In this article, we will be learning how to describe things in Japanese and making simple sentences for these adjectives.
The To (ใจ) particle
One of the uses of this particle is the same as the โandโ word in English. It combines two things in one same idea.
Gingko no yasumi wa doyoubi to nichiyoubi desu (ใใใใฎไผใฟใฏๅๆๆฅใจๆฅๆๆฅใงใ)
(bank) (โs) (rest day) (is)(Saturday) (and) (Sunday) (.)
There are more uses for this particle, but for this article, it will be used as the โandโ equivalent in English.
Making nouns into adjectives using no(ใฎ)
The most common usage of the no particle was for possession. Adding the โโsโ to a noun would grant its possession. However, you can also use this particle to make nouns into adjectives.
Nihon no densha (ใซใปใใฎใงใใใ)
(Japan) (adjective modifier) (train) = Japanese train
Kuruma no zasshi (ใใใพใฎใใฃใ)
(car) (adjective modifier) (magazine) = Car magazine
Using colors to describe
In Japanese there is a special way to use colors to describe. For example, the Japanese word for red is aka (ใใ), however, when you use red to describe something, you have to attach the i (ใ) character to specify that itโs an adjective.
English | Japanese | Japanese (adjective) |
|---|---|---|
Red | Aka (ใใ) | Akai ๏ผใใใ๏ผ |
Blue | Ao (ใใ) | Aoi (ใใใ) |
Yellow | Kiiro (ใใใ) | Kiiroi (ใใใใ) |
Black | Kuro (ใใ) | Kuroi (ใใใ) |
White | Shiro (ใใ) | Shiroi (ใใใ) |
Japanese Adjectives
The adjectives in Japanese are quite different from English and therefore more complicated.
Basically there are two kinds of adjectives in Japanese. These are called the i-adjectives and the na-adjectives.
I-adjectives
i-adjectives are the most easy to distinguish since they all end in i. Although there are some exemptions to this but, weโll tackle them later on. Here are examples of i-adjectives.
English | Japanese |
|---|---|
Hot | Atsui (ใใคใ) |
Cold | Samui (ใใใ) |
Funny/Interesting | Omoshiroi (ใใใใใ) |
Difficult | Muzukashii๏ผใใใใใ๏ผ |
Fun | Tanoshii (ใใฎใใ) |
Scary | Kowai (ใใใ) |
Cute | Kawaii (ใใใใ) |
In order to add tenses or negations to these adjectives, you have to alter them by removing the โi" and add โkunaiโ (ใใชใ) or โkattaโ(ใใฃใ). See the table below for easier understanding.
Base | Past | Negative | Negative Past |
|---|---|---|---|
Atsui (ใใคใ) | Atsukatta (ใใคใใฃใ) | Atsukunai (ใใคใใชใ) | Atsukunakatta (ใใคใใชใใฃใ) |
Samui (ใใใ) | Samukatta (ใใใใฃใ) | Samukunai (ใใใใชใ) | Samukunakatta (ใใใใชใใฃใ) |
Omoshiroi (ใใใใใ) | Omoshirokatta(ใใใใใใฃใ) | Omoshirokunai (ใใใใใใชใ) | Omoshirokunakatta (ใใใใใใชใใฃใ) |
Muzukashii๏ผใใใใใ๏ผ | Muzukashikatta(ใใใใใใฃใ) | Muzukashikunai (ใใใใใใชใ) | Muzukashikunakatta (ใใใใใใชใใฃใ) |
Tanoshii (ใใฎใใ) | Tanoshikatta(ใใฎใใใฃใ) | Tanoshikunai (ใใฎใใใชใ) | Tanoshikunakatta (ใใฎใใใชใใฃใ) |
Kowai (ใใใ) | Kowakatta(ใใใใฃใ) | Kowakunai (ใใใใชใ) | Kowakunakatta (ใใใใชใใฃใ) |
Kawaii (ใใใใ) | Kawaikatta (ใใใใใฃใ) | Kawaikunai (ใใใใใชใ) | Kawaikunakatta (ใใใใใชใใฃใ) |
Now letโs try some sentences with these words.
Kinou wa atsukatta yo! (ใใฎใใฏใใคใใฃใใ๏ผ)
Today was so hot! (yo is placed to convey emphasis)
Konkai no eiga ha omoshirokunakatta (ใใใใใฎใใใใฏใใใใใใชใใฃใ)
The movie this time wasnโt interesting.
Watashi no imouto ha kawaii (ใใใใฎใใใใจใฏใใใใ)
My younger sister is cute.
This also applies to the color adjectives mentioned above since they are also i-adjectives.
Na-adjectives
Na-adjectives on the other hand donโt end in โiโ. Here are some examples:
English | Japanese |
|---|---|
Energetic /Healthy | Genki (ใใใ) |
Convenient | Benri (ในใใ) |
Quiet | Shizuka (ใใใ) |
Famous | Yuumei (ใใใใ) |
Important | Taisetsu (ใใใใค) |
Pretty/Clean | Kirei (ใใใ) |
The words highlighted are special types of na-adjective. Although they end in i, they are not considered as i-adjectives.
When using na-adjectives as adjectives, you need to attach na (ใช) to them. Hence, โna-adjectivesโ.
English | Japanese |
|---|---|
Healthy brother | Genki na ani (ใใใใชใใซ) |
Convenient airplane | Benri na hikouki (ในใใใชใฒใใใ) |
Quiet place | Shizuka na basho(ใใใใชใฐใใ) |
Famous person | Yuumei na hito (ใใใใใชใฒใจ) |
Important secret | Taisetsu na naisho (ใใใใคใชใชใใใ) |
Pretty girl | Kirei na onna(ใใใใชใใใช) |
They also have a different way when expressing tenses. You have to attach โdewa arimasen (ใงใฏใใใพใใ)โ or โdeshita (ใงใใ) to the word.
Base | Past | Negative | Negative Past |
|---|---|---|---|
Genki (ใใใ) | Genki deshita (ใใใใงใใ) | Genki de wa arimasen (ใใใใงใฏใใใพใใ) | Genki de wa arimasen deshita (ใใใใงใฏใใใพใใใงใใ) |
Benri (ในใใ) | Benri deshita (ในใใใงใใ | Benri de wa arimasen (ในใใใงใฏใใใพใใ) | Benri de wa arimasen deshita (ในใใใงใฏใใใพใใใงใใ) |
Shizuka (ใใใ) | Shizuka deshita (ใใใใงใใ | Shizuka de wa arimasen (ใใใใงใฏใใใพใใ) | Shizuka de wa arimasen deshita (ใใใใงใฏใใใพใใใงใใ) |
Yuumei (ใใใใ) | Yuumei deshita (ใใใใใงใใ | Yuumei de wa arimasen (ใใใใใงใฏใใใพใใ) | Yuumei de wa arimasen deshita (ใใใใใงใฏใใใพใใใงใใ) |
Taisetsu (ใใใใค) | Taisetsu deshita (ใใใใคใงใใ | Taisetsu de wa arimasen (ใใใใคใงใฏใใใพใใ) | Taisetsu de wa arimasen deshita (ใใใใคใงใฏใใใพใใใงใใ) |
Kirei (ใใใ) | Kirei deshita (ใใใใงใใ | Kirei de wa arimasen (ใใใใงใฏใใใพใใ) | Kirei de wa arimasen deshita (ใใใใงใฏใใใพใใใงใใ) |
Connecting adjectives
When connecting adjectives, there is a special rule that follows. For i-adjectives, you need to add the word โkuteโ (ใใฆ) and for na-adjectives, the word โdeโ (ใง). These words mean โandโ, the particle โto (ใจ)โ cannot be used for this case since it can only be used for nouns.
Here are a few examples:
Kanojo no neko
wa
kawaikute
genki
desu (ใใฎใใใฎใญใใฏใใใใใฆใใใใงใ)
(her cat) (is) (cute and) (healthy) (.)
Watashi no chichi
wa
shizuka
de
kowai (ใใใใฎใกใกใฏใใใใงใใใ)
(My father) (is) (quiet) (and) (scary)
Eiga wa
tanoshikute, omoshirokute, yuumei deshita(ใใใใฏใใฎใใใฆใใใใใใใฆใใใใใใงใใ)
(The movie) (fun and) (interesting and) (was famous).
Conclusion
Thatโs all there is to know about Japanese adjectives. Now youโll be able to describe things with more accuracy!
Ganbatte ne! (ใใใฐใฃใฆใญ) Goodluck!
