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- "先週、日本の友だちに電話をかけました。"
"先週、日本の友だちに電話をかけました。"
Translation:Last week, I called my Japanese friend on the phone.
53 Comments
1118
What would "friend in Japan" be as opposed to "friend from Japan" versus 日本人の友だち (Japanese friend)?
776
I was about to say 日本に いる 友達 but I see that I have already commented as much almost directly below. This literally means my friend (who is or being) in Japan.
776
It IS a clumsy Japanese translation - it would be more natural to say either nihonjin no tomodachi - my japanese friend or nihon ni iru tomodachi - my friend (who is) in Japan.
22
Im having issues with particles here. Wouldnt In Japan be 日本に and from Japan 日本で?Its been a while since I studied Japanese and Im trying to figure out why I got "Friend from Japan" marked wrong
776
Nihon de - you are in Japan in general, the general area of Japan - you're not pointing out where you are in Japan specifically or pointing out specifically that you are in JAPAN as opposed to some other country. Nihon ni - you want to specifically point out that you are in the country of Japan, as opposed to perhaps another country.
Where to start? I offered: " I called a Japanese friend on the telephone last week." , which may not be the most elegant translation, but in essence is correct. Nevertheless, it was rejected as a proper answer. The given answer however, is ridiculous. 日本の友だちい literally: "Japan's friend", which I suggest is best translated as "a Japanese friend " is not the same thing as "my friend in Japan". In the original sentence there is no direct indication that the friend is indeed in Japan, but it does do more than to suggest that he is 日本人 . If that is what was intended and for the avoidance of doubt, it would probably be better phrased as わたしの日本に友だち . On that (mis) construction there is no particular reason why the friend should be "of Japan" i.e. Japanese, but he would at least be in Japan. While I am at it , why is "phone " preferable to "telephone"? I know that this is in beta, but this is starting to feel as ropey as all Hell.
75
I am not English speaker, can someone answer me why my answer is wrong? "Last week I called my friends from Japan."
805
Could this be ok: "last week I talked on the phone with my Japanese friends". How do you distinguish snigular or plural friends?
243
just a minute ago the right answer was " I called my friend in Japan..." now it says "my Japanese friend". That does not make any sense, does it? I thought 日本人would be Japanese person...?
796
Isn’t this a potential form of the verb 書きます? If so, this should be translated as “I could call...”