Japanese や grammar ya
Let’s learn Japanese や grammar ya :
Formation :
counting noun + や+ counting noun
Vる＋や
Meaning and how to use :
1. Describe the meaning “the mentioned number is not a great one”. After is usually “no matter, it’s not a big problem”.
For example
次の会議は一人や二人だけが来るなら、すぐにキャンセルします。
Tsugi no kaigi ha ichi nin ya ni nin dake ga kuru nara, sugu ni kyanseru shi masu.
If there are only 1-2 persons in the next meeting, I’ll cancel it immediately.
日本の近代の文学が好きだと言っても、春木村上の文章を一冊や二冊を読まなかったら、本当に好きじゃないと言われている。
nippon no kindai no bungaku ga suki da to itte mo, haruki mura jou no bunshou o ichi satsu ya ni satsu o yoma nakattara, hontouni suki ja nai to iware te iru.
Even though people say that they like the modern literature of Japan, but if they do not read 1 – 2 works, they don’t really like it.
会社員になりたかったら、一や二のオフィスのスキルを準備したほうがいい。
kaisha in ni nari takattara, ichi ya ni no ofisu no sukiru o junbi shi ta hou ga ii.
If you want to be a staff of the company, you should learn at least 1 to 2 office skills.
今の現代社会では自分が一や二の単位を持っていなかったら、仕事を見つけれれません。
ima no gendai shakai de ha jibun ga ichi ya ni no tani o motte i nakattara, shigoto o mitsukerere mase n.
Nowadays, if someone doesn’t have 1 or 2 diplomas, it’s hard for he or she to get a job.
2. Describe the meaning “at the same time, at once, immediately…”. This is old speaking and used in written language.
For example
僕からプレゼントをもらうや、田中君はびっくりして大声で叫んだ。
boku kara purezento o morau ya, tanaka kun ha bikkuri shi te oogoe de saken da.
Right when she got my gift, Tanaka immediately got amazed and shouted.
意見を述べるや、彼女は反対して自分の意見を発表した。
iken o noberu ya, kanojo ha hantai shi te jibun no iken o happyou shi ta.
When I expressed opinion, she immediately disproved it and showed her idea.
無意識に彼女の体にさわるや、彼女は変態物だと怒鳴って、私を殴った。
muishiki ni kanojo no karada ni sawaru ya, kanojo ha hentai butsu da to donatte, watashi o nagutta.
Just when I touched her, she shouted “pervert” and hit me.
Related structures :
above is Japanese や grammar ya. if you don’t understand the signs we used in fomation, you can find their meaning here : signs used in Japanese grammar structures.
You can search the structure you want by using the search tool on our website (using key : grammar + ‘structure name’ or you can find more Japanese grammar structures in the following category : Japanese grammar dictionary
