This is only the end of the beginning
Some more gobi and some review
We are coming to the end of the fourth major section of the guide. Do you feel like your Japanese has improved? We've come to the point where
we've learned enough conjugations to be able to start mixing them together in various useful combinations. Of course this can be a little
difficult to do without some practice, which is the reason for this lesson. But first, since we've come to the end of yet another section, let's learn some more
sentence endings.
The next most often used gobi: 「な」 and 「さ」
Next to 「よ」 and 「ね」, 「さ」 and 「な」 are the next most commonly used gobi.
「さ」, which is basically a very casual form of 「よ」, is similar to the English "like" in that some people throw it in at the
end of almost every single phrase. Of course, that doesn't mean it's necessarily a very sophisticated manner of speech
but just like using "like" all the time, I cannot deny that it is an easy habit to fall into. In that sense, due to its over-use, it has almost lost any
specific meaning. You may overhear a conversation like the following:
１： さ・・・
２：
１： さ・・・
２：
１： にんだけどさ、さ、て・・・
２：
１： さ・・・
And it goes on like this, sometimes the other person might break in to say something related to the topic.
You can use 「な」 in place of 「ね」 when it sounds too soft and reserved for what you want to say or for the audience you are speaking to. Its
rough sound generally applies to the male gender but is not necessarily restricted to only males.
： 、
にんだよな。- You are going to the library now huh? (seeking explanation)
： 、
？ - Yeah, why?
ボブ： は、けどな。。- I studied Japanese a lot, right? But, I still don't get it at all.
アリス： よ。ようにからさ。- No problem. You'll become able to understand for sure, you know?
ボブ： ならけどな。- If so, it would be good.
The 「な」 gobi is often used with the question marker 「か」 to indicate that the speaker is considering something.
（１） はがかな？- I wonder if it'll rain today.
（２） にかな？ - I wonder if I can go to a good college.
Gender-specific emphasis gobi: 「わ」、「ぞ」、「ぜ」、「かしら」
These gobi are primarily used just to emphasize something and doesn't really have a meaning per se. However, they can make your
statements sound much stronger and very gender-specific. Using 「わ」 is just like 「よ」 except it will make you sound
almost sickeningly female (putting different dialects aside). Use sparingly. 「かしら」 is also a very feminine version of 「かな」, which we just went over.
「ぞ」 and 「ぜ」 are identical to 「よ」 except that it makes you sound "cool" and manly, or at least, that is the intent.
These examples might not be very helpful without actually hearing what they sound like.
（１） が
わ。- There is no more time.
（２） 、ぞ！- Hey, we're going!
（３） で、だぜ。- With this, it's over already.
（４） にかしら？- I wonder if I can enter a good college.
That's a wrap!
We learned quite a lot of things in this section. Let's try to put it all together by seeing how different kinds of conjugations are used in
different combinations. This is of course by no means an exhaustive list but merely an illustration of how we can use what we learned in
various combinations to create a lot of useful expressions.
Example 1
アリス： 、
をもですか？
：
、ですよ。
アリス： 「Hello」をでとですか。
と = quoted sub-clause + if conditional of
：
ね。、
「」ととよ。
、
は「」じゃなくて、
「」とはなりません。
「とと」 = quoted sub-clause + quoted sub-clause
「じゃなくて」 = negative sequence of states
アリス： ですか。に
はか。
：
もといてね。
は、「」と
の。、
のには
「」とください。
「といて」 - +
abbreviated form of ～ておく + casual ～てください with ください dropped.
アリス： 、。
ように。
に！
Literal translation of Example 1
Alice: Kaga-sensei, is it ok to ask you a question?
Kaga-sensei: Yes, it's ok.
Alice: If you say what for "hello" in Japanese, is it ok?
Kaga-sensei: Well, mostly, I think people say "konnichiwa". Only, when you write it, you must write "konnichiha" and not "konnichiwa".
Alice: Is that so? Are there any other good expressions?
Kaga-sensei: Please memorize this too (in preparation for the future). In the morning, everybody says, "ohayou". But, please say, "ohayou-gozaimasu" to a
higher person.
Alice: Yes, I understood. I'll do in the manner of not making mistake. It became good study!
Interpretative translation of Example 1
Alice: Kaga-sensei, is it ok to ask you a question?
Kaga-sensei: Sure.
Alice: How do you say "Hello" in Japanese?
Kaga-sensei: Well, most of the time, I think people say "konnichiwa". Only, when you write it, you must write "konnichiha" and not "konnichiwa".
Alice: Is that so? Are there any other good expressions?
Kaga-sensei: You should know this too. In the morning, everybody says, "ohayou". But, please say, "ohayou-gozaimsu" to a
higher person.
Alice: Ok, I got it. I'll try not to make that mistake. That was very informative!
Example 2
： お！アリスだ。ね、をも？
アリス： ？
： をんだけどさ、が、？
「」 = receiving favor + to want （たい）
アリス： え？をの？
： 、でみたいなとね。もとけど、が・・・
「みたいなと」 = to try something out （～てみる） + want to （たい） + な gobi + quoted subquote + te-form of
「と」 = volitional of + to attempt （と）
アリス： なの？よ。の？
： でもよ。
アリス： じゃ、のからは？
： 、よ。！
アリス： をり、り、でね。
「りりで」 = List of actions （～たり） + negative request of .
： よ！
Literal translation of Example 2
Yousuke: Oh! It's Alice. Hey, is it ok to ask a question?
Alice: What?
Yousuke: I want to receive the favor of you teaching English and if, by any chance, you have time, will you give the favor of teaching?
Alice: Huh? You are going to study English?
Yousuke: Yeah, I was thinking that I want to try studying abroad in America. I tried to make motion toward going last year too but, without money...
Alice: Is that so? It's good. When do you want me to teach you?
Yousuke: Anytime is good.
Alice: Then what about from next week Thursday?
Yousuke: Yeah, ok. Thanks!
Alice: Don't do things like shirk on your studies or not come, ok?
Yousuke: I won't do anything like that!
Interpretative translation of Example 2
Yousuke: Oh! It's Alice. Hey, can I ask you a question?
Alice: What up?
Yousuke: I want to learn English so if you have time, can you teach me?
Alice: Huh? You're going to study English?
Yousuke: Yeah, I was thinking about studying abroad in America. I tried going last year too but I didn't have the money.
Alice: Really? No problem. When do you want me to teach you?
Yousuke: Anytime is fine.
Alice: What about from next week Thursday then?
Yousuke: OK, thanks!
Alice: You're not going to shirk on your studies or not come or anything right?
Yousuke: I won't do anything like that!