How to say something is for sure in Japanese



Noun + CHIGAI NAI

I. Noun + NI CHIGAI NAI ? Noun for sure!

To be (noun phrase) without fail !

The Japanese bunpo^ NOUN+ NI CHIGAI NAI grammar construction is used quite regularly, and in expressions where you want to impart an unwavering definiteness as to the outcome. CHIGAI itself is a noun meaning difference. It is in base II in similitude to other verbs that change into nouns by putting them into base II. See my article on verb bases for more information. comes from the verb CHIGAU ?v. to be different, to vary, to disagree, to be unlike.

Ex. 1 ZETTAI KARE NO SAIFU NI CHIGAI NAI. ?

Its definitely his wallet . . .for sure! Or

It's his wallet for sure definitely

Ex. 2 NATSU GA KURU NI CHIGAI NAI ?

Summer will be here without fail.

Ex. 3 MAI HARU WASHI GA CANADA NI KAETTE KURU NI CHIGAI NAI ?

Every spring the eagles return back to Canada without fail.

Ex. 4 SO^ NI CHIGAI NAI! ?

That's the way it is man! FOR SHIZZLE!

It's my way, my way or the highway!

II. A TO B NO CHIGAI GA WAKARU (WAKARANAI) ?

Can (can't) tell the difference between A and B.

Ex.1. HONMONO TO NISEMONO NO CHIGAI GA WAKARANAI. ?

I can't tell the difference between the fake and the real thing.

See my other Japanese Plug and Play Ghetto Grammar articles by visiting the index. Beef up your current stock of word power with my Japanese Vocabulary Blasters also found on the index. Finally, take your skills and head over to the Japanese Conversational Practice Palace to solidify your Japanese language training and to help fortify your Japanese language skills.

As always,

Do Your Best! Ganbatte Ne!

Makurasuki Sensei





Ghetto After Blast G.A.B. - one point advice ? when you want to refute a point made by another soften your phrase up by saying CHIGAU TO OMOU or I think it's a little different. Unless you want to make it clear that the other person is wrong then you would say CHIGAU! ? You are definitely wrong! In English CHIGAU can simply mean nope! or NO ITS NOT! Or even NO you are WRONG! Or Not even! That is why this is the GAB, the ghetto after blast because the effects could ripple through the time space continuum. JA NE! LATES!

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Brett McCluskey 2008