Lesson 14: Valentine's Day Grammar + Expression Notes

Question 1

ほしい translation:

Answer 1

Means “(I) want (something).” It is an い-adjective and conjugates as such.

Question 2

ほしい conjugation:

Answer 2

(私は) X が ほしい (I want X)

It is an い-adjective and conjugates as such. The object of desire is usually followed by the particle が.

In negative sentences, the particle は is used.

Question 3

いい漢字の辞書がほしいです。

Answer 3

I want a good kanji dictionary.

Question 4

子供の時、ゴジラのおもちゃがほしかったです。

Answer 4

When I was young, I wanted a toy Godzilla.

Question 5

お金はあまりほしくありません。

Answer 5

I don’t have much desire for money.

Question 6

Difference between ほしい and たい:

Answer 6

ほしい is used to describe a desire for a NOUN.

したい is used to describe a desire to do something (VERB).

Question 7

Why are ほしい and たい “private predicates?”

Answer 7

Private predicates refer to the INNER sensations which are KNOWN ONLY TO THE PERSON FEELING THEM.

Their use is primarily limited to the FIRST PERSON.

Everyone else needs to rely on OBSERVATIONS AND GUESSES when they want to claim that “person X wants such and such.

Question 8

Other “private predicates:”

Answer 8

かなしい (sad); うれしい (glad); いたい (painful)

Question 9

Private predicate devices for second and third person:

Answer 9

You can quote the people who say they are feeling these sensations:

ロバートさんはコンピューターがほしいといっています。Robert says he wants a computer.

You can make it clear that you are only making a guess:

きょうこさんはクラシックのCDがほしくないでしょう。Probably Kyoko does not want a CD of classical music.

Or you can use the special construction which says that you are making an observation of a person feeling a private-predicate sensation (with ほしい /たい, these would be special verbs).

Question 10

たい special verb:

Answer 10

The verb たがる replaces たい when stating that you are making an observation about someone else’s desire:

ともこさんは英語をならいたがっています。(I understand that) Tomoko wants to study English.

Question 11

ほしい special verb:

Answer 11

The verb ほしがる replaces ほしい when stating that you are making an observation about someone else’s desire.

It conjugates as an u-verb and is usually used in the form ほしがっている。Unlike ほしい, the particle after the object of desire is を:

トムさんは友だしをほしがっています。(I understand that) Tom wants a friend.

Question 12

〜かもしれません translation:

Answer 12

Is just like でしょう and means that something is a “possibility.”

Question 13

Difference between でしょう and かもしれません:

Answer 13

Essentially the difference between saying something “probably” is and something “might” be.

でしょう is often used when there is more evidence to prove the probability.

かもしれません is used when there is not enough evidence to prove the probability will most likely be true.

Question 14

かもしれません conjugation:

Answer 14

かもしれません is placed after the short forms of predicates, in the affirmative and in the negative, in the present as well as the past tense.

Example: あしたは雨が降るかもしれません。It may rain tomorrow.

It also has a short form (かもしれない)

If going after a noun or a な-adjective, drop だ。There is no conjugation required for adjectives and nouns before かもしれません。

Question 15

田中さんより、鈴木さんのほうが背が高いかもしれません。

Answer 15

Suzuki is perhaps taller than Tanaka.

Question 16

あしたは天気がよくないまこしれません。

Answer 16

The weather may not be good tomorrow.

Question 17

トムさんは、子供の時、いじわるだったかもしれません。

Answer 17

Tom may have been a bully when he was a kid.

Question 18

トムさんはカナダ人かもしれません。

Answer 18

Tom might be a Canadian.

Question 19

山下先生は犬がきらいかもしれません。

Answer 19

It is possible that Professor Yamashita is not fond of dogs.

Question 20

あげる/さしあげる translation:

Answer 20

Both mean “to give:” used when the SPEAKER gives to SOMEONE (I gave NOUN to SOMEONE)

Question 21

Difference between あげる/さしあげる:

Answer 21

あげる is informal (can be used when talking about common folk, friends, and family).

さしあげる is used for superiors (bosses, teachers, elders, etc).

Question 22

くれる translation:

Answer 22

Means “to give;” used when SOMEONE gives to the SPEAKER (SOMEONE gives ME NOUN).

Question 23

もらう/いただく translation:

Answer 23

Means “to receive:” Used when the SPEAKER receives something from SOMEONE (I received NOUN from SOMEONE)

もらう is informal while いただくis used for superiors.

Question 24

あげる/くれる conjugation:

Answer 24

(giver) は/が (recipient) あげる/くれる
(giver) gives to (recipient)

The giver of the subject of the sentence is accompanied by は or が.

に follows the person receiving.

を follows the object given.

Question 25

私はその女の人に花をあげます。

Answer 25

I will give the woman flowers.

Question 26

その女の人は男の人に時計をあげました。

Answer 26

The woman gave the man a watch.

Question 27

両親が（私に）新しい車をくれるかもしれません。

Answer 27

My parents may give me a new car.

Question 28

もらう conjugation:

Answer 28

(recipient) は/が (giver) に/から もらう
(recipient) receives from (giver)

The recipient is the subject of the sentence (は/が)

The giver is accompanied by the particle に or から.

Question 29

私は姉に古い辞書をもらいました。

Answer 29

I received an old dictionary from my big sister.

Question 30

〜たらどうですか translation:

Answer 30

Is used after a PAST TENSE VERB to convey advice or recommendation as a question.

In casual speech, it can be shortened to たらどう or たら.

Question 31

もっと勉強したらどうですか。

Answer 31

Why don’t you study harder?

Question 32

薬を飲んだらどうですか。

Answer 32

How about taking some medicine?

Question 33

Note about たらどうですか:

Answer 33

たらどうですか may sometimes have a critical tone, criticizing the person for not having performed the activity already.

It is safer to not use it unless you have been tapped for consultation.

DO NOT USE FOR INVITATIONS (use ませんか).

Question 34

NUMBER + も translation:

Answer 34

“as many as NUMBER”

Add も to the number word, before the verb.

Question 35

私の母は猫を三匹も飼っています。

Answer 35

My mother owns three, count them, three cats.

Question 36

きのうのパーティーには学生が二十人も来ました。

Answer 36

As many as twenty students showed up at the party yesterday.

Question 37

NUMBER + しか + negative translation:

Answer 37

Means “as only as NUMBER” or “only.”

Add しか to the end of a number word and change the ending to negative.

Question 38

私は日本語の辞書を一冊しかもっていません。

Answer 38

I have only one Japanese dictionary.

Question 39

この会社にはコンピューターが二台しかありません。

Answer 39

There are only two computers in this company.

Question 40

Expression Notes: あけてもいい? translation:

Answer 40

This is a question that simply asks for a yes or no answer.

Question 41

Expression Notes: すてきなセーター note:

Answer 41

だ is usually dropped after a noun or a な-adjective, unless it is followed by ね or よ.

Question 42

Expression Notes: こんなのがほしかったんだ note:

Answer 42

んだ is the explanation modality, the short form counterpart of んです。Female speakers have the choice between the gender-neutral んだ and the more feminine のin closing an explanation sentence.

Question 43

Expression Notes: メアリーがあんだの？note:

Answer 43

Many question sentences in casual spoken Japanese end in の, which is the short form counterpart of the explanation modality んです。As are questions ending in んですか, most の questions are fishing for detailed explanations as a response.

Question 44

Expression Notes: なあ

Answer 44

Used after a short form predicate at the end of the sentence to indicate an exclamation of admiration, frustration, or some such strong emotion. なあ is mostly used when you are talking to yourself.

Examples:

日本語の先生はやさしいなあ。Wow, isn’t my Japanese professor nice!

おなかがすいたなあ。Gee, am I hungry!

Question 45

Expression Notes: できる:

Answer 45

Has a number of different meanings depending on context.

1. “can do/be good at/do well”

Example: 日本語ができる。I am capable in Japanese.

2. “be completed/be finished”

Example: 晩ごはんができましたよ。Dinner is ready.

3. “appear/come into existence/ be made”

Example: 新しい店ができました。A new store has opened.