Monday, April 23, 2018

The uses of verb2 (v2) Part 1 of 2


The Uses of V2
Chapter 7

V2 definition refer to earlier chapter. The most important usage of V2 is the V2 masu form that is discussed in earlier chapter.

Some other uses of V2:

In this chapter we will discuss some other uses of V2 in the following sections:
Section 1: v2-yasui (-nikui)-desu
Section 2: v2-sou-desu
Section 3: v2-tai-desu
Section 4: v2-mashou, v2-mashou-ka
Section 5: v2-nasai
Section 6: v2-ni-iki (-ki, -kaeri)-masu
Section 7: v2-mono and v2-kata
Section 8: Compound Verbs v2-v3
Section 9: v2 used as a noun
Section 10: Honorifics (4): o-v2 Forms

As you go through some of these uses, you will notice that the v2 form in Japanese has the same function as the English gerund, that is a verbal form used as a noun. For example: “seeing is believing.”

Section 1: v2-yasui (nikui)-desu
Yasui means “easy,” and nikui means “difficult.” Therefore:
                 
                  v2-yasui means “to be easy to do something” and
                  v2-nikui means “to be difficult to do something”

Both v2-yasui and v2-nikui are treated as i-Adjectives, and their Negative and Past forms are derived accordingly.

Kono pen wa kaki yasui desu.                                 This pen is easy to write with.
Kono kutsu wa haki yasui desu.                             These shoes are easy to wear.
Kono kamera wa tsukai yasui desu.                      This camera is easy to use.
Kono kusuri wa nomi nikui desu.                           This medicine is difficult to take.
Kare no hanashi wa wakari niku katta desu.     His story was difficult to understand.
Kare no ji wa yomi nikui desu.                                His handwriting is difficult to read.
Toukyou wa sumi yasui desu ka sumi nikui        Is Tokyo easy to live in or difficult to live in?
desu ka.

Section 2: v2-sou-desu
This sou means “it looks” or “it seems,” and is used to express a speaker’s observation. Therefore v2-sou-desu means “it looks like he or she does or will do something.” It is almost the same as v3-rashii-desu (Chapter 6 Section 6). Pay attention to the difference between v3-sou-desu (Chapter 6 section 4) and v2-sou-desu.

                  V3-sou-desu
                  Taifuu ga kuru sou desu.                         They say that a typhoon is coming.
                 
                  V2-sou-desu
                  Taifuu ga ki sou desu.                              It looks like a typhoon is coming.

Examples:
                  Ame ga furi sou desu.                              It looks like rain.
                  Kare wa okane ga ari sou desu.            He seems to be rich.
                  Sono furui ki wa ima ni mo taore         It looks as if that old tree is about to fall down.
                  sou-desu.
                  Subete umaku iki sou desu.                  Everything seems to be going all right.
                  Watashi ni mo deki sou desu.               It looks like even I can do it.

(Adjective)-sou desu
Sou desu meaning “it looks” or “it seems” can also be attached to adjectives with the following forms:

                  Adj-i-sou desu
                  Example: taka-i (high) becomes taka-sou-desu (seems high)

                  Adj-na-sou desu
                  Example: genki-na (healthy) becomes genki-sou-desu (seems healthy)

ii (good) and nai (not existing), although they are Adj-I, are exceptions to the above forms and are expressed as follows:

ii or yoi (good) becomes yo sa sou desu (seems good), not i-sou-desu or yo-sou-desu.

nai (not existing) becomes na sa sou desu (does not seem to be existing), not na-sou-desu.

Examples
                  Kono pai wa oishi sou desu.                  This pie looks delicious.
                  Kanojo wa totemo ureshi sou desu.   She seems to be very delighted.
                  Atarashii Kuruma wa naka naka           The new car seems to be quite good.
                  yosa sou desu.
                  Mondai wa na sa sou desu.                   There seems to be no problem.
                  Ano hitotachi wa taihen shiawase      They seem to be very happy.
                  sou desu.

Section 3: v2-tai-desu
Tai means “I want to,” so v2 tai desu means “I want to do something.” The subject is always the first person (I). For example, tabe-tai desu always means. “I want to eat”.

In order to express the desire of a third person (he or she), you can use the verb form v2-tagaru, or you could use v2 tai in a quoted sentence. For example:

                  Kare wa tabe tagari masu.                     He wants to eat.
                  Kare wa tabetai to ii masu.                    He says, “I want to eat.”

(refer to Chapter 13 section 2 for an explanation of the quoted sentence.)

In a question to a second person (you), v2 tai is used. Therefore, “Do you want to eat?” is Anata wa tabetai desu ka.

Important
A v2-tai form is treat as an i-adjective of subjective feelings. Therefore it takes an “(Object)-ga.” (See Chapter 3, Section 10)
                  Ringo ga tabetai desu.                            I want to eat an apple.

More examples
                  Nihon ni ikitai desu.                                 I want to go to Japan.
                  Toukyou ni sumitai desu.                       I want to live in Tokyo.
                  Kabuki ga mitai desu.                              I want to see kabuki.
                  Toukyou no furui tomodachi ni            I want to meet my old friend in Tokyo.
                  aitai desu.
                  A B C sha de hatarakitai desu.              I want to work for the ABC company.
                  Amerika ni kaeritai desu.                       I want to go back to America.
                  Mizu ga nomitai desu.                             I want to drink some water.
                  Nani ga tabetai desu ka.                         What do you want to eat?
                  Sakana wa tabeta-kunai desu.              I do not want to eat fish.
                  Nihon no rekishi no hon ga                    I want to read a Japanese history book.
                  yomitai desu.
                  Onna no hito no kimono to obi            I want to buy a kimono and a belt for a lady.
                  o kaitai desu.

Section 4: v2-mashou, v2-mashou ka
Mashou, when used as a suffix appended to a v2 verb, can mean either “let us,” in suggesting to the listener to do something together, or “let me” in offering a service to the listener.

Mashou ka is the question form of the above, meaning “shall we?” or “shall I?”

                  Shokuji ni ikimashou.                              Let’s go and eat.
                  Asu mata aimashou.                                Let’s meet again tomorrow.
                  Tenisu o shimashou.                                Let’s play tennis.
                  Nihongo de hanashimashou.                Let’s speak in Japanese.
                  O-tetsudai shimashou.                           Let me help you.
                  Go annai shimashou.                               Let me show you the way.
                  Odori mashou ka.                                      Shall we dance?
                  Sanpo shimashou ka.                               Shall we take a walk?
                  Mado o akemashou ka.                           Shall I open the window?

Section 5: v2-nasai
Nasai is an imperative or a command verb form derived from the verb suru (to do) as shown below:

                  Suru                           à             nasaru                       à             nasai
                  To do                         honorific (respectful style)                      imperative style

The compound v2-nasai, even though it is derived from the honorific verb, is a straightforward command used only by, for example, a father to his son, or a teacher to his or her pupil. It should not be used with superiors, equals, or strangers, except the customary expressions of gomen-nasai (I beg your pardon), oyasumi-nasai (good night) and okaeri-nasai (welcome home).

With superiors, equals, or strangers, the honorific request style discussed in Chapter 7 Section 10 and Chapter 8 Section 10 should be used instead of v2-nasai.

                  Iki-nasai!                                                      Go!
                  Koko e ki-nasai!                                         Come here!
                  Oki-nasai!                                                    Get up!
                  Hayaku aruki-nasai!                                 Walk quickly!
                  Suwari-nasai!                                             Sit down!
                  Shizuka ni shi-nasai!                                Be quiet!

Section 6: v2-ni iki (-ki, -kaeri) -masu
Ni is a versatile postposition which, when used in this sequence, indicates purpose, and can be translated effectively as “in order to”.
                  V2-ni iki-masu                                            (to go in order to do something)
                  V2-ni ki-masu                                             (to come in order to do something)
                  V2-ni kaeri-masu                                       (to return in order to do something)

Yuubinkyouku e kitte o kai ni ikimasu.                I am going to the post office to buy some stamps.
Eki e tomodachi o miokuri ni ikimashita.            I went to the station to see my friend off.
Kanai ga kuukou ni mukae ni kimasu. My wife will come to the airport to meet me.
Mukashi no yuujin ga kyouto kara ai ni               An old friend came to see me from Kyoto.
kimashita.
Kasa o tori ni kaerimashita.                                     I went back for the umbrella.
Musuko wa mainichi hiru gohan o tabe              My son comes home to have lunch every day.
ni kaerimasu.

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