Let's try speaking using "desuu desu" (statement)! / Japanese Learning Support LLC
Let's try speaking using ~desu da (mode)!
Today, I'll introduce you to the grammar "~desu esu"!
The form "~desuu" has other meanings, but this time I would like to explain the meaning of "youtai" (manner).
What is a modality? Let's start by thinking about it together.
for example…
You're all going out this afternoon, so open the window in the morning and check the weather.
Well, it's not raining yet, but the sky is very dark and I can see some dark clouds.
What do you say in a situation like this...?
"It looks like it's going to rain."
This is the modal form of "~desu esu."
Below you will find a more detailed explanation and example sentences, so please read to the end.
Today's Menu
1. Meaning and usage of "desuu"
The meaning and usage of "desuu desu"
First, let's look at some example sentences.
Sample1 It looks like it's about to rain.
Sample2 Oh, your luggage is about to fall!
Sample3 It's cold. It looks like it's going to snow tonight.
Sample4 It looks like everything will be crowded during the next long weekend.
Sample5 The food at that restaurant looks delicious!
Sample 6 Tanaka-san may look scary, but he's actually a kind person.
Sample7 There seems to be a lot of nature and it's quiet around this house.
As I mentioned earlier, the use of "~desu wo" (mode) is a sentence structure that expresses how something appears from the speaker's perspective.
Samples 1 and 2 describe situations from the speaker's perspective that will occur any moment now, such as "Right now" or "Oh, it is!"
Samples 3 and 4 show the speaker's prediction of what will happen in the future based on the current situation.
Samples 5 and 6 are patterns that use adjectives.
This is also used when the speaker looks at something and wants to say that it must be or looks like this.
"~desu da" (mode) form
Let's look at the previous example again.
What word came before "Yes"?
There were verbs like "go down" and "fall" and i-adjectives and na-adjectives like "it's delicious," "it's scary," and "it's quiet."
In the case of verbs,
I'm getting off → I'm about to get off
It will fall → It looks like it will fall
It will break → It looks like it will break
It will tear → It looks like it will tear
In this way, it has a square shape with the squares removed.
In the case of adjectives,
It's delicious → It looks delicious
It's scary → It looks scary
It's difficult → It seems difficult
It's fun → It looks fun
Remove "idesu" and add "desuu."
In the case of na adjectives,
It's quiet → It seems quiet
It is strong → It seems strong
It's convenient → It seems convenient
In this way, the na adjectives remain the same, and all you have to do is change "desu" to "desu desu."
Let's do some practice using it!
Please change the words below into "is it?"
The answer is written just below, so check it out.
Will it be → ?
Will it increase →?
Are you getting off → ?
Can you do it → ?
Will it break → ?
Can you get it → ?
It will rise → ?
It will go down → ?
Can it be cut off → ?
Will it tear → ?
Is it delicious → ?
I'm sad → ?
I'm happy → ?
It's scary → ?
It's expensive → ?
Is it durable → ?
Is it convenient → ?
That's kind → ?
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answer
It looks like it's going to become, it looks like it's going to increase, it looks like it's going to fall, it looks like it's going to form, it looks like it's going to break, it looks like it's going to come off, it looks like it's going to rise, it looks like it's going to fall, it looks like it's going to break, it looks like it's going to tear
It looks delicious, it looks sad, it looks happy, it looks scary, it looks expensive, it looks durable, it looks convenient, it looks kind
It's not that difficult to use!
Are you all getting used to it?
Let's compare it with hearsay!
"So desu yo" not only expresses manner (What does it look like?), but also has the meaning of hearsay (I heard it from someone!).
I will provide a detailed explanation of the grammar of hearsay in another blog, so today I will talk a little about the difference between manner and hearsay.
First of all, modality and hearsay are different in form.
For the modal forms, we changed the "masu" form of verbs to the "masu" form, and for i-adjectives, we changed "idesu" to "desu" (it is). For na-adjectives, we changed "desu" to "desu" (it is).
The hearsay form is in the plain form before "desuu desu."
Let's see the differences.
Manner Hearsay
Verb It looks like it's going to rain It looks like it's going to rain
I adjective: It looks delicious. It looks delicious.
Na adjective It seems to be strong It seems to be strong
Noun × He seems to be a student
There are these differences.
If you use the wrong form, the meaning will change drastically, so be careful!
Also, in terms of the difference in meaning, modal is used when the speaker wants to say that that's how it feels or that it looks like this, but hearsay is not used to describe the speaker's own feelings, but rather to describe information that they actually heard from someone or saw on the news. Therefore, with hearsay you can use the form "that's right" + a noun, but with modal you cannot use a noun.
Also, the word "mode" means "to think so when you see it," so it is not often used to describe something that can be understood simply by looking at it.
for example…
For a woman with nice shoes,
× "Those shoes look nice!" You can tell if they're clean by looking at them.
〇 "Those shoes look warm!"
〇 "These shoes look light!"
You can't tell if the shoes are warm or light until you actually try them on, but when the speaker saw them, they thought, "Maybe they're warm?" or "Maybe they're light?", so you can use "Desu zu."
Conversation practice
Now, let's practice some conversation using "desuu desu" (mode)!
You: Oh, sorry!
Stranger: Yes, what is it?
You: There is ① luggage in your bag!
Unfamiliar person: Oh! That's true! Thank you for letting me know!
You: Admin, can I ask you something?
Manager: Yes, what happened?
You: Because of yesterday's typhoon, the branches of the tree below my apartment are ② and it's dangerous.
Manager: Oh, I see. I'll take a look at it later.
You: ③.
Friend: Actually, I'm going back to my country for a week starting tomorrow. I'm looking forward to seeing my parents for the first time in a while!
You: That's great! Be careful!
Example conversation
・①It looks like it's going to fall! ②It looks like it's going to break ③It looks so happy
