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VeritasKhan (Offline)
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Nanimonai (何もない) - Proper usage - 06-06-2017, 04:42 PM

Scenario 1
Two men are walking along. One points to the sky and says...

Man 1: 見て! 鳥! [mite! tori! - Look! A bird!]
(Man 2 looks up and see nothing. He even suspects his friend is seeing things that aren't really there.)
Man 2: 何もない. [nanimonai. - There's nothing (there)].

Would that be correct a usage for nanimonai? Would that be understandable or is it awkward sounding?

Thanks!
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06-07-2017, 01:49 PM

In such case, Man 2 will say "DOKO?: Where is it?".

Good example I could provide is that ...

A:"チャリティに出せるもの、何かある?:CHARITHI NI DASERU MONO NANIKA ARU?;Do you have something to donate for charity ?"
B:"何もないよ:NANI MO NAI YO;I have nothing to donate"

"NANI MO NAI" would be natural as the reply for the asking "NANI KA".

Your example is not natural for most case of the Japanese conversation though it is correct grammatically.


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06-08-2017, 03:33 AM

Thanks for that example!

I'm wondering if the below would sound more natural? Thanks for any insight you can provide!


Man 1: 見て! 鳥! [mite! tori! - Look! A bird!]
Man 2: どこ? [doko? - Where?]
(Man 1 pointing)
Man 1: あそこ! [asoko! - Over there!]
Man 2: 見ない。 [minai. - I don't see it.]
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06-08-2017, 02:07 PM

>Man 2: 見ない。 [minai. - I don't see it.]

"見ない:MI-NAI; I won't see" is not suitable.
It should be "見えない:MIE-NAI;I can not see."


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06-08-2017, 10:47 PM

Conversation in Japanese varies depending on the human relationship like as gender, elder/younger, business relations and how intimate they are.

As I do not understand the background of man1 and man2, I told you "MIE-NAI" as the least words. It sounds involving no information about the relation of two men. By saying "MIE-NAI", he close his mind like as conversation after quarrel.

In relaxed mood, he will say "MIE-NAI-NAA".
When he says "MIE-NAI-NE", he does not care what the other feel by the answer.
When he says "MIE-NAI-YO", he slightly blames the other implying the other knows he has not good sight.

And if the person who asked is elder or at high elevation person, he will say "(WATASHI NIWA) MIE-MASEN-NE", "(WATASHI NIWA) MIE-MASEN-GA" or else.


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Last edited by RadioKid : 06-08-2017 at 11:05 PM. Reason: human relations -> human relationship
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VeritasKhan (Offline)
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06-09-2017, 02:48 AM

Thanks for the correction and explanation! That's so helpful!
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