Agony or Fun?! Second Language Learning

Basically, the section 26 is to learn “-ndesu.” and “-ndesuka.”. These are a kind of Modality expressions; “-ndesu.” is for confession and/or telling reason/cause. “-ndesuka” is for expressing surprise and/or asking reason/cause. In the sense of grammar, conjugation words, especially verbs can be connected to the sentence ending “desu.” by placing the nominalizing particle “no” between the verb and “desu.” This could be “[V]+no+desu.”, but usually shortened to be “[V]+ndesu.” in conversation.

Today, too, the sentence uses “-ndesu.”, but the main focuses are not much on “-ndesu.”. Let’s take a look at the example sentence below.

1. Shashin ga* Hoshii n desuga, Dejitaru De’eta o Okutte Itadake masenka.

(I need photographs, so could you please send me the digital data?)

There are two important things to learn in the sentence 1; One is (1) Introductory “-ga,”. the other is (2) Polite Request “V-te Itadake masenka.”.

(1) Introductory “-ga,”

The following is not about the case particle “ga”, but about the conjunctive particle “-ga,”. Fundamentally, it is for “But-However connections”. Some other Japanese teachers may say differently about “-ga,”, but let us learn “-ga.” through three uses shown below.

<1> “-ga,” for But-However connections.

 This is introduced in the section 8, far earlier than the introductory function in the section 26. However, “-ga,” for But-However connections is not dealt in the exercise A. It appears in example4, B5, and C1 in the section 8 of Minna no Nihongo.

– Apa’ato wa Dou desuka. — Atarashii desuga, Fuben desu.

(What is it like in your apartment? — It’s new, but inconvenient.)

“New” is good, but “inconvenient” is bad. The evaluation is going opposite, and English translation uses “but”, therefore, “-ga,” functions as But-However connection. When writing a technical paper, it is better to use “-ga,” only for But-However connections.

<2> “-ga,” for Introduction

In the construction of “[Clasue1]+ga, [Clause2].”, the evaluation doesn’t go opposite from the clasue1 to clause2. Clause1 is uttered as an introduction of Clause2.

– Ame ga Futte iru ndesuga, Kasa o Kashite Itadake masenka.

(Since it is raining, could you let me use your umbrella?)

Raining and using umbrella are not mutually exclusive. That it is raining leads to the conclusion that asks permission to use other’s umbrella. This use of “-ga,” quite often appears in conversation.

<3> “-ga,” for Ambiguous connection

  It’s not a good use of “-ga, but quite often happens in not-disciplined speaking and not-good edited writing. It should be avoided.

– [No good] Ashita nandesuga, Tenkiyohou wa Hare desuga, Tsuri ni Ikitaindesuga, Isshoni Ikimasenka. (When it comes to tomorrow, the weather forecast says it’ll be good, I kind of want to go fishing, why don’t you come with me?)

You see “-ga,” is used three times in one sentence. The conjunction particle “-ga,” should be used just once a sentence. More than twice, the sentence looks or sounds disjoined and sloppy. To avoid using “-ga,” twice or more, just end your sentences short.

The above explanation can be summarized in three steps as below;

<1> “-ga,” for But-However connections should be taken as basic especially in writing.

<2> “-ga,” for Introduction is used in conversation.

<3> “-ga,” for Ambiguous connection is to be avoided.

The section 26 introduces <2>. It is okay to use “-ga,” in this way in conversation, but if you use “-ga” in this way too much, you may forget the use of <1>. Put in your mind using “-ga,” for But-However connections helps you understood by others well.

(2) Polite request “[V-te] Itadake masenka.”

Here is the Example sentence 1 again,

1. Shashin ga Hoshii n desuga, Dejitaru De’eta o Okutte Itadake masenka.

“Itadaku/Itadakimasu” is a Humble language. Humble languages are introduced in the section 50. Since “Itadaku/Itadakimasu” is important for communication, so this word is introduced at this section 26. Probably you know that “Itadakimasu” is an idiomatic expression when you start eating.

If not humble expression, “Itadaku” would be “Morau”. Therefore, you can say “V-te Morae masenka.” with moderate politeness. But it is not so good because “Morae masenka” sounds like you are saying you think it for granted about someone doing something for you. Even worse is “V-te Moratte(mo) Iidesuka” which young people often say. They may think that lengthy wording could be more polite. But “V-te Moratte (mo) Iidesuka” sounds pushy and demanding, most of old people wouldn’t like to hear.

When you ask someone to do something for you, you need to be humble. In this regard, today’s expression is a must to learn.

“[V-te] Itadake masenka.”

Practice the following examples;

– Eki e Ikitai ndesuga, Michi o Oshiete Itadake masenka.

(Since I want to go to the station, would you please tell me how to get there?)

– Kono Kanji ga Yomenai ndesuga, Yomikata o Oshiete Itadake masenka.

(Since I don’t know how to read this Kanji, would you please tell me its pronunciation?)

* This case particle “ga” is to identify what is needed. “wa” is not applicable in this sentence, because “Shashin” has not been shared between the speaker and listener before this utterance. If there is a case to use “wa” when to say “Shasin [?] Hoshii”, it would be a comparison like;

– Shashin wa Hoshiidesuga, Onsei wa Irimasen. (I don’t need audio, but I need photos.)

** Saying differently means that “-ga,” can be both But-However connections and So-Therefore connections. I don’t think it is good to tell Japanese learners that one-word (-ga,) has two dichotomous functions. Such an explanation is okay to a native Japanese speaker, but for learners of Japanese as a second language, I think that a teacher needs to teach “-ga,” through more understandable way.

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This post was written with reference to the exercise A5 on Section26 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”