
    もっていない = to possess not (ie don’t have)

    ありがと.

    1. Hello soleyman
      Both are OK.
      Original Japanese didn’t have a question mark so you still don’t use it in formal/official writing.
      But in modern/more conversational writing, either you can use it or not.

      持っている This いる expresses the current state/condition.
      Thus the negative form 持っていない describes the state of not having something.

  82. Hello sensei,

    pleased to meet you

    I am trying to make a sentence in japanese. Can you help me to check it?

    ご希望の給与は100千円けれどその以下の金額も構いません

    thank you very much sensei

    1. Hello シロコ!
      はじめまして！

      The speaker’s ideal salary is 100,000 yen?
      希望の給与（額）は、１０万円ですが、それ以下の金額でも構いません。

      100千円: You don’t use 千 when you count numbers more than 10,000 like in English.
      1,000 = 千
      2,000 = 二/2千
      10,000 = 一/1万
      100,000 = 十/10万

      ご希望 this ご is honorific expression which you use for someone superior and you don’t use it for yourself.

  83. Hello Sensei,

    Always nice that I can meet you again

    Please chekc my sentences as below

    日本語が上手だと言われても私にも限界があります
    例えば漢字がよく読めないこととか

        1. If you feel that is your limit, your sentence is just fine.

          日本語がよくできると言われていますが、まだまだです。漢字はまだよく読めないし..(conversational)
          日本語がよくできると言われていますが、例えば漢字はまだよく読めないなどまだがんばらなくてはいけないことがいくつかあります。

          Another idea is to change 漢字がよく読めない to something more concrete or harder, it sounds more natural.
          たとえば、日本語能力試験N3レベルの漢字までしか読めません。

  84. Hello Maggie Sensei,

    I have a question, I’m sorry I want to interact more with japanese person
    via chat

    so sometimes I want to say
    “I’m sorry I don’t have good internet connection so sometimes it will be disconnected”

    Please tell me how to say it in nihongo

    Thank you very much

    1. Hi Malik
      OK, there are a few ways to say that but how about
      ネットの接続（せつぞく）が悪（わる）いのでときどきつながらなくなります。ごめんなさい。
      ネットの接続（せつぞく）が悪（わる）くて、つながらなくなることもあります。ごめんなさい。

  85. Hello Maggie sensei~ こんにちは^^

    I want to ask something~^^;;
    So my japanese friend explained something to me, and I want to respond it with “I kinda understand it now!”

    Like… I understand about it but not 100% sure so it’s “kinda/kind of”

    Is there any way to say it in a natural/casual form?

    Thank you, sensei~

    ps I learn a lot from you and just want to say that I feel thankful for finding your site^^ have a good day~

    1. こんにちは、Han

      I kinda understand it now!
      You can say 何となくわかった・何となくわかりました。　（= Nantonaku wakatta/wakarimashita)

      Good to hear you have been learning a lot from this site. ☺️

      1. Thank you so much, sensei! ありがとうございました😊 have a good day and take care of your health as well^^

  86. 先生こんにちは！

    「私たちは二人ともアニメが大好き」and「私たちどちらもアニメが大好き」
    Are these two both correct expressions for ‘Both of us like anime’? Which one is more natural to use?

    Thank you in advance!

    1. こんにちは、Kris

      Yes, you can say both
      私たちは二人ともアニメが大好きです。
      and
      私たちはどちらもアニメが大好きです。

      For this particular example sentence, I would say 二人とも is more natural.

  87. Hello Sensei,

    Thank you as always

    Can you check my sentences and tell my if there is anything weird?
    I tried to translate some essay

    A: 今朝はとても寒いと感じた
    B: そうですね、早朝私の車のフロントガラスは霜に覆われました。学校に行く前に水でスプレーしなければならなかった
    A: この１２月の上旬でこんな寒かったのはだれでも思わなかった、とくにカリフォルニアの地域。朝起きた時に温度は華氏35度。ベッドから上がったとき体が凍えました。私は寒い天気にかかった
    B: 午後に降るそうな雨にしっかりして下さい、寒くてぬるぬる
    A: 今日の午後に雨が降りそうなのでしょうか？
    B: はい

    1. Hi Keeiz,

      OK, I will check them this time but for future I can check one or two simple sentences /per person here. :) If I do that for you, I have to do for other people as well. Thank you for understanding. :)
      A: 今朝はとても寒いと感じた →Grammatically OK but if it is a conversation, 今朝はとても寒かったですね。 is more natural
      B: そうですね、早朝私の車のフロントガラスは霜に覆われました。→　覆われていました
      学校に行く前に水でスプレーしなければならなかった→Stick to one form. Since you use です・ます in the previous sentences, 　なかったです is better.
      And connect two sentences so that it sounds more natural. 覆われていたので〜
      A: この１２月の上旬でこんな寒かったのはだれでも思わなかった、
      →You can’t continue the sentence with 思わなかった、
      誰も思わなかったですね。

      とくにカリフォルニアの地域。
      →？？　How about ここはカリフォルニアだし。 　(casual ending but it gives a reason.)

      朝起きた時に温度は華氏35度。
      → ~で+ (continue with the following sentence) ベッドから出たときに体が凍えそうになりました。

      私は寒い天気にかかった
      →？？？ I am sorry but I don’t get it.You mean you caught a cold? If so
      風邪を引いてしまいました。

      B: 午後に降るそうな雨にしっかりして下さい、寒くてぬるぬる
      →？？？
      A: 今日の午後に雨が降りそうなのでしょうか？
      →〜降りそうですか？
      B: はい

      1. Sensei thank you very much and I’m sorry to make it long. Okay I will be careful to not bother you too much and make it short

        私は寒い天気にかかった (Maybe this is the right one > 私は寒い天気に襲われた)

        午後に降るそうな雨にしっかりして下さい、寒くてぬるぬる > This is rather hard to translate from English

        (Brace yourself for the rain this afternoon. Cold and Wet) The speaker is talking to his friend that the rain will come, so his friend better prepare for cold and wet rain

        (I can translate english to japanese but when it is english to japanese, I think it is really hard -_-)

        Thank you again sensei

        1. 天気 means “the weather” so you can’t use with　かかる or 襲う
          No English translation but if you want to use the verb 襲う
          寒さに襲われた。・寒気に襲われた might work.

          I wonder if you meant…午後冷たい雨に濡れることを覚悟してください。
          Note: I added the correction of ベッドから上がったとき in my previous comment so please check.

  88. マギー先生、すみません。また疑問がありますよ

    さっぷりに何ですか? 教えてください

    I have googled さっぷり, but I didn’t find anything.

    こいつらと話していると、あまりのバカさっぷりに、自分も混乱してくる。。。

  89. Maggie先生、こんにちは！
    すみません、お願いがあるんですが、先生が例文をチェックしていただけませんか。
    １．誰があなたに　日本語を教えますか。
    ２．山田先生は私に　日本語を教えます。
    ２つの例文は合っていますか。
    先生、どうもありがとうございます。

  90. Hello Maggie-sensei,

    Happy New Year! I wasn’t sure how to translate this, so I was hoping you could help me:

    落ち着きがない

    I read it as “lacking composure” or “unrefined”. It’s used in this sentence:

    “とにかく声が大きくて、落ち着きがない（笑）。”

  91. Hi sensei
    what is the meaning/function of う分
    is the translation correct?
    Eg sentence >> かかと は こぶし う分 開ける
    Translation >> at the heel, make enough space to put your fist
    kakato = heel
    wa = topic marker
    kobushi = fist
    ufun???/ubun?? = ???
    akeru = to make roon /space
    Note i got this from sumo exercise
    どうも ありがとう ございます

    1. Hello soleyman
      Where did you find the sentence? Hand written?
      I think either it’s a typo or you read it wrong.
      かかとはこぶし一*つ分開ける (Or could be 二、三..)

      number + counter + 分（ぶん) = as ~ as ~/ just to fit number+counter / equivalent to number+counter

      In this case, use a fist to measure the length or space
      こぶし一つ分= kobushi hitotsu bun = the space of one fist
      こぶし二つ分 = kobushi futatsu bun = the space of two fists

      1. ありがとう sensei
        You are right. Now I understand.
        It was printed up to down.
        一つ = is the correct reading, I read as う :)
        ほんとありがとう

  92. Maggie sensei, can you please suggest a book on Japanese grammar that contains detailed explanation of each pattern.

  93. Hi, Sensei
    I’m having trouble understanding this part ”何かちょっとしたことでこの” what does it mean?

    ”あなたの周りにも、何かちょっとしたことでこの「いじける」ような言動を取ったままの状態がしばらく続いてしまうような人はいらっしゃらないでしょうか？”

  94. Thanks so much for answering Maggie sensei. I think I understand どう better now 何と is still really confusing.

    You see, I read on weblio辞書 (online Japanese dictionary) that 何と has 3 definitions

    (Copied from dictionary):

    １ どのように。どんなふうに。どう。「これは何としたことか」
    「何とご返事したらよいでしょう」

    But would you say that どう返事したら良いでしょう is more natural? Is the dictionary being too formal or is これは何としたことか an unnatural thing to say?

    (Second definition copied)
    ２ 感心・失望などの気持ちを強調して表す。なんて。「何と美しい花だ」「何と愚かな人だ」

    I think I get this second definition. It’s like なんて for exclamatory sentences right? That makes me wonder if you can use なんと as a contraction for 何という in the same way as なんて as well…

    ３ 反語を表す。どうして。反応を探ったりするときに用いる語。どうだ。「何と、これでもか」

    Well this definition from the dictionary hits me completely by surprise!

    I’m sorry if this question is like asking you to create A whole new lesson on 何と in the comments room! (Sorry!) It’s just that I really want to understand 何と.

    I realise that the と particle means “and then” like “XするとY” so I thought 何と meant “With What~X” but it seems there are many other uses. I really want to be able to use it in a way that isn’t unnatural.

    1. You are right. There are quite a few ways of using なんと
      1. 何とご返事したらよいでしょうか？ means 何と（言って）返事したら〜
      And yes, you can also say どう返事したら
      何と is more formal

      You don’t say 何としたことですか
      but you say これは何としたことか (This か is to express one’s surprised feelings and not a question)
      It is a literal expression so you rarely hear that in conversation.

      2. なんて and なんと
      なんと is more literal

      3. なんとこれでもか is an expression and it is usually used as a quote
      何とこれでもかというくらいたくさんの花が咲いていた。
      So many flowers were blooming

      The more common one is これでもかというくらい・ほど〜

      As you said, the space of this comment section is limited so maybe I should stop here. 😉

  95. Hi Maggie sensei! Thanks so much for answering my last question!

    It was really helpful and I had no idea なんだか had that pattern of use since other sites I read said it is the same as なんか, so thank you!

    Anyway, I also have another big question about なんと which is really bugging me, that is…

    何ですか means “what is it” and

    どうですか means how is it
    (or rather how are you?)

    So 何 is WHAT and
    どう is HOW…

    1. And Yet

    何ということですか
    どういうことですか

    mean the same right? I feel like there is a slight difference though

    2. If I wanted to say “I want to win no matter what I have to do”

    何としても勝ちたい
    どうしても勝ちたい

    Are the same? Or does a slight nuance exist? They can’t be the same right?

    3. Come to think about it, my confusion between 何と and
    どう leads to other questions as well

    何としたらいい？
    (What should I do?)

    どうしたらいい？
    (What should I do?)
    (How should I do???)

    何としたことですか
    (What “thing” happened)

    どうしたことですか
    (What “thing” happened)

    Are these all perfectly interchangeable??? I feel like they are different and どう is more natural???

    4. And finally, according to dictionary,

    なんと　ことですか

    is accepted to mean what kind of matter is this (what happened?)

    and it makes me think it is a contraction for

    なんと　いう　ことですか

    and you can’t say どうこと
    you have to have どういうこと(a “thing” called what) to make sense right?

    So I come to think 何と is used as An Exclamation and a Contraction for 何という but then I read the dictionary and it says

    何と=どう They are synonyms

    HOW CAN THAT BE?????

    I’m sorry if this qusetion is too long but I am just so confused. Thank you for reading.

    1. 1) 何ということですか is not the same as どういうことですか？
      You say 何ということですか・何ということだ　when you express your disbelief. Oh no../ How could it happened../ I can’t believe it happened. ,etc.
      You use どういうことですか？ What do you mean (by that?) When you want to know the real intention of what you just heard.
      If you want to know what is happened, you don’t use 何とっz言う小
      2) They are more or less the same.

      3) 何としたらいい？　(What should I do?)　→Not natural

      どうしたらいい？
      (What should I do?)
      (How should I do???)
      →Natural.

      何としたことですか
      (What “thing” happened)
      →Not natural.　You can say 何があったのですか？ or　どうしたのですか？

      どうしたことですか
      (What “thing” happened)
      →Not natural. The same as above. 何があったのですか？　or どうしたのですか？

      ４）
      なんと ことですか is not natural
      You use なんと〜ことか (It is a very literal expression and you don’t hear that in conversation

      Ex.朝の空気のなんと冷たいことか
      How cold the air it is in the morning.

      So as I mentioned in (1) どういうことですか？ means “What do you mean? “ works but not なんと〜か？

  96. Hi Maggie sensei! I have been reading this site and it is SO helpful!

    But anyway I have been trying to learn some new things and was wondering if you could help me.

    So just to see if i’m right, please correct me if the meaning is wrong…

    1. 何かしたい
    I want to do something (anything really)

    2. 何とかしたい
    I gotta to do something, I really want to do something (I can’t just do nothing!)

    3. なんとなくしたい
    I dunno why but I want to do it (for no particular reason, not knowing why but for whatever)

    4. 何だかしたい
    For some reason I want to do it (I don’t exactly understand why but i want to do it)

    You wouldn’t say
    なんだかしたい to mean
    (I want to do something)

    You would say
    なんかしたい (なにかしたい)
    (I want to do something)

    but rather, if you saw someone else doing something and you felt for some reason that you ALSO wanted to do it,

    You would say なんだかしたい right?

    Thank you for reading!

    1. Hello Georgy,

      Good interpretation!!
      Just one additional information.
      なんだか is often use with　したくなってきた to express the change of your feelings.
      何だかしたくなってきた
      (After you saw someone else doing something and felt like doing it) Somehow I have an urge to do something

  97. Hello sensei,

    Thank you as always

    I have a question about something
    Let’s say we have 2 form (Positive sentence and negative sentences)

    1. 彼は動くなくなった (This is negative)
    2. 彼は動くなった (This is positive)

    Please correct number 2, thanks

    1. Hello keeiz

      1. 彼は動くなくなった (This is negative)→動かなくなった
      2. 彼は動くなった (This is positive)→動けなくなった

  98. Hello Sensei,

    Thank you for your lesson
    Can you correct this sentence if I’m wrong?

    ここからパソコンの画面がよく見えないので画面を少し後ろに屈んでもいいでしょうか？

    1. HI Malik,

      The first part is OK but what do you mean by 画面を少し後ろに屈んでもいいでしょうか？
      屈む means 　”to bend down (talking about the body)”. You use it when you talk about one’s body and not 画面. And you can’t bend down 後ろ(behind).

      1. I want to say that I want to bend the screen a little to the back so I can see it clearly

        パソコンの画面は私の視線を合わせるように少し画面を後ろに（Bend)する

        I was confused whether to use
        屈む
        曲がる
        斜めにする

        or any other correct which is verb
        (Please teach me sensei)

        1. How about
          ここからパソコンの画面がよく見えないので画面を少し上に向けてもいいでしょうか？ (When you ask for the permission to bend it to the back)
          ここからパソコンの画面がよく見えないので画面を少し上に向けていただけませんか？ (When you ask someone to do that.)

          1. Thank you sensei I understand

            Btw in this case can i use ずらす?

            画面を後ろにずらす

            and yes i will also use
            上に向けて

          2. Hmm I think people will understand what you mean but when you move the whole screen manually, ずらす might sound confusing.

            You use ずらす for example when you move the chart on the screen up/down/right/left to see well.

            Another possibility other than 上に向ける, you san say 上の方に少し傾ける

          3. 先生
            ご教示ありがとうございます
            機会があればまたお尋ねいたします

            よろしくお願いします

  99. Hello maggie sensei,

    Thank you as always

    I have a question about 二親等
    If i have a grandfather so He is my 二親等?
    What is considered 二親等 in a family?

    1. Hi keeiz
      Yes, your grandfather is your 二親等
      It refers to two generation from you.
      Your parents, your grandparents, your children, and your grandchildren including your spouse’s parents, grandparents.

  100. Maggie先生、こんにちは！
    私はThao と申します。
    先生のwebsiteを見て、いろいろ知識を受けます。
    先生のおかげで、本当にありがとうございました。
    私は４つの例文があります。正しいかどうかわかりません。先生がチェックしていただけませんか。宜しくお願いします。
    ①私は友達にプレゼントをもらいました。
    ⓶私が友達にプレゼントをもらいました。
    ⓷私はプレゼントをもらいました。
    ④私がプレゼントをもらいました。
    私　は／が～もらう：どんな時、使いますか。
    相手は私に聞いたとき：
    誰がThaoさんに日本語を教えますか。
    答えるとき、
    「私は」と「私が」どちらが正しいですか。
    先生は私に　教えていただけないでしょうか。
    どうもありがとうございます。

    1. こんにちは Thaoさん
      ①私は友達にプレゼントをもらいました。　OK
      ⓶私が友達にプレゼントをもらいました。
      ⓷私はプレゼントをもらいました。　OK
      ④私がプレゼントをもらいました。

      ⓶④　私が〜
      間違いではないです。
      誰がもらったか、他の人ではなくて「私」ですと強調するときにそう言うこともあります。
      たとえば、聞いている人が、誰がプレゼントをもらったかよく聞こえなかったとき、わからなかったときに、使います。一般的に、私は〜さんにプレゼントをもらいました。という話題を出すときは「は」を使います。

      It is not a mistake. You only say that when you emphasize who got the present.
      For example, the listener wasn’t sure who got the present,
      I said “I” got the present…私がもらいました(Not other people. I got it.)
      In this sense, it is possible to use が but in general, if you are talking about the fact that you got a present (from someone) you use　は

      1. Maggie先生、こんにちは！
        先生がコメントを返事してくれて、本当にありがとうございました。その問題は分かりました。
        すみません、もう1つの問題があります。
        数字です。
        4円：よんえん　と　よえん
        9時：くじ　と　きゅうじ
        7枚、7台：しちまい／しちだい　と　ななまい／ななだい
        どちらも　使いますか。
        どれが　自然な日本語ですか。
        先生が教えていただけませんか。
        どうもありがとうございます。

        1. 4円：よんえん　と　よえん　→　よえん
          9時：くじ　と　きゅうじ　→　くじ
          77枚、7台：しちまい／しちだい　と　ななまい／ななだい→　「ななまい」　「ななだい」が、主流ですが、「しちまい」「しちだい」でも大丈夫です。

  101. Hello Maggie sensei!

    I’m a bit confused with the usage of ちゃんと.. Is there no proper way to translate this in english?

    Thank you!

    1. Hi ru

      ちゃんと is a casual way to say きちんと・しっかりと
      So it depends on the context but you often translate it as “properly”

  103. Hello sensei can i ask you something

    “I am about to laugh hard” > it means he doesn‘t laugh in the end but almost

    “私は爆笑しているところです”

    I tried to translate it to japanese is that right?

    1. しているところ means “middle of doing something”
      about to ~ is そうになる
      爆笑しそうになった (In this case the past tense is more natural)

  104. hello sensei

    what do you think is the best way to memorise japanese grammar?

    i usually make flashcards to memorise vocabulary (using Anki) but i’m not sure how to implement grammar into these flashcards. are there any other methods that i can do in order to remember grammar syntax/phrases?

    thank you!

    1. Hello kenani

      I don’t know if you are already doing it but why don’t you write a few sentences using the grammar patterns that you learned? You write sentences and read them aloud. You can use all the vocabulary that you memorize using Anki.

      Also You write English translation aside and try translating it in Japanese.
      Good luck!

  105. Hello sensei

    Thank you for your hardwork

    Can you please check the sentence and correct it if wrong

    私は宿題をやるのはとても怠けるだ
    (I want to say, “I am too lazy to do my homework”)

    1. Hello keeiz
      In Japanese a lazy person is 怠け者 and to be lazy is　怠ける

      The most natural translation will be
      （私は）宿題をするのが面倒くさい。

      If you want to use the word 怠ける, you can also say
      私は怠け者なので宿題をするのが面倒くさい。・宿題をしたくない。

  106. Hello sensei
    Rei Bun = 宿題 の 丸付け は 誰がする
    Q1 What is the meaning of 丸付け
    宿題 = homework
    誰がする = who does it
    Q2 Is this interpretation correct [ Who does the homework? ]
    ありがとう
    Ps are you in Japan now?

    1. Hello soleyman

      丸付け（丸をつける) means to check one’s answers.
      You circle the answers (丸つけ） that are correct and if the answer is wrong, you write X ( = バツ） in Japan.
      So it means “Who check the answers of homework?”

      Yes, I live in Japan. ☺️

  107. Hello Sensei

    Thank you for your teaching

    Please correct these sentences if there is a mistake

    １．人を幸せにする方法
    ２．人を幸せさせる方法
    ３．人を幸せにさせる方法

    Thank you very much

  108. Sensei I feel kind of confused with this usage of 結構 at the beginning of a sentence

    as in ”結構、目覚めるのは天国とかだったりして?”

    or ” 結構、ガチの凍らせ方。”

    What does it mean? ”quite” just doesn’t seem right.

    Thank you very much.

    1. 結構、目覚めるのは天国とかだったりして?
      This 結構 is very conversational one. I think the writer used it as　案外・意外に (unexpectedly)　 you say that when you make a joke which is kind of extreme.
      結構〜だったりして = You know what? It could be ~
      As for the second one, I think the translation “quite or pretty” work.
      Pretty serious way to freeze

  109. Hello, Sensei.

    I was listening to a game song and then I read the video description that was this sentence here:

    ”色々とヤバいゲームですが、面白いことには変わりないので、興味を持った方は是非ご購入くださいｗ”

    However, some parts like ””色々とヤバいゲームですが” and ”面白いことには変わりない”.
    I think ”色々とヤバイ” means ”Yabai in many ways”, but I’m not entirely sure though.

    And ”面白いことには変わりない” what does it mean? is ことには some kind of grammar I don’t have any knowlodge about?

    1. Hello Read Umineko,

      色々とヤバいゲーム　Yes, your translation is right. Yabai in many ways.
      As you may know, yabai has many interpretations. It could be negative or positive. (Since it uses が = but, it probably means negative, such as controversial, scary, dangerous, etc.)

      面白いことには変わりない the literal translation is “The fact remains that it is a fun game. ” = It is a fun game for sure.

      Hope it helps.

      1. Hi again, Sensei,

        I was wondering why 変わりない and not 変わらない

        As always, thank you sensei for clearing up my doubts.

        1. Hello again,
          They mean the same 変わり is a noun form and 変わらない is a verb.

          When you report the situation.
          (The situation hasn’t changed. ）
          Ex. 状況に、変わりないです/変わりありません = 状況は変わっていないです。

          There won’t be any difference even you do ~ . ~ をしても変わらないです = 変わりはありません。

          The difference is,
          You use 変わりない (polite 変わりありません） for greetings
          Ex. お変わりありませんか？ (How have you been?)
          more casual 最近、変わりない？

          You don’t say 変わらない？　変わっていない？ for greeting

  110. Konnichiwa maggie sensei,I have a doubt in this sentence

    “私は 子どもの頃 たった一枚の絵からアニメーションの世界(と)出会うことになりました”
    Why と particle is used here?What role it plays?

    1. Hello Ramya

      For the verb 会う or 出会う you can use the particle either に and　と

      〜に会う・〜に出会う
      〜と会う・〜と出会う
      The nuance difference is に is one way and と is both way.

      In this case アニメーションの世界 is not a person but I guess the writer feels close to the animation world.

  111. みなさん、明けましておめでとうございます！
    Happy New Year, everyone!
    今年もよろしくお願いします！