Verb.stem / Adjective　＋　～ながら　（も）　＝　"Although～" / "Even though～" / "Nevertheless～"

• used generally in written Japanese
• because 残念ながら is an idiomatic expression, it does not take the optional も which gives emphasis
  

Formation:

Verb.stem
言いながら（も）　/ although someone says ～
分かっていながら（も）　/ although someone understands something/someone

Adjective (い-adjective). ( Read more... )

NOUN /  number and counter / V.Dictionary　+ 　に（しか）過ぎない　＝　something is "nothing more than ～"" or "just ～" or  "merely ～"

• more explicitly, something or someone is nothing more than what is stated, in terms of amount, degree, status, significance, etc., and so, can have something of a downgrading nuance:
• 吉田は平凡な会社員に過ぎない。/ Yoshida ( Read more... )

Noun　＋　にしても　=　"Even in the case of ～"

• can only be preceded by a noun

• grammatically equivalent to ～の場合 but indicates more emphasis

Examples ( Read more... )

X　というより (は), （むしろ）　Y　＝　"It's more Y, than X" or "Y rather than X"or "It's not so much X as Y"

• indicates which of two options describes the situation, person, etc. more accurately

• むしろ、which is optional means "rather"

• X and Y must be the same part of speech

Formation:adj. というより (は), （むしろ）adj ( Read more... )

.
Plain/TA form　＋　～からといって、 Plain/TA form　＋　～という訳ではない OR ～訳にはいかない OR ～ことはない　＝　indicates denial "Just because ～, doesn't mean ～" or "even if ～", "even though ～"

ex: 子供だからと言って許す訳には行かない。/I cannot forgive him just because he is a child. (more literally, "There is no reason for me to ( Read more... )

de aru - copula and formality

～である  a form used in formal writing or very formal speech, you’ll see it a lot in journalistic writing

formality scales starting with most and going to least formal

writing:
だ 　/　である
であります
です

だ 　and　である are often used together in formal writing such as professional or newspaper articles, editorials, etc ( Read more... )

Making a Request
listed in decreasing form of formality [as in the first is the most formal and used with a superior and the last the most casual, used with equal/inferior]

Verb ～て Form　＋　下さいませんか　/　いただけませんか
　　　　　　　　　　　　＋　下さいますか　/　いただけますか
　　　　　　　　　　　　＋　くれませんか
　　　　　　　　　　　　＋　くれますか
　　　　　　　　　　　　＋　くれない
　　　　　　　　　　　　＋　くれる

ex: 先生、この言葉の意味を教えていただけませんか。　/Professor, ( Read more... )

NARU/SURU

NARU
noun/な-adj.　＋　に　なる        ＝　"to become"   
い-adj. stem　＋　く　なる       
[ex: 図書館は静かになりました。The library became quiet.
ex: 先生になりたい。 / I want to be a teacher ("when I grow up" is implied.)]

dictionary　＋　こと　に　なる        ＝　"It's decided that"/ "It turns out that"

dictionary　＋　よう　に　なる        ＝　"come to be that"/ "reach the point of～"/ gradual ( Read more... )

PASSIVE Form: Verb Conjugation

～る Verbs
～る　==>　られる     
食べる　==>　食べられる

～う Verbs
u 　==>　areru      
読む　==>　読まれる

Irregular Verbs
くる　==>　こられる
する　==>　される

subject( person/thing affected  ) ＋   は/が　 ＋   agent (performer of action) ＋   に/から　＋　verb passive form

田中さんは先生にほめられて、とてもうれしそうだった。/ Tanaka-san looked very happy because she was praised by the teacher.
( Read more... )

Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

This distinction is not so important in English but vital in Japanese. A rough and ready definition.

Intransitive Verbs

• the object acts on its own
• generally speaking [of course there are exceptions such as 入る, which deals with animate and inanimate subjects or 起こす, which only deals with animate subjects] , ( Read more... )