Let's think about the difference between "papanashi" and "mama". / Japanese Learning Support LLC
What is the difference between mamma and mamanashi?
First, let's look at two sentences.
・I slept with the window open last night.
・I fell asleep with the window open last night.
The two sentences above use "ppanashi" and "mama" respectively, but they have almost the same meaning and are both correct.
However, "ppanashi" and "mama" cannot be used interchangeably in all sentences.
So let's take a look at how to actually use it.
Today's Menu
1. "Papanashi" means the continuation of a result or an action.
2. "Mama" means the continuation of a result or a state of affairs.
First, let me introduce some example sentences.
Sample1Hey ! You left the lights on in your room again when you went out!
Sample 2: Don't leave your socks off after wearing them all day, make sure to put them in the washing machine properly.
Sample3I'll be going to the warehouse soon, so you can leave the door unlocked.
Sample4: I sang at karaoke for three hours straight yesterday, so my voice feels weird today.
Sample5When you work and have to stand for long periods of time, your legs get tired.
"Ppanashi" is used to mean that the result of an action continues, or that an action continues for a certain period of time .
Samples 1 to 3 above are used to indicate that the results of the action follow.
For example, after the action of "turning on the light," the result is "the light is on."
And since the result follows, it can be expressed as "ppa-nashi."
Samples 4 and 5 indicate that a certain action is continuing.
Since the actions of "singing" and "standing" do not have results, they are used to mean "having been doing something for a long time."
Also, "ppanashi" is often used in a slightly negative sense.
It is often used when complaining or blaming someone, or when you have made a mistake.
Sample1The tap was still running! What a waste!
Sample 2: I feel scared when it's pitch black when I go to sleep, so is it okay to sleep with the TV on?
Sample3: Don't come in here with your shoes on.
Sample4Oh , I borrowed that book and haven't returned it yet! I forgot!
Sample 5 My father sleeps with his suit on.
"Mama" is often used to express a result or the continuation of a state .
The action of letting water out produced the result of water coming out. In this way, this expression is used when a result produced by some other action continues.
Therefore, there is no problem in using "pa-nashi" for Sample1 .
So, what about Sample 2 ? "Can I sleep with the TV on?" This is not wrong, and I think there are Japanese people who actually say this.
However, if there is a difference, it is that "ppanashi" has a negative meaning while "mama" is neutral (no relation to positive or negative), so if you say "Can I sleep with it on?" it will come across as the speaker having a negative meaning, such as "It's bad to leave the TV on," "It's a waste of electricity," or "I'm sorry to leave the TV on because you prefer quiet."
Also, since "ppanashi" is colloquial, it gives a more casual impression than "mama."
Sample3 When you do action A and then do action B , like "enter with your shoes on," it's natural to use "mama."
It feels a little strange to enter here with your shoes on.
Because the two focus on different things.
"Ppanashi" focuses on the continuation of an action , in other words , doing something all the time , while "mama" focuses on doing other things in that state .
The sentence in Sample 3 is talking about the condition of not entering the room with shoes on, and it is not focusing on the fact that shoes should be worn at all times.
Therefore, it would be more natural to use "mama."
This is a little complicated, so let's look at the sentences using the same verb.
・I was working while standing the whole time.
I was working while standing.
Both of these sentences are correct, but there is a slight difference in nuance.
"Ppanashi" means that you've been standing all day and you're tired or your feet hurt.
It has the nuance of having been standing for longer than "mama" and being unhappy about it.
On the other hand, the sentence using "mama" means that although you usually work sitting down, there were times when you worked standing up for some reason.
I don't know how long it will be. It could be just five minutes, or it could be five hours.
The thing to note about the "mama" sentence is that it says that they worked while standing. In other words, it is often used with the nuance of saying that something irregular happened, like "I usually sit down, but...".
How was it.
Although "ppanashi" and "mama" have similar meanings, there is a clear difference in how they are used.
"Pakanashi" means results, continuation of the action, negative image,
"Mama" represents a result or the continuation of a state.
Since they both express the continuation of a result, there are some sentences in which it doesn't matter which one you use.
However, which one to use depends on whether it is a continuation of an action or a continuation of a state, and the speaker's mood when speaking.
Make sure you understand the subtle differences and try using them in your daily life.
That's all for today!
See you in the next blog!
