This thread is for all simple questions, beginner questions, and comments that don’t need their own post.
# Welcome to /r/LearnJapanese!
* New to Japanese? Read our [Starter’s Guide](https://www.reddit.com/r/LearnJapanese/wiki/index/startersguide) and [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/LearnJapanese/wiki/index/faq)
* New to the subreddit? Read the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/LearnJapanese/wiki/subredditrules)!
Please make sure if your post has been addressed by checking the wiki or searching the subreddit before posting or it might get removed.
If you have any simple questions, please comment them here instead of making a post.
**This does not include translation requests, which belong in /r/translator.**
If you are looking for a study buddy or would just like to introduce yourself, please join and use the *\# introductions* channel in [the Discord here!](https://discord.gg/yZQKZYdBSw)
\—
\—
[Seven Day Archive](https://www.reddit.com/r/LearnJapanese/search?q=Daily+thread%3A&restrict_sr=on&include_over_18=on&sort=new&t=week) of previous threads. Consider browsing the previous day or two for unanswered questions.
8 comments
Context: two characters are looking at a huge tower.
> サトシの背の丈の４、５倍**はあろう**高さに頂点を頂くアーチ状の彫刻。
Is はあろう equivalent in meaning to であろう? I interpreted that part of the sentence as “a 高さ that’s probably 4 or 5 times…”
Having some trouble with this one:
> いくら俺の弟子にしたところで、立派な仙人になれるかなれないかは、お前次第で決まるところだからな。
Context: A young man is going to become the disciple of a powerful 仙人. This is what the 仙人 says to him.
I don’t understand かなれない and IDK even what verb that is. Or is かな somehow him talking to himself (even though he’s talking to the young man).
I also don’t really understand what いくら does there. It would seem to be something like,
“No matter how many disciples I take, it’s up to you to decide whether or not you become a fine hermit.” But IDK.
How bad is misspelling someone’s name in Japanese?
I applied to a school and an employee emailed me back. When I replied, I accidentally reversed the two kanji in their name. I did it twice in the email then immediately sent a follow up, where I correctly spelled their name, and apologized for it.
😭
Hello!
I’m really struggling to understand the difference between と言いました and と言っていました.
What would change if I use both interchangeably? I have understood that 言いました is used when someone “just said” something and 言っていました is used when someone said something sometime in the past but it doesn’t matter the time that much. However, I also have read that 言っていました is when you hear it directly, like you were there when it was said. I think I’m overwelmhed with information about this structure and I don’t really have clear concepts.
Why do I see verbs in their plain form with a particle/noun right after them? is it because in their plain form, they’re acting as nouns?
ex. 少し**外れる**感じではあるが、**住む**にはそれほど不便はないところだよ
i’m watching an anime and this line gave me pause.
jp: “私が知りたがったから教えてくれたのかな。”
subs: “Is she telling me this because I wanted to learn her secret?”
i don’t understand why the “shirtai” part has the ~tagaru form. i thought that was only when you were describing what others thought or wanted, but not yourself? 😮
> 「大丈夫です。声なぞは出しはしません。命がなくなっても、黙っています。」
Context: A magic hermit is training his apprentice. The hermit says, some demons will come and tempt you, no matter what, you have to be quiet or you can’t become a hermit. The apprentice replies with the above.
I think it means, “No problem. I won’t make any noise. Even if I die, I’ll be quiet.”
But I was wondering why there are so many は particles in 声なぞは出しはしません I don’t see any extra contrast going on there?
There’s a skit comedy show I used to watch on NHK over 10 years ago called Salaryman Neo. People upload skits to YouTube and they get taken down after a while. Natural Japanese, not too scripted. Enjoy a little while it lasts. This is one of my favorite bits: [The Bucho’s Parents](https://youtu.be/-ML3wO-_9OM?si=gBZgrvfrcuLiu5GO).