So desu ka? So desu ne?

[maddict]

Hi everyone. I've recently picked up the amazing Japanese language and I just wanna say thanks to Jpod101.com for helping me learn the language in depth. Anyway my first post so its also a "hello everyone post!".

Anyway back to the question. I am having problems differentiating when to use "so desu ka" and "so desu ne". From what I see, its often used interchangeably to mean "I see" in Japanese. Any experts out there that can help me clarify this 2 in detail?

Thanks!

[jkeyz15]

Sou desu ka? is like an "oh really?" "hmm?" "is that so"
Sou desu ne is like "yeah" "uh-huh (but polite)"

both are used to show that you are listening to the conversation.

sokka
sou ne
are less formal ways to say it


I know it's hard to avoid at your stage, but as you progress try to rely less and less on English translations of Japanese phrases or words. Because beyond words like cat or dog, translations are rarely 1-to-1.

[Javizy]

With 'sou desu ka', the intonation will give away the meaning. Said with rising intonation, it means something close to 'is that so?', with flat intonation it's closer to 'I see'.

In addition to what jkeyz said, 'sou desu ne' can also be used as a filler to buy some time, for example to answer 'what's your favourite animal?':

Sou desu ne... inu ka na.
Hmmm... I'd say dogs.

There are probably more than 20 variations mixing different forms of the copula, sentence-ending particles, etc, that will all become clear to you as you learn how to end sentences appropriate to the situation (quite a unique element of Japanese).

[maddict]

Minasan...konbanwa!

I just got home from the hospital, had dengue for the past 2 weeks. Thank god i have Jpod to keep me accompanied in the hospital! Thank you guys for answering my Qs too. Anyways...while reading some of my future lessons for my Japanese class, I had trouble understanding one particular example.

I was taught previously that verbs are followed by an 'o' particle....something like kami o kirimasu. But in that particular lesson we're introduced with okane ga arimasu and Nihongo ga wakarimasu.

So when do we use the 'o' particle and when do we actually use the 'ga' particle?

Thanks and i know this is a beginner/newbie question, but i just wanna get it off my chest before i advance any further.

[hatch_jp]

Minasan...konbanwa!

I just got home from the hospital, had dengue for the past 2 weeks. Thank god i have Jpod to keep me accompanied in the hospital! Thank you guys for answering my Qs too. Anyways...while reading some of my future lessons for my Japanese class, I had trouble understanding one particular example.

I was taught previously that verbs are followed by an 'o' particle....something like kami o kirimasu. But in that particular lesson we're introduced with okane ga arimasu and Nihongo ga wakarimasu.

So when do we use the 'o' particle and when do we actually use the 'ga' particle?

Thanks and i know this is a beginner/newbie question, but i just wanna get it off my chest before i advance any further.

The word before "o" is a direct object.
For example;
ringo o taberu ( I eat an apple. )
ko-ra o nomu ( I drink coke.)


The word before "ga" is a subject.
For example;
ame ga futte imasu ( It's raining. )
ringo ga arimasu ( there is an apple. )

[jkeyz15]

And for wakaru, think of it as "to become (be) clear."

wo (o) like said above is used for direct object,
but with certain motion verbs like iku, deru, tatsu, etc it can idicate the place traveled along/through or the starting point.

kare wa seki wo tachimashita
He stood up from his chair.

Rouka wo hashiru na
Don't run through the hallway

abbeku wa kouen wo sanpo shite imasu.
The couple is taking stroll through the park.