The sentence order is very different from English. In English we use :
Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) but in Japanese it is usually use :
Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) – observe :
Don’t Worry! It isn't as bad as it seems. You will get used to it.
Desu
Desu is a grammatical form that can act like to be (You know - is, are, am...) in English in the sense of explaining who or what something / one is or equating one thing with another. Let's take a look:
わたし は クレイ です。
watashi wa kurei desu.
I am Clay.
これ は ねこ です。
kore wa neko desu.
This is a cat.
Most of the time you want to use the to be verb you will use desu
2 Basic verb forms ～dictionary、～ます
There are many ways to change verbs, but here we will focus on 2 present tense forms "dictionary form" and "~masu form"
The dictionary form gets its name because it is what is found in the dictionary.
1. The dictionary form verbs ends in -u and many end in –ru
2. The masu form verbs always ends in -masu in the present tense
3. To keep this page as simple as possible, I am writing all examples (for other grammar points) in the masu form
Examples :
You will probably see some other letter changes between the 2 forms. I won't go into this now. There is no need to complicate things. I think it is better to memorize the useful verb changes and eventually once you get a feel for the verbs you can 'guess' the correct form for unknown
Making questions か
Making questions in Japanese is easy! – Really ! Usually you can change a statement into a question by just adding a か ka to the end !
あなた は アメリカ人 です。
anata wa amerikajin desu.
You are an American.
Those sentences will be :
あなた は アメリカ人 です か。
anata wa amerikajin desu ka.
Are you an American?
Main Points :
1. ka is added to the end of statements
2. Word order is not changed as in English
3. In Japanese (see right example) the ? (Question mark) is not required (optional)
4. Just like in English, the last syllable goes up in intonation
5. In spoken Japanese sometimes the ka can be dropped if you have the upwards intonation at the end. But for now, let's stick to using the ka
Question words
By mastering these question words, your conversational skills will be much stronger!
1. いつ itsu – when ( いつ きました か？ itsu kimashita ka? When did you come?)
2. どこ doko – where (どこ から きました か？ doko kara kimashita ka? Where did you come from?)
3. どうして doushite – why (どうして きました か？ doushite kimashita ka? Why did you come?)
4. なぜ naze- why (なぜ naze? Why?)
5. だれ dare – who ( だれが きました か。 dare ga kimashita ka? Who came?)
Main Points :
1. Even with the question word a か ka is used. (Except in casual spoken Japanese)
2. The question word is at the beginning, but after the は wa if there is one.
あなた は だれ です か？
anata wa dare desu ka?
Who are you? (the question word dare is after the wa)
Possessive "'s" の
This is another nice part about Japanese. To show relationship or possession between 2 things just put a の no inbetween them. The trick is knowing which goes to the left of the no and which goes to the right...
Think of it as: の => 's
a. わたし の ねこ watashi no neko - My cat [I's cat]
b. 日本 の 車 nihon no kuruma - Japanese car [Japan's car]
c. ねこ の おもちゃ neko no omocha - Cat's toy
Also think of :
わたしの watashino as "my" and あなたの anatano as "your"
And と、そして
There are several ways to say "and" (connecting things). Let's look at 2 of them :
と to - connecting nouns
わたし は 日本語 と 英語 と フランス語 が 話せます。
watashi wa nihongo to eigo to furansugo ga hanasemasu.
I can speak Japanese and English and French.
そして soshite - connecting phrases
わたし は 日本語 が はなせます。 そして、ドイツ語 が 読めます。
watashi wa nihongo ga hanasemasu. soshite, doitsugo ga yomemasu..
I can speak Japanese and I can read German.
But でも
But, a small word, but... There are other "buts" but demo is the most common. Learn this first and you can pick the others up later.
でも demo – but
日本語 が 好き でも、 フランス語 は きらい です。
nihongo ga suki demo, furansugo wa kirai desu.
I like Japanese, but I hate French.
Pronouns
Pronouns are not used nearly as much in Japanese as they are in English. Often the pronoun is used once and then after (until the topic shifts to someone else) the pronoun is dropped. Still they are very important!
a. Another meaning of kare (he) is actually "boyfriend" and kanojo is "girlfriend"!
b. When the meaning is obvious, the pronoun is usually dropped. Both of the following is clear in meaning: watashi wa amerika kara kimashita - I came from America. amerika kara kimashita - (I) came from America.
Fillers ええと
In English, we have our "um." in Japanese, they have their "eeto." This is the sound you make when you can't think of what to say, but want to say something!
何 の 動物 が 好き です か？
nan no doubutsu ga suki desu ka?
What animal do you like?
ええと。。。 ねこ が すき。
eeto... neko ga suki.
Um... I like cats.
Particles intro
In Japanese, grammatical parts of the sentence are shown very clearly by "particles." These particles are placed after the word (or phrase) they modify. The best way to learn to use them is to memorize useful examples and say them!
は wa - overall topic particle - shows the main topic of the conversation
[NOTE: it is a hiragana ha but pronounced as "wa"]
Example :
あなた は やさしい。
anata wa yasashii.
You are nice.
[Makes "you" the main topic]
が ga - the subject particle - sometimes the difference between wa and ga are hard to tell. Sometimes they can be used interchangeably with only a slight change in meaning.
Example :
ねこ が へん。
neko ga hen.
The cat is strange.
[Makes the "cat" the subject]
を o - The Direct Object particle
Example :
本 を よみました。
hon o yomimashita.
(I) read a book.
[NOTE: it makes "book" the object. If we were to say "I" it would be watashi wa at the beginning.]
に ni - usually shows movement (to)
Example :
日本 に いきましょう！
nihon ni ikimashou!
Let's go to Japan!
[There is movement going to Japan]
or shows time (at)
６時 に いきましょう！
roku ji ni ikimashou!
Let's go at 6.
で de - Shows location (at, in)
Example :
日本 で 遊びましょう！
nihon de asobimashou!
Let's play (have fun) in Japan!
[Notice there is no movement]
if もし
For simplicity, I will teach you the "understandable but not totally correct" approach. To say "if..." start with もし moshi. To be "totally correct" you should also change the end of the verb to a ～ば ba, たら tara, or なら nara. I will show you the "totally correct" but for now just concentrate on adding the moshi.
もし よければ。。。
moshi yokereba...
If it is ok with you... [let's do this...]
もし ほしかったら、
moshi hoshikattara,
If you want (it), - when offering something to someone
Using ～さん
The equivalent to Mr. or Mrs. or Miss. is ～さん
Usage : Right after the name. It is used even with friends. (Even when in English we wouldn't use "Mr.")
くれいさん kurei san - Mr. Clay
山田さん yamada san - Mr. (or Mrs...) Yamada
Other name callings: (used the same way)
～さま sama - very polite - reserved for royalty, important people, and customers of stores
～ちゃん chan - used for young girls (kiti-chan = Hello Kitty)
～くん kun - used for young boys
～先生 sensei - used for teachers [クレイ先生 kurei sensei], doctors, and professionals
For now just use san. It is the most common.
Also も
も mo means "also" or "too" and like other particles, it is placed after the word it modifies. Let's see some examples:
Person A :
私 は ねこ が すき。
watashi wa neko ga suki.
I like cats.
Person B :
私 は ねこ が すき、そして いぬ も すき。
watashi wa neko ga suki, soshite inu mo suki.
I like cats, and I also like dogs. [to review soshite; the mo after inu replaces ga. You can't say "ga mo"]
Person C :
私 も ねこ と いぬ が すき。
watashi mo neko to inu ga suki.
I also like cats and dogs.
Note : 私も watashi mo by itself means "Me too."
Become に なります
To show the state of becoming... something, use ～に なります ni narimasu The ni is placed after what is becoming something. The narimasu means to become. Nouns and -na adjectives use ni narimasu. -i adjectives are different, but for now there are enough useful nouns to look at:
夜 に なりました。
yoru ni narimashita.
It has become night.
[~mashita shows past]
友達 に なりましょう。
tomodachi ni narimashou.
Let's become friends.
[the ~mashou means "let's"]
げんき に なりました。
genki ni narimashita.
(I) have become fine / healthy.
I think と思います
This goes at the end to show that you believe what you say, but are not 100% sure. It is also used to show one's opinion. If there is a desu change it to da which is the more casual form and add to omoimasu
The speaker is not totally sure of the accuracy of his info...
熊のプーさん は くま だ と 思います。
kuma no pu-san wa kuma da to omoimasu.
Winnie the Pooh is a bear, I think...
Next is an example of showing one's opinion. It is true for the speaker, but may not be so for the listener.
なっとう は おいしい と 思います。
nattou wa oishii to omoimasu.
I think Natto is delicious
Basically you can say any sentence and if you want to soften it or show you are not sure, or show your opinion add to omoimasu
Easy adjectives
There are 2 types of adjectives:
1. -i adjectives - adjectives that end in –i
2. -na adjectives - adjectives that add -na when placed before nouns
The -i adjectives change:
あつい atsui - (It's) hot // +i
あつくない atsukunai - not hot // -i + kunai
あつかった atsukatta - was hot // -i + katta
あつくなかった atsukunakatta - wasn't hot // -i + kunakatta
Learn this and you can use all -i adjectives!
The -na adjectives don't change! But when placed before nouns they add a -na
げんき genki (healthy, active, fine) げんきな子 genki na ko (healthy child)
Past tense
For now let's stick with the - masu form of verbs
PAST = MASU MASHITA
たべます tabemasu (to eat) たべました tabemashita (ate)
のみます nomimasu (to drink) のみました nomimashita (drank)
PAST NEGATIVE = MASU MASEN DESHITA
たべます tabemasu (to eat) たべません でした tabemasen deshita (didn't eat)
のみます nomimasu (to drink) のみません でした nomimasen deshita (didn't drink)
The "-masen" is the negative part
Very とても
Sometimes mom's cooking isn't just oishii (delicious)
Add とても totemo before adjectives to say "very"
とても おいしい です。
totemo oishii desu.
It's very delicious!
とても 大きな木。
totemo ookina ki.
A very big tree. (to review -na adjectives)
Other Very Words: You can ignore this if you like...
非常に hijou ni
超 chou (kind of slang - chou means "super-")
To want ～がほしい
Saying "I want (something)" is pretty easy. Just say the thing you want and add ga hoshii to it.
のみもの が ほしい です。
nomimono ga hoshii desu.
(I) want a drink.
Note : The desu is optional and is usually dropped. nomimono ga hoshii. is perfectly fine in spoken Japanese.
Next, let's ask a question. Can you figure out how to do it? That's right add a ka
ケーキ が ほしい です か？
ke-ki ga hoshii desu ka?
Do you want cake?
Want to do~ ～たい
First get the ～ます masu form of the verb you want to do. Then drop the ～ます masu and add ～たい tai.
たべます tabemasu (to eat) たべ tabe たべたい tabetai (want to eat)
のみます nomimasu (to drink) のみ nomi のみたい nomitai (want to drink)
します shimasu (to do) し shi したい shitai (want to do)
Of course if you want to say "do you want to..." Just add ka
ケーキ を たべたい です か？
ke-ki o tabetai desu ka?
Do you want to eat cake?
は、が
These is 2 particles は wa & が ga both do what in English is the subject, but は wa is greater in scope than が ga
は wa - the main topic particle of the conversation
が ga - the subject particle of the sentence
わたしは クレイ です。
watashi wa kurei desu.
I am Clay.
[Clay is the topic and now this is known, it won't be repeated unless the topic changes]
ねこが すき です。
neko ga suki desu.
(I) like cats.
["cats" are actually the 'subject' here. Maybe this is easier to see "Cats are liked (by me). Note you could say "watashi wa neko ga suki desu." but it is unnecessary because we have already said "watashi wa" (The topic is already known)]
1. if both are in a sentence, the は is first
2. the は is written with a hiragana ha but pronounced as wa
There is or There are
For inanimate objects (objects, plants...), end the sentence with ～が あります ga arimasu
木 です。
ki desu.
It's a tree.
木 が あります。
ki ga arimasu.
There is a tree(s).
For living things (people and animals) use ～が います ga imasu.
ねこ が います。
neko ga imasu.
There is a cat(s).
To show the negative just add -sen to the end
あります arimasu ありません arimasen
Another more casual form of arimasu that you don't have to learn now is...
ある aru ない nai
います imasu いません imasen
Another more casual form of imasu that you don't have to learn now is...
いる iru いない inai
Maybe you know these useful phrases:
お願い が あります。 onegai ga arimasu. I have a favor to ask.
問題ない。 mondai nai. No problem! [this is the casual form of arimasen]
To like... がすき
It is easy to like something and to say it! Just add ga suki after the object that you like:
ねこ が すき です。
neko ga suki desu.
I like cats.
[note : Nouns don't change in number (no s) so it could mean "a cat". Also note the desu is often dropped in speech - "neko ga suki."]
Why or Because なぜ、どうして、なぜなら
2 ways to say "why" are:
1. なぜ naze - why
2. どうして doushite - why
They are basically interchangeable and start at the beginning of the sentence and are followed by the question
なぜ（どうして） 私 の ケーキ を たべました か？
naze (doushite) watashi no ke-ki o tabemashita ka?
Why did you eat my cake?
[There isn't a "you" but obviously you wouldn't be asking yourself this question.]
なぜなら + reason or excuse + kara
なぜなら はら が へった から。
nazenara hara ga hetta kara.
Because, (I'm) starving!
[lit. because stomach is diminished]
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