For added emphasis you could add the phrase “with me”, but it’s already implied that you are extending an invitation to someone to do something with you, so you don’t absolutely need to say “with me”. For example, you could have said, “わたし　と　のみませんか“. (わたし = me.　と = with.　のみませんか = won’t you drink.) In English this would mean “Won’t you drink with me?” You can also change the pronoun わたしlike in this sentence, “わたしたち　と　おさか　に　いきませんか“, which means, “Won’t you go to Osaka with us?” (わたしたち = us.　と = with.　おさか = Osaka.　に = ni particle.　いきませんか = won’t you go.)

The English translations for ませんか all vary depending on the author. Some translate ませんか as “Will you…”, others as “Why don’t we…”, still others as “What do you say to…”. Technically there is no set phrase for ませんか in English. As long as the English translation expresses an invitation to someone, it’ll do. One other thing I want to point out is the difference between a question like “えいが　を　みますか” versus “えいが　を　みませんか versus “えいが　を　みましょうか“. (えいが = movie. を = wo particle. みる = to see.) At some point we’ve talked about all three of these types of sentences, but let’s review.

In the very beginning we talked about asking questions using the か particle. So a question like “えいが　を　みますか” will be “Do you watch movies?” This type of question is different from “えいが　を　みませんか” (Won’t you watch a movie with me?) because the latter question was a question inviting someone to do something, while the former question was simply just a question. The last question, “えいが　を　みましょうか” means “Shall we watch a movie?” is different in that this question is a question offering someone a suggestion to do something rather than inviting someone to do something.

Ok, that’s it for today, またね! (later!)

Post from: Japanese Blog

In the present polite affirmative たべる becomes たべます. Leave off the ます and attach ましょう. You get たべましょう as the final product. The interesting thing about using the “let’s” construction is that sometimes the “let’s” construction can be a veiled form of a wish or command. For example my housemate had this tendency to sleep late into the afternoon. My host mother would often say in an irritated voice, “いま　おきましょう“. (いま = now. おきましょう = get up.) Literally this would mean “Let’s wake up”. Now normally sentences with the “let’s” form is used when you want to suggest a plan of action.

However in this situation, it’s more of a command. Since the host mother is not my housemate’s real mother, she can’t really “command” the housemate to wake up. Also, in an effort to be polite, she is using a gentle method to get the housemate to do something. Sometimes Japanese people are careful so as not to  seem overbearing or commanding. That’s why normally verbs with the ましょう ending literally mean “let’s” but it all depends on context. Like in all languages, the tone of the person’s voice (whether the person sounds happy, annoyed etc) can also help you better figure out the context of the situation.

Now let’s look at a sentence like this, “てつたいましょうか“. Here in addition to the ましょう, you have か added to ましょう. In English, the addition of this か turns this sentence in the “shall” form. So in English this phrase would mean, “Shall [I] help?” Now depending on the context, this same phrase may not be a question, but a offer of help. In other words, “てつたいましょうか” could mean “I’ll help”. In turn “あけましょうか” could mean “Shall [I] open [it]?” or it could mean “I’ll open [it]“. If the person is already walking across the room to open a window, this phrase may make more sense to mean “I’ll open [it/window]” but if the person is hesitating and waiting for your response, this phrase may mean “Shall [I] open [it/window]?”. Again, it all depends upon the context.

Post from: Japanese Blog

The 20th anniversary of the Emperor’s rise to the throne is important because it establishes a long tradition in keeping with Japanese culture and history. Generally speaking the senso (せんそ) or the succession of the Japanese throne was alloted to the male members of the royal family. However there were exceptions where women rose to the throne as empresses. Japanese succession laws are complicated and have endured for over a century. Some of the laws that were established a century ago include the right of the emperor to have several wives. Usually the emperor would have a main wife and several secondary or tertiary wives. Sometimes the emperor would also have concubines in addition to the wives.

Usually the primary wife would come from a distinguished noble family (like the Fujiwara clan). If the primary wife was unable to bear a male offspring, the succession laws permitted the sons of secondary wives to ascend the throne. Japanese history is rife with the stories of multiple wives and ministers all plotting for the seat of the throne. Emperor Akihito is actually the first emperor to marry a commoner as opposed to a daughter from a distinguished noble family. This break of formality was possible through the repealed succession laws after WWII. Currently the Japanese Diet is responsible for the laws regulating succession.

If no suitable male heirs existed, women could ascend the throne as empresses. Of course this was in the past. Currently, women are prohibited from ascending the throne. Soon Japan may face a succession crisis. The only child of Emperor Akihito’s son (who will one day ascend the throne himself) is a girl named Princess Aiko. Since the current succession laws do not recognize females as heirs to the throne, she may be bypassed by another male member of the royal family to the throne. There has been a lot of controversy about whether Japan’s views on succession are in keeping with contemporary ideas about women, but as of now there are still no plans for any changes to the succession laws.

Post from: Japanese Blog

2 - This terminology can also be used to imply, “I’m sorry”, but under the Word of the Day it’s used to mean, “Excuse me”. There’s another way to say this other than using すみません… (ごめんください) http://www.transparent.com/wotd/today/japanese.htm?date=07-09-2009

3 - The Japanese way of saying, “Don’t Mind” (literally) (ドンマイ) http://www.transparent.com/wotd/today/japanese.htm?date=07-10-2009

4 - 初心者 (novice) http://www.transparent.com/wotd/today/japanese.htm?date=07-12-2009

5 - It’s a word borrowed from the English meaning “trauma” (トラウマ) http://www.transparent.com/wotd/today/japanese.htm?date=07-13-2009

6 - What does よいしょする mean in Japanese? (to flatter) http://www.transparent.com/wotd/today/japanese.htm?date=07-14-2009

7 - 天才 (genius) http://www.transparent.com/wotd/today/japanese.htm?date=07-15-2009

8 - 同じ (same) http://www.transparent.com/wotd/today/japanese.htm?date=07-18-2009

9 - Another way to say “excuse me” in Japanese (the particular word in the Word of the Day for this set is not しつれします nor is it すみません) (おじゃまします) http://www.transparent.com/wotd/today/japanese.htm?date=07-19-2009

10 - And yet another way to say “scarf” in Japanese… (スカフ)  http://www.transparent.com/wotd/today/japanese.htm?date=07-21-2009

11 - 思い出す (to recall) http://www.transparent.com/wotd/today/japanese.htm?date=07-22-2009

12 - When you want to say “Welcome” in the position of a shopkeeper to a customer (いらっしゃいませ) http://www.transparent.com/wotd/today/japanese.htm?date=07-23-2009

13 - Another word borrowed from the English for the word “sale” (セル) http://www.transparent.com/wotd/today/japanese.htm?date=07-24-2009

14 - 沢山 (many) http://www.transparent.com/wotd/today/japanese.htm?date=07-27-2009

15 - 掃除 (cleaning) http://www.transparent.com/wotd/today/japanese.htm?date=07-29-2009

Post from: Japanese Blog

Now take a look at a sentence like this, そふ　に　てがみ　を　かきました　which means “[I] wrote a letter to [my] grandpa”. (そふ = grandfather.　に = ni particle.　てがみ = letter.　を = wo particle.　かきました = wrote). Here the に also means “to” but it’s not used in the sense of direction or place like the example used in “I went to Nagoya”, it’s used as an indirect object marker. Take a look at another sentence, せんせい　に　しゅくだい　を　さしあげました which means “I gave the homework to the teacher”. (せんせい = teacher. に = ni particle. しゅくだい = homework. を = wo particle. さしあげました = gave).

The example, “I gave the homework to the teacher” is similar to the example “I wrote a letter to my grandfather”. Now we’ll look at another usage for に that is entirely different from the three examples we used. Take a look at a sentence like this, どうようび　に　ながの　に　かえりません which means “[I] will not return to Nagano on Saturday.” (どうようび = Saturday. に = ni particle. ながの = Nagano. に = ni particle. かえりません = will not). Here there are two に particles. Let’s tackle the second に particle that appears in the sentence. The second に serves the function of indicating the goal of movement.

However the first に serves a different function. The second  に serves as a time indicator. In this example, どうようび was the specific time indicator. The same goes for this sentence, しちじ　に　たべます or “[I] will eat at seven o’clock”. (しちじ = seven o’clock. に = ni particle. たべます = will eat.) Here しちじ was the indication of time. Now there are certain time expressions in which people don’t normally use に. For example, words like きょう and あした are not followed by に. (きょう = today. あした = tomorrow) However, some people do use に after words like あさ and よる. (あさ = morning. よる = night.)

Post from: Japanese Blog

2 - This terminology can also be used to imply, “I’m sorry”, but under the Word of the Day it’s used to mean, “Excuse me”. There’s another way to say this other than using すみません…

3 - The Japanese way of saying, “Don’t Mind” (literally)

4 - 初心者

5 - It’s a word borrowed from the English meaning “trauma”

6 - What does よいしょする mean in Japanese?

7 - 天才

8 - 同じ

9 - Another way to say “excuse me” in Japanese (the particular word in the Word of the Day for this set is not しつれします nor is it すみません)

10 - And yet another way to say “scarf” in Japanese…

11 - 思い出す

12 - When you want to say “Welcome” in the position of a shopkeeper to a customer

13 - Another word borrowed from the English for the word “sale”

14 - 沢山

15 - 掃除

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Post from: Japanese Blog

リング - Ring. Is about a cursed tape that kills the person who views it. Will there be a way to stop the curse, or will it be doomed to continue forever?

呪怨 - The Grudge. Is about a curse that spreads to everyone who is in contact with the curse. Can the curse be stopped or will it lead to everyone’s demise?

仄暗い水の底から - Dark Water. Is about a drowning of a child that comes to haunt a woman and her daughter. Will the spirit of the child leave the two in peace?

回路 - Kairo. Is about the mysterious hauntings of ghosts through the internet. Will it be possible to escape these ghosts?

着信アリ - One Missed Call. Several messages foreshadowing the cell phone’s user’s death spreads like wildfire. Who is behind this? What do they/he/she/it want?

輪廻 - Reincarnation. Are the ghosts in the hotel haunting the people in the hotel? What is the big dark secret that is causing this phenomemon?

稀人 - Marebito. The protagonist of the movie sees several apparitions. However, at the same time he has stopped taking his medication. Are the apparitions just his delusions or is he really seeing ghosts?

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Post from: Japanese Blog

In traditional Japanese ghost stories, there are several characteristics that define the ゆうれい. The ゆうれい will usually be dressed in a white kimono. Sometimes the ghost will wear a hitaikakushi (額隠) which is a small piece of white, triangular cloth worn on the head. The ghost will also have long black untied hair, usually unkempt. Sometimes the ghost is described as a ひとだま. A ひとだま is a light blue or green flame symbolic of the ghost’s soul. In Kabuki theater, a voice with a ひとだま may serve as a representation of a ghost. Lastly, ghosts are  described as lacking legs and arms, which means that they get around by floating.

In many of the plot sequences of traditional Japanese ghost stories, the ゆうれい may be appeased by the ゆうれい’s family exacting the revenge. However simple solutions like burying the ghost next to the ghost’s lover’s grave (in the case of a suicide caused by a prohibited love)or placing toys in front of the grave (in the case of a accidental child’s death) may appease the ghost. When the ghosts start to become violent, the ghost is exorcised by ofuda (御札), which are holy Shinto writings. When the ofuda (御札) are placed towards the entrance of the house, they prevent the ghost from entering the house and haunting the family.

Onryoo (怨霊) are specifically ghosts that seek revenge. The majority of onryoo (怨霊) ghosts tend to be women. More specifically, the onryoo (怨霊) were usually oppressed women who had died from a cruel death caused by a husband, lover, etc. In many traditional Japanese stories, the onryoo (怨霊) exact their revenge through intense psychological and physical torture. The hour that the ghosts appear is stated as two to three in the morning, which is considered the hour when supernatural phenomena has the strongest hold on the living world.

What’s interesting about Japanese ghosts is that the ghosts are stated as having a certain purpose for the reason why they remain a ゆうれい. You don’t really hear of stories where the ghosts just wander the earth for no reason at all!

Post from: Japanese Blog

The day usually starts with a parade that features the events that will take place. Some common events include, three legged races, relay running races, and obstacle course races like jumping through tires. After the parade the national anthem is played and families perform the radio taiso (ラジオ体操). Radio taiso (ラジオ体操) is a stretching/warm up exercise created by the Japanese government after World War II. The exercises are presided by a speaker over the radio with some music that accompanies the exercises. On Health and Sports Day a speaker with a microphone may replace the ラジオ体操. 

My favorite event is the tsunahiki (綱引き) also known as the tug of war. This is where the whole community can participate and develop communal bonds. In fact, that’s probably one of the reasons why Health and Sports Day is so popular- people get a chance to socialize and create friendships through these activities. Although there is a competitive spirit to these games, there are also events emphasizing the importance of physical finesse rather than winning. For example there may be martial arts performances held by school clubs, where the focus is on form and discipline rather than winning a prize.

Towards the closing of the games public officials of the community usually give a speech thanking all the families that attended. Prizes are handed out and the winners are congradulated for their efforts. The great thing about Health and Sports Day is that everyone can participate in the events. Even senior citizens can participate in the traditional dances performed by each city. Young children are also taught these traditional dances in school, so provided you know the movements you could be moving to a synchronized dance with several dozen people. Health and Sports Day also allows everyone to get the physical exercise that modern day people sometimes lack; which is a good way to encourage an active lifestyle!

Post from: Japanese Blog

Here are some examples:

Infinitive: iru (いる) to need

Present Polite Negative: いりません

Past Polite Negative: いりませんでした

Infinitive: asobu (あそぶ) to play

Present Polite Negative: あそびません

Past Polite Negative: あそびませんでした

Infinitive: shinu (しぬ) to die

Present Polite Negative: しにません

Past Polite Negative: しにませんでした

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Post from: Japanese Blog