An introduction to Japanese - Syntax, Grammar & Language

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ment is used when someone has performed a tiring job, or when one goes
home after a day of working.


- Being hungry


One states that one is hungry by saying their stomach has become empty.
Variations on this theme are the plain past tense instead of formal past
tense or with the subject marker omiĴed,. Col-


loquial versions are
(note the different pronunciation for )
or simply.


- ”Please”


Literally this phrase reads ”[I] wish it”, but is commonly interpreted as
meaning ”please”, coming from the verb , to wish:


+ in + in +
+ +

- ”Good morning”


This phrase doesn’t actually contain the word ”morning” in any way, which
explains why it’s possible to use this phrase at later points in the day. Lit-
erally, this is the statement , only in humble classical form:


in classical form + of +
+ +

This statement basically affirms that some meeting is reasonably
early for when it occurs. For school goers, 8:30 am could be early, for book-
makers, 1pm could be early. It all depends on when your daily routine day
starts.


- ”It’s been a long time”


This phrase is actually grammatically quite interesting as it consists of the
noun compound formed of the verbal adjective , ”long (timed)” and

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