another help needed....

[kakaislegend]

Ok Im at a stage where Japanese is becoming harder and harder >_<

Ok here it is

そこは　きれい　な　へや　です。

It means this room is beautiful.

However, the use of な confuses me....why not just say this instead:

その　へや　は　きれい　です。

Why use な when you can say it like in the second example? (or maybe you cant? :P)

--------

Another example.

たなかさんは　とても　しんせつ　な　先生　です。

Why can't you say:

たなか　先生　は　とても　しんせつ　です。

Thanks , hopefully I can understand.

[Sashimister]

You don't create a new thread everytime you have a question.

[delacroix01]

Originally Posted by kakaislegend

Why use な when you can say it like in the second example? (or maybe you cant? :P)

You can't. They are not the same. きれい is a na-adjective, so whenever it modifies a noun, you must use な, for example : きれいな人, 小さな子, 好きな物.

In the second example, you are describing the quality of somebody/something, so you don't use particle な.

Compare :

彼女はきれいです。
She is beautiful. (describing the quality)

彼女はきれいな人です。
She is a beautiful person. (きれい modifies 人, so particle な is used)

The same applies to your last example. Hope that makes sense.

P/S : If you are just going to ask small questions, don't create threads. There are larger threads in this box, where you can ask your questions.

[kakaislegend]

Ok from now on the new questions I will post there, sorry abou tthat

So.....basically the difference is just (using your example)

She is beautiful (explaining the quality/adjective)
AND

She is a beautiful person (explaining the person)?

So.....do I have to say

たなかさんは　とても　しんせつ　な　先生　です。

OR

たなか　先生　は　とても　しんせつ　です。

??

[delacroix01]

Well, both are okay, but using which one depends heavily on the context. I can only say as much with my level. By the way, you don't use spaces like that in Japanese, but like this :

田中さんはとても親切な先生です。

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by kakaislegend

So.....do I have to say

たなかさんは　とても　しんせつ　な　先生　です。

OR

たなか　先生　は　とても　しんせつ　です。

??

They both mean roughly the same thing, but the stress is wholly different.

1) Tanaka-san is a kind teacher. Implies Tanaka-san is a) not a teacher by profession and b) compared to other teachers, he is particularly kind. it could even mean that Mr. Tanaka generally comes across as a mean person, but when he acts as a teacher, he is kind.

2) Tanaka sensei is kind. Implies he is kind by nature, and that his kindness is not necessarily related to his role as a teacher. He's also a teacher by profession.

[kakaislegend]

Damn this is crazy hard....

Ok, regarding where to post thread, where can I do it if im not allowed to make new threads?

thank you

[Sashimister]

One possibility is to ask everything in this thread and let it grow for easy reviewing.

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by kakaislegend

Damn this is crazy hard....

Ok, regarding where to post thread, where can I do it if im not allowed to make new threads?

thank you

I have a single thread called "KyleGoetz's Thread of Questions" or something like that, where I ask all my questions. You could do the same.

Typically, the practice/rule/custom here on JF is:
1. Simple question or you-specific (think "What does this phrase mean?")—Ask in "your" thread.
2. Complex question or generic question (think "How do you use ~てしまう?")—Ask in a new thread with the title "How do you use 〜てしまう?"

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by KyleGoetz

Typically, the practice/rule/custom here on JF is:
1. Simple question or you-specific (think "What does this phrase mean?")—Ask in "your" thread.
2. Complex question or generic question (think "How do you use ~てしまう?")—Ask in a new thread with the title "How do you use 〜てしまう?"

3. one-off quick questions; dump it in the "Japanese Help" thread.