*Questions about English*Help me Pleeeeeez

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

Yes indeed! (this is my first time to use this word, is this right?)

"put-off" ...it's a new word (oh it's not a word... how do you call 熟語in English?)
I don't know many "verb+off".... oh I remember "rip-off"

There sooooooooo many "verb+preposition" and they always make me

That's the right way to use 'indeed'. It's quite a strong word though; it means "I really really agree with you". I'd say though, that about half the time I hear it being used, it's sarcasm(冷笑的な？).

There's some more Verb+off words here: English phrasal verbs with "off"

熟語 is "idiom" in English.

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

そうですね・・・
私の言い方リストアップしてみますね～
(to the people close)
んじゃね　
んじゃまた（来週）ね
そんじゃまたね
それじゃぁまたね

おつかれ～
おつかれさま～

(to the people I respect/pretend that I respect/usually to the elder people)
それではお先に失礼します(失礼いたします）
また来週よろしくお願いします

お疲れさまでした
（お疲れ様/ご苦労様という表現は上司が部下に言ったり、通常は上 の人が使う表現だとききましたが、他にちょうどよい表 現がみつからないので私はこれを心をこめて丁寧な感じ で言うようにしています。でも「ご苦労様でした」はこ れは同僚にしか使いません）

そうですか〜日本語で挨拶は複雑なことばですね。よく 英語で上司と話すと特別な言葉を使わなくてもいい。で も、もちろん友達とはなせば、もっと俗文で話していま す。

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

interesting... "god" there...
I remember when I was said(oh, "was said" is right English?) "bless you" I went like
and I didn't know what to say back... I am supposed to say "Thank you" right? or any other nice way?

Not quite; passive verbs in english are subtle. You can't take a short cut like you can with 話される. You should have written "I remember when "bless you' was said to me" or "I remember when someone said "bless you" to me.

But "thank you" would be a good response.

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

wow... interesting!
Oh I remember I think I heard that "good bye" means "god will be with you" or something?

I have another qustion...
"Good night" is just used before you go to bed or bye-bye kind of situations only?
Can I say "good night" when I meet people at night?
like I say "good morning" in the morning?

That's right, it was "God be with you" to start with and then it got shortened.

Yes, good night is only used in those situations. it's like おやすみなさい. You can only really say it when parting. Some people say "morning" when it's afternoon or evening, but mostly only young people and only as a greeting. You say "good evening" when meeting people at night.

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

ちょっと検索してみました
あまり詳しい説明じゃないけどよかったらみてみてね！
おはよう - 語源由来辞典

フランス語が全然わからないので
英語翻訳 - Infoseek マルチ翻訳
ここで翻訳してみたら　 　な答えが出てきました・・・!

あは！お説明してありがとう〜：）今分かります。フラ ンス語すみません。では、bonは『良い」のいみです。そ して、'matin'は朝、'nuit' は夜　と'jour'は日と意味です。でもフランス人は夜にフ ランス語で「いい夜」と言って、日中「いい日」と言っ てのに、朝に「いい朝」を言わません。朝で『いい日」 を使っています。だから、面白いだと思います。英語で 、全部は「いい何何」を言っています。

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

そうですね・・・私もオーストラリアの学校の日本語ク ラスで毎日会うたびに「元気ですか？」ときかれていた 時は教科書にも書いてあるし、練習だ～と思って「元気 ですよ、XXちゃん・くん　は今日も元気ですか？」な～� ��て言ってましたが、実際は日本人同士で頻繁に会う相� ��には毎回「元気？」って言わないですね。

面白い！本当に、日本語の先生は学生に丁寧な日本語を 教えたいのでそんな事を起きっています。大学で先生は 「しなければいけません」を教えた。でも日本では「し なければいけません」を使うと、みんなは「そんな固い 言葉何て？」と思いそうでした。はは〜両学生はやっぱ り丁寧ですが、全部ビシネッスのロボットのような話し ました！ある日友達は「マフらを忘れた。ちょっと、待 ってね」を言いたがっていたが、「マフらを忘れた。ア ム。。。少々を待ちください？」だけを言えました。

では、今映画館へ行くので、後で残り事に変死します。 じゃ、またですね〜！

[yumyumtimtam]

Originally Posted by Columbine

That's the right way to use 'indeed'. It's quite a strong word though; it means "I really really agree with you". I'd say though, that about half the time I hear it being used, it's sarcasm(冷笑的な？).

I see. Thank you! I will be careful when I use "indeed" next time.
（sarcasm は「皮肉」だと思います！）
actually I haven't heard anyone said "indeed" in a real life (現実世界？ってin a real life? in my real life?)
I think I heard quite a few times in the movies...and I think it was usually by English men.
and also I saw it in my favourite book, washing chair...nonono wishing chair.

There's some more Verb+off words here: English phrasal verbs with "off"
熟語 is "idiom" in English.

Thank you! It's a good website!

columbine san, can you teach me the way to use "dream on"?
I couldn't find it in that website.

Is it used for positive and negative both?

Yes, idiom it is!

そうですか〜日本語で挨拶は複雑なことばです。よく英 語で上司と話すと特別な言葉を使わなくてもいい。でも 、もちろん友達とはなせば、もっと俗文で話しています 。

そうなんですよ・・・私が感じるに、日本語は挨拶だけ ではなく　いろいろな場面で複雑かな・・・　申し訳ご ざいません・済みません・ごめんなさい　という謝罪の 言葉や　よろしくおねがいします　とか　ふつつかもの ですが　とか　つまらないものですが　とか・・・

私は日本で生まれ育った日本人なのですが　そういった 表現がちょっと苦手です。

でもこういったダイレクトにいわない日本語表現も良い な～と感じることもあるので、うまく使い分けて楽しみ たいと思っています。

columbine さんはそういう日本語の表現についてどう思いますか？

Not quite; passive verbs in english are subtle. You can't take a short cut like you can with 話される. You should have written "I remember when "bless you' was said to me" or "I remember when someone said "bless you" to me.

But "thank you" would be a good response.

I see...
say/beV+said/saying/
tell/beV+told/telling
speak/beV+spoke/speaking/speech(?)

are difficult sometimes...

and
(1)He talked to the teacher
(2)He spoke to the teacher
"(1)"is more like....when you have important things to talk with the teacher?
than "(2)"?
"(2)"is it like...what he said to the teacher isn't very important but the fact that he said something to the teacher is more important here?

3)He spoke "with" the teacher...is it OK? and means the same with "talked with the teacher"?

He talked to the teacher ....(mainly he talked?)
He talked with the teacher....(he and the teacher both talked equally?)

That's right, it was "God be with you" to start with and then it got shortened.

It's interesting!

Yes, good night is only used in those situations. it's like おやすみなさい. You can only really say it when parting. Some people say "morning" when it's afternoon or evening, but mostly only young people and only as a greeting. You say "good evening" when meeting people at night.

I was wondering.... how about this...
If I was working at a bar... at some nice and expensive one...it opens till 1-2am...
A customer just came in around 0:00am...is it OK for me to say to him "good evening sir" ?

I am sorry for being so sticky beak here.
(mmm...maybe "sticky beak" is used only for someone's business?
or can I use it as しつこい?)
I know I could say "hello", but なんだか気になってしまって・・・

あは！

you meant "ah huh!"?

お説明してありがとう〜：）今分かります。

丁寧な言い方では
「ご説明くださってありがとうございます」
「ご説明ありがとうございます」
「説明してくださってありがとうございます」　等があ りますが

ここでは
「説明してくれてありがとう」
「説明ありがとう」　が良いと思うよ

「今わかります」は"now I understand"ってことかな？
それだったら「もうわかりました」でいかがでしょう？

フランス語すみません。では、bonは『良い」のいみです 。そして、'matin'は朝、'nuit' は夜　と'jour'は日と意味です。でもフランス人は夜にフ ランス語で「いい夜」と言って、日中「いい日」と言っ てのに、朝に「いい朝」を言わません。朝で『いい日」 を使っています。だから、面白いだと思います。英語で 、全部は「いい何何」を言っています。

へ～面白いですね
フランス語を学生の頃に勉強しておけばよかったな～

面白い！本当に、日本語の先生は学生に丁寧な日本語を 教えたいのでそんな事を起きっています。
大学で先生は「しなければいけません」を教えた。でも 日本では「しなければいけません」を使うと、みんなは 「そんな固い言葉何て？」と思いそうでした。

「しなければ」ではなくて「しないと」を私は使います よ
また親しい人には「しなくちゃ」「しなきゃ」も使いま す

「いけません」のところは
親しい人には
「いけない」や「だめ」などを使います

たとえば
「明日はせっかくのお休みなのに歯医者さんに行かなき ゃいけないんだ～」とか


oh speaking of...

I have one more quiestion!

"My tooth hurts...I think I have to go to see the dentist soon" or "go to the dentist" ?

私の周りには日本語で「歯医者（or歯医者さん）に行く� ��や「お医者(お医者さん)に行く」という人が多いです� �英語でも　go to see the doctor じゃなくて　go to the doctor と言っても大丈夫ですか？

はは〜両学生はやっぱり丁寧ですが、全部ビシネッスの ロボットのような話しました！

「留学生」だね
「ビシネッス」はbusiness?
もしそうなら「ビジネス」だよ

ある日友達は「マフらを忘れた。ちょっと、待ってね」 を言いたがっていたが、「マフらを忘れた。アム。。。 少々を待ちください？」だけを言えました。

おもしろ～い！
アムの後は　お客さんを待たせなきゃいけない店員さん みたいだね！

「マフら」は「マフラー」だよ（タイプミスだね？）

「マフラー」は英語じゃないんだよね？

では、今映画館へ行くので、後で残り事に変死します。 じゃ、またですね〜！

「今」は「今から」のほうが良いよ

「変死」はしないでください

でも　「返事」(or「返信」)はくれるとうれしいです

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

I see. Thank you! I will be careful when I use "indeed" next time.
（sarcasm は「皮肉」だと思います！）
actually I haven't heard anyone said "indeed" in a real life (現実世界？ってin a real life? in my real life?)

It's not used very much these days (it's "in real life"). I guess it's a little old-fashioned. I still sometimes hear it because I live in an area where people speak in a kind of old-fashioned way.

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

columbine san, can you teach me the way to use "dream on"?
I couldn't find it in that website.

Is it used for positive and negative both?

I've mostly only heard it as a negative thing. Like if my friend says to me "One day I'll be rich and marry a super model," I would reply "Dream on." It means "carry on dreaming" and is similar in nuance to "Only in your dreams" so you say it when someone claims or suggests something silly or impossible, particularly in regard to them-self.

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

そうなんですよ・・・私が感じるに、日本語は挨拶だけ ではなく　いろいろな場面で複雑かな・・・　申し訳ご ざいません・済みません・ごめんなさい　という謝罪の 言葉や　よろしくおねがいします　とか　ふつつかもの ですが　とか　つまらないものですが　とか・・・

私は日本で生まれ育った日本人なのですが　そういった 表現がちょっと苦手です。

でもこういったダイレクトにいわない日本語表現も良い な～と感じることもあるので、うまく使い分けて楽しみ たいと思っています。

columbine さんはそういう日本語の表現についてどう思いますか？

じつは、敬語などを勉強する時に日本人の友達は仕事を 探していました。ある人は面接がありました。でも、後 で、わたし「どうだった？」と聞きまして、『大変だっ た、違い言葉を使いちゃった〜」と言いました。留学達 はびくりしました。日本人が絶対に敬語など話し方はて んぷのさいのうと思いました。W

私に取って、日本語の表現と熟語は少しまぎらわしいで すが、もっと習うと、もっと面白くになります。よく日 本語の表現を分かれるのために日本の文化や歴史につい て習わなくちゃいけません。そして、私も日本語の表現 をうまく使い分けて楽しみたいと思っています。

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

(1)He talked to the teacher
(2)He spoke to the teacher
"(1)"is more like....when you have important things to talk with the teacher?
than "(2)"?
"(2)"is it like...what he said to the teacher isn't very important but the fact that he said something to the teacher is more important here?

3)He spoke "with" the teacher...is it OK? and means the same with "talked with the teacher"?

He talked to the teacher ....(mainly he talked?)
He talked with the teacher....(he and the teacher both talked equally?)　

I think there's maybe more of a difference between 'to' and 'with' than there is between 'talked' and 'spoke'. 'Talk to' has the sense of direct communication person to person whereas 'talk with' indicates more a conversation. But 'spoke' has more for a formal nuance than 'talked'. In fact, 'spoke' is technically the more accurate past tense of 'talk' but 'talked' is used so much that the two have become almost interchangeably. I would say "I spoke with the teacher" holds the nuance "I had something (important) to discuss with the teacher". I would 'speak with' the teacher about my grades, for example, but I would 'talk with' the teacher about the weather today. So (1) is actually more like an informal chat than (2) in your examples.

But sometimes in real life situations people will use 'talk' when they mean a more serious conversation. Being given a "talking to", for example, is one way of saying "being scolded". Or this sort of thing:
John: "Mary came home crying today."
Sue: "Oh dear. I'll talk to her."
But when it's used like this, the people having the discussion tend to be friends/equals.

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

I was wondering.... how about this...
If I was working at a bar... at some nice and expensive one...it opens till 1-2am...
A customer just came in around 0:00am...is it OK for me to say to him "good evening sir" ?

Yes, even if it's 3am, if it's that sort of situation, it's ok to say "good evening".

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

I am sorry for being so sticky beak here.
(mmm...maybe "sticky beak" is used only for someone's business?
or can I use it as しつこい?)
I know I could say "hello", but なんだか気になってしまって・・・

hahah, しつこい (新しい言葉ゲット！）is probably more accurate. I would call someone a sticky-beak if they were eavesdropping or I caught them reading my diary or they were asking about some personal situation that totally unrelated to them.
You can say 'hello' to your friends at any time of day

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

you meant "ah huh!"?

yes. Well "a-ha!" really, but i just realized that in hiragana it looks like i meant あほ。英語の表現はカタカナでよく翻訳できません９＿ ＿９；。

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

丁寧な言い方では
「ご説明くださってありがとうございます」
「ご説明ありがとうございます」
「説明してくださってありがとうございます」　等があ りますが

ここでは
「説明してくれてありがとう」
「説明ありがとう」　が良いと思うよ

「今わかります」は"now I understand"ってことかな？
それだったら「もうわかりました」でいかがでしょう？

Oops. This is why I shouldn't type Japanese too quickly. では、説明ありがとう。もう分かりました。：）日本語 を読むの方が書くより上手と思います。だから、わたし が間違い日本語を書いて、教えてくれませんか？

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

「しなければ」ではなくて「しないと」を私は使います よ
また親しい人には「しなくちゃ」「しなきゃ」も使いま す

「いけません」のところは
親しい人には
「いけない」や「だめ」などを使います

たとえば
「明日はせっかくのお休みなのに歯医者さんに行かなき ゃいけないんだ～」とか

そうですか。そういうのは『しなければ」よりリラック スの感じがあります。

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

　"My tooth hurts...I think I have to go to see the dentist soon" or "go to the dentist" ?

私の周りには日本語で「歯医者（or歯医者さん）に行く� ��や「お医者(お医者さん)に行く」という人が多いです� �英語でも　go to see the doctor じゃなくて　go to the doctor と言っても大丈夫ですか？　

Hmmm~ 英語で色々な言う方があります。"I'm going to the dentists'/ doctor('s surgery)", "I'm seeing the dentist/doctor", "I'm going to see the dentist/doctor",I think any of them are okay. The () are unspoken. It's also common to say "I need to book a dentist's/doctor's appointment" or "I have a dentist's/doctor's appointment".

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

「留学生」だね
「ビシネッス」はbusiness?
もしそうなら「ビジネス」だよ

はい、そう意味でした。:/ も一度タイポミスです。すみません。

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

おもしろ～い！
アムの後は　お客さんを待たせなきゃいけない店員さん みたいだね！

「マフら」は「マフラー」だよ（タイプミスだね？）

「マフラー」は英語じゃないんだよね？


「今」は「今から」のほうが良いよ

「変死」はしないでください

でも　「返事」(or「返信」)はくれるとうれしいです

XDそうだね。毎日授業中店員や会社員の会話を聞くので� ��達と話すのは難しいになった。
タイプミスだった。ん、英語でmufflerはやっぱり車の道� �かそのような手袋だよ：http://s2.thisnext.com/media/230x230...n_C6C083EF.jpg
「マフラー」は英語でscarfでしょうね。

変死。。。きゃあ〜
書き早いすぎちゃった〜W

いつもありがとうyyttさん！

[Koir]

Columbine, I do believe you double-posted in a single post. Either that or I'm seeing things

The only thing I would add is the saying "dream on" isn't always a negative response. A song I know of with "Dream On" as its title (sung by the rock group Aerosmith) is more of an encouragement to keep dreaming about the ways humanity can improve because at any time it could all be taken away.

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by Koir

Columbine, I do believe you double-posted in a single post. Either that or I'm seeing things

The only thing I would add is the saying "dream on" isn't always a negative response. A song I know of with "Dream On" as its title (sung by the rock group Aerosmith) is more of an encouragement to keep dreaming about the ways humanity can improve because at any time it could all be taken away.

Bleghh, how the heck did that happen?! *edit edit*

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

I remember when I was said(oh, "was said" is right English?) "bless you" I went like
and I didn't know what to say back... I am supposed to say "Thank you" right? or any other nice way?

I know this is a bit tardy in response, but I didn't see it answered to my satisfaction. I know Columbine corrected it to something like "Someone told me 'bless you,'" but you can say "I remember when I was told 'bless you'" as well. "Told" is the participle of "to tell."

It is frequently taught in American schools that the passive voice is not very good writing. This does, of course, depend on the category of writing. In fiction, the passive voice is not very good most of the time. However, in legal writing, it is quite useful! The passive is especially useful in English when you want to avoid saying who actually performed the action.

When you say "John told me a secret," you reveal that John did something. However, you can keep John's identity a secret by saying "I was told a secret." This is what makes the passive form so useful in English.

Also, the usual American response to "[God] bless you" is "thank you" or, more informally, "thanks."

[yumyumtimtam]

Thank you very very much for your kind reply.
I really want to come here often cos I really really enjoy talking with you!
but now I 've got some big job to do in real life....so I think I need to finish them first... I will be back in a few weeks!

[Koir]

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

Thank you very very much for your kind reply.
I really want to come here often cos I really really enjoy talking with you!
but now I 've got some big job to do in real life....so I think I need to finish them first... I will be back in a few weeks!

We'll miss you, and see you in the future!

[yumyumtimtam]

Originally Posted by Koir

We'll miss you, and see you in the future!

Thank you Koir-san, it's lovely.

I am still in the middle of a big job...and it's not going perfect...so
I am so much under the huge pressure!(does this english make sence? I just made it up!)

I went to Karaku the other day, and took some photo there!
so when I have some time to sit and relax I will show the pitures!

Have a lovely day everyone!

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

Thank you Koir-san, it's lovely.

I am still in the middle of a big job...and it's not going perfect...so
I am so much under the huge pressure!(does this english make sence? I just made it up!)

I went to Karaku the other day, and took some photo there!
so when I have some time to sit and relax I will show the pitures!

Have a lovely day everyone!

がんばってねYYTT-さん　：）JFに変えれる時にみんなはここに待っていま� ��わ