In Japanese Adjectives One, of our Learn Japanese series, we will learn how to make simple sentences with adjectives.
There are two main types:
The "i" い adjectives, called so because they end in "i," like samui.
The "na" な adjectives, called so because they are followed by "na," like kantan na, when the adjective comes before the noun.
The below sentences both mean the same, but in one there is an "i" adjective and in the
other there is an "na" adjective.
Expensive = 高い = たかい bicycle = 自転車 = じてんしゃ
expensive = 高価な = こうかな
This is an expensive bicycle. これは高い自転車です。
This is an expensive bicycle. これは高価な自転車です。
After the word list are a few examples:
Hotel = ホテル delicious = おいしい food = 料理 = りょうり
to serve = 出す = だす today = 今日 = きょう hot = 暑い = あつい
simple = 簡単な = かんたんな question = 質問 = しつもん
house = 家 = いえ post office = 郵便局 = ゆうびんきょく
near = 近くて = ちかくて convenient = 便利 = べんり
They serve delicious food at this hotel.
このホテルはおいしい料理を出します。
It’s hot today, isn’t it?
今日は暑いですね。
It’s an easy question for me.
私には便利な質問です。
My house is convenient for the post office.
私の家は郵便局に近くて便利です。
After the word list are a few examples:
That = その sick = 病気 = びょうき person = 人 = ひと who = 誰 = だれ
author = 著者 = ちょしゃ unknown = 不明の = ふめいの
book = 本 = ほん to read = 読む = よむ English = イギリスの
newspaper = 新聞 = しんぶん
Who is that sick person?
その病気の人は誰ですか。
I read a book from an unknown author.
著者不明の本を読みました。
This is an English newspaper
これはイギリスの新聞です。
After the below word list are a few examples:
England = イギリス to sell = 売る = うる newspaper = 新聞 = しんぶん
stomach = お腹 = おなか to be empty = つく
This is a newspaper sold in England.
これはイギリスで売っている新聞です。
I'm not hungry.
お腹はついていません。
Basic Japanese vocabulary for the below exercise.
It's written first in English, then kanji and finally hiragana:
fance = フランス to eat = 食 べる = たべる fruit = 果物 = くだもの
clever = 頭のよい = あたまのよい person = 人 = ひと
gullible = 騙されやすい = だまされやすい cheap = 安い = やすい car = 車 = くるま
green = 緑 = みどり dress = ドレス to wear = 着る = きる cute = かわいい
dog = 犬 = いぬ that = その rich = 金持ち = かねもち who = 誰 = だれ
big(special) = 大きな = おおきな friend = 友達 = ともだち letter = 手紙 = てがみ
to write = 書く = かく English = イギリスの gardesn = 庭 = にわ
today = 今日 = きょう cold = 寒い = さむい 元気 happy = げんき
baby = 赤ん坊 = あかんぼう yesterday = 昨日 = きのう
interesting = 面白い = おもしろい movie = 映画 = えいが to see = 見る = みる
Try to translate English to Japanese for the below sentences, using the above list of words.
1. This is a fruit eaten in France
2. He is a clever man.
3. You're a gullible person, aren't you?
4. This is a cheap car.
5. She is wearing a green dress.
6. That is a cute dog.
7. Who is that rich person?
8. I wrote a letter to my special friend.
9. This is an English garden.
10. It’s cold today, isn’t it?
11. She is a healthy baby.
12. I watched an interesting movie yesterday.
Once you have done it, click here to see how you did.
The only way to remember all this in Japanese Adjectives One is to practice it on a regular basis.
The best way to do this is: