2018.01.23 11:49What’s the difference? した vs していたSince していました is used to indicate that an action took place during a specific time, it is often accompanied by a time or else another action or event that occurred at a certain time.昨日、勉強しました。 昨日の２時ごろ、勉強していました。Kinou, benkyō shimashita. Kinou no ni-ji goro, ...
2018.01.16 04:59What’s the difference? までに vs までWhen by itself, まで means until. But when に follows まで, it indicates a stopping point in time (like a deadline).5時までに、この本を読み終わらなきゃいけません。 5時まで、この本を読みます。Go-ji made ni, kono hon o yomiowaranakya ikemasen. Go-ji made, kono hon o yomimasu.I have to finish reading this book by 5 o’clock. I will read this book until 5 o’clock.
2018.01.16 04:57What’s the difference? はじめる vs だすThere’s a similar expression to the one we just learned, but it uses だす.先生が話し始めました。 先生が話しだしました。Sensei ga hanashi hajimemashita. Sensei ga hanashi dashimashita.My teacher started speaking. My teacher started speaking. The difference is that だす is used when the action happens abruptly or unexpectedly. This is why ～だす is often pair...
2018.01.15 12:30What’s the difference? おいしそう vs おいしいそうWhat’s the differenceおいしそうVS おいしいそうそうです can also be used in a slightly different way (see the chapter on Plain Style for more information):おいしそうです。 おいしいそうです。Oishi sō desu. Oishii sō desu.That looks delicious. I heard that this is delicious.Notice that with the expression on the right, the い adjective is not conjugated—the そうです f...
2018.01.15 12:21What’s the difference? ほう vs もっと?There is a similar expression with もっと:犬が好きだけど、ネコはもっと好きです。 Inu ga suki da kedo, neko wa motto suki desu.I like dogs, but I like cats more. The nuance here is that you like both of them but you like cats more.Also, もっとcan’t be used to compare two things. もっと食べたいです。 日本語がもっと上手になりたい。 Motto tabetai desu. Nihongo ga motto jōzu ni na...
2018.01.15 12:18What’s the difference? くて・で vs し・だし?し and だし are used to connect multiple reasons, but you can also say a single reason if you can’t think of what to say next or if you are hesitant to say more—the use of し・だしimplies that you have other, unstated reasons.くて・でマイクさんはどの人ですか？ 背が高くて、髪が短い人ですよ。Maiku-san wa dono hito desu ka? Se ga takakute, kami ga mijikai hito desu.Whic...
2018.01.10 21:52What's the difference? こと vs ものこと vs. ものBoth of these words mean thing; こと is used for intangible things like ideas and activities, while もの is used for tangible things (physical objects). 食べることが好きです。 食べるものがありません。Taberu koto ga suki desu. Taberu mono ga arimasen.I like to eat. (literally I like the eating thing) There is nothing to eat.
2018.01.10 21:50What's the difference? うち vs いえうち vs. いえ Both of these words mean “house” but they carry a slightly different nuance, similar to the difference between “house” and “home” in English.いえ = house うち = home; can also mean “our” or “my”Sometimes the two are interchangeable. For instance, you can say either うちに帰ります orいえに帰ります to express going home. However, you can’...