learning japanese

[terraj]

Thanks a lot for the explanation, but unfortunately it covers only the basic stuff we already know about wa and ga, but doesn't explain the more unique cases that trouble learners of Japanese....

我々は日常特に意識することなく「は」と「が」の使い分けを行っています。しかしこの「は」と「が」の使い分けは、
いざそのすべてを説明するとなると専門家の間でも議論となるような複雑な問題をはらんでいます。
とはいえ、基本的な使い方はさほど難しいものではありません。ここでは細かい問題には言及せずに、
「は」と「が」のもっとも基本的な違いを見ることにします。

 

[Elfenx]

dimitri_can

My sensei is Seki san.
4 hours? My class each week is only 2hrs leh..
Ya.. conversation for the most part it's really DIY. Gotta put in effort to learn other than during lessons.

 

[PingJun]

Thanks, everyone, for explaining the difference of は and が.

I appreciate it.

The reason of why I ask the difference between the sentence あれはホテルです and あれがホテルです is because on last Saturday, I was watching "Japan Hour".

There was this situation where 2 persons walking, and one of them told his friend あれがホテルです [& point to the hotel] as they walked towards the hotel.

I kept thinking all sorts of questions like

"How come he said あれがホテルです, and not あれはホテルです."
"What is the difference between these 2 sentences?"
"Is it correct to use あれはホテルです in this situation?" etc.....

 

[fox1]

Thanks, everyone, for explaining the difference of は and が.

I appreciate it.

The reason of why I ask the difference between the sentence あれはホテルです and あれがホテルです is because on last Saturday, I was watching "Japan Hour".

There was this situation where 2 persons walking, and one of them told his friend あれがホテルです [& point to the hotel] as they walked towards the hotel.

I kept thinking all sorts of questions like

"How come he said あれがホテルです, and not あれはホテルです."
"What is the difference between these 2 sentences?"
"Is it correct to use あれはホテルです in this situation?" etc.....

あれはホテルです - That is a hotel. (among many buildings)
あれがホテルです - That is the hotel. (that they were looking for)

が refers to a specific object.

 

[ahmahippo]

ok... now my turn to show off.

あ い う え お


chim rite....

 

[dimitri_can]

「が」 in this case emphasize that あれ is a hotel.

 

[fox1]

「が」 in this case emphasize that あれ is a hotel.

I don't think が emphasizes anything. Instead, It identifies something.

 

[Ah_keong]

hmm... it works like an identifier? for the subject?

 

[dimitri_can]

I don't think が emphasizes anything. Instead, It identifies something.

Whatever... Go see for urself. No point debating

http://www2.dokkyo.ac.jp/~esemi008/kenkyu/naito.html

 

[ahmahippo]

aiyo... why got argue one

 

[terraj]

Going to try give my take on this after reading Dimitri's informative link. I don't completely like the article because I think it overcomplicates things by referencing too many English conjunctions, which makes things nasty for native English speakers who don't think of these things on a daily basis.

Please don't kill me if I'm wrong.

I think both Fox1 and Dimitri's answers are correct, depending on the situation.

Scenario 1:
The sentence is supposed to be declarative, such as, "That's the hotel!" Perhaps the situation was they were walking around, with the goal of finding the hotel they were supposed to stay in, and suddenly one party spotted it.
The が in the sentence is probably the 'pure' subject が. It's not an "emphasis". i.e. Fox1's explanation is correct.

Scenario 2:
If the sentence is to (usually) answer a question, then the が is what Dimitri describes as an emphasis. I try to refrain from using the word "emphasis" for 強調 situations in Japanese because it has slightly different connotations in English (perhaps "stress" would be a better word). In English, emphatic terms would be "do", "must", "really". English I believe does not have a subject marker like Japanese so there is no equivalent for it.

 

[ransackyourtoilet]

Anyone learned japanese in Bunka? Care to comment about the school?

I think Bunka's grammar part is really good. For the weekly homework, you get to write a short essay too so you can practise your writing. There are two tests in one course (8lessons) and an oral test at the end of the course (guided by the teacher with pictures.0

But it is not exam orientated. Im not sure about their patented approach for beginners because I joined them in Intermediate-3.

I recommend JCS till JLPT 3 then transfer 2 IKOMA....

in this way u save money... but u need strong interest and discipline sia....

EH! *heads snaps up the moment "save money" is mentioned* What do you mean by save money? isn't JCS cheaper all the while? Anyway I'm in Bunka now, and although I think the grammar there is great (plus the lil tidbits of info), I may want to switch schools....It's not very exam orientated (after finishing intermediate, we haven't learnt 20% of the required grammar).

Just asking, for those who took/are taking JLPT 3 standard courses in JCS and Ikoma, do the teachers explain well for the vocab?
For eg in shieki,

minna wo warawaseru -----> make everyone laugh
minna ni warawaseru ------> let everyone laugh (give permission)

hi would like to know what exactly is being taught in the NUS japanese studies module? are there students without any japanese background enrolling in their classes? and do anybody actually major in it?

Erm my friend takes it, basically her first module is half of Minna no Nihongo Part 1 which means she is learning half of JLPT 4's standard. There are some notes accompanying your MnN textbook, and lotsa writing for a beginner standard(mostly conversations, not essay of course). You are expected to learn hiragana and katakana on your own before lessons start.

 

[terraj]

Ikoma explains grammar quite well, at least the teachers I was under.

BTW, not to be picky but your example below is a bit wrong, in both cases, the particle is を, and 笑わせる isn't something really dictated by permission, it's more of compulsion

You use に for causative structures when the verb requires an object, for example, ｘｘにxxを食べさせる.　(私はｘｘを食べた）
You don't use に when the verb doesn't require an object, for example 私を行かせた (私が行く）

Unless of course the sentence is passive causative （＜私は＞あいつに行かせられた）

Just asking, for those who took/are taking JLPT 3 standard courses in JCS and Ikoma, do the teachers explain well for the vocab?
For eg in shieki,

minna wo warawaseru -----> make everyone laugh
minna ni warawaseru ------> let everyone laugh (give permission)

 

[unfinished07]

Hi terraj, who were your teachers in Ikoma?

 

[terraj]

My last sensei was Abo sensei but unfortunately she's returned to Japan. The earlier ones are no longer around either.

Hi terraj, who were your teachers in Ikoma?

 

[fox1]

hmm... it works like an identifier? for the subject?

Yes. It has the nuance of 'the'.

Let's say you are in a room with 10 men from 10 countries. 1 from each country.

皆は男です。 --> Indicating that everyone is a man.
立っている男がシンガポール人です。--> Indicating that the Singaporean is the man who is standing.

 

[unfinished07]

My last sensei was Abo sensei but unfortunately she's returned to Japan. The earlier ones are no longer around either.

JLPT1 class? i was in her class too. same here, all the sensei that taught me are no longer there, except for kanai sensei.
hmm.....u old student too.....

 

[terraj]

No, I was in her normal classes, never went for any JLPT prep classes.

 

[kjaskk]

I was told that at Ikoma following the normal path of taking pre-advanced and then the advanced courses would take 3 years to reach JLPT 2 level. Wheras the JLPT 2 preparation class will reached JLPT 2 level in 1 year but very rush and tough. Appreciate if those who follow the pre-advanced and advanced can share if following the normal path is worth it.

Do you know of any good sensei teaching in the pre-advanced course in Ikoma now?

Thanl you

 

[dimitri_can]

"I was told that at Ikoma following the normal path of taking pre-advanced and then the advanced courses would take 3 years to reach JLPT 2 level. Wheras the JLPT 2 preparation class will reached JLPT 2 level in 1 year but very rush and tough. Appreciate if those who follow the pre-advanced and advanced can share if following the normal path is worth it."->the course is 2 years, if i am not wrong..