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学ぶ日本語![Learn Japanese!]

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Learn to speak Japanese in this guild! Kanji will be displayed, as well. 

Tags: Japanese, Learning Japanese, Japan, Anime 

Reply Basic Japanese Need-to-Know [NEW!]
Arimasen & Janai

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They Call Me Homewrecker
Vice Captain

PostPosted: Sun May 30, 2010 9:28 am


ARIMASEN. the opposite of arimasu(postive). in a sentence, arimasen is positioned last to signify a negative sentence. A negation. Arimasen is used for inanimate objects/things while Imasen is used for animated objects/things

ex.
I am not Gemsan = Watashi wa Gemsan dewa arimasen
She is not a writer = Kanojo wa sakka dewa arimasen
That is not a book = Sore wa hon dewa arimasen
This was not her book = Kore wa kanojo no hon dewa arimasen deshita
It is not a cat = Kore wa neko imasen


JANAI. it a negation that can be used as dewa arimasen or kunai/kunakatta. Dewa arimasen is more formal but they mean the same thing

ex.
It's not a cat = Neko dewa arimasen.
It's not a cat = Neko janai desu.
It's not a dog =Inu dewa arimasen.
It's not a dog =Inu janai desu.
I'm not Gemsan = Gemsan janai desu.
I am not stupid = Watashi wa baka janai desu.
PostPosted: Tue Aug 24, 2010 2:17 pm


just as a note:
kunai/kunakatta are only used for i-adjectives and not nouns or na-adjectives.

and not many people actually SAY dewa very much anymore, only write it mostly, but ja=dewa so either one works *^_^*Ja sounds more natural for modern speech is all I'm trying to say. *^_^* yes.

Ellembri

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aryakimara

PostPosted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 11:39 am


I agree with Ellembri, but ja then is used in INFORMAL register. If you use this when talking to a japanese boss or grandparent they will probably feel angry XD.
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Basic Japanese Need-to-Know [NEW!]

 
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