The Japanese Language Help Thread

[J. S. Köttbulle]

Hey, sorry if this is asking too much, but it would be a really big help.
Would one of you please be so kind as to transcribe the Japanese text, kanji and all, from this picture?

You don't need to translate it, I already know what it means.

[SSJ_Jup81]

Sorry I can't help with this. Way too much kanji for me. ^^;

[Egghatch]

How is "e" pronounced in Japanese? I've heard it sounding like A, as in "day," and short E, as in "pet."

[Hyatt]

How is "e" pronounced in Japanese? I've heard it sounding like A, as in "day," and short E, as in "pet."

It's supposed to be a short E like in pet. It often sounds like A but if you listen to something like the Japanese Pokerap where they draw out the last syllable in Dokukurage, it sounds like an eh and not an ay.

[Egghatch]

Another question:
Is the sentence "Kimi wa baka desu." grammatically correct?

[jda95]

Yep, no problems.

[farewell, friend]

Another question:
Is the sentence "Kimi wa baka desu." grammatically correct?

Isn't this a bit too formal for an insult? Or maybe it comes off weird because it would already be implied that you were calling someone stupid, so you could just say "baka" and drop everything else.

[jda95]

Isn't this a bit too formal for an insult? Or maybe it comes off weird because it would already be implied that you were calling someone stupid, so you could just say "baka" and drop everything else.

They asked whether it was gramatically correct, which it is, despite the low chance of it being used in actual conversation.

[make_it_worse]

I just heard that many of the girl end the sentence with a -kya, what does it mean,.? Is it a word exclusive only for girls?

[SSJ_Jup81]

I just heard that many of the girl end the sentence with a -kya, what does it mean,.? Is it a word exclusive only for girls?

The only way I've seen "kya" is when used as more so an interjection...I guess. Sorta like when a "fangirl" may squeal over something and might say "kya" at the end of it only because it sounds that way. Maybe someone else could explain this better.

[jda95]

You could possibly be thinking of nakya, the shortened form on nakereba naranai/ikenai.

[make_it_worse]

Is it an exclusive word for girls?

Another question:
Is the sentence "Kimi wa baka desu." grammatically correct?

I think it's not, u should use ga, instead of wa

[jda95]

Is it an exclusive word for girls?



I think it's not, u should use ga, instead of wa

Nope, both genders.

And either wa or ga is fine. It's really tricky to work out the exact usage of both so either is acceptable.

[SSJ_Jup81]

You could possibly be thinking of nakya, the shortened form on nakereba naranai/ikenai.

You know, I think you're right about that.

[kiera2]

How is "e" pronounced in Japanese? I've heard it sounding like A, as in "day," and short E, as in "pet."

It's supposed to be a short E like in pet. It often sounds like A but if you listen to something like the Japanese Pokerap where they draw out the last syllable in Dokukurage, it sounds like an eh and not an ay.

Apart from anything else, an "ay" sound is a diphthong. All Japanese vowel sounds are monophthongs. The Japanese "e" monophthong is the first half of the "ay" diphthong, which might be where the confusion comes from.