Questions and learning
Collocations, Stage 1chunk 16 of 22Work & school
Class talk: having a question, answering one, speaking English, then the thanks phrase benkyou ni naru.
- shitsumon ga aruhave a question
- shitsumon ni kotaeruanswer a question
- eigo o hanasuspeak English
- benkyou ni narube instructive; learn a lot
Mix-ups shitsumon ga aru (have one) takes ga and shitsumon ni kotaeru (answer it) takes ni, never o; benkyou ni natta (I learned from it) is not benkyou shita (I studied).
shitsumon ga aru
polite shitsumon ga arimasuhave a question
質問がある しつもんがある 質問があります
verbaru あるthere is; have (things, plans, something to bring up)typical 16% of shitsumon
trap English 'have' leads to motsu, but a question you have is aru: shitsumon ga aru. Asking it is shitsumon suru, or simply kiku.
Said to open a question, usually with n da kedo, and here the ga mostly stays: shitsumon ga aru n da kedo. After nanika it's often dropped or becomes wa: teachers and presenters ask the room nanika shitsumon (wa) arimasu ka?
hitotsu shitsumon ga aru n da kedo.
I've got a question for you.
一つ質問があるんだけど。
hitotsu shitsumon ga aru n desu kedo.
I've got a question for you.
一つ質問があるんですけど。
To check before asking: shitsumon ii? (can I ask something?). Answering one is shitsumon ni kotaeru.
Same verb: soudan (something to talk over), onegai (favour), hanashi (something to talk about), iken (opinion, objection)Learn alongside: shitsumon ni kotaeruMain list: aru (Stage 1), kiku (Stage 2), n da kedo (Stage 1), chotto ii? (Stage 3)
shitsumon ni kotaeru
polite shitsumon ni kotaemasuanswer a question
質問に答える しつもんにこたえる 質問に答えます
verbkotaeru 答えるanswer, replytypical 16% of shitsumon
trap English 'answer the question' has a direct object, which tempts shitsumon o kotaeru. In Japanese you answer to a question: shitsumon ni kotaeru. Answering the phone is a different verb: denwa ni deru.
Said in class, interviews and arguments, often as a demand (chanto shitsumon ni kotaete) or a refusal (sono shitsumon ni wa kotaerarenai). The ni almost always stays.
sono shitsumon ni wa kotaerarenai.
I can't answer that question.
その質問には答えられない。
sono shitsumon ni wa kotaeraremasen.
I can't answer that question.
その質問には答えられません。
Asking is shitsumon suru or just kiku; the answer itself is kotae (kotae wa?).
Same verb: ankeeto (survey), intabyuu (interview), toi (question, in writing)Learn alongside: shitsumon ga aruMain list: kiku (Stage 2), -eru / -rareru (Stage 2)
eigo o hanasu
polite eigo o hanashimasuspeak English
英語を話す えいごをはなす 英語を話します
verbhanasu 話すspeak, talk; telltypical 52% of eigo
trap 'Do you speak English?' is a plain present in English, but asking whether someone can takes the potential: eigo hanaseru? or eigo dekiru? Plain eigo hanasu? is understood, but it asks whether someone does speak it somewhere (ie de eigo hanasu no? = do you speak English at home?) or is about to, not whether they can.
Mostly heard about ability, in the potential: eigo hanaseru? (can you speak English?). With the potential, ga is as common as o: eigo ga hanaseru. Casual speech drops o. eigo de hanasu means talking in English at that moment: eigo de hanashite mo ii?
eigo wa chotto dake hanaseru.
I can speak a little English.
英語はちょっとだけ話せる。
eigo wa chotto dake hanasemasu.
I can speak a little English.
英語はちょっとだけ話せます。
eigo dekiru? asks the same thing. Whether English gets you by somewhere is tsuujiru: eigo tsuujiru?
Same verb: nihongo (Japanese), kankokugo (Korean), chuugokugo (Chinese), kansaiben (Kansai dialect)Main list: hanasu (Stage 2), -eru / -rareru (Stage 2), dekiru (Stage 1)
benkyou ni naru
polite benkyou ni narimasube instructive; learn a lot
勉強になる べんきょうになる 勉強になります
verbnaru なるbecome, turn intotypical 11% of benkyou
trap benkyou shita means you sat down and studied. 'I learned a lot from that' is benkyou ni natta: the thing becomes a lesson.
Said as thanks when someone explains or shows you something: benkyou ni narimasu as a reply on the spot, especially to a senior, and benkyou ni natta or benkyou ni narimashita afterwards.
kyou no hanashi, sugoku benkyou ni natta.
I learned a lot from today's talk.
今日の話、すごく勉強になった。
kyou no ohanashi, hontou ni benkyou ni narimashita.
I learned a lot from today's talk.
今日のお話、本当に勉強になりました。
Often comes after naruhodo: naruhodo, benkyou ni narimasu.
Same verb: sankou (useful reference), tame (good for you)Learn alongside: yaku ni tatsu, tame ni naru, kibun tenkan ni naru (Stage 4)Main list: benkyou suru (Stage 2), naru (Stage 1), -ku naru / -ni naru (Stage 4), naruhodo (Stage 2)