(Intermediate) Japanese Grammar Points

"Once you do something..."

いったん日本へ行けば、　会話は上手になります。
＝Once you go to Japan, your speaking will improve.

＊When a negative consequence is expressed, いったん～と　is preferred.
いったん日本語の勉強を辞めると、　すぐ忘れてしまうでしょう。

- Used to state that a certain thing (or person, situation, etc) has both good and bad aspects.
- Has a sense that one compensates for the other.

ウイスコンシンは冬寒いかわり、　夏は涼しい。
Wisconsin is cold in the winter but cool in the summer.

”Upon V-ing", "after V-ing"

そのお話は、両親と相談した上で返事します。
= On that matter, I will reply after I've consulted with my parents.

大切なことはよく考えた上で決めた方がいいでしょう。
= You should decide important matters after considering them carefully.

* V (plain, non-past)~ = one cannot do certain things for social, moral, situational reasons
e.x. 普通のアメリカのパーてイーで日本語を話すわけにはいかない。

*V (negative)~ = has a sense of "can't help but do~". One has no other choice.
e.x. 忙しくても寝ないわけにはいきません。　＝ Even though I'm busy, I have no choice but to sleep.

＝ one gets by without doing V

バスがすぐ来たので、あまり待たないで済みました。

毎日ご飯を作らないで済むといいですね。　＝　It will be nice if we don't have to cook everyday, don't you think?

"Doesn't mean that..."

＊ Negates what one would generally conclude from previous statements or situations.

あまり英語を話しませんが、英語ができないわけではありません。＝ I don't speak English much, but it doesn't mean that I can't speak English.

- Indicates how a certain change relates to the speaker when used with verbals that express change.

*　てくる = change taking place up until now
だいぶ日本の生活に慣れてきました. = I've become accustomed to Japanese life considerably.

* ていく = change takes place from now on
私の生活はどんどん変わっていくでしょう。 = Our life will continue to change rapidly.

- Before one knows it; Before one realizes

お金はいつの間にかなくなってしまいます。
= Money is gone before you know it.

外はいつの間にか暗くなっていました。
= It had gotten dark outside before I realized it.

- Most normally follows a noun (or a sentence + こと), focusing on the unusual or least expected case.

自分の名前さえ書けない人は少ないでしょう。
= There are probably very few people who can't even their own names.

- X is famous for Y
- Y can be a noun or a noun phrase (sentence + の・こと)

京都は古いお寺で有名な町です。

日本人は、よく働くので有名です。

"If I remember correctly"; "If I'm not mistaken"

日本の人口は、確か一億二千万ぐらいでしょう。
= If I'm not mistaken, the population of Japan is about 120,000,000.

アメリカで一番人口の多い州は、確かカリフォルにアだと思います。 = If I remember correctly, I think the most populated state in America is California.

- as much X

先生の英語はあの学生のほど上手じゃない。
The teacher's English isn't as good as that student's.

この仕事は、あれほど時間がかからない。
This work won't take as long as that.

- Indicates a significantly large number, but not everyone in existence.

何人も = any number of people (great number of people)
何度も　= many times, over and over again
何げんもないです。 = There aren't a large (significant) number of buildings.

"it doesn't necessarily mean that..."

必ずしも日本へ行けば日本語が上手になるという訳でありません。

必ずしも高いものがいいというわけではない。

- A very polite request for permission to do something.

前の火に試験を受けさせていただけないでしょうか。
= Would you please let me take the exam on day early?

先生の論文を読ませていただけないでしょうか。
= (speaking to professor) Would you mind letting me read your paper?