Sunday, January 21, 2007
JLPT3: かどうか
| 日本語： | [verb (short)] かどうか |
| 日本語： | [adjective] かどうか |
| 日本語： | [noun] かどうか |
| English: | Whether (or not), if... |
In the last blog entry, we had a look at questions within larger sentences, in which a sentence contained an interrogative, yet wasn't a direct question. Today we'll look at a companion grammatical construct that allows us to phrase 'whether or not' statements and questions. Welcome to かどうか.
Actually, かどうか covers two common English constructs: 'whether or not' and certain 'if' statements. Consider the examples:
Do you know if the new Koyuki film has started?
I haven't decided whether I will to go to the party tomorrow.
Can you check if the new Hana Yori Dango series is on the Internet?
Get the idea? In these contexts the if isn't really a direct conditional and could be substituted with whether.
The process of translating these into Japanese is also very similar to the one we use for question words:
Do you know if the new Koyuki film has started?
[new Koyuki film has started][do you know?]
I haven't decided whether I will to go to the party tomorrow.
[I will go to the party tomorrow][haven't decided]
Can you check if the new Hana Yori Dango series is on the Internet?
[the new hana yori dango series is on the Internet][can you check?]
Simply translate each statement and add かどうか. Nice.
| English: | Do you know if the new Koyuki film has started? |
| Jenglish: | [koyuki][starring][new][film][started][know?] |
| 日本語： | 小雪が主演してる新しい映画を始まるかどうか知ってるか。 |
| English: | I haven't decided whether I will to go to the party tomorrow. |
| Jenglish: | [tomorrow][party][go][decide + past + negative] |
| 日本語： | 明日のパーティーに行くかどうか決めなかった。 |
| English: | Can you check if the new Hana Yori Dango series is on the Internet? |
| Jenglish: | [internet][on][new][Hana Yori Dango][series][is][check? + potential] |
| 日本語： | インタネットに新しい「花よりダンゴ」のシリーズがあるかどうか確認できるか。 |
Right, let's get some real-world examples from the Internet!
Example 1:
I found the first example on http://itpro.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/USNEWS/20060925/248839/
| 日本語： | 映画館に行くかどうか，インターネットの情報が大きく影響 | |
| Jenglish: | [cinema][go][whether][internet][of][gossip][big][effect] |
So, I would translate this as Internet gossip has a big effect on whether people go to the cinema.
Example 2:
Here's an example from someone's blog: http://blog.livedoor.jp/michaelsan/archives/50524635.html
| 日本語： | オタクかどうか一瞬で見分ける方法 |
| Jenglish: | [geek][if][instant][in][recognise][way] |
It's tough to accurately translate this as the subject is missing, but my translation is Ways to instantly recognise a geek.
Example 3:
Here's one from our friends over at Microsoft (http://www.microsoft.com/japan/athome/security/email/phishingemail.mspx)
| 日本語： | 電子メールが詐欺メールかどうか見分ける方法 |
| Jenglish: | [electronic][mail][as for][fraud][mail][whether][recognise/tell][way] |
I'd suggest Ways to recognise whether an email is fraudulent.
またね・・・
Comments:
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Hi!
English:Do you know if the new Koyuki film has started?
日本語：小雪が主演してる新しい映画を始まるかどうか知ってるか。
Almost!
→小雪が主演してる新しい映画が（もう）始まったかどうか知ってる？
English:I haven't decided whether I will to go to the party tomorrow.
日本語：明日のパーティーに行くかどうか決めなかった。
→明日のパーティーに行くかどうか（まだ）決めていない。
English:Can you check if the new Hana Yori Dango series is on the Internet?
日本語：インタネットに新しい「花よりダンゴ」のシリーズがあるかどうか確認できるか。
→Good.インターネット、ね。
You seem to be a huge fan of Koyuki.(^o^)
日本語：映画館に行くかどうか，インターネットの情報が大きく影響
Internet gossip has a big effect on whether people go to the cinema.
I think it's perfect. (^_^)b
日本語：オタクかどうか一瞬で見分ける方法
Ways to instantly recognise a geek.
Hahah, yes, that's it!
日本語：電子メールが詐欺メールかどうか見分ける方法
Ways to recognise whether an email is fraudulent.
Great.
Thanks, Dave. I've just learnt a new word, 'fraudulent'.
(^o^)ﾉまたね～
English:Do you know if the new Koyuki film has started?
日本語：小雪が主演してる新しい映画を始まるかどうか知ってるか。
Almost!
→小雪が主演してる新しい映画が（もう）始まったかどうか知ってる？
English:I haven't decided whether I will to go to the party tomorrow.
日本語：明日のパーティーに行くかどうか決めなかった。
→明日のパーティーに行くかどうか（まだ）決めていない。
English:Can you check if the new Hana Yori Dango series is on the Internet?
日本語：インタネットに新しい「花よりダンゴ」のシリーズがあるかどうか確認できるか。
→Good.インターネット、ね。
You seem to be a huge fan of Koyuki.(^o^)
日本語：映画館に行くかどうか，インターネットの情報が大きく影響
Internet gossip has a big effect on whether people go to the cinema.
I think it's perfect. (^_^)b
日本語：オタクかどうか一瞬で見分ける方法
Ways to instantly recognise a geek.
Hahah, yes, that's it!
日本語：電子メールが詐欺メールかどうか見分ける方法
Ways to recognise whether an email is fraudulent.
Great.
Thanks, Dave. I've just learnt a new word, 'fraudulent'.
(^o^)ﾉまたね～
# posted by 
: 4:04 pm
: 4:04 pm
freeasacat,
I'm always forgetting about past tense!
As for Koyuki... well, she looks nice, but I hear that she has had problems working since The Last Samurai. 彼女の態度 は悪くなったそうでしょう・・・
Anyway, she's that only Japanese actress I really know.
Dave.
Post a Comment
I'm always forgetting about past tense!
As for Koyuki... well, she looks nice, but I hear that she has had problems working since The Last Samurai. 彼女の態度 は悪くなったそうでしょう・・・
Anyway, she's that only Japanese actress I really know.
Dave.
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