at vs. in

I watched the Harry Potter movie at Cineplex in Tsukuba.


I swim at Hotel Okura which is in Tsukuba Center.


I'm working at Mitsukoshi Department Store in Ginza.


Can you find the pattern of AT  vs.  IN?

AT  is used to show the place you do an action
IN is used to show the location of the place

ate vs. have eaten

What is the difference between these two sentences?

I ate lunch.
I have eaten lunch.

Please don't think about the grammar terms (names) for the sentences. Just think about TIME. For a lot of grammar patterns, WHEN is the important nuance. I think it is best to draw a picture. It is better not to think of grammar words or translations into Japanese because then you will just think about study and you might not get the FEELING of the communication.

Here is my picture for the two sentences:

Click on the picture to make it bigger.

So let's look at the questions again ...
First of all, let's think that usual lunchtime begins about 11am and ends about 2pm.
Now it is 4pm. Lunchtime is finished. It would be a little strange to eat lunch at 4pm. So our question is simple past:
"Did you eat lunch?" Answer: "Yes, I ate a sandwich." 

Much grammar is like this because often native speakers use the simplest and easiest way. I think it is the same in Japanese.

But in Question 2, lunchtime hasn't finished. It is 1:30pm so it is possible that you have already eaten and it is possible that you haven't eaten yet. We often use grammar to show this longer period of time.

So my nuance in this question is that I understand maybe you have already eaten, but because it is still lunchtime, maybe you haven't eaten yet. In Japanese you use words like "mo/mada".

There is no correct and incorrect. It is case by case depending on the situation and the time now and the usual time for doing something.


Did you eat lunch? (I think you already ate it and I am just checking.)

Have you eaten lunch? (Maybe you ate it, maybe you haven't eaten it yet.)

What will you eat for lunch? (I think you haven't eaten it and you haven't decided what to eat.)
What are you going to eat for lunch?  (I think you haven't eaten it and you have decided what to eat.)

Your answer can be different to the question:
What did you eat for lunch?   I haven't eaten lunch yet.
Have you eaten lunch?   Yes, I ate something at 11am.


If we are talking about experiences, the start time is the time when we were born:

Have you been to Hawaii? 
(From the time you were born, up to now, have you had the experience of going to Hawaii?)

But if that thing is not possible any longer because there is no future (it is not possible in the future), then time is cut so please use simple past:

Did you meet Princess Diana? 
(She passed away so you cannot use any nuance of future.)


Often there are two choices, and your choice shows the nuance:

I studied that book. (I finished it and I won't study it again.)
I have studied that book. (I recently studied it/I will study it again.)

The cats' apartment

I promised some of you that I would take pictures of the cats' apartment, and here it is!

Recently in the day time I put it by the patio window in the kitchen that looks out onto the small Japanese garden. (Unfortunately that view is also the veranda where we hang our laundry this season, so please forgive the towels and clothes that you can see hanging in some pictures later.)

Dusty inside on the second floor, Kuro on top, Dusty attacking Kuro, pushing each other on top, and ...

Sitting nicely together. (A rare thing.)

Side view, front view, and an inside view with Makurokurosuke peeping out!

By the way, the apartment is for both cats. Therefore, I have to write the cats' apartment. The apostrophe ' is after the S. 

The cats' apartment. = belongs to both cats

The cat's apartment. = belongs to only one cat

Of course in speaking, we don't know where the apostrophe is so you must explain. 

It's the cats' apartment for both cats.

These are my sisters' books, they belong to both sisters, not just one.

and/or/both??? や。。。と

Someone asked me a tough question about the translation of the Japanese 'ya' and 'to'  :(   I think many times it is difficult to translate them easily with simple grammar.

Here are some examples that I will write in English and then put the translations at the bottom.

1. I like Dusty and Kuro. = both

2. You can buy bagels and small cakes at Tsukuba Bagel. = both

3. I can play tennis and badminton. = both (but not at the same time!)

4. Let's eat spaghetti and salad for dinner. = both

5. I went to Ueno, Ginza and Shibuya. = all 3 places, only these places

6. Please catch Dusty and Kuro. = both

7. Please catch Dusty or Kuro. = 1 of them, either is ok

8. Please catch either Dusty or Kuro. = 1 of them, either is okay, nuance is there are also other cats here

9. I will buy bagels or sandwiches for lunch. = only 1, either is ok

10. Do you want spaghetti or pizza for dinner? = only 1, either is ok

11. I want spaghetti and pizza. = both

12. I want both spaghetti and pizza. = both (stronger feeling)

13. Sorry, you can have either spaghetti or pizza. = only 1, (stronger feeling)

14. I went to Ueno, Ginaza, Shibuya, etc. = 3 places plus other places

1. I like Dusty and Kuro. = both

ダスティとクロが好きです。

2. You can buy bagels and small cakes at Tsukuba Bagel. = both

つくばベーグルでは、ベーグルと小さなケーキが買えます。

3. I can play tennis and badminton. = both (but not at the same time!)

私はテニスとバトミントンができます。

私はテニスやバトミントンができます。

4. Let's eat spaghetti and salad for dinner. = both

夕食にはスパゲッティとサラダを食べましょう。

5. I went to Ueno, Ginza and Shibuya. = all 3 places, only these places

上野と銀座と渋谷に行きました。

6. Please catch Dusty and Kuro. = both

ダスティとクロを捕まえてください。

7. Please catch Dusty or Kuro. = 1 of them, either is ok

ダスティかクロを捕まえてください。

8. Please catch either Dusty or Kuro. = 1 of them, either is okay, nuance is there are also other cats here

ダスティかクロを捕まえてください。

9. I will buy bagels or sandwiches for lunch. = only 1, either is ok

昼食にはベーグルかサンドイッチを買います。

10. Do you want spaghetti or pizza for dinner? = only 1, either is ok

夕食はスパゲッティもしくはピザどちらにしますか。

11. I want spaghetti and pizza. = both

スパゲッティとピザが食べたい。

12. I want both spaghetti and pizza. = both (stronger feeling)

スパゲッティとピザの両方が食べたい。

13. Sorry, you can have either spaghetti or pizza. = only 1, (stronger feeling)

すみませんが、スパゲッティかピザどちらか食べれます。

14. I went to Ueno, Ginaza, Shibuya, etc. = 3 places plus other places

上野と銀座と渋谷に行きました。

15. Do you use refill packs for your household cleaners and toiletries?

家庭用洗剤と洗面用洗剤の詰め替えパックを使いますか?

家庭用洗剤や洗面用洗剤の詰め替えパックを使いますか?

In Japanese "to" is clearly a limit of ONLY those things. "ya" means those things plus other things. So "ya" is the same as "etcetera" in English :)  Sometimes we use etc or another word if we really want to show there are more choices, but most of the time it is not necessary.

3. I can play tennis and badminton. = 

私はテニスとバトミントンができます。

私はテニスやバトミントンができます。

Maybe I can play other sports, too, but I am focusing on tennis and badminton. If other sports are important, I can say:

I can play tennis, badminton, etc.

I can play tennis, badminton and some other sports.

Would you like tea and coffee? = both (this is strange English)

Would you like tea or coffee? = only 1

Would you like tea, coffee or something else to drink? = tea is ok, coffee is ok, a different thing is ok

"ya" is really difficult :(   I don't like it in Japanese so I never use it. I only use "to", "ka", "nado", "nanika"
You should read this Japanese page and study kokugo :)  Then you will agree with me that English is MUCH easier!

http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/thsrs/17181/m0u/%E3%82%84/

Group nouns

Very often I hear something like:

"I couldn't find what I was looking for so a staff helped me."

'a staff' is incorrect because "staff" is a group noun. It means ALL the people who work somewhere.

"Staff at the Imperial Hotel are very professional."

If you want to count them one by one, please use a counting word. Almost always we use 'member'.

"I couldn't find what I was looking for so a staff member helped me."

Or you can use other nouns that are the names of the things in a group:

staff = president, vice president, department manager, section manager, secretary, office workers, cleaners -- 10 staff members

furniture = shelf/shelves, desks, chairs -- 10 pieces of furniture

money = notes, coins

work = jobs, projects, tasks

homework = projects, essays, reports


It is okay to use plural for the things in the group, so "S" is okay. But please don't use plural for the group nouns: furnitures

Convenient?

What is the difference between:

convenient              and             convenience ?

convenient is an adjective. We can use it in two ways:

1. After a "be" verb

The iPad is convenient.
Pasmo prepaid transport cards are convenient.
"No-wash" rice is convenient.

2. Before a noun

The TX train is a convenient way to get to Tokyo.
The iPad is a convenient device.
9:00am is the most convenient time for me.


So how about "convenience"? Well, it is an easy word, but not so common. That is we don't use it very much, and often it is in written English. That's because it is a noun, but an abstract noun (not a thing we can see and touch). In writing it is quite formal:

Please reply at your earliest possible convenience. =
Please reply as soon as you can. 

Make an appointment at your convenience. =
Make an appointment when it is a good time for you.

Most people make a mistake with the term "convenience store" :)  In this case we have to use a noun + noun. The first noun acts like an adjective. There are some other common examples in this pattern:

computer mouse
dog house
table lamp

So why do we say "convenience store" and not "convenient store"? That is because "convenience store" is the name of a type of store - we use that name for that special kind of store. There are other examples, too:

department store
gasoline stand
petrol station
police station
football club

If you use the adjective, you mean only THAT store is nice for you:

Kumazawa is a convenient store for me to shop at because I often go to Lala Garden Mall. 

By the way, the word "store" is more American English and the word "shop" is more British English.

During the afternoon, while teaching a class....

.... I found two mistakes using "while" and "during" ;)

Very basically, "during" is used with a noun phrase. That noun phrase shows a period of time. There is only one verb.

   Please make notes during the class.

   During the meeting, Mr. Tanaka fell asleep.

   I study English during TV commercial breaks.



"while" is used when you have two actions, so two verbs.

   I study English while watching TV.

   While I was talking to my sister on the phone, I cleaned up my    room.

   Please watch out for cars while riding your bike.


* Both "while" and "during" show an action over a period of time, not just at one moment.

* "while" mostly uses "V + ing" but not in all cases.

* Native speakers don't use "while" and "during" for every case. If the feeling of over a period of time is not important, we can change it to more simple grammar:

   Please make notes in class.

   Mr. Tanaka fell asleep at the meeting.

   I study English in TV commercial breaks. 

   I study English when I watch TV.

   When I was talking to my sister on the phone, I cleaned up my room.

   Please watch out for cars when riding your bike. 

Today's Grammar Point

Try to find the mistake in this conversation, then go down the page to check.

A:     I've never been to Okinawa.
B:     Me too.
A:     Do you want to go there?
B:     Yes, but I want to go in summer.
A:     Me too.

*
*
*
*
*
*
*
NOTE {but not the mistake}: In natural English it is not necessary to say "there".
"Do you want to go?" is OK.     So we can use:

"Do you want to?" - maybe this is a little too easy and casual but native speakers do say it.
"Do you want to go?" - natural
"Do you want to go there?" - natural
"Do you want to go to Okinawa?" - unnatural, please don't repeat the same noun so soon

Anyway, could you find the mistake in the conversation?

A:     I've never been to Okinawa.

B:     Me too. --> Me neither.  /  I haven't either. 

A:     Do you want to go there?

B:     Yes, but I want to go in summer.

A:     Me too. 

"Me too" is for two positive verbs (simple verbs with no ..n't)
A:    I like dogs.
B:    Me too.  /  I like dogs, too.

A:    I can ski.
B:    Me too.

"neither / .... n't either" is for negative verbs (verb + n't)
A:    I don't like dogs.
B:    Me neither.    /    I don't either.    /    I don't like dogs either.

A:    I can't ski.
B:    Me neither.   /      I can't either.

German vs. Germany

One regular mistake I hear is the use of "German" to mean the country.

The noun (country name) is "Germany".

"German" is an adjective. For example:

I like German bread.
German people are really friendly.


In this case, the noun is longer than the adjective. Most country adjectives are longer than the noun.
Australia -> Australian
Japan -> Japanese

BUT
Germany -> German

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