Question of the week - ''How do you pronounce the Japanese "r"?''

Question of the Week
Vol. 13

Q. How do you pronounce the Japanese "r"?

A.
The Japanese "r" is different from the English "r". The sound is sort
of between the English "r" and "l". To make "r" sound, start to say
"l", but make your tongue stop short of the roof of your mouth, almost
in the English "d" position. It is more like the Spanish "r".

The
Japanese have trouble to pronounce and tell the difference between the
English "r" and "l' because these sounds don't exist in Japanese.

Don't
get too frustrated trying to pronounce it right. When you say words,
there is no point in focusing on one syllable. Please listen carefully
to how a native speaker pronounces it and repeat it the way you hear it.

If you can't manage it, "l" is better option than English "r", because the Japanese don't roll their tongue when speaking.

The verb "aru （ある）" can be used to express possession (to have, to own) as well as physical existence (there is~).
Hon ga arimasu.
本があります。 There is a book. (physical existence)
Yamada-san wa okane ga arimasu.
山田さんはお金があります。 Mr.Yamada has money. (possession)

"Aru （ある）" is used for inanimate objects and "iru （いる）" is used for animate objects.
Inu ga imasu.
犬がいます。 There is a dog.
Watashi wa ane ga imasu.
私は姉がいます。 I have an older sister.

Both "aru" and "iru" are preceded by the particle "ga" .

The
verb "motsu （持つ）" is used in the present progressive tense
("motteimasu" rather than "mochimasu"). It expresses the state of
possessing or the state of being in possession of something. It is
followed by the particle "o".
Kasa o motteimasu.
傘を持っています。 I have un umbrella (on me).

It cannot be used when the object which you possess is animate.
I have a car. Kuruma o motteimasu.
車を持っています。
Kuruma ga arimasu.
車があります。
I have an older brother. Ani o motteimasu. Wrong
兄を持っています。
Ani ga imasu.
兄がいます。

Both
"kudasai （ください）" and "onegaishimasu （お願いします）" are used when making a
request for items. "Kudasai （ください）" follows the object and the particle
"o".
Kitte o kudasai.
切手をください。 Please give me stamps.
Mizu o kudasai.
水をください。 Water, please.

"Onegaishimasu"
can be replaced with "kudasai" in the examples above. It sounds a
little more polite. The particle "o" can be omitted in this case.
Kitte (o) onegaishimasu.
切手 (を) お願いします。 Please give me stamps.
Mizu (o) onegaishimasu.
水 (を) お願いします。 Water, please.

However, there are some situations when only "onegaishimasu" is used.

(1) When making a request for service.
Tokyo eki made onegaishimasu.
東京駅までお願いします。 Tokyo Station, please. (to a taxi driver)
Kokusai denwa onegaishimasu.
国際電話お願いします。 Overseas telephone call, please.
(on the phone)

(2)When asking for someone on the phone.
Kazuko-san onegaishimasu.
和子さんお願いします。 May I speak to Kazuko?

For
making requests that involve action (please listen etc.), the verb "te
form" is added to "kudasai". "Onegaishimasu" can not be used in this
case.
Chotto matte kudasai.
ちょっと待ってください。 Wait a moment, please.
Ashita kite kudasai.
明日来てください。 Please come tomorrow.

"Pera
pera （ぺらぺら）" is a gitaigo (words mimicking states). They directly
express states or actions of people and things. There are a few
meanings for "pera pera" depending on the context.

(1) Talk fluently
Kare wa nihongo ga pera pera desu.
彼は日本語がぺらぺらです。 He speaks Japanese fluently.

(2) Talkativeness in a negative sense or to chatter.
Hiroshi wa himitsu o pera pera
hanashite shimaimashita.
博は秘密をぺらぺら話しました。 Hiroshi was so talkative
that he told the secret.

(3) Thin, flimsy
Kono shatsu wa pera pera da.
このシャツはぺらぺらだ。 This shirt is flimsy.

"Nante （なんて）" can be used in the following situations.

(1) How ~!, What ~!
Nante kireina hana nan darou.
なんてきれいな花なんだろう。 How beautiful the flower is!
Nante ii hito nan deshou.
なんていい人なんでしょう。 What a nice person she is!

"Nanto （なんと）" can be replaced with "nante" in the above cases.

(2) And so on, and the like
Yuurei nante inai yo!
幽霊なんていないよ。 There are no such things as ghosts!
Ken ga sonna koto o suru nante shinjirarenai.
健がそんなことするなんて
信じられない。 I can't believe that
Ken does such a thing.
Yuki o okorasetari nante
shinakatta darou ne.
雪を怒らせたりなんて
しなかっただろうね。 I hope you didn't offend Yuki
or anything like that.

"Nado （など）" can be replaced with "nante" in the above cases.

Q. Are there any other meanings for "chotto" beside "a little"?

A. "Chotto （ちょっと）" can be used in several different situations.

(1) A little
Yuki ga chotto furimashita.
雪がちょっと降りました。 It snowed a little.
Kono tokei wa chotto takai desu ne.
この時計はちょっと高いですね。 This watch is a little expensive, isn't it?

(2) For a moment
Chotto omachi kudasai.
ちょっとお待ちください。 Wait a moment, please.
Nihon ni chotto sunde imashita.
日本にちょっと住んでいました。 I have lived in Japan for a while.

"Sukoshi （少し）" can replace "chotto （ちょっと）" in the above cases. "Sukoshi" sounds more formal than "chotto".
(3) Excuse me! Hey! (to get the attention of someone)

Chotto! wasuremono! (informal)
ちょっと。　忘れ物。 Hey! You left behind this.

(4) As a softener, when making a request to add the meaning of "just"
Chotto mite mo ii desu ka.
ちょっと見てもいいですか。 Can I just look?
Chotto sore o totte kudasai.
ちょっとそれを取ってください。 Could you just pass me that?

(5) To avoid direct criticism.
Kono kutsu dou omou.
Un, chotto ne ...
この靴どう思う。
うん、ちょっとね ... What do you think about these shoes?
Hmm, it's a little ...

In
this case it is said quite slowly with a falling intonation. This is a
very convenient expression as it is used when people want to turn
someone down or negate something without being direct about it.

Q. What is the katakana "u" character with two dashes?

A.
This katakana character represents the English "v" sound. It didn't
exist until relatively recently. Nowadays the Japanese use many
borrowed words from English and other foreign languages (please refer
the previous article "Borrowed Words"). Since it is hard to express all
sounds by the basic 46 characters or their regular combinations, the
Japanese have developed new combinations that are formed by adding a
small "a, i, u, e, o" for several foreign syllables.

However,
they are still not widely used and not included in the katakana chart
most of the time. Many Japanese just write the "v" sound as "b"
(katakana "ba, bi, bu, be, bo").

Click here for "expanded katakana syllables".

Q. Why is "o" or "go" sometimes used before nouns?

A.
"O （お）" or "go （ご）" is the respectful prefix (polite marker). It is
used to express respect or simple politeness. Whether it shows respect
or simple politeness, depends on the word. When it is used to express
respect, it can't be used for yourself or family member.
O-namae wa nan desu ka.
お名前はなんですか。 What is you name?
Watashi no namae wa Miki desu.
私の名前は美樹です。 My name is Miki.

It is attached to a noun, an adjective or an adverb.
noun O-tanjoubi omedetou.
お誕生日おめでとう。 Happy Birthday.
adjective O-genki desu ka.
お元気ですか。 How are you?
adverb Douzo go-yukkuri.
どうぞごゆっくり。 Take your time.

Generally speaking, "o" is used with native Japanese words and "go" with words of Chinese origin.

"O"
or "go" isn't attached to all nouns. If you are a beginner, it might be
better not to overuse them, though there are some nouns that sound
harsh without them. "O-cha (Japanese tea)" and "o-kane (money)" are
among them. Listen carefully to when and how native speakers use them.

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eh? iie,iie, nici chiar asa :)) ..


wa , sugoi! hontoni arigato gozaimasu!

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