*Questions about English*Help me Pleeeeeez

[robhol]

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

Thank you Koir-san, it's lovely.

I am still in the middle of a big job...and it's not going perfect...so
I am so much under the huge pressure!(does this english make sence? I just made it up!)

I went to Karaku the other day, and took some photo there!
so when I have some time to sit and relax I will show the pitures!

Have a lovely day everyone!

I'd rather have said "it's not going very well", "I'm under a lot of pressure", ("sense"), "took some photos".

For the next sentence, starting with "so" sounds weird. I'd just have said "When I have some time to sit down and relax, I'll show you the pictures."

I also think you might be using the exclamation mark a bit too much.

[hadron]

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

Is "See you Wednesday!" OK?

or it has to be

"See you on Wednesday!" ?

but the first way has a dual meaning
so you are either saying bye to someone who you are going to see on Wednesday

or

you are saying bye to someone who is called Wednesday and you have no clue when you are going to see him again

just wanted to bring in a bit of fun

[Koir]

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

I see.

Can I use both styles when I get impressed by someone's something (hope you get what I am trying to say here...)?

When a kid gave up on his toy for other kid...
Wow you are so kind!
or
How kind you are! Does this sound natural ?

"Wow, you are so kind!" is the natural sounding, correct expression in this case.

Can you teach me when and how to use "What a...."?

Can I say "What a great people (they are)!" or if it's plural,
Does it have to be like "! What great people!"

"What great people!" would be the right thing to say, as you're making a declaration about a group of people and not a single person. The particle "a" is used mainly before a single item.

and one more silly question may I ask?

Which XXXX
XXXX could be plural?

This is the situation,

there are 5 yellow buses, and 5 red buses and 5 blue ones too.
and I am supposed to take a bus to go to The Magical town.
These buses leave at the same time, because there are so many passengers.
Different colours different directions...
then when I want to ask....
"Which buses go to the Magical Town?" is right?
or
"Which bus goes to the M T?" is right?

The second sentence ("Which bus goes to the Magical Town?") is correct. It is possible that more than one bus will have the same destination, but taking a different route. Especially if the buses are colour-coded as in the given example. However, since there is only one of you, one bus going to the destination you want is all you want to know.

After you do find out which bus (or buses sharing a colour and possibly the same route) is correct, all that remains to be found out is which bus is closest to you that isn't driving away.

For me, a Japanese native... singular and plural are so confusing!

It will come with practice and experience, YYTT. I will try my best to help you.

[yumyumtimtam]

Originally Posted by Koir

"Wow, you are so kind!" is the natural sounding, correct expression in this case.

right... so people actually rearly use "How XXX or "What XXX"?

"What great people!" would be the right thing to say, as you're making a declaration about a group of people and not a single person. The particle "a" is used mainly before a single item.

I see.

I wasn't sure about that because
in the TV or movie... I hear a lot of
"What a....."
or
"What the...."
but not plural ones... maybe I couldn't catch it...

but now I understand thank you!

The second sentence ("Which bus goes to the Magical Town?") is correct. It is possible that more than one bus will have the same destination, but taking a different route. Especially if the buses are colour-coded as in the given example. However, since there is only one of you, one bus going to the destination you want is all you want to know. After you do find out which bus (or buses sharing a colour and possibly the same route) is correct, all that remains to be found out is which bus is closest to you that isn't driving away.

I see

so "which" is only used for singular? or grammartically OK to say Which+Plural?

The reason why I am so confused of this thing is...
when we are supporse to pick 1 when 2 things are there,
we say どちら（どっち） but when there are more than 3
we say どれ and
どっち rhymes with Which so it makes me more confused!

oh by the way,
"more than 2" means including 2 ? or has to be bigger than 2?
oh so confusing!
and how about
"over 18 years old" and "under 18 years old"? 18 years old belongs to both group?

It will come with practice and experience, YYTT. I will try my best to help you.

Thank you so much Koir san,
I will try!

It's sunday afternoon here now and I am a bit hangover and tired...
that's not a healthy way to enjoy Sunday isn't it?
oh well...

Enjoy YOUR Sunday!!!

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

so "which" is only used for singular? or grammartically OK to say Which+Plural?

I think you can, but only in cases where you have several of the same sort of item. Like say I have 20 cakes and I'm giving 6 to my friend, i might ask "Which cakes did you want?". Or say there's a pile of black coats and I'm trying to pick out my two friend's coats, i might ask "Which coats were yours again?". I'm not 100% sure if it's ~grammatically~ correct, but you definitely hear it in common language. Perhaps it's more correct to add "of these" to the sentence, EG: "Which of these plants are weeds?" but then it's just as easy to say "Which are weeds?"

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

oh by the way,
"more than 2" means including 2 ? or has to be bigger than 2?
oh so confusing!
and how about
"over 18 years old" and "under 18 years old"? 18 years old belongs to both group?

More than 2 = 3 and all numbers higher than 3.
2 or more = all numbers higher than 2, INCLUDING 2
Similarly:
Less than 5 = 0,1,2, 3 or 4
5 or less =0,1,2,3,5 or 5

The "Over 18 years old" thing is trickier, because of age. 18 years and one day is technically 'over 18 years old'. So to me;

"Over 18 years old" = People who have had their 18th birthday, including people who are still 18. It's usually more clearly expressed as:
"18's and over" = 18 year olds and people aged 19 or more.
"Under 18 years old"= People who have NOT had their 18th birthday = 17 years old and younger. So 18 year olds are NOT included in this group.

Let me know if that explains things!

[Koir]

Originally Posted by Columbine

More than 2 = 3 and all numbers higher than 3.
2 or more = all numbers higher than 2, INCLUDING 2
Similarly:
Less than 5 = 0,1,2, 3 or 4
5 or less =0,1,2,3,4 or 5

*nitpick mode off* :P

Originally Posted by yumyumtimtam

right... so people actually rarely use "How XXX or "What XXX"?

They do, but it's up to the context and what emphasis the speaker wants to put on the person or thing they see.

I see

so "which" is only used for singular? or grammartically OK to say Which+Plural?

I agree with Columbine's explanation in her earlier post.

Thank you so much Koir san,
I will try!

It's sunday afternoon here now and I am a bit hungover and tired...
that's not a healthy way to enjoy Sunday isn't it?
oh well...

Not if you view Sundays as a time to regret what you did Saturday night

[Koir]

*see above post*

[yumyumtimtam]

Thank you for your help robhol san

May I ask you some questions?

Originally Posted by robhol

I'd rather have said "it's not going very well", "I'm under a lot of pressure", ("sense"), "took some photos".

right....
I've heard the expression "not going very well", but I wanted to use "perfect" there, Does that sound too bad and people might think I don't know English at all so shouldn't use ?

I could be under a lot of pressure sometimes, but this time the puressuer was much "heavier" than usual, so I wanted to explain it, so I just mede it up a sentense. How can I explain it properly in English ?

sense... right, thank you
I always get confused and not sure xxxce and xxxse... like practice or practise... and sense and sence, sentense or sentence... and all that.

All I need is to "practice" right?

For the next sentence, starting with "so" sounds weird. I'd just have said "When I have some time to sit down and relax, I'll show you the pictures."
I also think you might be using the exclamation mark a bit too much.

I see.

Oh I have a question about "sit",
when the chair is very "tall", then can I say sit up?
I mean like... the bus seats at the back, sometimes there is a step to go up and sit, especially for the kids?
or when the kids sitting on the floor but the mom wants him to sit on the chair, then "sit up on the chair" make sense?

Oh do I use too many exclamation marks!?
I think it's because I speak like that but I will be careful!

Thank you and have a good day!

[yumyumtimtam]

Originally Posted by Columbine

I think you can, but only in cases where you have several of the same sort of item. Like say I have 20 cakes and I'm giving 6 to my friend, i might ask "Which cakes did you want?". Or say there's a pile of black coats and I'm trying to pick out my two friend's coats, i might ask "Which coats were yours again?". I'm not 100% sure if it's ~grammatically~ correct, but you definitely hear it in common language. Perhaps it's more correct to add "of these" to the sentence, EG: "Which of these plants are weeds?" but then it's just as easy to say "Which are weeds?"

wow, thank you Columbine san
I understand now! clearly! thank you!
(oops I maybe used too many exclamation marks again, sorry robhol san!)

One of my teacher friends told me
that some people in Canada say "Where is your shoes?" instead of " Where ARE your shoes?" or "Where is your pair of shoes?"
but is he right?

More than 2 = 3 and all numbers higher than 3.
2 or more = all numbers higher than 2, INCLUDING 2
Similarly:
Less than 5 = 0,1,2, 3 or 4
5 or less =0,1,2,3,5 or 5

I see. 日本語のほうがシンプルかな。以上と以下や未満という 漢字が使えます。

The "Over 18 years old" thing is trickier, because of age. 18 years and one day is technically 'over 18 years old'. So to me;

maybe there is a line there? as soon as you touch the line of 18, you are over 18? even 18 years and 1 socond old?
mmm, yes it's tricky!

mmm? so more than 2 could be 2.0001 right?

"Over 18 years old" = People who have had their 18th birthday, including people who are still 18. It's usually more clearly expressed as:
"18's and over" = 18 year olds and people aged 19 or more.
"Under 18 years old"= People who have NOT had their 18th birthday = 17 years old and younger. So 18 year olds are NOT included in this group.

なるほど～。

Let me know if that explains things!

Yes, I understand!
but one thing, can you teach me?
this "18's" means "18 yearS" old ?
and
Can I ask you some more questions about the ages?
how about
ある特定の20代の男性/（一般的に）40代前半の女性/50代後半の男女　
How can I expalin them?
man in his 20's/women in their early 40's/men and women in their late 50's

An Aussie lady told me once
"don't say HOW OLD ARE YOU? when you want to ask someone's age, say HOW YOUNG ARE YOU?" I know she was joking, but is it actually good to use when I "need" to ask someone elder about her age?

and is this OK?
"I went to Hawaii for a skydiving" 30 years old teacher said to his student in the 1st grade of elementary school.
"I like it too" the student said.
"Have you done that before?"the teacher said.
"yep, when I was a kid"
"You ARE a kid." then... this teacher could say
" How young were you then?" ?

[yumyumtimtam]

Originally Posted by hadron

but the first way has a dual meaning
so you are either saying bye to someone who you are going to see on Wednesday

or

you are saying bye to someone who is called Wednesday and you have no clue when you are going to see him again

just wanted to bring in a bit of fun

Yep, you are right, so I just wanted to make sure about that.

cos I thought "See you Wednesday" is a mistake just like
"Look Mum!" when I actually wanted to say "Look at Mum!" ,
but I learnt it's OK without "on".

Do you speak Japanese too Hadron san?