I started a Q&A corner about Japanese and solve your "How can I say this in Japanese? "problem!

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  SageNico January 19, 2017 at 10:40am

  Hello WriterKyo! It's nice to have somebody who we can ask some questions to! If you don't mind, I would like to ask about ''こと''　which plays the role of a nominalizer in Japanese.In my case I've already got the hang of this pattern but I still have some doubts regarding it's usage in sentences like'' Being + something''.
  I thought about using である in these cases, but I feel like It could be incorrect.
  For example, how would would you write the following sentence in Japanese?
  ''Being a student it's challenging"
  Thank you very much in advance!
  
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  WriterKyo January 19, 2017 at 12:44pm

  Hi! SageNico! Thank you for your comment!
  I would like to answer your question with pleasure.
  
  Regarding your question, I think I can set a simple rule on this.
  
  
  Being + noun ◯◯◯◯
  In this case you can use "であること"
  for example
  "Being a student it's a challenging"
  "生徒であることは挑戦だ"
  
  Being + verb △△△△
  In this case you can use "こと"
  for example
  "Singing songs it's my life"
  "歌うことは私の人生（そのもの）だ"
  
  
  The reason why we have to use である for noun is that we have to define the status.
  A noun "生徒 (student)" itself just means "生徒 (student)". It doesn't have a meaning of "Being".
  Therefore we have to use である to show the meaning of "being"
  
  On the other hand, verb "歌う (sing)" is already a status "singing".
  Therefore we don't have to use "である". Just use ことand it is okay.
  
  
  By the way,
  "生徒であることは挑戦だ"
  "生徒でい(居)ることは挑戦だ"
  are quite similar in meaning.
  
  But if you use "い" , it emphasize the meaning to STAY in that status.
  So the best example to use "い" is as follows.
  
  王様でいることは命がけだ
  Being a king it risks your life.
  
  I hope it helps!!
  You are SO WELCOME for any further questions or follow up questions.
  If you did not understand me, please tell me!
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  Epicnic January 21, 2017 at 7:27pm

  I don't have any question in particular by I just read your explanation to SageNico and it's great, it's a good topic to learn something from questions of other people too. どうもありがとう WriterKyo!
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  WriterKyo January 21, 2017 at 7:44pm

  Hi! Epicnic!
  Thank you so much for your comment! You are so welcome anytime!
  Feel free to ask me anything!!!
  I hope I can be of you guys! :D
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  CarmenStar January 21, 2017 at 8:06pm

  hello i would like to ask about ,,へ'',,に'',,を'',,で'' i can;t see the diferent when it is used.
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  WriterKyo January 21, 2017 at 9:15pm

  Hi! CarmenStar! Thank you for your question.
  I understand these differences are very confusing (even for Japanese actually).
  
  I would like to explain the suibtle difference between some pairs.
  (Please note that these difference are very subtle, so in many case you dont have to care much about the differences in real conversation.)
  
  "へ" vs "に"
  Both means direction. For example...
  病院に行く
  病院へいく
  both means "I go to hospital."
  
  But generally, "～に" implies there is a purpose to go there, while "～へ" just means direction.
  Therefore
  病院に行く
  implies that you are sick and have to go to hospital for medical care.
  
  病院へ行く
  just means, you just get in the site of hispical.
  
  
  
  
  "に" vs "と"
  Both means change of status. For example
  社員になる
  社員となる
  Both means, "I become an employee"
  
  I have to cite another example here.
  "Sun rose from horizen and morning came"
  "水平線から太陽が昇って、朝になった"
  it is okay, nice sentence.
  BUT, "水平線から太陽が昇って、朝となった" This one sounds weird, why?
  
  Thats because "に" implies that you did not make any effort to change the status, while "と" implies that you made effort to change status.
  
  You cannot make the sun rise and bring a morning with your own power. Sun automatically rise and morning automatically come.
  Therefore you should use "に"
  
  Thus
  "社員になる"
  implies you did not make much effort but you (successfully) become an employee.
  
  "社員となる"
  implies that you made effort and finally become an employee.
  
  
  
  "を" vs "で"
  
  These two are pretty different. For example...
  "現金を持っていかないほうがいいよ"
  "現金で持っていかないほうがいいよ"
  both means "you should not carry cash".
  
  but
  "を" means the noun before is the main topic of this sentence.
  "現金を持っていかないほうがいいよ"
  Therefore it implies "You should not carry cash at all!" kind of strong nuance.
  
  "で", in this case, stands for "means, way, how to, in which form".
  "現金を持っていかないほうがいいよ"
  Therefore it implies "You should not carry cash (on the otherhand credit card is good)".
  Yes, it means "cash" is not the best way to carry money.
  
  
  
  AND MOST DIFFICULT ENEMY IS
  "は" vs "が"
  It is too complicated, so I introduce 2 ways to differenciate. (There are actually 5 ways)
  
  1st, Subject case is known or unknown
  "鈴木さんは社長です"
  "鈴木さんが社長です"
  both means "Mr.suzuki is a (the) president"
  
  However, "鈴木さんは社長です" is meant to be an answer for "Is Mr.suzuki a president?".
  Therefore a person Mr.suzuki is already known infomation.
  
  While "鈴木さんが社長です" is an answer for "Who is the president (of this company)?".
  Thus Mr.Suzuki is unknown infomation.
  
  Therefore, "は" is for when subjective case is already known.
  "が" is for when subjective case is still unknown.
  
  2nd.
  If you just want to describe what is happening in front of you, you can use "が"
  For example,
  "犬が道路に寝ている"
  "Dog is lying on the road"
  in this case you just want to express the scene in front of you.
  
  If you want add your understanding or any meaning to what is happening in front of you, you can use "は".
  For example
  (someone is about to take away your umbrella)
  "それは私の傘です"
  means "That is my umbrella (so you should not take it away)"
  in this case you are adding your subjective understanding (that other people should not take that umbrella away) to the scence happening in front of you.
  
  
  Matome
  
  I know these differences are very difficult to understand, you are free to ask any additional questions! ;D
  I hope it helps!!
  
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  CarmenStar January 21, 2017 at 9:23pm

  WriterKyo thank you very much
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  WriterKyo January 21, 2017 at 9:33pm

  CarmenStar You are so welcome! ;D
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  coffeeb March 18, 2017 at 2:52am

  hello,writer kyo. i got no question for this time.but im new here.its nice to know there`s a native who willing to help people to learn. by reading your explanation to answer other people answer i feel like i wanted to learn more. thx you WriterKyo ^^