Ghetto Grammar - Japanese Bunpo lesson #106
Today’s lesson focuses in on the ghetto grammar principle:
Verb (base II) + nagara - to do while 'verb'ing.
You are able to express past tense and current tenses with this bunpo. After reading the following examples, plug in your favorite Japanese verbs and play, it makes learning Japanese fun!
Example.1. Sara o arainagara, kuchibue o fuku. – While doing the dishes, I whistle.
Example 2. Enka o kikinagara, sake o nomu – While listening to an enka(Japanese folk song), I drink sake.
Ghetto Grammar Formulation Breakdown –
1. Put verb in base II
a. ex 1. The verb arau (to wash) with direct object sara (dishes) is sara o arau - to do the dishes.
b. arau in base II becomes arai.
2. Fuse arai and nagara to make arainagara, or the phrase while washing… Plugged
And played.
Past tense, non-polite (familiar), plain-form ending –
Ex. 1. Sara o arainagara kuchibue of fuita. I whistled while doing the dishes.
Past tense, polite ending –
Ex. 1.Sara o arainagara, kuchibue of fukimashita. – While doing the dishes, I (politely) whistled.
Past tense, non-polite (familiar), plain-form ending –
Ex.2. Enka o kikinagara, sake o nonda. While listening to a Japanese Folk Song, I drank sake.
Past tense, polite ending –
Ex.2. Enka o kikinagara, sake o nomimashita. While listening to a Japanese Folk Song, I (politely) drank sake.
Do your best! Ganbatte Ne!
Makurasuki sensei Yori
For some grammar straight from the ghetto go checkout Leroy’s homework at
http://forums.eog.com/online-sportsbooks-and-gambling-discussion/ghetto-grammar-test-88595.html
April 7, 2008
More NAGARA bunpo
Duplicate of Kamoshirenai bunpo
Japanese Plug and Play Ghetto Grammar (JPPGG©) #109
PLAIN FORM + KAMOSHIRENAI – to probably verb
In Japanese, to say that something will most likely happen in the future or to say that something has probably already occurred, we use the word ~kamoshirenai. Both Japanese nouns and Japanese verbs in plain form (i.e. Base III) can be used to which we can attach one of three variable endings which vary in politeness.
When used after nouns, or verbs in plain form, KAMOSHIREMASEN means: maybe noun, maybe verb, might have been noun, might have verb’ed, or probably noun, or probably verb etc. Although by definition, KAMO, by itself, is the word for duck, the origin or roots of the word KAMOSHIREMASEN come mainly from the verb to know, or, SHIRU. In this case, SHIRENAI means unable to know. The KA and the MO pose even more uncertainty when put together because KA is the question mark (?) particle, and MO is the also particle.
KAMO without SHIRENAI or SHIREMASEN is less polite but still understood. To use KAMO by itself is permissible when speaking with close friends or acquaintances. However, since saying just KAMO is less polite, beginners should avoid saying it. Its best to always use the most polite form KAMOSHIREMASEN, but it’s ok to say KAMOSHIRENAI when you are in company of close friends etc.
If you were to listen to 10 minutes of any random Japanese conversation, you would most likely or probably (pun intended) hear the word KAMOSHIRENAI within that time. KAMOSHIRENAI is always used in Japanese conversation. Verbs in base III are equivalent to what is known as plain form, of the verb, sometimes designated in JPPGG© Ghetto Grammar as P.F.
Verb(Base III) + KAMOSHIRENAI – most common, but less polite
Verb(Base III) + KAMOSHIREMASEN – more polite
Verb(Base III) + KAMO - least polite and funny to the ear
1. TORARETA KAMOSHIREMASEN
It might have been stolen
2. SOTSUGYO^ SHISO?
SURU KAMOSHIRENAI
Are you going to graduate?
It’s possible! (Maybe!)
3. ARE WA KAMO KAMO
Figure 1 A KAMO
It’s a duck, probably.-or-
It’s most likely a duck.-or-
It’s probably a duck.-etc.
4. OISHII KAMO NE!
Its probably tastes pretty good! (Doesn’t it?)
(Tasty duck hunh~)
As always, Ganbatte Ne!
Do your Best!
Makurasuki Sensei.
March 31, 2008
hanashi so desu to seem about to verb
To say that someone seems about to verb in Japanese, use the following construction:
Verb(base II) So^ desu
This one is an easily constructed grammar principle. First we take any verb we like and put it into base II.
Hanasu - to speak -
Hanasu(base II) = hanashi
Ochiru - to fall -
Ochiru(base II) = ochi
Naku - to cry
Naku(base II) = naki
add So^ desu to the base II of Japanese verbs will make the verb take on the nuance of things which are about to take place or that look like they are going to do it soon, ie. seems about to verb.
hanashi so^ desu
hanashiso^ desu - It seems he is about to speak
ochi so^ desu
ochiso^ desu - looks like they are about to fall down
For iru and eru ending verbs simply drop off the last syllable ru and and your So^ desu. For all other forms put into i ending.