Japanese Adjectives Two

In this Japanese Adjectives Two, in our Learn Japanese series, we will further explore how adjectives are put together in Japanese.

Just as in English, you can have more than one adjective in a sentence.

With the "i" い adjectives, you just drop the "i" and add kute:

Takai = taka + kute = takakute

With the "na" な adjectives, you just drop the "na" and add de:

Kouka na = kouka + de = kouka de

The ...te form of ii is yokute

Expensive = 高い　= たかい　red = 赤い = あかい 

bicycle = 自転車　= じてんしゃ　expensive = 高価な　= こうかな 

sturdy = 丈夫な = じょうぶな

This is an expensive, red bicycle.　これは高くて赤い自転車です。

This is an expensive, sturdy bicycle.　これは高価で丈夫な自転車です。

After the word list are a few examples:

Mr Suzuki = 鈴木さん　= すずきさん　clever = 頭がいい　= あたまがいい

kind = 優しい　= やさしい　cool = かっこいい　Peter = ピーターさん

mean = 意地悪　= いじわる　terrible = ひどい　person = 人　= ひと　

big = 大きい gentle = 大人しい　= おとなしい　horse = 馬　= うま　

　

Mr Suzuki is smart, kind and cool.

　  鈴木さんは頭がよくて優しくてかっこいいです。

Peter is a mean and terrible person.　

     ピーターさんは意地悪でひどい人です。

When adjectives come before the noun, you start with the one you want to emphasize the most:

A BIG, gentle horse.　

     大きくて大人しい馬。

A GENTLE, big horse.　

     大人しくて大きい馬。

To form the negative …te form
and a na-adjective

To form the negative …te form, drop the i and add kunakute.

        Takai = taka = takakunakute.

For a na-adjective, add de wa nakute to its stem

         Kirei na = kirei de wa nakute 

After the word list are a few examples:

sushi　= 寿司  = すし　 not very = 余り  = あまり  expensive = 高い = たかい　

delicious = おいしい pretty = きれいな

This sushi is not expensive and is delicious.　  

     この寿司はあまり高くなくておいしいです。

It's not pretty and not very good.

     余りきれいではなくてよくありません。

To form the present negative 
and present negative of a  na-adjective

With the "i" い adjectives, you just drop the "i" and add kunai:

                 Takai = taka + kunai = takakunai

With the "na" な adjectives, you just drop the "na" and add de wa nai:

                 Kouka na = kouka + de wa nai = kouka de wa nai

After the word list are a few examples:

This = この  movie = 映画 = えいが　interesting = 面白い = おもしろい　that = その

dirty　= 汚い = きたない　 face = 顔 　= かお　 to wash = 洗う　= あらう

implies the avoidance of future problems = おいて please = ください  

math = 数学 　= すうがく　problem = 問題 = もんだい　simple = 簡単な = かんたんな　

he = 彼　= かれ　running = 走り = はしり 　poor at = 下手な　 = へたな　

This movie is not interesting.　

     この映画は面白くないです。

This is an uninteresting movie.

   　これは面白くない映画です。

Please wash your dirty face.　

     その汚い顔を洗っておいてください。

That math problem was not easy.　

    その数学の問題は簡単ではありませんでした。

He was not poor at running.　

     彼は走りが下手ではありませんでした。

To form the past positive

With the "i" い adjectives, you just drop the "i" and add katta:

                         Takai = taka + katta = takakatta

With the "na" な adjectives, you just drop the "na" and add deshita:

                         Kouka na = kouka + deshita = kouka deshita

After the below word list are a few examples:

car = 車 =  くるま　cheap = 安い　= やすい delicious =  おいしい 

That movie was interesting.　

   その映画は面白かったです。

His car was cheap.　

    彼の車は安かったです。

The sushi was delicious.　

    その寿司はおいしかったです。

Past Positive na-adjective

That math problem was easy.　

    その数学の問題は簡単でした。

He was poor at running.

  　彼は走りが下手でした。

To form the past negative

With the "i" い adjectives, you just drop the "i" and add kunakatta:

Takai = taka + kunakatta = takakunakatta

With the "na" な adjectives, you just drop the "na" and

add arimasen deshita:

Kouka na = kouka + de wa arimasen deshita = kouka de wa arimasen deshita

That movie was not interesting.　

    その映画は面白くなかったです。

His car was not cheap.　

    彼の車は安くなかったです。

Past negative na-adjective

That was not a very beautiful apartment.

  　それはあまりきれいなアパートではありませんでした。

That was not a serious conversation.

  　それはまじめな話ではありませんでした。

Practice

Basic Japanese vocabulary for the below exercise.

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

Commute = 通勤　= つうきん　convenient = 便利な　= べんりな　rent = 家賃　= やちん

expensive　= 高い   = たかい　very= とても  pretty = きれいな　car = 車　= くるま　

Professor Yamada = 山田先生　= やまだせんせい　strict = 厳しい　= きびしい　

even if ...。。。ても　to mind = かまう　shirt(s) = シャツ　washing = 洗濯　= せんたく　

simple = 簡単　= かんたん　last week = 先週　= せんしゅう  trip = 旅行　= りょこう　

to be fun = 楽しい　= たのしい　math = 数学　= すうがく　homework = 宿題　しゅくだい

difficult = 難しい　= むずかしい　hot = 暑い　= あつい　don't you think? = でしょう　

business meeting = 会議　= かいぎ　short= 短かい　= みじかい　

Saturday = 土曜日 = どようび　

 

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 Two 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 12 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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