Category Archives: Grammer Points

とびら:第5課:Part 3

11. lit. trans: based on ‘noun’

pattern: noun+ をもとに(して)

pattern to modify a noun: describing noun+ をもとにした + 「main noun

田中先生は大学院に書いた論文をもとに本を書きました。

Professor Tanaka’s dissertation in graduate school was written based on a book.

日本のマンガをもとにしてたくさんのアニメやゲームが作られている。

A lot of anime and games are made, based on Japanese graphic novels.

12A. pattern: noun+ と同じで

lit. trans: just like ‘noun’

母と同じで、私もえびのアレルギーがあるので、えびは食べられないんです。

Like my mother, because I have an allergy to shrimp, I cannot eat shrimp.

数学と同じで、物理も公式を勉強しなくはならない。

Like math, you must study the formulas for physics.

12B. pattern: noun+ と違って

lit. trans: unlike ‘noun’

スノーボードはスキーと違って、ステイックを使わずにすべります。

As for snowboarding, unlike skiing, you slide without using any sticks.

多くの国と違って、日本では二十歳にならないととうひょうできない。

Unlike many other countries, the voting age is 20 years old.

13. pattern: noun」 らしい 「it is an adjective

lit. trans: so much like/typical of ‘noun’

*there are 2 meanings: the noun can seem like or it can represent; generally, this pattern is used to present something positive

田中さんは長い間アメリカに住んでいたので、あまり日本人らしくない。

Tanaka has lived in the United States for a long time, that he doesn’t seem Japanese.

今年の夏は寒い日が続いて、ぜんぜん夏らしくありません。

This year’s summer days continues to be cold, that it doesn’t seem like summer at all.

14. to make nouns into adjectives

lit. trans: the ‘noun’-like; ‘noun’-ic; ‘noun’-ive

pattern: noun+ 的(な)

京東や奈良歴史的な建物がたくさある伝統的な町です。

There are many of historic buildings in traditional towns like Kyoto and Nara.

私は技術的なことはよく分からないので、他の人に聞いてください。

Because I do not know technical things well, ask other people please.

15. lit. trans: I wish/I hope

pattern: verb in past tense+ らいいのに(なあ)

*used for conversational spoken only

expresses the speaker’s wish, and the verb in past tense is usually in a potential or the speaker’s actions

漢字がもっと簡単に覚えられたらいいのになあ。

I wish I can memorize kanji easily.

16. ほとんど + Verb/ほとんど + Verb in negative form/ほとんどのNoun

these patterns are used when the amount or the objective phrase/noun is the issue

ex: almost forgetting an appointment or almost drowning; these are addressing an action but not an amount

A. ほとおんど + Verb

lit. trans: almost all; most of x

量は多かったけれど、おなかがすいていたから、ほとんど食べてしまった。

The amount was a lot but I was hungry, so I ate almost all of it.

昨日は疲れていたから、1日中ほとんど疲れていました。

Because I was tired yesterday, I was tired for most of the day today.

B. ほとんど + Verb in negative form

lit. trans: hardly/rarely/almost nothing

寝られなくなるので、私はほとんどコーヒーは飲まない。

Because I became unable to sleep, I rarely drink coffee.

おいしい料理だったが、おなかが痛くてほとんど食べられなかった。

The cooking was delicious, but my stomach hurt and I could hardly eat.

C. ほとんどのNoun

lit. trans: almost/most of x

彼はこの大学の有名人だ。ほとんどの人が彼のことを知っている。

He is a famous person at this college. Most of the people know of this person.

今日の試験のほとんどの問題、宿題と同じだった。

Most of the problems on today’s test, was the same as the homework questions.

17. lit. trans: I feel that; I have a feeling that; I have an impression that; it seems to me that…

the speaker is not certain of it but has a feeling in regards to something

pattern: phrase+(ような)気がする

if in present tense affirmative: adj will keep the as the short form; nouns will need after the noun

このごろ前より日本語が話せるようになってきたように気がします。

These days, compared to before, I feel that I have become more able to speak Japanese.

先生の説明を聞いて、分かったような気がしたけど、家に帰ってもう一道勉強し直したら、また分からなくなっ てしまった。

When I listened to the teacher’s explanation, I felt that I understood, but when I returned home and studied it over one more time, I regrettably did not understand it again.

18. ところ – a point in time

A. When the action is about to occur

pattern: verb short form present tense+ ところ

これから公園にサッカーをしに行くところです。

From now, I am go to the park to play soccer.

B. When the action is occurring/in the mist of occurring

pattern: verb in -form+ いるところ

友達の形態に電話をかけているところにその友達が現れたので、びっくりした。

I was talking to my friend when that friend appeared and surprised me.

C. After an action has just occurred

pattern: verb in short form past tense+ ところ

ちょうど勉強が終わったところに友達から電話がかかってきた。

Exactly when I finished studying, I received a call from my friend.

grammar lessons and sentences, credits to: Tobira