Start Learning Japanese in the next 30 Seconds with
a Free Lifetime Account

Or sign up using Facebook

Two Sentence Starters

Moderators: Moderator Team, Admin Team

Fedgrub
Expert on Something
Posts: 191
Joined: June 30th, 2007 3:10 am

Two Sentence Starters

Postby Fedgrub » July 7th, 2008 8:57 am

Hey guys,

A little confused about when you say something like "Over there is my car"

Would you say "あぇはわたしの車です or would you say something more like わたしの車あぇです

I am thinking of those two options the first one is best, but I also believe there is probably a more correct way. I am confused because as I learn, both seem to be good ways to start a sentence, but what happens when it comes later - or does it never come later?

Secondly, did I use わ and は correctly? I always get confused.

Thanks guys!

Belton
Expert on Something
Posts: 752
Joined: June 16th, 2006 11:39 am

Postby Belton » July 7th, 2008 9:53 am

first わ and は are used as you wanted them, は pronounced wa as a particle.

then I think you meant あれ rather than あぇ
あれは私の車です。
however that means "that is my car (over there)" The answer to "what is that over there?" rather than "where is your car? "

for location the set of words you need are
ここ here by me、そこ there by you、あそこ there by neither of us、どこ where、

also instead of です、you often use あります。to exist for inanimate objects.
います is used for animate things.

lastly the particle you need to show where something exists is に

therefore
私の車はあそこにあります。(the answer to where is your car)
or
あそこに私の車があります。(the answer to what is over there)

Word order in Japanese isn't as important as in English. providing you use the correct particles.

Get 51% OFF
hatch_jp
Expert on Something
Posts: 195
Joined: April 28th, 2008 3:50 pm

Postby hatch_jp » July 7th, 2008 1:35 pm

あれは、わたしの車です。 = That is my car.

わたしの車は、あれです。 = My car is over there.

As you noticed, the subjects in these two sentences are different.
If you want to enhance the owner of the car, you say "あれは、わたしの車です。".
If you want to enhance the place where your car is, you say "わたしの車は、あれです。"

Q.あれはだれの車ですか。( Whose car is that?)
A. あれは、わたしの車です。 ( That is my car. )

Q. あなたの車はどれですか。 ( Which is your car? )
A. わたしの車は、あれです。( My car is over there. )

Return to “Learn All About Japanese”