EagerLearner Triglot Newbie Canada Joined 5687 days ago 9 posts - 10 votes Speaks: Portuguese*, English, French Studies: Japanese
| Message 1 of 9 12 May 2009 at 8:12pm | IP Logged |
Hello,
I'm wondering if someone who is fluent in Japanese could explain a bit about "ha" and "wa". (the Hiragana ha and wa). I've seen people using は while the Romaji translation says "wa". I'm wondering why they mix the two up instead of just using は for ha and わ for wa. I'd really appreciate it if someone could explain the details to me !!
Edited by EagerLearner on 12 May 2009 at 10:51pm
1 person has voted this message useful
|
Volte Tetraglot Senior Member Switzerland Joined 6445 days ago 4474 posts - 6726 votes Speaks: English*, Esperanto, German, Italian Studies: French, Finnish, Mandarin, Japanese
| Message 2 of 9 12 May 2009 at 8:29pm | IP Logged |
Short version: they're not mixing it up. は is pronounced 'wa' when used as a particle (my Japanese is too rusty to say if this is sometimes or always - sorry).
The good news: Japanese has very, very few quirks like this. The hiragana are generally pronounced as they're written.
1 person has voted this message useful
|
Yukamina Senior Member Canada Joined 6270 days ago 281 posts - 332 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Japanese, Korean, French
| Message 3 of 9 12 May 2009 at 9:09pm | IP Logged |
The particle は is pronounced 'wa', so it's written that way in romaji.
The particle へ is pronounced 'e'.
The particle を is pronounced 'o'.
Those are the only ones I can think of. They are extremely common, you'll catch on quickly.
By the way, れ is 're'. 'Wa' is わ.
1 person has voted this message useful
|
EagerLearner Triglot Newbie Canada Joined 5687 days ago 9 posts - 10 votes Speaks: Portuguese*, English, French Studies: Japanese
| Message 4 of 9 12 May 2009 at 10:50pm | IP Logged |
Oh sorry the site I was on had "re" written instead of "wa"
Anyways thanks a lot ^^
1 person has voted this message useful
|
Amaki Tetraglot Newbie Japan Joined 5680 days ago 3 posts - 4 votes Speaks: Japanese*, English, German, Danish
| Message 5 of 9 13 May 2009 at 4:49pm | IP Logged |
From Japanese wordplay:
ははははははははのはははははははとわらう 。
Two of "は"s are particles, so pronounced "wa".
母は「ハハハ」、母の母は「ハハハハ」と笑 う。
haha wa "hahaha", haha no haha wa "hahahaha" to warau.
(Usually we say "obaasan" or "sobo" in stead of "haha no haha", but this is a wordplay)
uraniwaniwaniwaniwaniwaniwaniwatorigairu.
The sound "niwa" can have a lot of meenings.
ura-niwa niwa niwa, niwa niwa niwa niwatori ga iru.
裏庭には2羽、庭には2羽ニワトリがいる。
2 persons have voted this message useful
|
EagerLearner Triglot Newbie Canada Joined 5687 days ago 9 posts - 10 votes Speaks: Portuguese*, English, French Studies: Japanese
| Message 6 of 9 13 May 2009 at 11:25pm | IP Logged |
Quote:
ははははははははのはははははははとわらう 。
Two of "は"s are particles, so pronounced "wa".
母は「ハハハ」、母の母は「ハハハハ」と笑 う。
haha wa "hahaha", haha no haha wa "hahahaha" to warau.
(Usually we say "obaasan" or "sobo" in stead of "haha no haha", but this is a wordplay) |
|
|
Wow that's tricky lol
Thanks for letting me know.
By the way, would this sentence be correct ??
あなた は やさしい
Assuming that "ha" replaces wa as the particle.
I'm a noob so I write with spaces and 95% in Kana xD
Edited by EagerLearner on 13 May 2009 at 11:34pm
2 persons have voted this message useful
|
Amaki Tetraglot Newbie Japan Joined 5680 days ago 3 posts - 4 votes Speaks: Japanese*, English, German, Danish
| Message 7 of 9 14 May 2009 at 9:58am | IP Logged |
あなたはやさしい。(anata wa yasashii.)
Yes. This is 100% grammatical (correct).
And in this example it is impossible to use "ga" instead of "wa".
The following constructions would sound more naturally:
あなたはやさしいんですね。(anata wa yasashiin desune.)
あなたはやさしい人ですね。(anata wa yasashii hito desune.)
1 person has voted this message useful
|
EagerLearner Triglot Newbie Canada Joined 5687 days ago 9 posts - 10 votes Speaks: Portuguese*, English, French Studies: Japanese
| Message 8 of 9 14 May 2009 at 6:00pm | IP Logged |
Awesome thanks a lot ^^
1 person has voted this message useful
|