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"Adjective + desu" in Japanese

PUBLIC_FLAG_#{@journal.pf_int} RSS feed of Game's latest journal entries Nov 12th 2009 18:31 tips

"Adjective + desu", e.g. "oishii desu (おいしいです)" and "ureshii desu (うれしいです)", is quite common expression as a polite form even for native Japanese speakers; but actually it's incorrect.
One reason you shouldn't use it is that sometimes it sounds childish especially for elder people. Another reason is that, if you get used to it, you'll make other mistakes to say like "oishii da (おいしいだ)" and "ureshii dearu (うれしいである)" as plain forms: They're completely incorrect. Native Japanese speakers never use such expression.
I then recommend you to say just perfective like "oishii (おいしい)" and "ureshii (うれしい)" in such cases or simply to avoid it.

To say exactly, a correct polite form of adjective is like "oishuu gozai masu (おいしゅうございます)" and "ureshuu gozai masu (うれしゅうございます)" but it sounds bookish nowadays.

This is what I want to say:
「日本語での"形容詞+です"」

「形容詞+です」、たとえば「おいしいです」「うれしいです」という言い方は、ネイティブ日本語話者の間でさえ敬体としてきわめて一般的な表現です。しかし、実はこれはまちがった表現です。
この表現を使わない方がいい理由のひとつは、特に年配の人にとって、これが子供っぽく聞こえることがあるからです。また別の理由としては、この言い方に慣れてしまうと、常体のつもりで「おいしいだ」「うれしいである」という間違いをしてしまうからです。これは完全にまちがった表現です。ネイティブ日本語話者は、けっしてそのような表現をしません。
そのため私は、そのような場合は「おいしい」「うれしい」のようにただの終止形を使うか、単に避けることをオススメします。

正確にいえば、形容詞の正しい敬体は「おいしゅうございます」「うれしゅうございます」のようになります。しかし、これは現代では文語的に聞こえます。
Nov 12th 2009 19:33 Dan

  • One reason you shouldn't use it is that sometimes it sounds childish especially for elder people.
  • One reason you shouldn't use it is that sometimes it sounds childish, especially for elder people.

 

  • Another reason is that, if you get used to it, you'll make other mistakes to say like "oishii da (おいしいだ)" and "ureshii dearu (うれしいである)" as plain forms: They're completely incorrect.
  • Another reason is that, if you get used to it, you'll make other mistakes, to say like saying "oishii da (おいしいだ)" and "ureshii dearu (うれしいである)". as plain forms: They're completely incorrect.

 

  • Native Japanese speakers never use such expression.
  • Native Japanese speakers never use such expressions.

 

  • I then recommend you to say just perfective like "oishii (おいしい)" and "ureshii (うれしい)" in such cases or simply to avoid it.
  • I then recommend you to say just use the perfective form, like "oishii (おいしい)" and "ureshii (うれしい)", in such cases or simply to avoid it.

 

  • To say exactly, a correct polite form of adjective is like "oishuu gozai masu (おいしゅうございます)" and "ureshuu gozai masu (うれしゅうございます)" but it sounds bookish nowadays.
  • To say exactly it properly, a the correct and polite form of the adjective is are like "oishuu gozai masu (おいしゅうございます)" and "ureshuu gozai masu (うれしゅうございます)", but these but it sounds bookish nowadays.

 
こんばんは!

Your English is very good. =)

This was also helpful to me. I say "おいしいです"! I will try not to say it like this anymore. Thanks!
Nov 13th 2009 17:18 Game

Thank you!

Actually, I've often said like it in conversation, too. But I've been embarrassed about it and I've never used it in writing.

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