Understanding Quoting Speech in Japanese
In Japanese, quoting speech is a way to tell someone what another person said. It's like repeating words someone else used. This is important because it helps us share stories and information.
How to Use Quoting Speech
Important Points
- Use the particle 'と' to show that you are quoting someone.
- Add '言う' (iu) after the quoted part to mean 'say'.
- You can use other verbs like '思う' (omou) for 'think' or '聞く' (kiku) for 'ask'.
- The quoted part can be in any tense, but the verb after 'と' shows how the quote is used.
The quoting particle 'と' is like saying 'that' in English. It connects what someone said to the verb that explains how it was said.
Examples
- 彼は「行く」と言いました。
- 彼女は「楽しい」と思っています。
- 先生は「宿題を出してください」と言いました。
Different Verbs for Quoting
Important Points
- '言う' (iu) means 'to say'.
- '思う' (omou) means 'to think'.
- '聞く' (kiku) means 'to ask'.
- '答える' (kotaeru) means 'to answer'.
You can use different verbs after 'と' to show how the quote is used. Each verb gives a different meaning to the sentence.
Examples
- 友達は「好き」と言いました。
- 彼は「難しい」と思っています。
- 母は「何をしたの？」と聞きました。