Japanese Grammar Notes

A curated collection of Japanese grammar notes that may prove helpful.

Table of Contents

• Japanese Grammar Notes
  • Introductory Notes
  • Parts of Speech
    • Fundamentals
    • Conversions
      • Noun → Adjective
      • Adjective → Adverb
      • Adjective → Noun
      • Verb → Noun
  • Particles
    • Fundamentals
      • が
      • から
      • だけ
      • で
      • と
      • に
      • の
      • は
      • へ
      • まで
      • も
      • や
      • を
  • Copula Conjugations
    • Basic Conjugations
    • Written Form Conjugations
  • Verbs
    • Fundamentals
      • 〜たら
      • 〜ている
    • Transitive & Intransitive
      • Construction Patterns

Introductory Notes

Parts of Speech

Fundamentals

Conversions

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Noun → Adjective

• ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Noun + 的 = な-Adjective}}$

  • ${\textsf{\color{orange}Warning}}$: only a subset of all pure nouns support this approach.
  • Usage is more restrictive and often applies to more abstract concepts.

  • 文化ぶんか → 文化ぶんか的てき
    culture → cultural

  • 歴史れきし → 歴史れきし的てき
    history → historical

  • 科学かがく → 科学かがく的てき
    science → scientific

• ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Noun + の = Adjective}}$

  • Works for all pure nouns.
  • Technically results in an 'adjectival noun / phrase' (assuming not the possessive use-case), but conceptually the same as an adjective.

  • 車くるまの本ほん
    car book (a book about cars)

  • 木きの椅子いす
    wooden chair (a chair made of wood)

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Adjective → Adverb

• ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}い-Adjective-Stem + く = Adverb}}$

  • 私わたしは京都きょうとに長ながく住すんでいました。
    I lived in Kyoto for a long time. (longly lived)

  • そのラーメンらあめんを早はやく食たべました。
    (I) quickly ate that ramen.

• ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}な-Adjective-Stem + に = Adverb}}$

  • もっと効率こうりつ的てきに日本語にほんごが勉強べんきょうしたいです。
    (I) want to study Japanese more efficiently.

  • 図書館としょかんに雑誌ざっしを静しずかに読よんでいることがよくする。
    (I) often quietly read magazines in the library.

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Adjective → Noun

• ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}い-Adjective-Stem + さ = Noun}}$
  • Results in an objective, measurable quality.

  • 高たかい → 高たか → 高たかさ
    tall / expensive → ... → tallness / expensiveness

• ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}な-Adjective-Stem + さ = Noun}}$
  • Results in an objective, measurable quality.

  • 便利べんりな → 便利べんり → 便利べんりさ
    convenient → ... → convenience

• ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}い-Adjective-Stem + み = Noun}}$
  • Results in a subjective quality.

  • 面白おもしろい → 面白おもしろ → 面白おもしろみ
    interesting → ... → interest

• ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}な-Adjective-Stem + み = Noun}}$
  • Results in a subjective quality.
  • ${\textsf{\color{orange}Warning}}$: only a small number of な-adjectives support this approach.

  • 新鮮しんせんな → 新鮮しんせん → 新鮮しんせんみ
    fresh → ... → freshness

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Verb → Noun

• ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Verb-Plain + の = Noun}}$
  • Technically results in a 'nominalized verb', but conceptually the same as a noun.

  • 甘あまい物ものを食たべるのが好すきだ。
    (I) like to eat sweet things.

• ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Verb-Plain + こと = Noun}}$

  • 全部ぜんぶの漢字かんじを暗記あんきする事ことができないかな。
    (I) wonder if I can memorize all the kanji. (the negated できない implies self-doubt as opposed to the more neutral / positive できる expressing curiousity or hope)

• ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Verb-ます-Stem = Noun}}$
  • ${\textsf{\color{orange}Warning}}$: only a subset of all verbs support this approach.

  • 富士山ふじさんは年としをとるの登のぼり難むずかしくなった。
    As I get older, it has become more difficult to climb Mt. Fuji.

  • 今日きょうここから富士山ふじさんは見みやすいです。
    It's easy to see Mt. Fuji from here today.

Particles

Fundamentals

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が

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Subject emphasizer}}$
Description: Identifies who or what is doing the action or being described.

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Desire}}$, ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}need}}$, ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}ability}}$, ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}or opinion}}$
Description: Used with certain predicates (like すき, ほしい, できる) to express desire, need, ability or opinion.

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}"but"}}$
Description: A conjunction that connects contrasting clauses.

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から

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}"from"}}$, ${\textsf{\color{limegreen} a reason or cause}}$
Description: Marks a starting place, time or source of information. Can also mark a reason / cause.

友達ともだちから聞ききました。
I heard it from a friend.

財布さいふを忘わすれたから払はらえない。
I forgot my wallet so I can't pay.

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だけ

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}"only"}}$ or ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}"just"}}$
Description: Indicates a limit imposed upon something.

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で

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Location of action}}$
Description: Sets the stage for where or how an action takes place.

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Means or method}}$
Description: Indicates how an action is performed.

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Causal relationship (because X, Y / X, so Y)}}$
Description: Derived from the て-form of だ / です, indicates a weak (から and ので being stronger) causal relationship. Just like the normal verb て-form, assumes the tense indicated by the end of the sentence.

山口やまぐちさんは病気びょうきで学校がっこうを休やすんだ。
Mr. Yamaguchi was sick so he took a day off from school.

今日きょうは日曜日にちようびで、休やすみです。
Because today is Sunday, I have the day off.

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Quantity or extent}}$
Description: Used to specify amounts in certain contexts.

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と

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}"and"}}$
Description: Connects nouns that go together.

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Quotes or thoughts}}$
Description: Introduces quoted speech/thoughts.

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Cause and effect}}$
Description: Separates cause and effect.

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Sequential lists}}$
Description: Used for listing immediate successive events.

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Emphasizes manner of action}}$
Description: Optionally connects onomatopoeic adverbs to verbs, placing additional emphasis on the specific manner in which the action occurs, making the description more vivid and expressive.

彼かれはにっこりと笑わらった。
He broadly smiled. (with an emphasis on broadly)

猫ねこがそっと歩あるいた。
The cat softly walked. (with an emphasis on softly)

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に

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Target or destination}}$
Description: Points to where something is going, either physically or conceptually.

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Specific time}}$
Description: Marks a specific point in time (day of week, time, year, month, etc.).

七しち時じに起おきた。
(I) got up at 7am.

私わたしは二は十た歳ちの時ときに結婚けっこんした。
I got married at age twenty.

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Location of existence}}$
Description: Used with verbs like ある (aru) and いる (iru) to indicate where something exists or is located.

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Indirect object}}$
Description: Indicates the recipient of an action.

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Intention or purpose}}$
Description: Shows the reason for an action.

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の

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Possessive}}$
Description: Shows ownership or connects related concepts.

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Nominalizer}}$
Description: Turns phrases into noun clauses.

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Explanatory}}$
Description: Often used at the end of sentences to soften or explain.

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Noun → adjective}}$
Description: Converts a noun into an adjective. See here.

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は

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Topic Spotlight}}$
Description: "は is like a spotlight, shining on the topic and leaving other potential topics in the dark. This is because は creates a nuance of contrast between the topic it picks out and other potential topics, which are left in the shadows, whether those other topics are mentioned or not." (source)

How strong the nuance of contrast is, depends on a combination of the intonation of the speaker, paired with how unusual / unexpected the usage of は is in the specific sentence.

この本ほんは難むずかしい。
This book is difficult. (assuming flat intonation, no implied nuance, just setting context with something familiar for new unknown information to follow)

コーヒーは飲のみますか。
Do you drink coffee? (feels unexpected with raised intonation, implied nuance being there could be other options you're intentionally excluding, such as tea)

日本にほんには行いったことがある。
I've been to Japan before. (they've been to Japan but perhaps not Korea)

日本にほんは行いったことがある。
I've been to Japan before. (same as previous example, but more casual by dropping に)

弟おとうととは映画えいが館かんに行いきました。
I went to the movie theater with my younger brother. (nuance implies there may have been others left at home, etc. Without は, would read as a statement of fact without nuance)

今年ことしは日本にほんに行いくんです。
This year I will go to Japan. (explicit nuance is explanatory んです, implicit nuance is possibly excusing not making it in past years)

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へ

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Direction}}$
Description: Shows the direction of movement, often interchangeable with に but more formal.

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まで

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}"until"}}$
Description: Temporal or spacial limit.

${\textsf{\color{grey}---------------------------------------------------}}$

も

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}"also"}}$ or ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}"even"}}$
Description: Adds items to a list or emphasizes unexpected inclusions.

${\textsf{\color{grey}---------------------------------------------------}}$

や

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}"and"}}$
Description: Connects nouns that go together. Gives examples from a larger set of items.

${\textsf{\color{grey}---------------------------------------------------}}$

を

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Direct object}}$
Description: Indicates what is receiving the action of the verb.

Function: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}Space traversed}}$
Description: Indicates movement through or along a space.

Copula Conjugations

Basic Conjugations

	Plain	Polite	Honorific
Non-Past	だ	です	でございます
Past	だった	でした	でございました
Non-Past Neg.	ではない	ではありません	ではございません
		ではないです
	じゃない	じゃありません
		じゃないです
Past Neg.	ではなかった	ではありませんでした	ではございませんでした
	じゃなかった	じゃありませんでした
Volitional	だろう	でしょう	でございましょう
Te-Form	で	でありまして	でございまして
Conditional	なら	であれば	であれば
	ならば

Written Form Conjugations

In writing, the following forms may also be used when the author is explaining something:

	Plain	Polite
Non-Past	である	であります
Past	であった	でありました

Verbs

Fundamentals

〜たら

Description: Broadly considered a conditional form. For contexts expressing time sequences, 〜たら is interpretted as either ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}"when"}}$ or ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}"after"}}$. For other contexts expressing more generic conditional situations, 〜たら is interpretted as ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}"if"}}$. When conjugated correctly, works with all verbs (食べたら, 泳いだら), adjectives (美味しかったら, 元気だったら) and nouns (人だったら).

〜ている

Description: Stacks onto て-form verbs, one primary use is to convey ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}continuous dynamic actions}}$ (swimming, eating, travelling etc...). Another primary use is to convey ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}resulting states}}$. Verbs fall into one of these two categories, so depending on the type of verb, ている affects it differently. We need to think of ている as flipping on or "activating" a switch. With something like 食べている, someone is now in the mode of eating. Some verbs behave differently and happen instantly like a binary state switch, such as turning the lights on, つく (to turn on) → ついている (to be on), or the final state of death, 死ぬ (to die) → 死んでいる (to be dead).　For resulting state verbs like 死ぬ, to turn them into dynamic actions, you use the form ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}verb-ます-stem + かける}}$, so 死にかける (to begin to die).　We can now treat this form like any other dynamic action verb and activate its mode, 死にかけている (to be dying). See this post for more details.

去年きょねんから日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうしている。
I've been studying Japanese since last year.

テレビがついている。
The TV is on.

あ、虫むしが死しんでいる。
Ah, the bug is dead.

あ、虫むしが死しにかけている。
Ah, the bug is dying.

Transitive & Intransitive

Construction Patterns

• Transitive: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}[agent] は/が [direct object] を [verb]}}$
  • Require a direct object (marked by を).
  • Require an agent (the performer of the action).

  • 飛行機ひこうきが爆弾ばくだんを落おとします。
    Airplanes drop bombs.

  • 彼かれがドアを閉しめた。
    He closed the door.

  • 母はははケーキを焼やいた。
    My mother baked a cake.

  • 猫ねこがネズミを捕つかまえた。
    The cat caught a mouse.

• Intransitive: ${\textsf{\color{limegreen}[subject] が [verb]}}$
  • There is no agent performing the action on another object.
  • The subject itself undergoes or experiences the action.

  • 爆弾ばくだんが落おちます。
    Bombs fall.

  • ドアが閉しまった。
    The door closed.

  • ケーキが焼やけた。
    The cake baked.

  • ネズミが捕つかまった。
    The mouse was caught.

• Additional context like location or time can be included in both constructions above without altering their fundamental transitive or intransitive nature.