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-   -   Japanese Help Questions/Translations II (https://www.japanforum.com/forum/japanese-language-help/40084-japanese-help-questions-translations-ii.html)

masaegu 10-24-2011 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatum (Post 884372)
誰は日本語がわかりますか。
The intended translation being:
"Does anyone understand Japanese?"
(i.e. would be practical on a forum or an IRC channel).

I assume the sentence feels sloppy, what would be a proper way to structure the sentence so that it feels natural?

It is incorrect. You do not say 誰 anywhere. There are two ways to correct your sentence.

日本語がわかりますか。= Who (which one of you) knows Japanese?

日本語がわかりますか。= Does anyone know Japanese (around here)?

Quote:

日本語がわかりますか。
The intended translation being:
"Do you understand Japanese?"

This feels more direct, as you're just speaking to one person, instead of any[one|body].

Would that be correct?
It is correct. You are speaking to the person(s) that are right in front of you.

KyleGoetz 10-24-2011 02:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by masaegu (Post 884379)
It is incorrect. You do not say 誰 anywhere.

To explicate from a learner's perspective, you can never have a question word as a topic. Imagine the absurdity of this in English: "As for who, is Japanese understood?" That's what 誰は日本語がわかりますか translates to. Nonsensical.

Question words are never followed by は. It's が or some other non-は particle.

Nameless 10-24-2011 03:28 AM

I have a question regarding the language exchange websites, which are the most popular among japanese english learners? I am thinking that I will learn more and faster if I start speaking completely in japanese (even if it's half broken).

Asking for help among bilingual people would be rude, and the language exchange ads in here seem to have very few replies , that's why I ask, what websites would you recommend?

hitotsz 10-24-2011 06:37 PM

what does this mean?
 
ネズミくんふいたww

TBox 10-24-2011 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hitotsz (Post 884442)
ネズミくんふいたww

That's going to need some context.
ww == lol because it looks like ハハハ.

Without context, I want to say it's "The mouse whistled." I can't conceive of a mouse playing a flute or something, which is also a choice, and while there are other meanings for ふいた, whistled (to me) seems most likely to generate laughter.

KyleGoetz 10-24-2011 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TBox (Post 884443)
That's going to need some context.
ww == lol because it looks like ハハハ.

I think it's w because that's the first letter in 笑い.

TBox 10-24-2011 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KyleGoetz (Post 884447)
I think it's w because that's the first letter in 笑い.

Until you see someone say wハハハw. BUT! Wiki agrees with you. I stand corrected.

And as long as we're on the subject, my favorite is still wハハハハノ丶ノ丶ノ\ノ\

hitotsz 10-24-2011 10:27 PM

Japanese for "I have to go"
 
行かなければなりません

This sounds harsh because it seems like saying "I musn't not go"

Is there some other way to say it?

masaegu 10-25-2011 01:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hitotsz (Post 884442)
ネズミくんふいたww

Context needed.

吹いた = played a horn instrument, bragged, etc.
拭いた = wiped

Quote:

Originally Posted by hitotsz (Post 884450)
行かなければなりません

This sounds harsh because it seems like saying "I musn't not go"

Is there some other way to say it?

It does NOT sound harsh; in fact: it sounds very polite if anything.

Other possible phrases:
行かないと。
行かなきゃ。

It sounds more natural if one adds そろそろ in front of these two.

KyleGoetz 10-25-2011 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpaoutsourcing (Post 884473)
I am a native English speaker with a high degree of expertise (former editor of the scholarly journal with a graduate degree-level humanities). I am fluent in Japanese, but not fluently. Take these factors into consideration when I give you good advice in both languages.

Just so you know, I'm a lawyer. Want me to sue you for copyright infringement?


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