In this Japanese Particles Three, of our Learn Japanese series, we will look at "no, mo" and "mou.
Let's start off with "no." In hiragana, this is の.
It can often be loosely translated as "of, 's."
It basically indicates that something belongs to something else.
After the word list are a few examples:
That = それ Kana (a girl's name ) = カナ umbrella = 傘 = かさ
problem = 問題 = もんだい trip = たび Tokyo = 東京 = とうきょう
festival = 祭り = まつり a lot = たくさん person = 人 = ひと cake = ケーキ
letter= 手紙 = てがみ Peter = ピーター
To indicate possession
That's Kana's umbrella.
それはカナの傘です。
It can sometimes replace ga in clauses that modify a noun
It was not a trouble-free trip.
それは問題のないたびではありませんでした。
It comes after some adjectives
Many people were at the festival in Tokyo.
東京の祭りにたくさんの人がいました。
Use it to make informal questions
Aren't you going to eat some cake?
ケーキは食べないの？
Use it between prepositions and nouns to make the noun the object of the preposition
Compare the following sentences:
This letter came from Peter.
この手紙はピーターからきました。
This is a letter from Peter.
これはピーターからの手紙です。
It basically means "also."
After the below word list are a few examples:
House = 家 = いえ dog = 犬 = いぬ cat = 猫 = ねこ
older brother = 兄 = あに cake = ケーキ
Takasaki City = 高崎 = たかさき Kyoto = 京都 = きょうと what = なに
to drink = 飲む = のむ
We have a dog in our home. We also have a cat.
家に犬がいます。猫もいます。
Peter ate my cake. He also ate my older brother's cake.
ピーターは私のケーキを食べました。兄のケーキも食べました。
He went to Takasaki. He also went to Kyoto.
彼は高崎に行きました。京都も行きました。
It is also used to emphasize "any," sometimes being combined with other particles.
I can't drink anything now.
今私はなにも飲まれません。
It basically "already."
station = 駅 = えき to arrive = 着く = つく train = 列車 = れっしゃ
to leave = 出てしまう = でてしまう she = 彼女 = かのじょ always = いつも
late = 遅い = おそい letter = 手紙 = てがみ to run = 走る = はしる that = あの
person = 人 = ひと to stand = 我慢 = がまん once = いちど to do = やる
He already did it.
彼はもうしました。
When I arrived at the station, the train had already left.
駅に着いたら列車はもう出てしまっていた。
It's also used to introduce a complaint:
Oh, she is
always late.
もう彼女いつも遅いです。
It can mean “yet.”
Has the letter come yet?
もう手紙はきましたか。
It also means “anymore.”
I can’t run anymore.
もう走れません。
It can also have the meaning "No longer:"
I can no longer stand that person.
もうあの人には我慢がなりません。
It also has the meaning of "again/another:"
I’ll do it again.
もういちどやってみます。
Another meaning is "soon:"
He will soon arrive.
彼はもう着きます。
Basic Japanese vocabulary for the below exercise.
It's written first in English, then kanji and finally hiragana:
That = それ I = 私 = わたし computer = コンピュータ this(polite) = こちら
money = お金 = おかね Mr Suzuki = 鈴木さん = すずきさん
lesson = 授業 = じゅぎょう a lot = たくさん question = 質問 しつもん
what = 何か = なにか Yuriko = ユリコ
from = から postcard = 葉書 = はがき pocket = ポケット apple = りんご
banana = バナナ now = 今 = いま train = 電車 = でんしゃ
to arrive = 着く = つく always = いつも complaint = 文句 = もんく
to say = 言う = いう to look in the eye = 目を見る = めをみる can = ことができる
Try to translate English to Japanese for the below sentences, using the above list of words.
1. That's my computer.
2. This is Mr Suzuki, who has no money.
3. In the lesson there were many questions.
4. Won't you drink something?
5. This postcard came from Yuriko.
6. I have a apple in my pocket. I also have a banana.
7. I have nothing now.
8. The train has already arrived.
9. Oh, you always complain.
10. Have you eaten yet?
11. I can’t drink anymore.
12. I can no longer
look her in the eye.
Once you have done it, click here to see how you did.
The only way to remember all this in Japanese Particles Three is to practice it on a regular basis.
The best way to do this is: