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A. Systematic Japanese pronouns
1. English "here","there"and"where"
English "there(=soko)" and "where(=doko)" consist of "here(koko)" + "t" and "w"respectively as follows:
[ JAPANESE ] [ ENGLISH ]
↓ ↓
k ・・・ ← here
s ・・・ ← t + here(=there)
d ・・・ ← w + here(=where)
The following (1) and (2) show that Japanese pronouns have systematic types;that
is,they begin with "k","s" and "d".
(1) k-oko (=this place - here)
s-oko (=that place - there)
* a-soko(=that place;over there - Father than "soko")
d-oko (=what place - where)
(2) k-ochira( or k-occhi ) (=this place;this side;this direction;this way )
s-ochira( or s-occhi ) (=that place;that side;that direction;that way )
*a-chira ( or a-cchi ) (=that place;over ther - Father than "sochira" )
d-ochira( or d-occhi ) (=where;which -between two;what place )
NOTE:
Those mentioned in (1) and (2) correspond to English "here", "there" and "where".But these are all noun types:
therefore,we must use postpositions for a place such as "at","in","from",etc. for them.Unlike avove (1),those in above (2) are used "between two".
EX. Sono kootsuu jiko-wa koko-de oki-mashta.
(=The traffic accident happened here.)
Neko-wa itsumo soko-de ne-mas.
(=My cat always sleeps there.)
Kodomotachi-wa asoko-de aso-nde i-mas.
(=The children are playing over there.)
Tanaka-san-wa doko-ni shuushoku-shi-mashta ka.
(=Where did Mr.Tanaka get a job?)
Kochira-ni( or Kocchi-ni )kite kudasai.
(=Come this way,please.)
Abe-san-wa sochira-e( or socchi-e ) i-ki-mashta.
(=Ms.Abe went that way( or over there )).
Koohii to koocha to dochira-ga suki des ka.
(=Which do you like better,coffee or tea?)
Toire-wa dochira des ka.
(=Where's the bathroom?)
2. "K-ore","s-ore", "a-re"and "d-ore"
They are pronouns.We can use "sore(=that)" only when English "it" is used for a pronoun.
k-ore(=this)
s-ore(=that;it)
* a-re (=that) - Father than "sore"
d-ore(=which)
EX. Kore-gaTokyo Tower des.
(=This is the Tokyo Tower.)
Dore-ga anata-no bag des ka.
(=Which is your bag?)
3. "K-ono","s-ono","a-no" and "d-ono"
They all are adjectives."Kono(=this)" is the abbreviation of "kore + no(=of)". We use "sono(=that)" when English "the" is emphasized.
k-ono(=this)
s-ono(=that)
* a-no (=that) - Father than "that"
d-ono(=which)
EX. Ano hana-ya de kono tulip-o ka-i-mashta.
(=I bought these tulips at that flower shop.)
Dono fuku-oki-re ba ii-des ka.
(=Which dress do you think I should wear?)
4. "K-on-na","s-on-na","a-n-na" and "d-on-na"
k-on-na(=like this - such )
s-on-na(=like that - such )
* a-n-na (=like that ) - Father than "son-na"
d-on-na(=like what - what kind of )
EX. Kon-na hon-wa kodomo ni yo-ku nai des.
(=Books like these are not good for children.)
Nakamura-san-wa son-na koto-o i-i-mashta.
(=Mr.Nakamura said such a thing.)
Don-na keetai-denwa-o ka-i tai-des ka.
(=What kind of a cell phone do you want to buy?)
5. "K-oo","s-oo","a-a" and "d-oo"
They are used for the verbs which take abstract objects such as"think","say","do",etc.:
k-oo(=in this way )
s-oo(=in that way )
a-a (=in that way ) - Father than "s-oo"
d-oo(=in what way -How )
EX. Koo shi mashoo.
(=Let us do it in this way.)
Kono spain-go-wa doo hatsuon-shi-mas ka.
(=How do you pronounce this spanish?)
6. "K-oo-shte","s-oo-shte","a-a-shte" and
"d-oo-shte"
They are used for the verbs which take concrete objects such as "use","read","eat",etc.:
k-oo-shte(=in this way )
s-oo-shte(=in that way )
* a-a-shte (=in that way ) - Father than "soo-shte"
d-oo-shte(=in what way - How ) - Another meaning is "why".
EX. Koo-shte sooji-ki-o nao-shi-mashta.
(=I fixed the vacuum cleaner in this way.)
Itsumo soo-shte niku-o ryoori-shi-mas.
(=I always cook the meat in that way.)
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B. Something;anything;nowhere;everybody;etc.
1. How did they come ?
EX. Hako no-naka-ni nani-ka a-ri-mas.
(=Something is in the box.)
In the above example,"Something is in the box" is paraphrased as follows:
"What is it?(=Sore-wa nan(i) des ka) I don't know.(=waka-ri-masen. or shi-ri-masen.) But things are in.(=kedo naka-ni mono-ga a-ri-mas.)"
The first sentence produced the word "something" in the following way.
"What is it ?" = "Nani des ka." → nani-ka = "something"
A verb "be" can be left out in any language.Then,this Japanese sentence becomes "nani ka" ,and this has been used for "something".See another example:
EX. Donata-ka( or Dare-ka )(-ga) genkan de knock-shte i-mas.
(=Somebody is knocking at the front door.)
As mentioned above example 1,"Somebody is knocking at the front door" is paraphrased as follows:
"Who is it ?" = "Donata des ka" → donata-ka = "somebody"
2. "Nani","dore","doko","donata",etc. + "ka","de
mo","mo","mo + negative verb"
nani + ka(=something); nan(i) + de mo(=anything); nani + mo(=everything); nani + mo + negative verb(=nothing)
(=what) [AFFIRMATIVE] (=not anything)
dore + ka(=some [thing] of them); dore + de mo(=any [thing] of them); dore + mo(=every [thing] of them); dore +
(=which) [AFFIRMATIVE]
mo + negative verb(=none of them)
(=not any of them)
doko + ka(=somewhere); doko + de mo(=anywhere); doko + mo(=everywhere); doko + mo + negative verb
(=where) [AFFIRMATIVE] (=not anywhere)
(=nowhere)
donata + ka(=somebody); donata + de + mo(=anybody); donata + mo(=everybody); donata + mo + negative verb (=who) [AFFIRMATIVE] (=not anybody)
(=nobody)
itsu + ka(=sometime;someday); itsu + de mo(=any time;any day); itsu + mo(=every time;always); itsu + mo +
(=when) [AFFIRMATIVE]
negative verb(=never)
ikura + ka (=some;a bit;a little);ikura + de mo(=as much[or many] as one likes); ikura + mo + negative verb(=not
(=how much) [AFFIRMATIVE]
much;not many)
EX. Nani ka ka-kumono-o ka-shte kudasai.
(=Please lend me something to write with.)
Sore-ra no iro no dore de mo yo-i des.
(=Any one of those colors will do.)
Kankoochi-wa doko mo hito de konzatsu-shi-mas.
(=Every tourist spot becomes crowded with people.)
Donata mo Tanaka-san-ga doko-ni itta ka shi-ri-masen.
(=Nobody knows where Mr.Tanaka has gone.)
Itsu ka Aoki-san-ni a-u tsumori-des.
(=I intend to see Ms.Aolki sometime.)
Watashi-wa Hara-san ni ikura ka okane-o ka-shi-mashta.
(=I lent some money to Mr.Hara.)
EXCEPTION:
Nan de mo nai des. (=It's easy. or It's trifling.)
3. Combined with adjectives or adjective phrases
There are two ways of translation,that is,we can place an adjective or
adjectival phrase before or after the pronoun it modifies.
(1) something sweet → ama-i mono nani-ka or nani-ka ama-i mono
anything sweet → ama-i mono nan de mo or nan de mo ama-i mono
nothing sweet → ama-i mono nani mo + negative verb or nani mo ama-i mono + negative verb
something to eat → tabe-ru mono nani ka or nani ka tabe-ru mono
anything to eat → tabe-ru mono nan de mo or nan de mo tabe-ru mono
nothing to eat → tabe-ru mono nani mo + negative verb or nani mo tabe-ru mono + negative verb
(2) somewhere cool → suzushi-i tokoro doko ka or doko ka suzushi-i tokoro
anywhere cool → suzushi-i tokoro doko de mo or doko de mo suzushi-i tokoro
everywhere cool → suzushi-i tokoro doko mo or doko mo suzushi-i tokoro
nowhere cool → suzushi-i tokoro doko mo + negative verb or doko mo suzushi-i tokoro + negative
verb
(3). anybody you like → suki-na hito danata de mo or donata de mo suki-na hito
nobody you like → suki-na hito donata mo + negative verb or donata mo suki-na hito + negative verb
NOTE:
As shown above,we must change the nouns to be modified by adjectives or
adjectival phrases according to thing(=mono),place(=tokoro),person(=hito),time(=toki),etc.
EX. Nani ka ama-i mono-o taba tai-des.
(=I wish to eat something sweet.)
Super de nani mo tabe-ru mono-o ka-i-masen-deshta.
(=I didn't buy anything [ or bought nothing ] to eat at the supermarket.)
Suzushi-i tokoro doko de mo yasai-o o-ite mo-ii-des.
(=You can put the vegetables anywhere cool.)
Suki-na hito donata de mo party ni tsure-te ki-te kudasai,
(=Please bring anybody you like at the party.)
NOTE:
we can abbreviate the nouns when they are placed before pronouns such as "nani ka(=something)","doko de mo
(anywhere)",etc.
EX. Ama-i mono nani ka ka-tte kudasai..
(=Please buy something sweet.)
Kotoshi-no natsu suzushi-i tokoro dpko de mo i-ki tai-des.
(=I wish to go anywhere cool this summer.)
Suki-na toki itsu de mo asobi ni kite kudasai.
(=Please cme to see me any time you like.)
4. How to use postpositions
Except "donata[ or dare ] ka(=somebody)","doko ka(=somewhere)",etc. included "ka" of which we can regard a part of them,every other pronoun mentioned above such as "doko de mo(=anywhere)","donata de mo(=anybody)","doko mo(=everywhere)",etc. is not one word but consists of an interrogative word,"who(=donata)" or "where
(=doko)",and postpositions such as "de mo" or "mo".
That is the reason why,except the former,all others have another postposition,if
necessary,direct after their interrogative words,for example,"danata ni de mo(=to anybody)".This is because the inserted postposition has closer relation with the
interrogative words than the other "de mo" and "mo" which form the pronouns.
EX: Nakano-san-wa Sendai n no doko ka ni su-nde i-mas.
(=Ms.Nakano lives somewhere in Sendai.)
Doko de de mo sono DVD-o ka-u koto deki-mas.
(=You can buy that dvd anywhere.)
Sakura-no ki-wa Nihon-juu doko ni mo a-ri-mas.
(=You can find cherry trees everywhere throughout Japan.)
Saifu-o doko ni mo mitsuke-ru koto deki-masen-deshta.
(=I could not find my wallet anywhere.)
5. Difference between Japanese and English
Regarding "anything(=nan de mo)",anybody(=dare de mo)" and anywhere(=doko de mo)",when we use an auxil- iary verb "de mo" of potential or pemission,there is no difference between Japanese and English.But in most interrogative cases,we generally translate them as "something(=nani ka)","somebody(=dare ka)","somewhere(=doko
ka)".This is because there is no difference in Japanese between interrogative
and assertive sentences.
EX. Sono hako ni nani ka(=something) a-ri-mas ka.
(=Is there anything in the box？)
Ano mise de nani ka(=something) ka-i-mashta ka.
(=Did you buy anything at the shop?)
Heya ni dare ka(=somebody) i-mas ka.
(=Is anybody in the room?)
Although the following examples are not potential sentences,the meaning
is potential.Therefore,also in Japanese,we must translate "anything" as "nan de mo".
EX. Sono inu-wa nan de mo(=anything) tabe-mas.
(=The dog eats(=can eat) anything.)
Nan de mo(=anything) i-i des.)
The following examples show permission.
EX. Table no nan de mo tabe-te mo-ii-des.
(=You may eat anything on the table.)
Anata-no suki-na hito dare de mo party ni tsure-te kite mo-ii-des.
(=You may bring anybody you like at the party.)
C. Other uses and other pronouns
1. As many as;as much as
. Suki-na dake iku-tsu[ or iku-ra ] de mo to-tte kudasai.
(=You can take as many[ or much ] as you wish.)
Rumi-wa suki-na dake iku-ra de mo hon-o ka-e-mas.
(=Rumi can eat as many books as she likes.)
2. Any + noun
EX. Nani shimbun de mo i-i des. - Genarally for proper names such as "Japan Times","The Asahi",etc.
(=Any newspaper will do.)
. Don-na shimbun de mo i-i des. - For the kinds such as political,sports,etc.
(=Any newspaper will do.
Nani hotel ni(=at) de mo toma-tte mo-ii-des. - Like "Prince Hotel"
(=You may stay at any hotel.)
Don-na hotel ni(=at) de mo toma-tte mo ii-des.
(=You may stay at any hotel.)
Ken-wa don-na kudamono de mo tabe-mas.
(=Ken eats any fruit.)
Dono(=Which) heya de mo tsuka-tte mo-ii-des.
(=You may use any room.)
NOTE:
Flowers,fruit,vegetables and trees have no proper name.Therefore,we use "don-na・・・demo" for them.
"Any" used in th eabove last example should be "dono(=which)・・・de mo"It is because the meaning of that sentence is that "you may use one of several rooms",that is,"you may use whichever room you like".
3. A pronoun "one(s)"
When "no",which means "of" as a postposition,comes direct after adjectives,it means "one(s)" as a pronoun.
EX. Aka-i no[=kutsu]-o ka-i tai-des.
(=I want to buy red ones[=shoes]).
Suzuki-san-wa hade-na no[=booshi]-o kabu-tte i-mas.
(=Mr.Suzuki wears a bright one[=hat]).
4. "No" used as a conjunction "that" or gerund
When "no" is combined with a verb,it means conjunction "that" or makes a noun which is called a verb nounor gerund.
EX. Na-ku no-o yame nasai.
(=Stop crying.)
Kore-wa no-mu no des.
(=This is for drinking.)
Tanaka-san-ga koma-tte i-ru no-wa shi-tte i-mas.
(=I know that Mr.Tanaka is in trouble.)
Okano-san-ga kekkon-shta no-wa ni-ka-getsu mae deshta.
(=It was two months ago that Ms.Okano got married.)
Kono hon-o yomu no-wa kono kodomo-ni ammari haya-i des.
(=It is too soon for this child to read this book.)
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