Comments on: The most useful word… EVAR http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/2008/05/02/the-most-useful-word-evar/ Japanese, Chinese, and a dash of Korean Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:42:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Rob http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/2008/05/02/the-most-useful-word-evar/comment-page-1/#comment-7290 Rob Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:44:09 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2008-05-02/the-most-useful-word-evar/#comment-7290 Pffff I have reached this blog quite late, but whatever. I think there are loads of uses of 'いい’ that perhaps you don't even notice as you say them, like　’都合がいい’(convenient) or '運がいい’(fortunate). The one that seems to come up a lot and I think was missed is 'もう、いい！’ which is of course 'enough already!' I hope this helps. Pffff I have reached this blog quite late, but whatever.

I think there are loads of uses of ‘いい’ that perhaps you don’t even notice as you say them, like　’都合がいい’(convenient) or ‘運がいい’(fortunate).

The one that seems to come up a lot and I think was missed is ‘もう、いい！’ which is of course ‘enough already!’

I hope this helps.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/2008/05/02/the-most-useful-word-evar/comment-page-1/#comment-984 Anonymous Thu, 08 May 2008 16:58:02 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2008-05-02/the-most-useful-word-evar/#comment-984 見るがいい! (Behold!) A less common construction involving いい, but you will probably hear it often in theatre, medieval settings in novels, etc. It can be used with other verbs other than 見る: 聴く, やる, etc. 見るがいい! (Behold!)

A less common construction involving いい, but you will probably hear it often in theatre, medieval settings in novels, etc. It can be used with other verbs other than 見る: 聴く, やる, etc.

]]> By: QKlilx http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/2008/05/02/the-most-useful-word-evar/comment-page-1/#comment-983 QKlilx Sun, 04 May 2008 07:41:02 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2008-05-02/the-most-useful-word-evar/#comment-983 Perhaps 格好いい and 可愛い should be mentioned since they both sound like they use いい, but only the former does. Then mention how they are properly conjugated into the negative. Turning someone down definitely needs to be mentioned and contrasted to accepting or praising. I feel that your article heavily emphasizes translation problems regarding いい as opposed to the various usages of いい. One more usage: "fine." As in, "it's fine, don't worry about it." An example in Japanese would be 「いいじゃん」. There's no context in my example, but I think you get the idea. I'm ill and sleepy so I don't feel like coming up with long examples. :P Perhaps 格好いい and 可愛い should be mentioned since they both sound like they use いい, but only the former does. Then mention how they are properly conjugated into the negative.

Turning someone down definitely needs to be mentioned and contrasted to accepting or praising. I feel that your article heavily emphasizes translation problems regarding いい as opposed to the various usages of いい.

One more usage: “fine.” As in, “it’s fine, don’t worry about it.” An example in Japanese would be 「いいじゃん」. There’s no context in my example, but I think you get the idea. I’m ill and sleepy so I don’t feel like coming up with long examples. :P

]]> By: Norgus http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/2008/05/02/the-most-useful-word-evar/comment-page-1/#comment-985 Norgus Sat, 03 May 2008 09:27:01 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2008-05-02/the-most-useful-word-evar/#comment-985 Oh, sorry I didn't see you mentioned 'turning people down' in your comment. Oh, sorry I didn’t see you mentioned ‘turning people down’ in your comment.

]]> By: Norgus http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/2008/05/02/the-most-useful-word-evar/comment-page-1/#comment-989 Norgus Sat, 03 May 2008 09:26:03 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2008-05-02/the-most-useful-word-evar/#comment-989 Good article, I can think of one more usage of いい which is a little strange to English speakers. That is denial! Aさん　最近ストレスたまってるんだ。 A) [My] stress has really built up lately. (I'm really stressed lately) Bさん　コーヒーでも飲んで一緒に話したら？ What if [you] had a drink of coffee or something and talk [about it with me] (Why not have a coffee and talk about it with me?) Aさん　いいよ！話したくないし。 [I'm] good! And [I] don't wanna talk [about it]. (I don't wanna!) Bさん　何よ、その態度！ What's with that attitude!? I think you really need the right 'pitch' on the いいよ part for it to work, so it's probably difficult for people to read text and understand it if they haven't come across the usage before. Good article, I can think of one more usage of いい which is a little strange to English speakers.

That is denial!

Aさん　最近ストレスたまってるんだ。
A) [My] stress has really built up lately.
(I’m really stressed lately)
Bさん　コーヒーでも飲んで一緒に話したら？
What if [you] had a drink of coffee or something and talk [about it with me]
(Why not have a coffee and talk about it with me?)
Aさん　いいよ！話したくないし。
[I'm] good! And [I] don’t wanna talk [about it].
(I don’t wanna!)
Bさん　何よ、その態度！
What’s with that attitude!?

I think you really need the right ‘pitch’ on the いいよ part for it to work, so it’s probably difficult for people to read text and understand it if they haven’t come across the usage before.

]]> By: Tae Kim http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/2008/05/02/the-most-useful-word-evar/comment-page-1/#comment-988 Tae Kim Fri, 02 May 2008 16:04:32 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2008-05-02/the-most-useful-word-evar/#comment-988 Thanks for catching the typos. I admit I didn't spend as much time as I usually do in proofreading to get this post out the door. Turning people down is a good one and something that needs to be approached with care since it can mean either yes OR no depending on your tone. Thanks for catching the typos. I admit I didn’t spend as much time as I usually do in proofreading to get this post out the door.

Turning people down is a good one and something that needs to be approached with care since it can mean either yes OR no depending on your tone.

]]> By: Jonathan http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/2008/05/02/the-most-useful-word-evar/comment-page-1/#comment-987 Jonathan Fri, 02 May 2008 05:07:07 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2008-05-02/the-most-useful-word-evar/#comment-987 Yeah, that should be 早く. Also, I've always processed that いいから早く貸して's いいから as kind of like "come on" or "whatever." Thus, I would consider translating that as "Come on, just hurry up and hand it over." Yeah, that should be 早く. Also, I’ve always processed that いいから早く貸して’s いいから as kind of like “come on” or “whatever.” Thus, I would consider translating that as “Come on, just hurry up and hand it over.”

]]> By: Alex http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/2008/05/02/the-most-useful-word-evar/comment-page-1/#comment-986 Alex Fri, 02 May 2008 03:50:40 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2008-05-02/the-most-useful-word-evar/#comment-986 I think you left out that you can use いい to turn someone down, like: 田中さん：アイスが欲しいですか？ 山田さん：いいですよ。 Oh, and I noted a couple small typos some beginners might find confusing: * コンビに→コンビニ * Bさん)　いいですすよ。→いいですよ。 Also, I myself found this construction slightly confusing: Aさん）　いいから早くて貸して。 Could you break that down for me? Something like "Because it's fine, and I'll be quick, loan it." Or should 早くて be 早く? I think you left out that you can use いい to turn someone down, like:

田中さん：アイスが欲しいですか？
山田さん：いいですよ。

Oh, and I noted a couple small typos some beginners might find confusing:
* コンビに→コンビニ
* Bさん)　いいですすよ。→いいですよ。

Also, I myself found this construction slightly confusing: Aさん）　いいから早くて貸して。
Could you break that down for me? Something like “Because it’s fine, and I’ll be quick, loan it.” Or should 早くて be 早く?

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