Our first lesson in our new textbook is asking advice and making suggestions. It doesn't present any new grammar, but provides new use for the conditional form of verbs.
Offering a suggestion
A: How about it?
B: What?
A: If we saw a movie? (Seeing a movie?)
B: Sure. Sounds good.
| Verb-conditional | + | How about it? | |
| 映画を見たら | + | どう|いかが | ですか。 |
| えいがをみたら | + | どう|いかが | ですか。 |
The English construction for offering suggestions only slightly different. If translated "How about it?", then the pronoun it is replaced by a noun or noun phrase. In this case, English uses the gerund (V + ing) rather than the conditional (if + V) form.
| How about | + | Noun Phrase | Verb (gerund) |
| How about | + | seeing a movie. |
| + | eating at McDonalds. | |
| + | watching TV. | |
| + | studying Japanese. |
English also uses the conditional form of the verb in this context. "I don't want to see a movie. What if we went to the park instead?" With the conditional (if), it sounds more natural to say "What if..." than "How about if..."
Asking for advice
If you're asking for advice, then the construction is the same. Just replace the "How about it?" with "Is that good."
| Verb-conditional | + | Is that good? | |
| 映画を見たら | + | いい | ですか。 |
| えいがをみたら | + | いい | ですか。 |
Unasked for advice
In both languages, you should be careful how you give suggestions or offer advice. Unasked for advice sounds rude and pushy.
Complaining Child: "I'm tired."
Nagging Mother: "Well, how about going to bed earlier?"
質問とコメント
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明けましておめでとうございます.
おひさしぶりですね。すみませんが、私のコンピューターはだまですよ。時々使うできます。時々使うできません。夫のコンピューターは漢字で使えません。不便ですね。
冬休みに新しいブローグのレイアウトを作るつもりでした。日本文法の本も書くつもりでしたが、ちょっと。がんばっています。
こちらはあつしさんです。あつしさんのbilingualブローグは面白い。どうぞよろしく。
質問とコメント
Vocabulary
- 不便『ふべん」(na-adj)inconvenient
- 冬休み「ふゆやすみ」winter vacation
- 日本文法『にほんぶんぽう」Japanese grammar
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