All About Japanese Particles: に (ni) – 2

[Serie: All About Japanese Particles]

Note: Ni commnly follows darō, deshō, and V-tarō, and essentially has the same meaning as no ni (#30, no. 2), although the latter is more common.

1. Expresses regret that something is over and can’t be regained: “despite the fact that, if only.”

ほかの人がやったら、もっと早くできたでしょう
Hoka no hito ga yattara, motto hayaku dekita deshō ni.
Despite the fact that it could have been finished much sooner if someone else had done it, [unfortunately that was not the case]. / It could have been finished much sooner if only someone else had done it.

もう少し待っていたら、雨がやんだろう
Mō sukoshi matte itara, ame ga yandarō ni.
Despite the factt that if we had waited a little longer, the rain might have stopped [we didn’t wait]. / It only we had waited a little longer, the rain might have let up.

– Source: All about particles – A handbook of Japanese function words


Introduction

All About Japanese Particles: ものか (mono ka)

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Note: Men tend to use the forms mono ka and mon ka, women mono desu ka and  mon desu ka.

1. Emphasizes a determination not to do something by means of a rhetorical question.

あんな所、もう行くもんか
Anna tokoro, mō iku mon ka.
I wouldn’t be caught dead going there again.

あんな人一緒に仕事ができるもんですか
Anna hito to issho ni shigoto da dekiru mon desu ka.
I wouldn’t work with her again if my life depended on it.

– Source: All about particles – A handbook of Japanese function words


Introduction

All About Japanese Particles: ぞ (zo)

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Note: Zo adds force to a sentence in a more emphatic manner than ze (#66). Used mostly by men.

1. Indicates a command or threat.

そろそろ会議を始める
Sorosoro kaigi o hajimeru zo.
Let’s get the meeting under way.

今度そんなことしたら、絶対に許さない
Kondo sonna koto o shitara, zettai ni yurusanai zo.
If you do that again, I’m not going to let you get away with it. / If you do anything like that again, you’re going to pay for it.

2. Adds force to words of self-encouragement or self-urging.

頑張る
Ganbaru zo.
I can do it!/ Make way. Here I come.

今度こそ成功する
Kondo koso seikō suru zo.
I’m going to make it this time./ This time I’m coming up a winner.

– Source: All about particles – A handbook of Japanese function words


Introduction

All About Japanese Particles: ぜ (ze)

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Note: Adds force to a sentence. When it overlaps with zo (#67), it is somewhat less emphatic. Ze is used mostly by men.

1. Used to make a declaration to someone or underscore a point.

先に行く
Saki ni iku ze.
I’m going on ahead. / Leaving now. See you there.

その仕事、君に頼んだ
Sono shigoto, kimi ni tanonda ze.
I’m counting on you to do that job. / It’s [the job’s] up to you now.

頑張る
Ganbaru ze.
I’m going to give it my best shot. / I’m hanging tough.

– Source: All about particles – A handbook of Japanese function words


Introduction

All About Japanese Particles: もの (mono)

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Note: The primary meaning of mono as a sentence-ending particle is “because” or “the reason is,”, and in the individual usages below, with their special connotations, this meaning is still vaguely felt.

1. Indicates an excuse, a dissatisfaction, or a desire to be indulged or pampered. Used by woman.

a) Reason or excuse.

あの映画は面白くないですもの。だから、行かなかったのよ。
Ano eiga wa omoshiroku nai-n desu mono. Da kara, ikanakatta no yo.
That movie is simply too boring. That’s why I didn’t go.

どうして食べないんだい。
この料理、嫌いなんですもの
Dō shite tabenai-n dai.
Kono ryōri, kirai nan desu mono.
Why aren’t you eating?
I simply don’t like this food.

b) Dissatisfaction (with a woman speaking)

課長の仕事はやりたくないわ。下の者に冷たいんですもの
Kachō no shigoto wa yaritaku nai wa. Shita no mono ni tsumetai-n desu mono.
I don’t want to work for the section chief. He’s so cold to those working under him.

竹内さんとは一緒に仕事をしたくないのよ。ちっとも働かないんだもの
Takeuchi-san to wa issho ni shigoto o shitaku nai no yo. Chitto mo hatarakanai-n da mono.
I don’t want to work with takeuchi. He just doesn’t do anything [doesn’t work].

c) Desire to be indulged or pampered.

出かけましょうよ。たまには外で食事がしたいんですもの
Dekakemashō yo. Tama ni wa soto de shokuji ga shitai-n desu mono.
Come on, let’s go out. I’d like to eat out once in a while.

あれ欲しいですもの。買ってもいいでしょう。
Are hoshii desu mono. Katte mo ii deshō.
I want it [so badly]. It’s all right if I buy it, isn’t it?

– Source: All about particles – A handbook of Japanese function words


Introduction

All About Japanese Particles: い (-i)

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1. Following da or ka, indicates an informal question. Used mostly by men.

どうして新宿まで行ったんだ
Dō shite Shinjuku made itta-n dai.
Why’d you go as far as [all the way to] Shinjuku?

昨日どこで飲んだんだ
Kinō doko de nonda-n dai.
Where’d you go drinking yesterday?

またアメリカに主張か、大変だな。
Mata America ni shuchō kai, taihen da na.
Off to the U.S on business again? Hang in there.

あの人、元気だったか
Ano hito, genki datta kai.
How was she? / How’s she getting along?

– Source: All about particles – A handbook of Japanese function words


Introduction

All About Japanese Particles: ってば (-tteba)

[Serie: All About Japanese Particles]

1. Indicates annoyance with another person.

明日までにできなければ困るってば
Ashita made ni dekinakereba komaru-tteba.
I’m telling you, there’s going to be trouble if it’s not done by tomorrow.

来年では遅すぎるってば
Rainen de wa ososugiru-tteba.
Next year will be too late, I’m telling you.

2. Indicates an indirect command or prohiibition.

そんなことをしたら、だめだってば
Sonna koto o shitara, dame da-tteba.
I’m telling you that it’s no good if you do such a thing./ I wouldn’t do that if I were you.

コンピューターを使わなければ、できないってば。
Konpyūtā o tsukawanakereba, dekinai-tteba.
I’m telling you that you can’t do it unless you use the computer. / You won’t get anywhere unless you use the computer, I’d say.

– Source: All about particles – A handbook of Japanese function words


Introduction

All About Japanese Particles: っけ (-kke)

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Note: -Kke follows V-ta and Adj-ta forms. In feminine speech, the verbs forms tend to be desu, deshita, and V-mashita.

1. Indicates a muted question in cases when there is information shared with an interlocutor that the speaker is trying to recall.

明日の結婚式は、何時に始まるんでしたっけ
Ashita no kekkon-shiki wa, nanji ni hajimaru-n deshita-kke.
What time is the wedding going to start tomorrow? / The wedding tomorrow – what time was it going to start?

あなたの家はどこだったっけ
Anata no ie wa doko datta-kke.
Now, where was your house? / Where did you say your house was?

2. Indicates that the speaker is remembering something from the distant past.

この辺に学校があったっけ
Kono hen ni gakkō ga atta-kke.
Didn’t there used to be a school around here? / I seem to remember that there was a school around here.

あの人とよく酒を飲んだっけ
Ano hito to yoku sake o nonda-kke.
Back in the old day I used to go drinking a lot with him./ I remember going drinking with hime quite a bit.

– Source: All about particles – A handbook of Japanese function words


Introduction

All About Japanese Particles: こと (koto)

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Note: Koto, as a sentence ending particle, is used mainly by women.

1. Indicates emotion.

この花の色の美しいこと
Kono hana no iro no utsukushii koto.
What an exquisite color this flower has!

美味しいお料理ですこと
Oishii oryōri desu koto.
What marvelously delicious food!

2. Indicates a suggestion or invitation.

どこかへお花見に行きませんこと
Doko ka e ohanami ni ikimasen koto.
Shall we go flower viewing somewhere?

一度クイーンエメラルダス号に乗ってみませんこと
Ichido Kuīnerizabesu gō ni notte mimasen koto.
Shall we just once go abroard the Queen Elizabeth?

– Source: All about particles – A handbook of Japanese function words


Introduction

All About Japanese Particles: さ (sa)

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1. Softens an assertion. Used mostly by men.

明日の高橋さんのパーティーには、もちろん行く
Ashita no Takahashi-san no pātī ni wa, mochiron iku sa.
I’m going to Takahashi’s party tomorrow, of course.

それより、こっちのセーターの方が大きい
Sore yori, kotchi no sētā no hō ga ōkii sa.
This sweater’s bigger than that one, I’d say.

2. Indicates a critical response to something.

あんな無能な社員を入れるから、会社が伸びたいの
Anna munō na shain o ireru kara, kaisha ga nobitai no sa.
It’s because they hire incompetent people like him that the company doesn’t grow.

あの人のやりそうなこと
Ano hito no yarisō na koto sa.
It’s something he would do./ It’s  just like him.

– Source: All about particles – A handbook of Japanese function words


Introduction