Topics
Sentence Construction
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Japanese sentences are contextual. Usually, the subject of the sentence is omitted entirely when it is implicitly clear what the subject is.
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By default, plurality is not explicitly stated in the words (i.e., using “X”-s as in English). Plurality is implied.
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We use subject complements using です (desu; copula) in the following form
(implied subject) <complement> です
(explicit subject) <subject> は <complement> です
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To perform negation, we use the negative form じゃないです (ja nai desu) in the following form (we are saying A is not noun B.)
(affirmative) <subject> は <noun> です (negative) <A> は <noun> じゃないです- Alternatively, if we are being more formal, we say じゃありません (ja arimasen)
- If we are writing, it is more appropriate to use ではありません (de wa arimasen)
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Sentences in Japanese typically follow SOV (Subject Object Verb), with relevant particles in between.
Pronouns
| Word | Romanization | Meaning | Additional Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| なん/なに | Nan / Nani | What | |
| わたし わたくし | Watashi | I | |
| あなた | Anata | You | Rarely used in casual speech as it has a condescending undertone. It typically refers to someone of equal or lower status Typically used when there is no information about the addressed person. Used by women to mean “Dear” (i.e., referring to a spouse) |
Demonstratives
- To ask “what”, we either use なに (nani) or なん (nan)
- Use なに before a particle (or before specific combinations)
- Use なん before です or before a word indicating counts.
- Japanese has three way distinction when it comes to demonstrative pronouns
| Proximal (This) | Medial (That) | Distal (That There) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pertaining to a general thing | これ | それ | あれ |
| Pertaining to a specific thing (must be followed by a noun) | この | その | あの |
| Pertaining to a place (hence, they might be translated as here / there / over there) | ここ | そこ | あそこ |
- The distal demonstratives are also used to pertain to implicitly known objects (that is, something both speaker and listener know).
- For the れ series, the pronoun stands alone
- For the の series, the syntax should be
<の demonstrative> + <noun>
Questions
| Word | Romanization | Meaning | Additional Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| いつ | Itsu | When / How Soon? | |
| イくら | Ikura | How much? | |
| いくつ | Ikutsu | How many? How old? | |
| どれ | Dore | Which one | |
| どの | Dono | Which … | Must be followed by a noun |
| どこ | Doko | Where | |
| だれ | Dare | Who | |
| だれの | Dare no | Whose | の is a particle This thus roughly translates to “of who?” |
- Question words are followed by the particle が (ga) instead of は (wa)
Verbs
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Verbs can take on various forms called conjugates. There are three primary classifications of interest
- Pentagrade Verbs (五段) or う-verbs. These verbs make use of all five vowels in their conjugates
- Monograde Verbs (一段) or る-verbs. These verbs make use of only one vowel in their conjugates.
- Irregular Verbs - verbs which do not follow either pattern.
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In conjugation, the verb stem remains invariant among all conjugates.
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Conjugation simply means changing the final kana of the verb (in dictionary form)
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The table below lists conjugation rules
| Form | Connotation | Monograde | Pentagrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base form / Stem | 〜 | 〜 | |
| Dictionary Form | 〜る | 〜う (Note this means it can end in anything in the -u column of the hiragana table (i.e., く、ぬ、む). This last kana is replaceable in any conjugation.) | |
| Present; Affirmative | A habitual action An action that a person will perform in the future | 〜るます | 〜ます |
| Present; Negative | 〜ません | 〜ません | |
| Indicates a question to extend an invitation It is the Present Negative + the particle か | 〜ませんか | 〜ませんか | |
| Question Form It is the Present Affirmative + the particle か | 〜ますか | 〜ますか |