Japanese Study Group

[dEhiN]

みんなさん、おはいようございます！

'Good morning'?

Sorry, I was going for "hi", and forgot that ohayou is short form for "good morning".

Btw it's おはようございます (は, not はい).

I think you've corrected me on this before, but I completely forgot! Haha! ありがとう！

I've decided to join this group (after księżycowy suggested it). I've forgotten all my kana - I used to know hiragana and some katakana - as well as the (one) handful of kanji I knew. However, I do seem to remember some words, such as what I wrote above, the copula です, and the particles か (interrogative), は (topic), が (subject), の (genitive)

Nice!

and え (locative?). I don't remember the dative particle.

I'm not sure whether I'd call e dative per se, but it does roughly correspond to 'to' in English (not 'for' AFAIK). It's spelled へ.

Isn't え e, while へ is he? Also, if he only corresponds to "to", would it be more of a movement particle (I forget the "case" that covers to/toward)?

[księżycowy]

When used as a particle へ is pronounced as え, much in the same way that は is pronounced as わ or を as お.

[dEhiN]

When used as a particle へ is pronounced as え, much in the same way that は is pronounced as わ or を as お.

Ok, thanks. What function does を serve?

[księżycowy]

Direct object.

本を読よみます。- I read the book. [It marks "book" as the object of the verb in this example.]

[dEhiN]

Ok, thanks.

[księżycowy]

「わかりました。ありがとうございます」

[pennybright]

皆さん、頑張ってください！！結構ややこしい言語ですが、応援しています。
ちょこちょここの掲示板を除いてみますので、その時説明や質問の答えなどさせてもらうかもしれません。
母国語話者ではありませんが、初級レベルの日本語教師の経験が少しあります。
難しい質問が出たらちゃんと日本語でグルることもできるから大丈夫です（笑）

Good luck, guys! This language can be a real pain, but I'm rooting for you. I'll poke my head in from time to time and try to provide feedback and answers to questions. I'm not a native speaker, but I have a bit of experience teaching elementary Japanese, and if a real stumper comes up, I can always Google things in Japanese to check

[NB for the concerned: The Japanese and English above are similar in meaning but not exactly corresponding. Different things feel natural in different languages, and I run with that.]

[księżycowy]

ありがとう！

[dEhiN]

「わかりました。ありがとうございます」

わかりました。ありがとうございます。

I always wondered what those bracket things are in Japanese writing? Are they Japanese quotes?

[księżycowy]

そうです。

[księżycowy]

教科書
第一課
問題

一番

► Show Spoiler

１．あなたはサントスさんですか。
２．お名前は。
３．何歳ですか。
４．アメリカ人ですか。
５．会社員ですか。

二番

► Show Spoiler

１．３
２．３

三番

► Show Spoiler

１．〇
２．X
３．〇

[księżycowy]

Halfway check in, how's everyone doing?

[dEhiN]

On Friday I was at a bookstore and bought a copy of Teach Yourself Complete Japanese. I'm thinking of using that instead of Minna no Nihongo, and going at my own pace. I still want to be part of this group and post things like my progress, questions, etc.

[księżycowy]

Are you finding MnN too challenging?

[dEhiN]

Yes I am. I perused through both the TYCJ book and all the MnN stuff, and the TYCJ book feels easier to follow along. Perhaps it's because I don't have to worry about it being a translation, but rather a resource aimed at English speakers.

[księżycowy]

Being a translation?

What are you finding particularly hard? Maybe we can help you out? Not that I want to make you stick with it; just wanted to offer.

EDIT: I'm also not opposed to switching to another resource since we're starting at lesson one. We would just have to all agree on one. I also have Genki, if anyone likes that textbook better.

[dEhiN]

Being a translation?

Well, it looks like MnN was written all in Japanese, and there's a translation for it. I don't get the point of using a resource written all in Japanese, at least not for me since I'm effectively starting out as a complete beginner.

I don't know if there's anything specific I can point to. Maybe it's partly that I like the feel of a physical book in my hands better than some pdf.

EDIT: I'm also not opposed to switching to another resource since we're starting at lesson one. We would just have to all agree on one. I also have Genki, if anyone likes that textbook better.

I'll have to give it some more thought, but currently I feel like I would prefer to go at my own pace using TYCJ.

[księżycowy]

Well, it looks like MnN was written all in Japanese, and there's a translation for it. I don't get the point of using a resource written all in Japanese, at least not for me since I'm effectively starting out as a complete beginner.

I'm not sure if it's so much been "translated" into English, but rather a resource that is meant to not just be available to English speakers.

I don't know if there's anything specific I can point to. Maybe it's partly that I like the feel of a physical book in my hands better than some pdf.

I definitely understand that. Having a book in hand is my preferred method of learning too.

I'll have to give it some more thought, but currently I feel like I would prefer to go at my own pace using TYCJ.

I don't mean to be nosy, but why do you feel that way? Do you feel too pressured by the study group or something?

Also, to help you think about this some more I'll PM you some sample Genki material. So you can make a more informed decision.

[vijayjohn]

Okay, księżycowy, I'm confused now; which exercises exactly did you do? Which book and which page(s)?
EDIT: Oh, the first three in the workbook on p. 4 that they have in the answer key? Okay, I guess I'll do that and then edit this post with my own answers.

みんなさん、おはいようございます！

'Good morning'?

Sorry, I was going for "hi", and forgot that ohayou is short form for "good morning".

Just in case you didn't already know, おはよう is a more informal or casual way of saying 'good morning'.

Btw it's おはようございます (は, not はい).

I think you've corrected me on this before, but I completely forgot! Haha! ありがとう！

Really? I completely forgot. どういたしまして。

[księżycowy]

Okay, księżycowy, I'm confused now; which exercises exactly did you do? Which book and which page(s)?

I'll put this in English then.

I did the exercises at the end of lesson 1 from the textbook (only the first 3), page 12 for me. Those are not the workbook exercises.

I should probably also note that since I'm working off the second edition, I will make a habit of checking my answers and correcting them, in case there are differences between the editions. (Provided we still go through MnN, that is. It's still kinda up in the air until dEhiN gets back to us about what he wants to do. But I see no major issue with moving on until he does.)