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Couple of minor questions
I have two small questions here.
The English word "or". Does this even have a Japanese equivalent? I vaguely seem to remember someone telling me there's no "or" in Japanese and that any "options" are usually just posed as normal questions asked after one another. Is this true? The Japanese words 時 toki and じかん jikan (kanji currently unknown :p). Both seem to mean time, but I'm not clear on the distinction between them (if any) nor when and where they're appropriate. Are the two terms synonymous or is there a difference between them? What should I use when? |
か can be used as "or", but its usage is not exactly the same as English.
時 とき can mean "time" as in "that time I went to Tokyo" 時間 じかん can mean "time" as in "Do you have time to talk now?" |
As MMM said か can be used to translate "or". However this particle it is used to link 2 nouns. I think what you want to know is about linking phrases. Unfortunately at the moment I can think only to a couple of example and yes I would write them as 2 separate phrases. If you write down what you got in mind, maybe it reminds me of something different :)
As per 時 you can translate is "when", it usually help to get less confused. MMM gave you the kanji of 時間(じかん), which if you get to understand those 2 kanji will make you understand easy the difference. 時=time 間=interval of time. The role of the second kanji can be more easily understood when you face the hours. 一時 shows "the time when it is 1" so basically 1 o'clock. 一時間 shows an interval of time which lasts 1 hour. Just to help you coz I usually I confuse people when I try to explain something, I give you an example. 一時(いちじ)に食(た)べた。 Ate at 1 o'clock. 一時間(いちじかん)食(た)べている。 Have been eating for 1 hour. |
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ヤンキーズがワールドシーリーズに勝つか負けるかとい うと... If I had to say whether the Yankees will win or lose, ... |
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At this point even かどうか will become a "or"? It might be that I have always misunderstood that part of the grammar. So can I use か to link 2 phrases that are not part of an indirect speech? (you are teaching me something new ty :) ). |
I think I get it.. at least.. sort of. Thanks for the answers.
But when referring to "unmeasured" time or the concept of time itself, as in "time is relative", "I don't have time"? What about 時をとまれ, ("Stop (the) time", I guess) are they both usable or do you only use 時 for that? |
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For "I don't have time", you can only use 時間. Quote:
We say 時よとまれ. |
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What about toki vs. jikan in this case though? |
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