Daily Thread: simple questions, comments that don’t need their own posts, and first time posters go here (April 12, 2024)

6 comments

1. Something funny happened to me today while studying. The word 残念 came up in my Anki reviews. Looking at it I couldn’t remember the pronunciation or the meaning but I somehow remembered *hearing* it yesterday in an audio drama I was listening to. In a minute of staring at it I was able to remember that it’s ざんねん. It’s weird how the brain works sometimes.

2. What’s the best way to layout the front/back of flash cards?

3. My sister is outside.
   Duolingo: そ外に姉がいます.

   Would 姉は外にいます be acceptable?

4. Does anyone know a good source for Japanese kids’ flash cards? I want actual ones for young Japanese children, not ones with any English.

   I want to be able to follow along with my godkids when they’re doing their kindergarten flash cards and make it a family activity.

   I have searched amazon in English and using “子供用フラッシュカード” and all of them are aimed at language learners not articles used by Japanese parents with their own children.

5. Hello!

   I have a question regarding a listening comprehension exercise from Genki 1 Lesson 7 workbook.

   The dialogue spoken was: そして…. あっ, 松本かなさんです。今日はめがねをかけています。髪が長くて，いつもセクシーですね.

   I fully understand what it means. But I’m confused by the structure of this sentence. The sentence starts off introducing 松本かなさん. Then right after, it 今日は is said.

   I know 松本かなさん is the subject/topic of the sentence, but doesn’t 今日は change the subject/topic away from 松本かなさん to 今日? Or am I mistaken? Because I’m always under the impression that は changes the subject/topic of the sentence? Or because since a new noun wasn’t introduced, 松本かなさん remained the subject?

   Also why isn’t written or spoken like そして…. あっ, 松本かなさんです。松本かなさんは今日めがねをかけています?

   Thank you in advance!

6. I have seen the word ‘computer’ translated as both パソコン and コンピュータ. Any particular reason to use one or the other? I have taken to understand the former as “PC” and the later as literally “computer” but don’t know if certain context makes one more appropriate. Thanks in advance.