EagerLearner Triglot Newbie Canada Joined 4390 days ago 9 posts - 10 votes Speaks: Portuguese*, English, French Studies: Japanese
| Message 1 of 9 2009 12 May 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 2009 12 May at 10:51pm
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Volte Tetraglot Senior Member Switzerland Joined 5148 days ago 4474 posts - 6725 votes     Speaks: English*, Esperanto, German, Italian Studies: French, Finnish, Mandarin, Japanese
| Message 2 of 9 2009 12 May 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.
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Yukamina Senior Member Canada Joined 4973 days ago 281 posts - 332 votes   Speaks: English* Studies: Japanese, Korean, French
| Message 3 of 9 2009 12 May 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.
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EagerLearner Triglot Newbie Canada Joined 4390 days ago 9 posts - 10 votes Speaks: Portuguese*, English, French Studies: Japanese
| Message 4 of 9 2009 12 May at 10:50pm | IP Logged |
Oh sorry the site I was on had "re" written instead of "wa"
Anyways thanks a lot ^^
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Amaki Tetraglot Newbie Japan Joined 4383 days ago 3 posts - 4 votes Speaks: Japanese*, English, German, Danish
| Message 5 of 9 2009 13 May 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。
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EagerLearner Triglot Newbie Canada Joined 4390 days ago 9 posts - 10 votes Speaks: Portuguese*, English, French Studies: Japanese
| Message 6 of 9 2009 13 May 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) |
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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 2009 13 May at 11:34pm
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Amaki Tetraglot Newbie Japan Joined 4383 days ago 3 posts - 4 votes Speaks: Japanese*, English, German, Danish
| Message 7 of 9 2009 14 May 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.)
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EagerLearner Triglot Newbie Canada Joined 4390 days ago 9 posts - 10 votes Speaks: Portuguese*, English, French Studies: Japanese
| Message 8 of 9 2009 14 May at 6:00pm | IP Logged |
Awesome thanks a lot ^^
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