Meowbrown

I love learning languages!
Language learning notebook for polyglots.

Mandarin Doesn’t Need A Subject

While studying, t is mentioned that a subject 主語 is not required in Mandarin. This feels a lot like Japanese too.

下雨了。主語

雨が降る。Update: This sentence in Japanese actually has a subject, but see the reply below for examples. Thanks @pinklesbionade!

It is raining. (It is the subject)

In English it is required.

I find it quite interesting as I didn’t really notice this while using the language.

Reflections on Friendships

I find giving gifts a hard thing. It’s like if you don’t give anything, nothing happens. But if you send a bad gift, you might lose the friendship. I feel a bit more calmer after learning that someone else also feels the same.

  • 暫停鍵 (zhàn tíng jiàn): To press the pause button (metaphor for taking a break from a relationship)
  • 禮物殺手 (lǐ wù shā shǒu): “Gift killer” (someone notoriously bad at picking gifts)
  • 少根筋 (shǎo gēn jīn): To be scatterbrained or lacking a certain social “nerve”
  • 揪團 (jiū tuán): To organize a group activity (like group buy)
  • 主揪 (zhǔ jiū): The lead organizer

Note: This podcast is for upper-intermediate level, but I think it’s generally good just for immersion and one of the few podcasts that provide Zhuyin transcripts.

~したほうがいい vs 〜したらいい (Should)

Yesterday I went to speak at an event, and before the event I wanted to ask what should I prep or bring in advance.

tl;dr

  • Ask with: したらいい? (What should I do?) – I should ask with this usage!
  • Warn with: ほうがいい。 (You’d better do this.)

〜したほうがいい

  • Usage: Strong advice/warning
  • Vibe: You really should do this (or else…).

病院に行ったほうがいいよ。
You should go to the hospital. (or else it won’t get better)

パソコンを持っていったほうがいい
You should bring your computer. (or else it would be a bother)

〜したらいい

  • Usage: Asking for instructions, asking for advice, or making a light, non-pressuring suggestion.
  • Vibe: What’s the best way to…?/It would be fine if you did…

何を準備したらいい
What should I prepare?

どう言ったらいいかな?
How should I say it.

について usage

Today I made the mistake of using を with について:
最近、AIについてたくさん投稿している。

を is not needed as について already acts as the bridge to the verb, so it should be:
最近、AIについてたくさん投稿している。

So here’s a quick refresh of how to use について:

Noun + について + Noun

[Noun] about/regarding [noun]

AIについて投稿。
A post about AI.

Noun + について + Verb

Do [verb] about [noun]

AIについて投稿する。
Post about AI.

日本語について勉強した。
Learned about Japanese.

Indonesian Texting Shortcuts

Since my goal is to be able to chat in Indonesian with friends, these are very common:

  • dari = dr
  • uda/sdh = sudah
  • yg = yang
  • ga/gk/gak = tidak/nggak
  • utk = untuk
  • bkn = bukan

Tokopedia can be said the green one due to their logo so it’s ijo (hijau), which the “H” is dropped and the “au” is simplified to “o,” resulting in Ijo.

For example:

  • habis -> abis
  • hilang -> ilang
  • hujan -> ujan

Why Build In Public

This podcast is definitely more for intermediate-advanced Mandarin learners. This topic has been fun:

  • 船過水無痕: To leave no trace or impact behind
  • 撕破臉: To have a public falling-out (when friends become not-friends)
  • 背書: To endorse or vouch for someone
  • 接案: To take on freelance projects
  • 小人物: Ordinary people or “nobodies”

I’m also kinda building in public with my language notes? 🤔

Hi, do you have any tips on how to get better at breaking down/understanding longer japanese sentences? I more or less know what which particles does (and i can always look at my notes) but when I compare what i thought a sentence means vs what it actually means im just way too off

I’m also still working on this and on my end I think the key for me is “practice.” With AI around I usually ask it to give me 10 questions on the sentence I got wrong. For example, I’m really bad with the particle に. When I get it wrong, the sentence sometimes mean something completely different. For example:

留学している妹に、母が手紙を送りました。

弟に宿題をさせました。

I kinda get confused who was the person that did the action to whom. And if that’s messed up, it changes the meaning of the sentence a lot.

I think it would help if you share some sentences that you had trouble identifying. Maybe I’ll struggle with it too 😅

れば vs なら

I feel like I’ll probably make many posts on how to say “if”, but today in class we talked about these two specifically.

A れば B

Point of view: On the result

A is the key to B

郵便局に行けば、切手を買えますよ。

Vibe: I want to buy a stamp (result). So someone says if you go to the post office you can buy a stamp.

なら

Point of view: On the current info

A is just the background knowledge of B

郵便局に行くなら、切手を買ってきて。

Vibe: I am not in urgent need of a stamp, so if you go to the post office (background knowledge), you can buy it (but if you don’t it’s totally fine)

試験 related

  • 試験を受ける – take the exam
  • 試験受かる – pass the exam
  • 試験落ちる – fail the exam

いつも忘れちゃうから、書きました🫣

語系

漢藏語系 Sino-Tibetan Family

使用人口僅次於印歐語系 Indo-European Family (English is in this family)

南島語系 Austronesian Family

台灣高山族的語言屬於這個,例如 mata 這個詞展現了台灣原住民語言與南島語系(Austronesian)強烈的關聯性。

  • 泰雅語 (Tayal): mita (看) / mata (眼睛)
  • 阿美語 (‘Amis): mata
  • 排灣語 (Paiwan): maca
  • 布農語 (Bunun): mata
  • 卑南語 (Pinuyumayan): mata

  • 馬來語/印尼語: mata
  • 菲律賓語 (Tagalog): mata
  • 毛利語 (Maori): mata