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[Cranzor]

Can anyone help me with this question?

一か月にいくらぐらい使いますか。

I think it says "About how much do you use in a month?" But that doesn't really make sense. The question stands alone, so there's not really a context.

 

[I'm an expert]

Money.

 

[Tenck]

Anyone here dealt with Genki before? Decided to buy it after having it sit in my Amazon wishlist for months. Took a quick look through it and it seems to cover a lot.

 

[PKrockin]

It's a good textbook. I used it years back and everyone I know likes it as well.

 

[I'm an expert]

I have no idea how the textbooks have changed since I've used them (around 2001) but both Genki and Busy People were fine books for an elementary intro to the language. They were short back then though, like 2-3 volumes. I believe AJALT was one of the companies and they produced more advanced textbooks that targeted specific topics.
You can honestly finish those series in a week or two and then you're back at where you started, in which case online resources might have been better.

It looks like it's out of print, but this dictionary was really the go to for studying the language and for the JLPT. I kept it with me well after I moved to Japan.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/4789007758/?tag=neogaf0e-20

I actually recommend any JLPT study materials (I used the ones by JEES back then) to study the language, even if you have no plans for taking the test. The important thing to always remember is how stuff is presented in these books is not necessarily how it's used in daily, informal settings. Being able to bridge that gap is when you really learn the language.

 

[Ledsen]

I have no idea how the textbooks have changed since I've used them (around 2001) but both Genki and Busy People were fine books for an elementary intro to the language. They were short back then though, like 2-3 volumes. I believe AJALT was one of the companies and they produced more advanced textbooks that targeted specific topics.
You can honestly finish those series in a week or two and then you're back at where you started, in which case online resources might have been better.

It looks like it's out of print, but this dictionary was really the go to for studying the language and for the JLPT. I kept it with me well after I moved to Japan.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/4789007758/?tag=neogaf0e-20

I actually recommend any JLPT study materials (I used the ones by JEES back then) to study the language, even if you have no plans for taking the test. The important thing to always remember is how stuff is presented in these books is not necessarily how it's used in daily, informal settings. Being able to bridge that gap is when you really learn the language.

These are amazing, although I'd recommend the basic one to start. I have both that one and the intermediate one. Surprisingly easy to read and understand despite being grammar dictionaries.

 

[I'm an expert]

These are amazing, although I'd recommend the basic one to start. I have both that one and the intermediate one. Surprisingly easy to read and understand despite being grammar dictionaries.

Yeah, I never owned the basic one but I'd assume it pretty much eliminates the need for Busy/Genki if you're the self-teaching type. They were still in print in Japan in the mid 2000's, I remember seeing them often at Kinokuniyas. Probably not hard to find one.

 

[Ledsen]

Yeah, I never owned the basic one but I'd assume it pretty much eliminates the need for Busy/Genki if you're the self-teaching type. They were still in print in Japan in the mid 2000's, I remember seeing them often at Kinokuniyas. Probably not hard to find one.

Yeah I bought mine in 2009

 

[LeroyPantwether]

another semester more skits....

was hoping someone could take a look at the end of this one, I am trying to explain to rules for eating in an american restaurant . A =tour guide B= tourist

1:　Dont forget to tip you waiter after dinner.

2: Go outside to smoke cigs





B: ありがとう、私は、グランドキャニオンリゾートに泊まることにします。今週の週末によやくをするつもりです。他の質問があります。ホテルの近くにいいレストランがありますか。

A:はい、レストランのロビに美味しいステーキハウスがあります。

B: ええいいですね。ステーキが大好きです！でも、今までにアメリカンレストランで食べたことがありません。

A: (&#31505 アメリカンレストランで食べるのは難しくないです。規則が二つあります。
晩御飯の後にウェイターにチップに上げ忘れてはいけません。そして、タバコを吸うと、外に行かなければなりません。分かりましたか？他には？

B: はい、分かりました。他にありません。今出なければなりません。ありがとう！

A:どういたしまして。楽しんで下さい。さよなら！

 

[cnet128]

A: (&#31505 アメリカンレストランで食べるのは難しくないです。規則が二つあります。
晩御飯の後にウェイターにチップに上げ忘れてはいけません。そして、タバコを吸うと、外に行かなければなりません。分かりましたか？他には？

You don't want to use the と-conditional here, because that implies that you have to go outside as a result of smoking a cigarette - the one directly causes the other. (Although to be fair, if you did smoke a cigarette in a restaurant, you may well get thrown out...)

This is a pretty textbook example of a situation where the only conditional form that works is なら, because the action that forms the "condition" (タバコを吸&#12358 happens chronologically after the "result" (外に行&#12367. The other three Japanese conditionals (と, たら and &#12400 all imply that the condition comes chronologically first. So I'd go with タバコを吸うなら、外に行かなければなりません。

Alternatively, it may be more natural to change the condition to "if you want to smoke", in which case たら or ば would also work: タバコを吸いたければ(吸いたかった&#12425、外に行かなければなりません。 Or you could dispense with actual conditionals and just use 時, as in: タバコを吸う(吸いた&#12356時は、外に行かなければなりません。

 

[LeroyPantwether]

thanks! ^^

 

[bigmit3737]

HanzawaNaoki（半沢直樹）は銀行員の主人公が数々の圧力や逆境の中で相手が誰であろうと信念を貫いていくドラマです.

Can someone translate this sentence for me?

My main problem is with this part:

相手が誰であろう


Is this talking about the enemies of the main character?

and this part:

信念を貫いていくドラマです.

Maintain his beliefs?

 

[KoyukiNL]

Anyone have any good recommendations for intermediate level reading? Anything will do; games, websites, books etc etc.

I hate Nintendo for not making the 3DS region free

 

[Smiles and Cries]

If I was in Japan and needed a doctor to know what illness I had

which is Sickle Cell Disease

which on of these translations is accurate for me to say Sickle Cell Disease?

鎌状赤血球症

or

鎌状赤血球病

or

鎌状赤血球症の

I am not looking for a complex sentence just the term if I printed it out on an emergency card or something.

or even more accurate is Sickle Cell Anemia

鎌状赤血球貧血症

not sure if this is just wrong... google translate can't be trusted 100%

using imiwa? app gives me different results for Sickle Cell Anemia

 

[scottnak]

While I can't say for sure... for when I have to deal with technical phrases... I goto wikipedia in english and then click the corresponding Japanese page.

Which points to 鎌状赤血球症 or 鎌状赤血球貧血症 being appropriate.

My 2 cents, but hopefully someone else can confirm either way.

 

[I'm an expert]

If you showed/told any doctor 鎌状 and 赤血球 they would know exactly what you have. The final kanji is as simple as "condition" or "disease" and doesn't really affect your ability to convey the meaning. In your case, since you do want to say anemia, that's what 貧血 is.

鎌状 sickle-shape
赤血球 red blood cell
貧血 anemia (lacking blood)
症 condition/illness/disease

鎌状赤血球貧血症 would be fine.

 

[shanshan310]

Anyone have any good recommendations for intermediate level reading? Anything will do; games, websites, books etc etc.

I hate Nintendo for not making the 3DS region free

I ended up getting a Japanese 3DS and I have no regretted it at all. If you have the spare cash it's a great investment, especially if you get something like animal crossing where you have to go back and play every day

As for other reading, it really depends what you're interested in. http://www.yahoo.co.jp/ is a good place to start. You can find all sorts of articles etc on there. Japanese books are kind of hard to import cheaply. There's a bookstore called Kinokuniya that I sometimes use and they have a great range of Japanese books, but it's all the way out here in Australia so there's probably something closer to you. What I really recommend it just changing your settings into Japanese, for your Ipod, phone, facebook etc. Even if you aren't totally comfortable navigating around at first you see the words over and over and get used to Japanese being the norm. Watching Japanese TV is good for reading too, they usually show kanji etc up on the screen.

 

[arumisan]

For Kinokuniya, there may be one near you depending on where you are. Bear in mind that it may be somewhat costly, most likely due to import costs. Otherwise, check out the local import store. Also second shanshan310's suggestion at changing social media websites etc. settings to Japanese to get yourself familiar with the characters.

 

[KoyukiNL]

I ended up getting a Japanese 3DS and I have no regretted it at all. If you have the spare cash it's a great investment, especially if you get something like animal crossing where you have to go back and play every day

As for other reading, it really depends what you're interested in. http://www.yahoo.co.jp/ is a good place to start. You can find all sorts of articles etc on there. Japanese books are kind of hard to import cheaply. There's a bookstore called Kinokuniya that I sometimes use and they have a great range of Japanese books, but it's all the way out here in Australia so there's probably something closer to you. What I really recommend it just changing your settings into Japanese, for your Ipod, phone, facebook etc. Even if you aren't totally comfortable navigating around at first you see the words over and over and get used to Japanese being the norm. Watching Japanese TV is good for reading too, they usually show kanji etc up on the screen.

Thanks. Yeah been reading the news a lot. I wish there were Japanese ebooks, that would make reading so much easier. Up until now I've been reading Yotsuba&, which is becoming too easy. Also played some DQIX.

Already set most of my media to Japanese. I recommend changing your computer to Japanese too, it will quickly teach you some useful words.

 

[I'm an expert]

Thanks. Yeah been reading the news a lot. I wish there were Japanese ebooks, that would make reading so much easier. Up until now I've been reading Yotsuba&, which is becoming too easy. Also played some DQIX.

Already set most of my media to Japanese. I recommend changing your computer to Japanese too, it will quickly teach you some useful words.

Like Kindle books? I have dozens of e-books from J-Amazon.

 

[KoyukiNL]

Like Kindle books? I have dozens of e-books from J-Amazon.

Ok thanks! I think I had heard they aren't that popular.

 

[I'm an expert]

Ok thanks! I think I had heard they aren't that popular.

Not sure where you heard that. The choice for e-readers was a bit weak before Kindle came to J-land and there wasn't a good centralized market, but that's about it. Even my mother-in-law has a Kindle.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/02/b...mazon-takes-the-lead.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

 

[Tenck]

Ok thanks! I think I had heard they aren't that popular.

I've only heard so-so things from the US selection of Japanese e-books. Mostly due to American kindles not rendering the Kanji correctly, and the search function being absolute trash. They've been working on it though.

 

[kunonabi]

I have no idea how the textbooks have changed since I've used them (around 2001) but both Genki and Busy People were fine books for an elementary intro to the language. They were short back then though, like 2-3 volumes. I believe AJALT was one of the companies and they produced more advanced textbooks that targeted specific topics.
You can honestly finish those series in a week or two and then you're back at where you started, in which case online resources might have been better.

It looks like it's out of print, but this dictionary was really the go to for studying the language and for the JLPT. I kept it with me well after I moved to Japan.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/4789007758/?tag=neogaf0e-20

I actually recommend any JLPT study materials (I used the ones by JEES back then) to study the language, even if you have no plans for taking the test. The important thing to always remember is how stuff is presented in these books is not necessarily how it's used in daily, informal settings. Being able to bridge that gap is when you really learn the language.

any suggestions for jlpt materials? I'm taking the level 3 exam this year.

 

[I'm an expert]

any suggestions for jlpt materials? I'm taking the level 3 exam this year.

Even 10 years ago there were PLENTY of resources available online for free, even for the level I took. I'm sure for 3 there's plenty now, though I'm not sure how the content is divided with the new level. Back in the day 3 was like basic grammar and 150 kanji.

The only actual book I bought was the JEES listening one for JLPT1 and the dictionary linked above. The rest was just using websites/guides/sample tests provided by JLPT to know what the topics/focus would be. Heck, maybe the websites I used back then even still exist.. though off the top of my head I can't remember their names. I'll try to search a bit later and see.

edit: yeah I couldn't really find anything specific.. I guess I could mention jim breen's was my go-to online dictionary and radical lookup, but that's about it. Nowadays you guys all use apps and shit.

 

[shanshan310]

any suggestions for jlpt materials? I'm taking the level 3 exam this year.

Like I'm an expert (loving the new name, btw) said there are a bunch of online resources that you can use. For N3 I think you need roughly 300-500 Kanji nowadays. They changed the format now though, so there is no kanji or word list. It's testing your knowledge, so they've tried to make it more difficult to study for.

Right now for N2 I am using these resources and have found them excellent: Grammar rules, Somatome comprehensive study books , and a JLPT exam drills book.

Here are their N3 equivalents:
http://shop.whiterabbitjapan.com/th...anji-vocabulary-and-grammar.html#.UkN3ioZmim4
http://shop.whiterabbitjapan.com/the-complete-set-nihongo-so-matome-jlpt-n3.html#.UkN3iYZmim4
http://shop.whiterabbitjapan.com/jlpt-n3-comprehensive-exam-exercises-tettei-drill.html#.UkN3pYZmim4

Though, to be honest I don't think study books are really important for N3. Like I said it's really just a test of your capabilities. The books I linked above though are pretty good general study tools anyway (except for the drill book which is meant to familiarize you with the test layout etc), so you might want to invest in them. I also found this textbook useful, it goes up to around N2 level and I used it in my study for N3.

 

[I'm an expert]

They changed the format huh. It'd be fun to retake the JLPT one day again. Maybe when I go back. I recognize the Unicom brand, those are good books.

edit: btw whatever happened to people making some sort of Living in Japan OT? At this point I might try to throw something together..but it'd be strictly for expats, not a tourism thread

 

[kunonabi]

Thanks for the info and the links. I was on this huge kanji kick(learning an extra 600) so I'll dial that back a bit. I think my biggest concern is actually the listening portion.

 

[Kansoku]

Hello everyone, I'm new here and just wanted to thanks. This thread is being very helpful to me.

I finished RtK in June and I'm currently going through Tae Kim right now.
It's really good, but I end up forgetting stuff after a while due to lack of practice, since he doesn't offer exercises.
So, does anyone knows a way that I can practice grammar?
I used Anki with RtK and it's really good, but I don't know how to use it in a good way. I also took a look at Genki but didn't like it very much. I really hate the textbook ways of doing things, and especially after going trough Tae Kim, it doesn't explain things that well IMO.

 

[Susurrus]

So I realized, I spend 40-80 minutes a day on the road going to/from work. I have an auxiliary port on my audio deck. Someone suggest great Japanese learning MP3s.

 

[I'm an expert]

So I realized, I spend 40-80 minutes a day on the road going to/from work. I have an auxiliary port on my audio deck. Someone suggest great Japanese learning MP3s.

Japanese Pod 101 is what I've heard through the grapevine.

 

[John Rabbit]

Japanese Pod 101 is what I've heard through the grapevine.

unless they've recently changed, they do not make it easy to download their mp3s in bulk. even for paying members. it's chiefly the reason i stopped using them. i wanted to do the same thing (listen to them in the car) and it was just too much of a hassle.


anyway, i have another question (you guys are so helpful btw, i always appreciate it). we've recently studied relative clauses, and i have an assignment to write about a family member. did i write this sentence correctly?

母の得意は ポテトサラダですけど、彼女が作ります何でもは私が食べます。

 

[I'm an expert]

I'll say this much as a hint, to make your clause you want to use the plain form of the verb plus a noun, not the polite form. Your second sentence needs to be rearranged just a bit and needs a noun added.

Spoiler

彼女が作ったものは何でも食べる。

You can see how I'd write it above if you want, though there's plenty of ways you could form this sentence. Also not sure if you're this far with particles, but the ga can be no in there.

 

[Zoe]

I wouldn't use 彼女 in the second half...

 

[I'm an expert]

I wouldn't use 彼女 in the second half...

Neither would I, but then you get the obvious question of why wouldn't I use the word she for her, and the answer to that question isn't usually something taught to students in these kinds of classes. They teach anata as you, but how many cases do you really use it the way you would in English? That's stuff that you get from actual use of the language.

For his purposes, using she is fine, especially in that sentence where his mother was the subject right before it.

 

[Zoe]

But it's also perfectly fine to just say 母 again.

 

[I'm an expert]

But it's also perfectly fine to just say 母 again.

Sure it is. It's perfectly fine to say it plenty of ways. Lol..this is why I usually avoid these kind of correct my writings stuff! because the way students are taught to write/speak is not how we do it in real life. "She" is fine there for the purpose that he needs it, it's not incorrect even if it isn't the most natural way to say it.

 

[John Rabbit]

I'll say this much as a hint, to make your clause you want to use the plain form of the verb plus a noun, not the polite form. Your second sentence needs to be rearranged just a bit and needs a noun added.

Spoiler

彼女が作ったものは何でも食べる。

You can see how I'd write it above if you want, though there's plenty of ways you could form this sentence. Also not sure if you're this far with particles, but the ga can be no in there.

we've not studied もの yet, only こと and の as nominalizers, but i think the usage is basically the same (turning "makes/creates" into "a made thing/creation"). what i'm not sure about is using the plain form 食べる and using た form for 作る.

also, about 母, i thought that's probably what i should use especially since i'm talking about a family member, but i thought 彼女 would make it sound more conversational.

thanks for the help again!

 

[Zoe]

also, about 母, i thought that's probably what i should use especially since i'm talking about a family member, but i thought 彼女 would make it sound more conversational.

Well, because you've got the "but" in there, one valid interpretation is "my mother's specialty is potato salad, but I'll eat anything my girlfriend makes."

母 is fine in both spots.

 

[I'm an expert]

Mono is just a different word for "thing" that you'd use in these types of situations where "koto" isn't the thing you want. That's confusing I'm sure, but you'll eventually get the difference. The hint here is tabemono. Truthfully, you'd most likely avoid the clause and construct the sentence using 料理, but it's important to realize that there are various ways of saying the same thing.

Well, because you've got the "but" in there, one valid interpretation is "my mother's specialty is potato salad, but I'll eat anything my girlfriend makes."

母 is fine in both spots.

I disagree with this in general because of the context of the conversation (or in this case the writing), especially if there is an emphasis on the pause between the two sentences. It's obvious what the she refers to and it's a far leap to go to the complete other meaning of the word. Japanese is not that cryptic, and for the purposes of this school assignment the sentence is grammatically correct.

Again, I agree it's not the most natural way to say it if he's going with the contraction he has now, but there's nothing wrong with using she there. If anything, he should ask his teacher and see how they explain the usage there. I'd be interested in how they teach it.

 

[John Rabbit]

thanks again for the help guys, and trust me, i fully understand that there are many (MANY) ways to say the same thing. i actually rewrote the sentence last night in a way that is more fitting with my current level of Japanese (using 料&#29702. the passage previous to this discusses her hobby of 生花, hence my use of も instead of が in the first sentence.

母は手芸と料理も好きです。得意はポテトサラダですけど、私は全て母の料理を食べます。

i run into this with every sakubun assignment. i'm always thinking at a level beyond my skill. even sensei praises and chides me for it.

 

[I'm an expert]

thanks again for the help guys, and trust me, i fully understand that there are many (MANY) ways to say the same thing. i actually rewrote the sentence last night in a way that is more fitting with my current level of Japanese (using 料&#29702. the passage previous to this discusses her hobby of 生花, hence my use of も instead of が in the first sentence.



i run into this with every sakubun assignment. i'm always thinking at a level beyond my skill. even sensei praises and chides me for it.

Now your second sentence is actually getting a bit muddy because it could be interpreted as your speciality is potato salad. Either make the subjects more clearer, or drop the whole desu kedo thing and connect the first two phrases. Then let your last sentence stand alone(your last sentence also needs a bit of rearranging, the meaning comes across but your teacher will point out what's wrong right away).

 

[bigmit3737]

閃の軌跡のパッチきた。結構短くなったとはいえ、街のマップのロードはまだ長いですねぇ。ただ、ちょこまかと頻繁に入る数秒のロードが1秒以下になってロードを感じさせなくなってるので、体感的にはかなり改善された印象です


Hey guys, I need help with the second sentence, can someone translate it for me?

"ちょこまかと頻繁に入る数秒のロードが1秒以下になってロードを感じさせなくなってるので、体感的にはかなり改善された印象です"

 

[Mandoric]

"The multi-second loads when just running around are down under a second now, and barely even feel like loading anymore. It really improves how the game feels."

I may need a not-really-intern/minion/whatever beginning the next few days. Requirements are a solid grasp of written or conversational Japanese, and an enthusiasm for learning under pressure. PM me if interested.

 

[bigmit3737]

Thank you so much that was really helpful.

 

[I'm an expert]

Just a slight correction, the first sentence would be something like "The non-stop few second loads" or "The incessant few second loads," not "The loads while running." ちょこまかと頻繁に is a phrase that basically means "coming from every direction." It's made up of two adverbs, but is one phrase and in this case modifying the loads. I can see how he thought the chokomaka meant running around because it's how we usually use the word with kids playing, but then you'd actually need a verb, or we usually shorten it to ちょこまかしてる.

 

[Kansoku]

I'm having a little trouble on understanding the usage of もう
For example, 今日はもう忘れない.
Would this be "Today is not yet forgotten"?
Or this (taken form a music): 自惚れるな　もうオモテナシは終わりだ
For sake of simplicity 自惚れる = proud. I can't figure what もう is supposed to be here.
I believe that this translates to something like "Hospitality is proudly over", but I don't know were もう would fall in here.

And...

I finished RtK in June and I'm currently going through Tae Kim right now.
It's really good, but I end up forgetting stuff after a while due to lack of practice, since he doesn't offer exercises.
So, does anyone knows a way that I can practice grammar?
I used Anki with RtK and it's really good, but I don't know how to use it in a good way. I also took a look at Genki but didn't like it very much. I really hate the textbook ways of doing things, and especially after going trough Tae Kim, it doesn't explain things that well IMO.

Anyone?

 

[bigmit3737]

Just a slight correction, the first sentence would be something like "The non-stop few second loads" or "The incessant few second loads," not "The loads while running." ちょこまかと頻繁に is a phrase that basically means "coming from every direction." It's made up of two adverbs, but is one phrase and in this case modifying the loads. I can see how he thought the chokomaka meant running around because it's how we usually use the word with kids playing, but then you'd actually need a verb, or we usually shorten it to ちょこまかしてる.

Thanks, this actually makes more sense as I don't think there were any loading problems when running around.

 

[I'm an expert]

I'm having a little trouble on understanding the usage of もう
For example, 今日はもう忘れない.
Would this be "Today is not yet forgotten"?
Or this (taken form a music): 自惚れるな　もうオモテナシは終わりだ
For sake of simplicity 自惚れる = proud. I can't figure what もう is supposed to be here.
I believe that this translates to something like "Hospitality is proudly over", but I don't know were もう would fall in here.

And...

I'm just waiting on someone else so I don't become the "answer every question guy."

Anyone?

Isn't there some sort of site where you can type stuff and native speakers correct it?

 

[Kansoku]

I'm just waiting on someone else so I don't become the "answer every question guy."

Isn't there some sort of site where you can type stuff and native speakers correct it?

Well, you're an expert...

Do you mean lang-8? I don't have enough vocabulary to make phrases
Maybe I should focus on vocabulary first?