Japanese Adjectives Three

In this Japanese Adjectives Three, in our Learn Japanese series, we will further explore how to compare things, using adjectives in Japanese.

Use yori, after the object used for comparison.

You want to compare cat A to cat B, as regards size:

       Cat A wa cat B yori ookii desu.

You want to say you like cat A more than cat B:

       Watashi wa Cat B yori cat A ga suki desu.

After the word list are a few examples:

cat = 猫　= ねこ　room = 部屋　= へや　fried noodles = 焼きそば　= やきそば　

fried rice = 焼き飯　= やきめし  yesterday = 昨日  =  きのう　

exam = 試験 　= しけん  last week = 先週 　= せんしゅう  

simple = 簡単　= かんたん

Use yori, after the object used for comparison:

This cat is bigger than that cat.　

     この猫はその猫より大きいです。

I like this cat better than that cat.　

     私はその猫よりこの猫が好きです。

This room is prettier than that room.　

      この部屋はその部屋よりきれいです。

I like this room better than that room.　

    私はその部屋よりこの部屋が好きです。

I like fried rice more than fried noodles.　

     私は焼きそばより焼き飯が好きです。

Mo is sometimes added to yori, but doesn't change the meaning:

Yesterday's exam was easier that last week's.

   昨日の試験は先週のよりも簡単です。

Yori can be placed after the subject in structures that follow other finalised statements:

Peter's cat is big, but Ken's is bigger.

　 ピーターさんの猫は大きいですがケンさんの猫はよりも大きいです。

Comparing Verbs using adjectives

You do this by changng the verb to a noun by adding no after the verb:

                  Verb plain form + no + to + repeat for verb you want to compare it to

                   Nomu  + no  + to  taberu  +  no  + to

Add dochira, which means “which:”

                   Nomu no to taberu no to + dochira

Next add “no hou ga,” which translates “of them:”

                    Nomu no to taberu no to dochira +no hou ga 

Next add the adjective:

                   Nomu no to taberu no to dochira no hou ga + suki ( means to like)

Finally add desu and if you are asking a question, the question particle:

                   Nomu no to taberu no to dochira no hou ga suki + desu ka?

                   Nomu no to taberu no to dochira no hou ga suki desu ka.

After the word list are a few examples:

to drink = 飲む　= のむ　to eat = 食べる　= たべる　to like = 好き　= すき　lion = ライオン

dog　= 犬　= いぬ　fast = 早く　= はやく  to run = 走れる　= はしれる　apple = りんご　

banana = バナナ　delicious = おいしい　

Which do you like better, drinking or eating?　

    飲むのと食べるのとどちらのほうが好きですか。

The answer showing your preference would be:

I prefer drinking.　

    飲むのほうが好きです。.

Or when using straight nouns:

Which can run faster, lions or dogs?　

    ライオンと犬とどちらのほうが早く走れますか。

Lions can run faster.　

     ライオンのほうが早く走れます。

Which tastes better,,apples or bananas?　

      りんごとバナナとどちらのほうがおいしいですか。

I prefer apples.

 　りんごのほうがおいしいです。

You can also use another construction to say the same thing, which uses yori:

I prefer drinking to eating.　

    私は飲むのほうが食べるよリすきです。

For comparing nagatives

For comparing nagatives use hodo.

After the word list are a few examples:

letter = 手紙　= てがみ　to write = 書く　= かく　exam = 試験　= しけん　

to take = 受ける = うける　difficult = むずかしい　to learn = 習う　= ならう　

to teach = 教える　= おしえる　simple = 簡単　= かんたん　baseball = 野球　= やきゅう　

book = 本　= ほん　to read = 読む = よむ　　

Writing a letter is not as difficult as taking an exam.　

    手紙を書くのは試験を受けるほどむずかしくありません。

When you want to say that one thing is just as good as another use:

onaji gurai

I like playing baseball just as much as reading books.

　野球をするのは本を読むのとおなじぐらい好きです。

To form the superlative comparison of adjectives

For this, use ichiban and place just in front of the adjective.

After the word list are a few examples:

father = お父さん　= おとうさん　kind = 優しい　= やさしい　dog = 犬　= いぬ　

horse = 馬　= うま　cat = 猫　ねこ　among = の中で　= のなかで　more = 最も　= もっとも

animals　 = 動物　= どうぶつ　what = 何　= なに

Father is the kindest.　お父さんがいちばん優しいです。

Or when comparing different classes of things, use the phrase no naka de, which means "among":

Among dogs, horses and cats, I like dogs best.

       犬と馬と猫の中で犬が最も好きです。

Among animals what do you like best?

     動物の中で何がいちばん好きですか。

To create adverbs from Japanese adjectives

Do this by adding ni to the stem of a na-adjective.

Add ku to the stem of an i-adjective:

         Takai becomes taka, then add ku, which then makes takaku.

After the word list are a few examples:

To think = 考える = かんえる

The adverb version of ii is yoku.

Please write bigger.

    大きく書いてください。

Please write neatly.　

     きれいに書いてください。

Please think carefully about it?　

    よく考えてください。

Practice

Basic Japanese vocabulary for the below exercise.

It's written first in English, then kanji and finally hiragana:

To drink = 飲む　= のむ　sushi = すし　to eat = 食べる　= たべる　to like = 好き　= すき

to learn　= 習う　= ならう　to teach = 教える　= おしえる　simple = 簡単　= かんたん

soccer　= サッカー　to see= 見る　= みる　baseball = 野球　= やきゅう　

quickly = 早く　= はやく　to study = 勉強する　= べんきょうする　

to work = 働く　= はたらく　to walk = 歩く　= あるく　to run = 走る　= はしる　

difficult = むずかしい　to fish = 釣りをする　= つりをする　friend = 友達　= ともだち　

to speak = 話す　はなす　spider = 蜘蛛　= くも　cockroach = ゴキブリ　

mosquito = 蚊　= か　most = 最も　= もっとも　dislike =  嫌い　= きらい　

person = 人　= ひと　small = 小さい　= ちいさい　big = 大きな　= おおきな　

voice =声　= こえ　to say = 言う　= いう　age = 年齢　ねんれい　

tall = 背が高い　= せがたかい　this week = 今週　こんしゅう　

next week = 先週　= らいしゅう　to rain = 雨が降る = あめがふる　 

Once you have done it, click here to see how you did.

Now, do it again and again until you are perfect and fast.

The only way to remember all this in Japanese Adjectives Three is to practice it on a regular basis.

The best way to do this is:

1. Come back to this page regularly and check yourself on the above 15 Japanese phrases.
2. Write an example of each of the tenses in a small note book, so as to practice them when you have nothing to do, like waiting for a bus.
3. Learn Japanese kanji by also writing the above kanji in a separate notebook and practicing these on a regular basis too.
   

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