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→Mo (も)
"Kanojo '''wa''' Nihongo '''to''' Eigo dekimasu," would say, "She speaks Japanese and English."
"Kanojo '''wa''' Nihongo '''to''' Eigo dekimasu," would say, "She speaks Japanese and English."
==Kara & Made (から & まで)==
"Kara" and "Made" (pronounced "mah-deh", not "made") serve a similar function in that they indicate there is a limit to the action that is taking place.
However, "kara's" function is to offset a word or phrase that indicates a minimum limit in terms of time or space. "Made" on the other hand, offsets a word or phrase that indicates a limit up to, and including, when, or where, an action occurs. When used together, they approximate the English "from - to.”
To use an example, "Kyou '''no''' kaigi '''wa''' ichi-ji '''kara''' san-ji '''made''' desu." or "Today's meeting is (from) one o'clock (to) three o'clock" (literally: today of meeting (as for) one o'clock (from) three o'clock (to) it is). Likewise, if I were to say, "I travelled from Tokyo to Osaka by car," I would say, "Watashi '''wa''' Toukyou '''kara''' Ousaka '''made''' kuruma '''de''' ikimash<i></i>ita."
Combining "made" with "ni" sets an upper limit to a condition, thus in the following examples:
* "San-ji '''ni''' denwa shi<i.</i>te kudasai," means "Please telephone (me) '''at''' three o'clock," but
* "San-ji '''made ni''' denwa shi<i.</i>te kudasai," means "Please telephone (me) '''by''' (or before) three o'clock"
* "San-ji '''made''' denwa shi<i.</i>te kudasai," means "Please telephone (me) '''until''' three o'clock" (That is why '''made ni''' is used, this is incorrect and could result in a ''very'' long phone call.)
* "San-ji '''kara''' denwa shi<i.</i>te kudasai," means "Please telephone (me) '''from''' three o'clock"
Another way to explain the differences is using the following sentences:
* Ano mise '''wa''' hachi-ji '''kara''' aite imasu.
* Ano mise '''wa''' hachi-ji '''made''' aite imasu.
Both refer to the opening time (''aite'') of that shop (''ano mise''), but saying "kara" means, "That shop is open '''from''' eight o'clock," but using "made" means, "That shop is open '''until''' eight o'clock."
==Dake (だけ)==
Similar to "kara" and "made,” "dake" (pronounced "dah-keh"), indicates that what precedes it, is a precise or absolute limit. Depending on the context in which it is used, it approximates the English "just" (if the extent of the limit is not known), or "only" (if extent of the limit is small), or "enough" (if extent of the limit is large).
if you are in a waiting room, and are told, "Ichi-jikan '''dake''' matte kudasai,” you are being asked to wait "just" one hour. Compare this to "hodo" (see below) - "Ichi-jikan '''hodo''' matte kudasai," means "Please wait "about" one hour."
"Dake" is also used following the verb "dekiru" (which means "can you...") and is followed by an adverb, to add in the English equivalent of "as you can.” Thus, "Dekiru '''dake''' hayaku denwa sh<i.</i>ite kudasai." (Can you quickly telephone do for me please) means, "Please phone as soon as you can."
==Yori (より)==
"Yori" indicates a comparison between two nouns or pronouns.
To state a fact, such as "Mount Everest is taller than Mount Fuji,” one would say "Eberesuto-san '''wa''' Fuji-san '''yori''' takai desu." (Mt Everest Mt Fuji (is) tall(er)(than) it is.)
The catch comes when you are using a comparison to correct somebody. If for example, somebody thought Mount Fuji was taller than Mount Everest, you would change the emphasis of the comparison, as well as add the phrase "no hou ga" san say, "Fuji-san '''yori''' Eberesuto-san '''no hou ga''' takai desu." The English translation is the same, but the nuance is that you are correcting somebody's incorrect statement.
[[category:Japanese]]
[[category:Japanese]]