Challenge: Attempt a simple sentence

Japanese Language
1

Hello,

In my studies, i have tried to go a-bit away from the source material within my study books and create my own sentences on my path to learning Japanese. I have no idea if they are right or not, though I have tried google translate. Its probably not a great idea to rely on a translating programme.

I’m aware there is reading groups here on wanikani and even chat/social network to talk to real japanese.

I admit, I have been a bit shy on both on these approaches. I opened よつばと！, which everyone recommends as an easy introductory manga, but I felt overwhelmed (the reading wasnt bad, but understanding was not good). The same goes for even reading Easy NHK News. As for conversation apps, I dont feel like im ready and my japanese is kind of in an awkward place.

I guess i will start:

明日は仕事して今晩は寝なきゃでもとても暑いです。

English

I have work tomorrow and I have to sleep tonight, but it’s very hot.

My hopes for this thread, is for those in the same position to attempt a Japanese sentence (and provide what they trying to say in English) and hopefully as a community learn from each other.

I also hope feedback, comments and corrections will be made on the attempted sentences.

I also hope that I have posted it in the right section of the forum. I was debating between camp-fire and reading, but chose reading, as people would be making Japanese sentences.

皆さんは頑張ってください。

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2

明日は仕事して今晩は寝なきゃでもとても暑いです。

でも is supposed to be used for sentence beginnings so けど、けれど、けれども would be the “but” word to use here I believe.

今晩は寝なきゃけど、とても暑いです。

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3

Thank you, I already learned something new. I’ve came across けど and が but not the other forms. I will need to look them up tomorrow.

4

Can you use 寝なきゃ and です together? It looks to me like different levels of politeness.

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5

IMO not really. Like you said, it’s a mismatch of politeness.

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6

I must of misread/heard that its the verb at the end of sentence that indicates politeness. Or misunderstood.

In this instance, What would be best. Would first be overly formal?
寝なければいけない (ません)
寝なきゃくいけない

7

Japanese people do often mix plain language and polite language to some extent, but なきゃ is very casual. You can’t save everything with a です at the end.

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8

僕の日本語はまだ悪すぎ上級文章に使う

Click here for what I tried typing

“My Japanese is still too bad to be used for high-level writing.”

I’ve done practically zero grammar apart from what I’ve encountered in the wild, so I’m not sure how the sentence structure is.

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9

I think in this case you’d want to use 上手じゃない, like so:

まだ僕は上級日本語書くのが上手じゃない。

Thoughts from others?

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10

今日はお祭りに行きました。

“I went to a festival today.”

天気はとても暑かったよ。

“The weather was very hot”

私はお祭りでホットドッグを食べた。

“I ate a hotdog at the fair.”

いろいろヤギや羊や馬がいました。

“There were all sorts of goats and sheep and horses and other animals.”

楽しかった！

I had so much fun!

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11

天気はとても暑いかったよ。
暑いかった → 暑かった
Remove い from i-adj when conjugating to past.

私はお祭りでホットドッグをた食べた。
私はお祭りでホットドッグを食べた。
Probably typo right?

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12

Thanks. I’ll fix 'em. :slight_smile:

And yes, that was a typo. My phone gets weird when I type in Japanese.

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13

If you’re low in your studies, I recommend imitating rather than creating. Learn tried and true sentence patterns and use those to express yourself. As you get better, you’ll learn more patterns and, more importantly, be able to recognize new patterns in the language you consume that you can start to imitate and combine with the patterns you already know. If you jump too soon into trying to be creative, you’ll end up with something nearly incomprehensible.

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14

これはペンです。
(Couldn’t resist. Sorry.)

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15

うわ～日本語上手ですね。

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16

今、仕事をしているところだけど、ワニカニを見てみたい。

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17

All according to 計画。

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18

今日、獅子は見ましたけれども、食べません。
これは正しいですか？

Today, a lion saw me. But it did not eat me. Is this correct?

19

食べません > 食べられませんでした。

Also, 獅子 is not used normally. People say ライオン.

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20

Yes, you are right. I forgot to keep the past tense.
I had no idea a loanword would be commonly used for something as simple as a lion! Japanese sure is interesting. Do you have any idea on why the kanji form has fallen into disuse?
Thanks for the feedback! :slight_smile:
So, let’s write the sentence correctly this time:
今日、ライオンは見ましたけれども、食べませんでした。