Hi, this is Yuyujin.
What is difficult about Japanese for you?
Is the word order is difficult?
Yes, it could be the one.
The order of words, subject, verb, object and complement, is different from English and Chinese.
But Japanese postpositional particles would be the most difficult thing for foreigners.
Japanese doesn’t care about the word order so much because we have postpositional particles.
Let’s look an example.
Wtashi Wa Nihonjin Desu
(わたしはにほんじんです。)
I am Japanese.
This is A=B expression.
A Wa B Desu (AはBです。)
But Japanese accept the below one.
Nihonnjin Desu Watashi Wa
(にほんじんです。わたしは。)
Today’s theme is “postpoditional particle”.
Let’s get started.
There are not postpositional particles in English and Chinese.
Japanese postpositional particles show us which one is a subject or which one is an object.
So Japanese can change the word order.
I have heard English also used to have postpositional particles.
But now it does not have them.
English word order has same function of postpositianal particle.
We already see the postpositional particle in the previous lessons.
Kore Wo Kudasai
(これをください。)
I will have this one.
This “Wo (を)” is the one.
Onsen Ni Ikimasu
(おんせんにいきます。)
I go to Onsen.
This “Ni (に)” is the postpositional particle, too.
I will introduce a several basic postpositional particles step by step.
It will be helpful to make Japanese sentences.
But the tone that each postpositional particle has is difficult.
I recommend you to remember the sets of “word + postpositional particle”.
“Noun + Wa(は)” and ” Noun + Ga(が)”
“Wa(は)” and “Ga(が)” indicate the subject.
Watashi Wa Nihonjin Desu
(わたしはにほんじんです。)
I am Japanese.
This “Wa(は)” indicates “Watashi(わたし)” is a subject in this sentence.
We also say,
Watashi Ga Nihonjin Desu
(わたしがにほんじんです。)
I am Japanese.
This “Ga(が)” also indicates “Watashi(わたし)” is a subject.
But “Wa(は)” and “Ga(が)” have different tone.
The tone of “Wa(は)” in “Watasshi Wa Nihonjin Desu” is,
I am Japanese.
I don”t know or care about the others.
I just mentioned about me.
The tone of “Ga(が)” in “Watashi Ga Nihonjin Desu” is,
Not he, not she, I am Japanese.
Let’s make some examples.
Example 1
Watashi Wa Sore Wo Taberu
(わたしはそれをたべる。)
I eat it.
Watashi Ga Sore Wo Taberu
(わたしがそれをたべる。)
I eat it.
The tone with “Wa(は)” is,
The tone with “Ga(が)” is,
Not he, not she, I eat it.
The situation of the sentence with “Ga(が)” is like below,
Who would like to eat this last piece of cake?
I eat it!
“Watashi Ga Sore Wo Taberu (わたしがそれをたべる。)”
Example 2
Watashi Wa Iku
(わたしはいく。)
I will go.
Watashi Ga Iku
(わたしがいく。)
I will go.
The situation with “Wa(は)” is like this.
The house is caught in a fire and a woman leaves inside.
I will go (to help her).
“Watasshi Wa Iku(わたしはいく。)”
I don’t know who else goes with me, but I will go.
The situation with “Ga(が)” is like this.
The house is caught in a fire and a woman leaves inside.
The house is almost broken.
When many people go inside the house, the house would be broken by their weight.
People need to decide one person who go to help her.
I will go.
“Watashi Ga Iku (わたしがいく。)”
Not you, not he, I will go to help.
Do you understand the nuance?
This time is little bit difficult.
I would like to explain again anytime.
OK, that’s it.
Thank you so much.
Have a good trip!
コメント