タグ: youda

We are learning how to use the word “youni” in the section 36. Since “youni” is in the conjugation form that can modify a verb, there is a verb behind a clause that ends with “youni”. In today’s sentence construction, the verb behind the “youni” is “Shite imasu”. “Shite imasu” is one of “V-te iru”. “V-te iru” usually expresses continuous action, ongoing action, and/or repetitive action. It is not easy to identify one of these three for “Site imasu” of today. Probably it depends on sentence by sentence. Sometimes it’s mixture of the three.

And there is an adverb in today’s sentence construction. That is;

– Dekirudake; adverb; As much as possible

The following is an example of use of “Dekirudake”;

1. Dekirudake, Roku-ji madeni Kaisha o Deru youni Shite imasu.

(I try to leave the office before 6 p.m. as long as I can.)

(1) [V] + youni Shite imasu.

Looking at the verbs in front of “youni”, there is a difference from those of the Exercise A1 and A2 (Set aside [V-nai]+youni. I am writing about [V]+youni).

A1 : [V] + youni, [Main clause with verb predicate]

– Example ; Ongaku ga Kikeru youni, Iyahon o Tsuke masu. (I put earphones so that I can listen to music.)

The verb in front of “youni” is “Kikeru” which is the potential form of “Kiku/Kikimasu”.

A2 : [V] + youni Nari mashita.

– Example ; Hyaku Me’eyoru Oyogetu youni Nari mashita. (I have become able to swim one hundred meters.)

The verb in front of “youni” is “Oyogeru” which is the potential form of “Oyogu/Oyogimasu”.

Therefore, the verb in front of “youni” is usually a verb in potential form or a verb having a meaning of potentiality. But in today’s sentence; in these sentences,

A3 : [V] + youni Shite imasu.

– Example ; Dekirudake, Mainichi Nihongo o Benkyou-suru youni Shite imasu. (I try to study Japanese everyday as far as possible.)

The verb “Benkyou-suru” is not in potential form.

Here are a little more examples of today’s “youni” sentences;

2. Dekirudake O’okuno Tango o Oboeru youni Shite imasu. (I try to memorize as many words as I can.)

3. Dekirudake Neko to Asobu youni Shite imasu. (I try to play with my cat as much as I can.)

(2) [V-nai] + youni Shite imasu.

4. Dekirudake Amai mono o Tabenai youni Shite imasu. (I try not to eat sweets as much as possible.)

5. Dekirudake Sa’abisu Zangyou o Shinai youni Shite imasu. (I try not to work over hour without payment as much as possible.)

The sentence 5 reflects the reality of work place environment in Japan.

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This post was written with reference to the exercise A3 on Section36 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”

Do you remember how to use the intransitive verb for change, “Naru/Narimasu”? When the situation after the change is described with an I-adjective, a Na-adjective, and a Noun, the following constructions can express that a change has happened;

– [Subject] wa [Stem of I-adjective] + ku Nari mashita.

– [Subject] wa [Stem of Na-adjective] + ni Nari mashita.

– [Subject] wa [Noun]+ ni Nari mashita.

Examples of these constructions are as below;

– Soto wa Kuraku Nari mashita. (The outside has got dark.)  — I-adjective

– Machi wa Shizuka ni Nari mashita. (The town has turned to be quiet.) — Na-adjective

– Satou-san wa Kaishain ni Nari mashita. (Sato-san became a company employee.) — Noun

Then, can we make a sentence of “Nari mashita” with a verb? The answer is yes. Look at the following sentences;

1. Watashi wa Osashimi ga Taberareru youni Narimashita. (I have become able to eat raw fish.)

The sentence construction of this sentence will be;

– [Subject] wa [Verb clause]+ youni Nari mashita.

Look at the verbs in front of “youni” in the sentence 1. It is “Taberareu”, which is the potential form of “Taberu/Tabemasu”. Usually the verb in a such sentence of “youni Nari mashita” takes potential form, or the verb has already had a meaning of potentiality. It is just like yesterday’s V1.

2. Sensei ga Iu Nihongo ga Kanari Wakaru youni Nari mashita. (I have become able to understand quite a bit of the Japanese the teacher speaks.)

The verb “Wakaru” has already had a meaning of potentiality.

The example sentences 1 and 2 above have the subjects that are “Watashi(I)”. But things other than “Watashi(I)” can be subjects of today’s setences.

3. Sumaho de Nandemo Dekiru youni Nari mashita. (Anything has become able to be done on a smartphone.)

The subject is “Nandemo (Anything)”.

4. Basu de Koutsu’u Ka’ado ga Tsukaeru youni Nari mashita. (The public transport card has become able to be used in the bus.)

The subject is “Koutsu’u Ka’ado ga (The public transport card)”.

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This post was written with reference to the exercise A2 on Section36 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”

There is a word that conjugates “youni”, “youda”, and “youna”.

– youni is to modify another conjugating word behind.

– youda is the form of short ending.

– youna is to modify a noun.

Therefore, the word “youda” conjugates in the same way as Na-adjective. In the section 36, only “youni is introduced. Since “youni” is to modify a verb, all the sentences of the exercise A1 through A4 have a verb behind the clause ending with “youni”. To begin with, let us look at sentences of “[V1] + youni, [V2].”

(1) [V1] + youni, [V2].

When this sentence is introduced, V1 is usually in potential form, or a verb which has the meaning of potentiality.

1. Kuji no Terebi Dorama ga Mirareru youni, Kyou wa Zangyou shimasen.

(I won’t work over hour today so that I can watch TV drama at 9p.m.)

It is likely that you cannot watch TV at 9 p.m. in your home if you work over hour. That is a reality in Japanese working environment. But anyway, V1 is “Mirareru” which is the potential form of the transitive verb “Miru/Mimasu”.

2. Soto ga Yoku Mieru youni, Madogawa no Seki ni Suwari masu.

(I take a window seat so that I can see outside well.)

“Madogawa” is a noun which means “window side”. In this sentence 2, “Mieru” is the verb for V1. “Mieru” is not potential form of the transitive verb “Miru” but an intransitive verb having nuance of potentiality.

The followings are examples that use a verb having nuance of potentiality.

3. Nihongo ga Wakaru youni, Takusan Benkyou-shite imasu.

(I study hard so that I can understand Japanese.)

“Wakaru” doesn’t have the potential form.

4. Densha ni Maniau youni, Eki made Hashiri masu.

(I run to the station so that I can catch the train.)

Don’t say “(WRONG) Maniaeru”.

(2) [V1-nai] + youni, [V2].

 Action is expressed by V2, the purpose of action is expressed by V1. This is the same as (1). However, for this sentence (2), the purpose is not “to be able to do”, but “not to do”. So, Nai-form is used for V1 part. In the case of (1), V1 is often in the potential form, but in the case of (2), it’s just in Nai-form. It doesn’t have to be “Nai-form of Potential form”.

5. Taboko no Kemuri o Suwanai youni, Kin’en-seki ni Suwari masu.

(I am going to sit a No-smoking seat so that I will not breathe smoke from other people.)

where, Kemuri is smoke, and Kin’en-seki is a seat that is designated not to smoke.

In this sentence, “Suwanai” is the Nai-form of “Suu/Suimasu”. Its potential form is “Sueru”, and “Nai-form of Potential form” is “Suenai”. The following sentence is erroneous one.

(WRONG) Taboko no Kemuri o Suenai youni, Kin’en-seki ni Suwari masu.

So, just “Nai-form” is okay for this type of “youni” sentneces. “Nai-form of Potential form” may be used just in case, but it is not usual. For example,

6. Koukousei ga Tabako o Suenai youni, Jidouhanbaiki wa Yoru Juu-Ichi-ji de Tomari masu.

(Tabacco vending machine stops at 11p.m. so that a high school students will not be able to smoke cigarette.)

6’. Koukousei ga Tabako o Suwanai youni, Jidouhanbaiki wa Yoru Juu-Ichi-ji de Tomari masu.

(Tabacco vending machine stops at 11p.m. so that a high school students will not smoke cigarette.)

Either of 6 and 6’ are okay, but 6’ is better than 6 for simplicity.

One more example for “[V-nai] youni, V”;

7. Kodomo ga Nomanai youni, Osake o Tana no Naka ni Shimatte okimasu.

(I store Alcohols into inside the shelves so that kids will not drink them.)

The predicate verb in the main clause is “Shimatte okimasu.”. We have already learned “V-te okimasu” in the section 30. This “V-te okimasu” is a kind of A3 and A4 in terms of dealing with a matter.

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This post was written with reference to the exercise A1 on Section36 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”