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[Kilrogg]

I'm sorry, I don't understand a thing :lol.

"He made clothes for her stake." What does this even mean? It's like I never learned English.

 

[Zoe]

Is that that one extension for firefox?

Yeah, Rikaichan's for Firefox, Rikaikun's for Chrome

 

[zoku88]

I'm sorry, I don't understand a thing :lol.

"He made clothes for her stake." What does this even mean? It's like I never learned English.

Sake, oops XD

As in ために　　　あいのためにふくをつくったんだ。

 

[Snytbaggen]

Okay, so I asked some friends that were in Japan on vacation to buy me some manga. Anyway, when I read it I encountered something I've never seen before in our textbooks... It's kinda hard to explain, but it looked kinda like this:

普ふ ・
通り ・
漢が ・
字な ・

(didn't know how to make "ふりがな" small...)

What confuses me is the ・to the right of the furigana. It's only on some kanji and I think it's some kind of emphasis, but I'm not sure at all. Japanese-GAF, please help me on this one.

 

[Zoe]

(didn't know how to make "ふりがな" small...)

Type 'l' before the kana.

What confuses me is the ・to the right of the furigana. It's only on some kanji and I think it's some kind of emphasis, but I'm not sure at all. Japanese-GAF, please help me on this one.

Yeah, I've seen it for emphasis. You may also see ten-ten marks used.

 

[louis89]

I know people say you mainly learn a language your passionate about, I understand that but I have a question about the Japanese and Chinese languages.

Beyond learning Japanese for your hobbies, have you ever been able to use it or has it ever been of benefit to you in your line of work? I was thinking of taking either Chinese or Japanese and people always say "Chinese for business" but I always question what the hell do people mean by "business"? That's an extraordinarily broad term.

I'm currently a programmer at a well-known video game company that you've all heard of, and one of our producers the other day called me over after having heard about my Japanese language abilities (I think my friend told him), to help him with a bug he needed to put our game into Japanese in order to investigate. I felt pretty valuable

But really, personally I think that it's just a nonsense thing that people say without it really meaning anything because it's the popular logic at the moment. I mean, maybe it's proven useful for some people in some specific circumstances, but in reality I think that 99.9% of people have no reason to learn Chinese (or Japanese) beyond personal interest (which is a perfectly good reason).

 

[cnet128]

Sorry, having a problem with another sentence.

(this isn't as bad as it sounds, I thnk)

あいを脱がしては着せて -- I think it would mean something like "undressing ai is wearing" the direct object is in the background picture I guess. It sounds like the sentence should translate something closer to, "undress ai and put on", though.

The &#12390;&#12399; part is bothering me. I immediately think of sentences like &#12375;&#12394;&#12367;&#12390;&#12399;&#12384;&#12417;&#12384;&#12424;&#12290; So it sounds like it is describing the action of undressing as the action of putting something on, which doenst make sense to me >_<

Yeah, you don't want to be thinking of that &#12390;&#12399; in terms of ordinary applications of te-form + &#12399;. Not sure what the logic behind it is, but it's essentially a completely separate 'set phrase' type usage. This kind of &#12390;&#12399; indicates a sequence of related actions, with a nuance of the whole sequence occurring repeatedly. It reminds me in some respects of the English 'doing X only to do Y' structure.

So the translation of this sentence would indeed simply be something like 'undressing and dressing her', with the implication that he's doing it over and over again in his mind.

Okay, so I asked some friends that were in Japan on vacation to buy me some manga. Anyway, when I read it I encountered something I've never seen before in our textbooks... It's kinda hard to explain, but it looked kinda like this:

&#26222;&#12405; &#12539;
&#36890;&#12426; &#12539;
&#28450;&#12364; &#12539;
&#23383;&#12394; &#12539;

(didn't know how to make "&#12405;&#12426;&#12364;&#12394;" small...)

What confuses me is the &#12539;to the right of the furigana. It's only on some kanji and I think it's some kind of emphasis, but I'm not sure at all. Japanese-GAF, please help me on this one.

Yes, this is basically the Japanese equivalent of italics. You don't see it quite as often (perhaps because, like furigana, it's difficult to format on the Internet and so on), but I come across it all the time in light novels and the like.

 

[Snytbaggen]

Yes, this is basically the Japanese equivalent of italics. You don't see it quite as often (perhaps because, like furigana, it's difficult to format on the Internet and so on), but I come across it all the time in light novels and the like.

Ah, thanks. Isn't katakana also used as emphasis sometimes? So I assume katakana = capitals, dots = italics?

 

[345triangle]

i've always thought of katakana used in that way to be like italics, too. plus it provides a nice analog with italics for foreign words in english.

though, well, if you asked me for a clear cut distinction between capital and italic emphasis in english i'm not sure i'd be able to give one...

 

[cnet128]

Ah, thanks. Isn't katakana also used as emphasis sometimes? So I assume katakana = capitals, dots = italics?

Katakana can also be used for a sort of emphasis, but I wouldn't call it equivalent to English capitals or italics. It's an odd sort of way of adding a unique quality to a word that I'd hesitate to call 'emphasis' at all. As you'd expect considering the many different things katakana is used for in general, katakana-ising a word can have a variety of implications. The dots above/beside text usage is much more clear-cut - it adds emphasis, pure and simple.

 

[faridmon]

Ok, I am sort of learner of the langauge, did 6 month in private course but with my A-Levels on the line, i couldn't go on study it.

Does anyone know the cheapest Japanese private classes in London as I am going to resume my university there?

Also I have couple of questions:

Am I right that &#12398; is used to belong to something (my English is not great either, sorry) while &#12392; just means 'and'?

Also, I have learned hiragana, is there good Furigana book that strengthen my Hiragana while help me to learn Kanjis as i go along?

One that is availible in UK or atleast can be shipped here?

thanks.

 

[louis89]

Both of those particles have many uses; those are just two examples of their usage, there are others.

I primarily learned the particles from here

http://www.timwerx.net/language/particles.htm

Also, which uni in London are you going to? They probably offer some sort of Japanese course.

 

[faridmon]

Both of those particles have many uses; those are just two examples of their usage, there are others.

I primarily learned the particles from here

http://www.timwerx.net/language/particles.htm

Also, which uni in London are you going to? They probably offer some sort of Japanese course.

holly crap, thats complicated. I have to take my sweet time in learning those.

And I study at Southbank university but its quite hefty pricewaise (around 450 quids for 5 or so months) if i have the money, I'll start that one. If not, can you tell me a cheaper Japanese classes in London?

Also, good Furigana books?

cheers.

 

[Jintor]

Anyone have any good links to Japanese-learning podcasts? The one in the OP is password-protected.

 

[Zoe]

Also, good Furigana books?

What are you looking for exactly? Normal books that have furigana for all the kanji, or something geared towards teaching?

 

[scotcheggz]

I asked my gf to pick me up a note book to practice writing kanji in yesterday, she came back with this:

What a peach! Gonna look like a badass in school ooooooyehhhhh.

 

[Deeku]

Fuuu I wish I saw this thread last week. I just did Intermediate Japanese I at university during the semester break which was basically a 13 week unit crammed into 2.5 weeks. It was the worst shit ever because I did Beginners like 6 years ago so I was behind everyone else in terms of vocab.

I'm pretty sure I passed though but I don't think I've ever studied so much in my entire life. Gonna keep a tab on this thread when I start Intermediate II

Edit: Oh one thing that confused the hell out of me was transitive and intransitive verbs. Anyone have any tips other than just memorising the commonly used ones?

 

[345triangle]

I asked my gf to pick me up a note book to practice writing kanji in yesterday, she came back with this:

What a peach! Gonna look like a badass in school ooooooyehhhhh.

i must own this! where did she get it? are there higher levels?

 

[scotcheggz]

i must own this! where did she get it? are there higher levels?

I've no idea I'm afraid, but going by the jazz on the back, it is made by &#12471;&#12519;&#12454;&#12527;&#12494;&#12540;&#12488;, website here seems to have a lot of different stuff from the series http://www.showa-note.co.jp/ (I think I've seen your posts before, you're in japan right?)

Glad you liked it, I was literally cringing when I saw it, I did my best to say thank you with a straight face until she burst out laughing and told me it suits me because I'm a massive child.

 

[mehdi_san]

i must own this! where did she get it? are there higher levels?

They were not Pokemon branded, but I bought books like that at a 100-yen shop before.

 

[faridmon]

What are you looking for exactly? Normal books that have furigana for all the kanji, or something geared towards teaching?

the first one if it is availible in the UK.
I wouldn't mind the second as well.

 

[scotcheggz]

Faridmon, there is a shop in central London called japan centre that has a book store. It sells all sorts of books at varying levels from kids to murakami. It also sells magazines.

Seriosuly rip off prices though (e.g. Famitsu is £7), but hassle free. Swings and roundabouts.

 

[faridmon]

Faridmon, there is a shop in central London called japan centre that has a book store. It sells all sorts of books at varying levels from kids to murakami. It also sells magazines.

Seriosuly rip off prices though (e.g. Famitsu is £7), but hassle free. Swings and roundabouts.

Cool, have to chheck that out. I won't buy Famitsu, 7 quids is just too much.
Cheers

 

[scotcheggz]

Cool, have to chheck that out. I won't buy Famitsu, 7 quids is just too much.
Cheers

Yeah, most of the stuff they sell there is just overpriced 100 yen shop stuff or overpriced magazines, but they sell a lot of food and ingredients and the book store, even though it's overpriced, is a good service. It sure beats buying stuff from japan, sending it to someone in japan who then forwards it onto you.

Japan centre is right next door to mitsukoshi department store. Food and assorted bits and bobs are in japan centre, but the majority of the books are in mitsukoshi. It's in Mayfair. Piccadily circus tube stop is less than a couple of minutes walk.

 

[hxa155]

So guys, how much difficult is learning Japanese for a non-native English speaker using English textbooks? I'm fairly proficient in English and has been studying university level physics, chemistry, math, etc in English for 3 years.

 

[louis89]

holly crap, thats complicated. I have to take my sweet time in learning those.

And I study at Southbank university but its quite hefty pricewaise (around 450 quids for 5 or so months) if i have the money, I'll start that one. If not, can you tell me a cheaper Japanese classes in London?

Also, good Furigana books?

cheers.

They do Japanese evening classes at my uni (Imperial College), which I thought were fairly expensive but it's nothing compared to that ._.

http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/humanities/eveningclasses

As for furigana, shounen manga usually has it over all kanji.

Yeah, most of the stuff they sell there is just overpriced 100 yen shop stuff or overpriced magazines, but they sell a lot of food and ingredients and the book store, even though it's overpriced, is a good service. It sure beats buying stuff from japan, sending it to someone in japan who then forwards it onto you.

Japan centre is right next door to mitsukoshi department store. Food and assorted bits and bobs are in japan centre, but the majority of the books are in mitsukoshi. It's in Mayfair. Piccadily circus tube stop is less than a couple of minutes walk.

I love the book shop. They also import books for you. I picked this&#12288;up a couple of weeks ago (totally recommend it too, it's very interesting).&#12288;Planning to go back in a couple of weeks and pick up Battle Royale, which I've always wanted to read having loved the movie. The first time I went in there I felt like I was back in Japan; all the customers and staff are Japanese, all the signs are in Japanese... it totally looks like book shops I went into in Tokyo.

 

[Xizk]

I need help finding some good japanese podcasts. I want to practice my hearing and seeing as I always listen to podcasts, I thought finding some japanese ones would be good. Any suggestions?

 

[louis89]

I need help finding some good japanese podcasts. I want to practice my hearing and seeing as I always listen to podcasts, I thought finding some japanese ones would be good. Any suggestions?

http://www.voiceblog.jp/ikebukuronow/

 

[bigmit3737]

What translates to "nice" in Japanese when taken from this conversation?


A: I can eat chicken again.

B: My sister made some chicken last night. (He's not offering the chicken to A)

A: Nice!

 

[RevenantKioku]

What translates to "nice" in Japanese when taken from this conversation?


A: I can eat chicken again.

B: My sister made some chicken last night. (He's not offering the chicken to A)

A: Nice!

I can eat chicken again? What? :lol

Anyway, it'd probably be &#12356;&#12356;&#12397;. Or at least, that's what I'd say. But I am functionally stupid at times.

 

[345triangle]

my first thoughts were &#12356;&#12356;&#12394;&#12353; or &#12424;&#12363;&#12387;&#12383;, but i don't think i even understand that conversation in english. why would B say that if they weren't offering the chicken, and furthermore, why would A say "nice!" instead of "you bastard, don't tell me things like that if you're not going to offer any"?

 

[bigmit3737]

my first thoughts were &#12356;&#12356;&#12394;&#12353; or &#12424;&#12363;&#12387;&#12383;, but i don't think i even understand that conversation in english. why would B say that if they weren't offering the chicken, and furthermore, why would A say "nice!" instead of "you bastard, don't tell me things like that if you're not going to offer any"?

Yeah, it's open to many interpretations.
Let's see if I can explain this. B is saying it as though it just reminded him, since A said he can eat chicken again. B hasn't had a good cooked meal in a while. So A is happy for him.


Does that make more sense?

 

[Wads]

Glad this thread exists! I need to get on this asap!

 

[RevenantKioku]

Honestly, the OP could use a bit of updating... but I've got a Yugioh tournament to go to right now...

 

[Mik2121]

Yeah, it's open to many interpretations.
Let's see if I can explain this. B is saying it as though it just reminded him, since A said he can eat chicken again. B hasn't had a good cooked meal in a while. So A is happy for him.


Does that make more sense?

Yep. The conversation would be something like this:

A:&#12414;&#12383;&#12481;&#12461;&#12531;&#39135;&#12409;&#12390;&#12427;&#12424;&#12358;&#12395;&#12394;&#12387;&#12383;&#65281;

B:&#12381;&#12358;&#12356;&#12360;&#12400;&#12289;&#20693;&#12398;&#22969;&#65288;or&#12362;&#22985;&#12373;&#12435;&#65289;&#12399;&#26152;&#26085;&#12398;&#22812;&#12481;&#12461;&#12531;&#20316;&#12387;&#12383;&#12435;&#12391;&#12377;&#12424;

A:&#12356;&#12356;&#12394;&#12353;&#65374; / A: &#12399;&#12387;&#65311;/ A: &#65298;&#20154;&#12392;&#12418;&#27515;&#12397;&#12400;&#12356;&#12356;&#12398;&#12395;&#12539;&#12539;&#12539;

This is how a conversation like that would most likely go, but this is spoken Japanese so it's missing certain stuff like "&#12434;" and other elements.

Even if A says "Nice!", he's really thinking something else.

 

[Nard Bagman]

I'm into my second week of Japanese 101 at college me likey long time.

 

[KidA Seven]

I'm into my second week of Japanese 101 at college me likey long time.

I just started to learn Japanese as well, except I'm learning it on my own online. I'm currently learning Hiragana. Almost memorized every character. Going to learn Katakana, and then kanji.

 

[RevenantKioku]

I still remember that. It was entirely mindblowing seeing my professor write something on the board in hiragana and being able to read it. Ah, the innocent days. :lol

 

[NaughtyCalibur]

Yeah, being able to read kana for the first time for me was like discovering that we were living in The Matrix or something. Really crazy, and awesome. I still kind of suck at reading katakana, though. Mainly because I just don't see it that often.

I'm about to try to get back into studying Japanese really hardcore this semester. Basically, my priorities are going to go like this: Video production, Japanese, school and then all the "fun stuff." Tired of letting school eat up my life, taking away from what I really want to do, so it's time to change that. I also want to take the Intermediate and Advanced Japanese courses at my school soon and need to brush up. I know around 1,000 kanji from RTK, but it's time I knocked that book out and moved on to the 3rd volume.

I think I'm going to substitute as much stuff in my daily living with Japanese equivalents as possible. Not quite AJATT, but as close as I can get to it without completely sacrificing my social and professional life. I swear, if I don't knock out at least the first RTK book -- something I said I'd have finished by June -- by the end of this semester (four months), then I suck. Wish me luck.

 

[FOOTE]

I like this thread.

I started to learn a few years back, and was interrupted by some things that gave me little time to continue studying. Thanks for the links and information!

 

[Wads]

I just started learning Hiragana. I'm using the "Remembering the Kana" book. I really just started using it though and I think I know like 5 symbols... A, E, I, O, U. This is super hard for me, but slowly but surely I guess...

Oh, and I wish I could just download this shit like the Matrix or flash like Chuck or something... life would be so much easier...

 

[NaughtyCalibur]

I just started learning Hiragana. I'm using the "Remembering the Kana" book. I really just started using it though and I think I know like 5 symbols... A, E, I, O, U. This is super hard for me, but slowly but surely I guess...

Oh, and I wish I could just download this shit like the Matrix or flash like Chuck or something... life would be so much easier...

Kana is probably (arguably?) the easiest part of learning Japanese. Not trying to discourage you, just figured I'd toss that out there. But once you learn the kana you'll feel like a boss; not to mention be able to do quite a bit more, like play Nintendo games in Japanese with the help of a dictionary.

 

[Wads]

So, you are saying Hiragana + Katakana is the easiest part or just Hiragana?

 

[Vox-Pop]

I just started learning Hiragana. I'm using the "Remembering the Kana" book. I really just started using it though and I think I know like 5 symbols... A, E, I, O, U. This is super hard for me, but slowly but surely I guess...

Oh, and I wish I could just download this shit like the Matrix or flash like Chuck or something... life would be so much easier...

I'm reading that book too. Just finished my first lesson.

 

[NaughtyCalibur]

So, you are saying Hiragana + Katakana is the easiest part or just Hiragana?

Both, honestly. Katakana is just harder to retain, imo, because it's not as commonly used. I can go a year without seeing hiragana and read it just fine (writing, not so much), but with katakana I lose reading and writing rather quickly.

But even when you forget the kana, you can relearn it at such a rapid pace that it's a non-issue. I just relearned katakana over two hours of repetition. When I first learned them I did so over the course of a weekend for my Introductory Japanese course, and I never forgot any of them during the course. Compare that to the six+ hours it takes me to relearn a fraction of the kanji I forget, and the months it takes to learn how to read/write the general use ones (not including how to interpret them when used in the context of Japanese sentences), and I think you can see how kana is a cakewalk.

Grammar would probably be the second easiest thing to get down, but that's probably highly debatable as I know a lot of people who say the grammar is easy, and others who say it's ridiculously hard and nonsensical. Those grammar books mentioned in the OP come in handy if you're having issues, though.

 

[Wads]

Thanks for the input! Honestly, I'm highly motivated right now... the more I know the easier it will be for me to get a job. I've really kind of slacked being here the last month travelling around and such, but I need to get serious about learning this stuff. If I could speak conversationally I would have already gotten a job...

 

[NaughtyCalibur]

I wish I had something like a job opportunity to give me the much needed kick in the rear to continue studying this language as much as I was a year ago.

When I first started studying it a little over 2 years ago I had plans to move to Japan with my best friend. Now I'm pretty sure my life is taking a different direction, so my only motivation for learning it is to play Japanese games before they come out in the states (if they come to the states at all, that is) and watch the occasional anime without subs. Sadly, I hardly have time for either of those things.

So now I'm just casually learning it, because it's fun and I still plan to at least travel to Japan in the future; and who knows, I might end up doing business there given the field I'm going into.

But yeah, motivation is the biggest factor. If you can't think of at least one solid reason for taking on something that reportedly requires 10,000 hours worth of study, you're probably wasting your time. So it's good to see you have a reason other than to play Pokemon: Black and White this year.

 

[dismas]

So I just want to be able to read manga, watch anime, and play games in native Japanese. Are there any resources geared specifically toward this or is it just the same as learning the language?

 

[Zoe]

So I just want to be able to read manga, watch anime, and play games in native Japanese. Are there any resources geared specifically toward this or is it just the same as learning the language?

What do you mean by resources? How to get your hands on this stuff, or something to hold your hand in understanding it?

 

[Jake.]

i am really starting to struggle with japanese and am realising i am probably not dedicated/disciplined enough for it.

i am first year psych student at uni (at 23yrs old) and japanese was one of my electives last semester (japanese 1a). i enjoyed it alot and went well, for the semester i got 80/100. basically we learnt basic sentences, all the hiragana, katakana and we did about 5 kanji a week.

however, this semester i am struggling to keep up (japanese 1b). the workload is just too much, and kanji especially i just find too difficult. i used to think i was comfortable with vocab/grammar etc and kanji was my only difficulty, but we had a test on friday worth 30% of the course and i got 22/100 for it. this semester we are doing about 15 kanji a week and a huge more amount of grammar and vocab. there was just so much i didn't know how to answer, huge sections i left blank.

i'm just about to (hopefully) start a part time job as well, which will leave even less time to focus on japanese. its gonna suck but i don't see myself passing this semester.