Japanese indefinite pronouns are essential in communication and are commonly used in daily conversation. They are used to refer to something or someone in a non-specific manner. In Japanese, indefinite pronouns are formed by adding suffixes to question words or other adverbs. These suffixes modify the meaning of the word to indicate an indefinite or unspecified amount or type of the noun being referred to. In this article, we will explore ten Japanese indefinite pronouns and provide example sentences to help you understand their usage.
だれか (Dareka) – Someone
だれか (dareka) means “someone” or “somebody” in English. This pronoun is used to refer to an unspecified person. It can be used in a variety of situations, such as when you want to ask someone to do something, but you don’t know who to ask. For example:
例) だれか水を持ってきてくれませんか？ (Dareka mizu wo motte kite kuremasen ka?)
“Could someone bring me some water?”
何か (Nanika) – Something
何か (nanika) means “something” in English. This pronoun is used when you want to refer to an unspecified thing. It can be used in a variety of situations, such as when you want to ask if there is something to eat. For example:
例) 何か食べたいものがありますか？ (Nanika tabetai mono ga arimasu ka?)
“Do you have something you want to eat?”
どこか (Dokoka) – Somewhere
どこか (dokoka) means “somewhere” in English. This pronoun is used to refer to an unspecified location. It can be used in a variety of situations, such as when you want to ask where something is. For example:
例) 時間があるときにどこか旅行に行きたいです。 (Jikan ga aru toki ni dokoka ryokou ni ikitai desu.)
“I want to travel somewhere when I have time.”
いつか (Itsuka) – Someday, Sometime
いつか (itsuka) means “someday” or “sometime” in English. This pronoun is used to refer to an unspecified point in time. It can be used in a variety of situations, such as when you want to express a hope or dream. For example:
例) いつか世界中を旅したいです。 (Itsuka sekaijuu wo tabi shitai desu.)
“I want to travel the world someday.”
どれか (Doreka) – Any One (Out of a Group)
どれか (doreka) means “any one” or “any of them” in English. This pronoun is used to refer to any one of a group of things. For example:
例) どれか一つ選んでください。 (Doreka hitotsu erande kudasai.)
“Please choose any one.”
どちらか (Dochiraka) – Either One (Out of a Pair)
どちらか (dochiraka) means “either one” or “either of them” in English. This pronoun is used to refer to either one of a pair of things. For example:
例) この靴下のどちらかを履いてください。 (Kono kutsushita no dochiraka wo haite kudasai.)
“Please wear either one of these socks.”
ある (aru) means “some” or “a certain” in English. This pronoun is used to refer to a non-specific or indefinite quantity of something. For example:
例) ある日突然、彼女から別れ話がきた。 (Aru hi totsuzen, kanojo kara wakare hanashi ga kita.)
“One day, out of the blue, my girlfriend told me she wanted to break up.”
なにかしら (Nanikashira) – Something or Other
なにかしら (nanikashira) means “something or other” in English. This pronoun is used to refer to an unspecified thing, but with a hint of uncertainty or vagueness. For example:
例) 昨日買ったなにかしらのケーキがすごく美味しかった。 (Kinou katta nanikashira no keeki ga sugoku oishikatta.)
“The cake I bought yesterday, some kind of cake, was really delicious.”
どうか (Douka) – Somehow, In Some Way
どうか (douka) means “somehow” or “in some way” in English. This pronoun is used to refer to an unspecified or unknown method or manner. For example:
例) どうかこの問題を解決してください。 (Douka kono mondai wo kaiketsu shite kudasai.)
“Please solve this problem somehow.”
たしか (Tashika) – Certain, Sure
たしか (tashika) means “certain” or “sure” in English. This pronoun is used to refer to something that is known or confirmed, but without specifying the details. For example:
例) 彼はたしかに昨日ここにいた。 (Kare wa tashika ni kinou koko ni ita.)
“He was definitely here yesterday.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, Japanese indefinite pronouns are a crucial part of the language and are used to refer to something or someone in a non-specific manner. They are formed by adding suffixes to question words or other adverbs and are used in a variety of situations, such as when you want to ask for something or refer to a non-specific location or point in time. By understanding these ten pronouns and their usage, you can improve your ability to communicate in Japanese and better understand the nuances of the language.
Originally posted 2023-07-17 15:54:37.