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Particles

This may be an incomplete list, as I’m writing based on notes I’ve made from my textbook so far.

の connects one noun to another. Generally speaking, this is used in noun の　noun form, where the second noun is the main idea, and the first is a further restriction.

ex. 私の電話番号　（わたしのでんわばんごう）My phone number.

の can only connect nouns. It cannot be used to connect verbs.

が marks the subject of the sentence (which is not always the topic). This is used after question words such as 何、どこ、etc. It’s also used to indicate new information such as when answering a question.

ex. 私は髪があまり長くないです。My hair isn’t very long.

ex. 日本語のクラスに学生が何人いる（How many students are in the Japanese class?

ex. Q: 先生の中で誰が料理をすうのが上手ですか。（Among the teachers, who is skilled at cooking?

　　A: 加藤先生が上手です。Mr/Ms/Mrs Katou is skilled at cooking.

The first example shows how が, although marking the subject of the sentence (my hair), does not mark the topic of the sentence (me).

The third example shows が used in two more ways: following a question word, and marking new information in the response.

が is also used to mark a direct object in a limited number of predicates such as __が好きです.

ex. 本が好きです。I like books.

ex. 魚が嫌いです。 I dislike fish.

ex. テーラーさんは中国語がわかります。Mr/Ms/Mrs Taylor understands Chinese.

を marks a direct object and is usually used with most verbs.

ex. スーさんはよく本を読みます。Sue often reads books.

に serves three functions:

1. marking a goal 東京に英語を教えに行きます。I’m going to Tokyo to teach English.

2. marking a place of existence たけしさんは長野に住んでいると思います。I think Takeshi lives in Nagano.

3. marking a point in time 土曜日に一緒に喫茶店に行きませんか。Would you go to a cafe with me on Saturday?

Some special rules for に when it’s used to reference time: 

1.  に is used following days of the week (ex. on Sunday) or a numerical time expression (ex. at 10:45 or in September)

2. に isn’t used with 

-time expressions relative to the present moment (ex. today, tomorrow)

-expressions describing regular intervals (ex. everyday)

-following “when” (いつ) 

で can be used to mark a place of action or mark a tool/method of transportation

ex. 私は時々プールで泳ぎます。I sometimes swim at the pool.

ex. 私は 公園で友達に会います。 I meet friends at the park.

ex. 箸で食べます。I ate with chopsticks.

ex. バスで来ます。I came by bus.

In the first and second examples, で marks a place of dynamic action (swimming in/at the pool, meeting friends at the park). The third and fourth examples show how で can be used to mark the use of a tool (chopsticks used to eat) or a method of transportation (arriving by bus).

と can be used to mean “with/and” or to mark a quotation or thought.

ex.　日本人の友達と一緒に歌舞伎に行きました。I went to the Kabuki theater with my Japanese friends.

ex. 母は肉が好きじゃないと思います。I think Mom doesn’t like meat.

Something to remember when using と as “with” or “and” is that it only connects nouns and cannot be used to connect verbs.

は marks a topic as well as a contrastive element

ex.　僕はアメリカ人だよ。I am American.

ex. 肉はあまり好きじゃないです。でも、魚は好きですよ。I don’t really like meat, but I do like fish.

In the second example both meat and fish are topics, and thus are marked by は. In the first example, は replaced が  as the topic also happens to be the subject.

も marks an element that has the same attributes as someone or something mentioned earlier.

ex. 鈴木先生は大学に勤めています。私も大学に勤めています。Professor Suzuki works at a college. I also work at a college.

ex. 私は日本語を話します。中国語も話します。I speak Japanese. I also speak Chinese.

も will replace を in the second example, and も in the first. This holds true for most other particles that would otherwise be used in the second sentence.

へ indicates the goal of a movement, and can only replace に when used in this sense. When used as a grammatical particle, へ is pronounced like え.

ex. 図書館へ行きます。I’m going to the library. 

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Sentence Structure

Basic sentence structure generally follows the pattern of X は Yです。With は functioning as the topic marker and です serving as the to-be verb. 

ex. 私はアメリカ人です。(わたしはアメリカじんです。)　I am American. 

Question words such as どこ、だれ、どれ、and どの must use が　as a topic marker, rather than は。When answering questions, the sentence structure used to ask the question is retained in the answering sentence. 

ex. あなたは何人ですか。（あなたはなにじんですか。）

　　私はアメリカ人です。（わたしはアメリカじんです。）

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2017年七月十一日

えと。。。本当すみません！先月、家族と一緒にドライブをしました。たくさんきれいな所に行きました。ヨセミチ公園やセコヤ公園に行きました。たくさん写真を撮りました！

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2017 六月 14 (水)

みんなはどう？今日、私は父と運動した。今日の新しい運動はちょっと難しと思った。今日の天気は晴れだ！とてもきれいだった！もう小さい犬は見た🐕 その犬はハスキーと思う。今弟の練習がありから私はちょっと暇だ。

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みんなさん、こんにちは！マラカイです！私が来ました！本当すみません、先学期、私はとても忙しになりました。今夏休みですから、毎日日本語を練習したいです。じゃあ、私は毎日少し日本語を書くつもりです。

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I’m having a bit of a “yikes” problem where the name I use for my Chinese class no longer reflects my name in English. I understand that the names are not supposed to be exactly the same/a transliteration, but I was given that name when I used a different name in English and I’m not entirely sure what to do? 

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よ and ね Particles

〜ね

~ね is a particle which seeks agreement or confirmation from the listener. 

This particle often expresses a feeling or opinion

いいですねー (It’s good, isn’t it?) 

ね can often be drawn out to ねえ, or written as ね~

ね should be spoken with a rising tone of voice (almost like a question)

a flat ね can suggest disagreement

responses to ね statements are often ”そですね”

ね can also be used to get someone’s attention, but can sound casual

〜よ

~よ is a particle which is used for general emphasis

It’s often used in statements that correct someone. 

魚じゃないですよ。(That isn’t fish.)

よ is also used to point out information. 

その人は私の先生ですよ。(That person is my teacher.) 

よ can be used with either a rising or flat tone.

よ and ね can be used in the same sentence, but the result can sound cutesy. Repeating ね and よ in consecutive sentences has the same effect. How much one uses よ or ね is often dependent on their personality.

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A short explanation of Japanese Pitch Accents by UBC Enunciate for anyone who is interested in learning and understanding them. Keep in mind that pitch accents vary between dialects, and the best way to get better at them is by practicing and listening, rather than rote memorization. As one Vine said, “Let it happen naturally.”

What is Japanese Pitch Accent?

How Important is Pitch Accent?

Other Resources

NHK Pitch Accent Dictionary

Online Japanese Accent Dictionary features words from the vocabulary and readings of some of the Japanese textbooks with audio (male and female) and conjugations. (Some entries may not have audio.) 

Forvo is a Web 2.0 platform where users contribute pronunciations for languages all over the world.

Common Intonation Mistakes by Dogensensei

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Katakana Chart by Sirri-R-P

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This is (who I tend to) be

We all have quirks about ourselves that makes us unique, things that set us apart. It’s not just the things that we want or like to do, but also the things that we do without even trying or wanting to. 

This is different from the previously mentioned しまう, where a specific action was done unintentionally once. When something about you happens often and without your direct control, it is a separate instance.

After all, everyone forgets an appointment or two. It happens. But how would you describe a person who is actually forgetful?

Some of you may think at first thought: その人がよく忘れます。”That person often forgets”.

Meaning-wise, it’s clear. But both the Japanese and English forms of this are unnatural and almost formal. There is actually ways to say “That person is X” and “That person tends to be Y” in Japanese. Let’s talk about がち, っぽい, and ぎみ.

がち

がち translates directly to “apt to do ___, tends to do ___”. It can be used with any noun or verb, but there is a catch. You see, がち has to be negative. In other words, it’s something that you or someone else often does without trying, or when you notice that you or another person has been doing something negative lately. For example:

暇な時に、お菓子を食べがちです。

When I have nothing to do, I tend to eat candy.

たびたびけんかして、離婚がちです。

They’re always fighting, so they’re likely to divorce.

The first scenario is similar to a moment when we could use しまう, but in this case it would have happened so many times it just became a pattern. The second scenario describes a sort of general rule. It makes sense that couples who fight a lot will divorce. Both these scenarios are definitely something that a speaker is ashamed of or is concerned about. You couldn’t use がち like this:

家に次第、晩ご飯を作りがちです。

As soon as I get home, I tend to make dinner.

In English, the sentence would be fine, but in Japanese, using がち implies that you don’t like that part of yourself, as if you have a problem with making your own food. And maybe it is a problem if you have to make it for an ungrateful family. My point is that using がち makes people think you don’t like that particular habit or circumstance.

っぽい

I really like the term っぽい because it’s a translation of something we use in English all the time. っぽい means “-ish” or “-like”. If I didn’t just unlock a new world for English speakers, then you’re not speaking English right or you speak it too well. “-ish”/”-like” is used when you want to make a comparison to something, but you want to use it as an adjective rather than a simile. っぽい is the same. It’s an い-adjective used with nouns, but also for verbs and adjectives. It’s great.

Try to practice translating っぽい with some of these terms:

大人っぽい

忘れっぽい

やさしっぽい

みどりっぽい

RPGっぽい

先生っぽい

おどろきっぽい

Okay, there was a bit of a moment I went a little nuts, but the meanings are easy to grasp, aren’t they? 

Adulty

Forgetty

Kindish 

Greenish

RPG-like

Teachery

Scaredish

In English, none of these are actual words, but the meaning gets across. That is the magic of っぽい. Now, some っぽい terms have been used so often, that they are actual words in Japanese (i.e. 子供っぽい, 忘れっぽい). However, if there is ever a moment that you are stuck in how to describe something, っぽい is your best friend. It’s like a Foreigner’s Privilege way to make a word into an い adjective. It’s also a good way to ask for the actual word version of things. (i.e.  おどろきっぽい is better known as よわき, meaning “timid”). So don’t feel embarrassed about not knowing the real version of an adjective. As long as you know a word that relates to it and っぽい, you’ll be okay.

気味／ぎみ

Last is 気味／ぎみ. 気味 is a bit like the in between of previous two. While っぽい may very well be a part of that situation forever, がち can certainly be temporary or in the past. Like っぽい, 気味 is neutral. However, like がち, 気味 is often temporary.  What makes 気味 unique is that the trait is rarely full blown. Let’s compare:

忘れっぽい vs 忘れ気味

If someone is 忘れっぽい, they are, and probably has always been, forgetful. It’s just who they are. Someone who is 忘れ気味 is a little forgetful lately. Notice that it implies out of the ordinary behavior, or when observing someone for the first time. However, it does not mean complete and utter embodiment of that trait. For example, everyone has moments when they feel a little tired or a bit bored, but this does not mean this is always who they are. If someone has been late recently due to construction, that is 遅着気味 (ちちゃくぎみ). If someone is ALWAYS late no matter what, even if you gave them an earlier time on purpose, then that is 遅っぽい. 

疲れがち vs 疲れ気味

If someone is 疲れがち, they do not like being so. However, that is something about themselves they have noticed for a good long while. Before it got to 疲れがち, people were probably saying 疲れ気味. 疲れ気味 is not necessarily negative, but it is an observation that people tend to be concerned about. People who are 疲れ気味 may not ever become 疲れがち, and they may not even be that bothered by it (like they know it’s due to new medication or jet lag). Remember that to use 気味, the trait cannot be full blown or an annoyance. がち is used when a trait is annoying and even in full swing.

高直がち vs 高っぽい

Here, you have two words meaning “expensive”. But keep in mind that がち is used negatively. In other words, it’s frustratingly expensive. You can use this when the rent on your apartment goes up, or when scalpers mark up the price of Fire Emblem Fates Special Edition by an extra 200%. It is used when something, at the moment, is in the condition of being annoyingly expensive, further implying there is nothing you can do. 高っぽい is neutral, so it doesn’t carry that same emotional weight. 高っぽい would be closer to understandably expensive. Like organic food at Whole Foods would be 高っぽい, but you buy it anyways because you feel that the price increase is fair and/or necessary. You also wouldn’t use がち in the Whole Foods case because Whole Foods has always had comparatively higher prices and probably always will. You also (hopefully) wouldn’t use 高っぽい with the scalper example because those prices tend to change based on product availability. 

Let’s sum things up. 

If a trait is NEGATIVE, and likely either temporary or a general rule, がち is a good choice.

If a trait is PERMANENT, and often accepted and meant neutrally, っぽい is the best fit.

If a trait is MINOR, and relatively recent, 気味 works well.

Of course, any trait can require the use of any of these three depending on the context. Much like English, half the usage of Japanese terms is the emotional meaning behind it. 

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask.

[malakai-desu]

stationery

notebook   笔记本   bǐ jì běn

stationery  文具    wén jù

pencil  铅笔    qiān bǐ

pen  钢笔   gāng bǐ

ink  墨水   mò shǔi

eraser   橡皮   xiàng pí

rural  尺子   chǐ zi

compasses   圆规   yuán guī

note   便签   biàn qiān

card   卡片    kǎ piàn

postcard   明信片    míng xìn piàn

envelope   信封   xìn fēng

stamp  邮票   yóu piào

glue    胶水    jiāo shǔi

glue stick  固体胶    gù tǐ jiāo

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paper   纸  zhǐ

magazine   杂志     zá zhì

newspaper 报纸    bào zhǐ

book  书本    shū běn

test paper  试卷    shì juàn

dictionary  字典   zì diǎn

article   文章    wén zhāng

novel  小说    xiǎo shuō

essay   散文    sǎn wén

thesis  论文    lùn wén

narration   记叙文    jì xù wén

argumentation    议论文     yì lùn wén

autobiography   自传    zì zhuàn

[malakai-desu]

(via Easy Way to Learn Chinese Vocabulary)

This Chinese Vocabulary Archives help you easily learn the most-used Chinese vocabulary so that you’re able to retain it and get using it–quickly.

http://www.digmandarin.com/easy-way-to-learn-chinese-vocabulary?page_id_all=1

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中秋节快乐！ 因为今天我没有课，昨天我的中文老师给我和我的同学们月饼。我们就一天吃了月饼，所以我的同学们都爱中秋节，爱吃月饼。我自己觉得月饼好吃是好吃，可是我不喜欢吃一个多。你们呢？在中秋节你们喜欢做什么？

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Hi～我是中国辽宁省的一名学生，我可以帮助你提高一下中文水平，我今天第一次使用tumblr，请问你来自哪里呢？

你好！欢迎来Tumblr！我来自美国。你是辽宁人吗？ （对不起，我的中文还一点儿简单。） 

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satansblogging:

大家好！今天我回家那么迟到了！有点儿累，也还有很多历史功课 D: 

今天在中文课我学了中国的大城市！我写了它们在下面！

Hello, everyone! Today I came home really late! I’m a little tired, and I still have a ton of history homework D: 

Today in Chinese I learned China’s big cities! I’ve written them below! 

哈尔滨 hā’ěrbīn

长春 chángchūn

沈阳 shěnyáng

北京 běijiīng

天津 tiānjīn

重庆 chóngqìng

上海 shànghǎi

南京 nánjīng

苏州 sūzhōu

杭州 hángzhōu

郑州 zhèngzhōu

福州 fúzhōu

广州 guǎngzhōu

兰州 lánzhōu

武汉 wǔhàn

西安 xī ‘ān

桂林 guìlín

长沙 chángshā

昆明 kūnmíng

拉萨 lāsà

乌鲁木齐 wūlǔmùqí

深圳 shēnzhèn

香港 xiānggǎng

台北 táiběi

成都 chéngdū

海口 háikǒu

西宁 xīníng

银川 yínchuān

太原 tàiyuán

石家庄 shíjiāzhuāng

呼和浩特 hūhéhàotè

贵阳 guìyáng

中国的大城市！

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中国的省和自治区

大家好！真对不起，我就开学！今天我的中文课学了中国的省和自治区！ 它们在下面！ 

Hello everyone! I’m really sorry, I just started school! Today my Chinese class learned China’s provinces and autonomous regions! They’re below! 

黑龙江 hēi lóng jiāng

吉林 jí lín

辽宁 liáo níng

河北 hé běi 

山西 shān xī

江苏 jiāng sū

浙江 zhè jiāng

安徽 ān huī

福建 fú jiàn

江西 jiāng xī

山东 shān dōng

河南 hé nán

湖北 hú běi 

湖南 hú nán

贵州 guì zhōu 

四川 sì chuān

云南 yún nán

山西 shān xī

甘肃 gān sù

青海 qīng hǎi 

台湾 tái wān

内蒙古 nèi méng gǔ

新疆 xīn jiāng 

西藏 xī zàng

宁夏 níng xià

广西 guǎng xī

下面我被放在中国的地图，所以我们能看中国的省和自治区。 

Below I’ve placed China’s map, so we can see China’s provinces and autonomous regions.