What is grammar? When we try to tell something, we use “words” and the words should put together to create a proper sentence. In order to make your sentences correctly, you must follow its “set of rules“.
Units of words and how to create sentences
- Units of words
Phrases that are one of the units of words and it refers to the shortest part of a range that makes sense are important when you think Japanese grammar. When you first learned grammar, it is said that “A place that isn’t unnatural if you put 「ネ」(ne) is a delimit of a phrase.”.
e.g.)「今日はとてもいい天気です。」(Kyo u ha to te mo i i te n ki de su) =It is very good weather today.
→「今日はネ／とてもネ／いい天気です。」
「赤いチューリップの花が咲いた。」(a ka i tyu-rippu no ha na ga sa i ta) =Red tulip flowers bloomed.
→「赤いネ／チューリップのネ／花がネ／咲いた。」
Units of words are arranged in descending order of units: sentences > sentence(“.” to “.”) > phrase > word.
- How to create sentences
A sentence is made of:
- Subject: 雨が降る。(a me ga hu ru) It is rain.
- Predicate (Verb): 虫が鳴く。(mu shi ga na ku) Insects crow.
- Modifier: 彼は、速く走れる。(ka re wa ha ya ku ha shi re ru) He can run fast.
- Conjunction: おなかが空いたので、お菓子を食べた。(o na ka ga su i ta no de o ka shi wo ta be ta) I ate snacks because I’m hungry.
- Independent word: さあ、行こう！(sa- i ko u) Alright, let’s go!
Part of speech
- A part of speech
- Independent words that have to utilize: Verb, Adjective, Adjective verb
- A group whose basic form of a word’s the end with a sound of 「う(u)」 syllable such as「書く(ka ku=write)」and「読む(yo mu=read)」 is called Verb.
- A group whose basic form of a word’s the end with a sound of 「い(i)」 syllable such as 「楽しい(ta no shi i=enjoynable)」and「多い(o o i=many)」 is called Adjective.
- A group whose basic form of a word’s the end with a sound of 「だ(da)」 syllable such as 「穏やかだ(o da ya ka da=calm)」and「元気だ(ge n ki da=fine)」 is called Adjective verb.
- These three part of speech that can become Predicate alone are called 「用言(yo u ge n=inflection)」.
- Independent words that don’t have to utilize: Noun, Adverb, Ad-nominal, Conjunction, Interjection
- A group which mainly becomes subject such as 「私(wa ta shi=I)」and「富士山 (Fu ji sa n=Mt. Fuji)」 is called Noun.
- A noun that can become Subject alone is called 「体言(ta i ge n=substantive)」.
- A group which mainly becomes attributive modifier that qualifies inflections such as 「とても(to te mo=really)」and「すぐに(su gu ni=soon)」 is called Adverb.
- A group which mainly becomes attributive modifier that qualifies substantives such as 「あの(a no=that)」and「たいした(ta i shi ta=great)」 is called Ad-nominal.
- A group which becomes connected words such as 「だから(da ka ra=so)」and「しかし(shi ka shi=but)」 is called Conjunction.
- A group which becomes independent words such as 「はい(ha i=Yes)」and「こんにちは(ko n ni chi wa=Hello)」 is called Interjection.
- A group which mainly becomes subject such as 「私(wa ta shi=I)」and「富士山 (Fu ji sa n=Mt. Fuji)」 is called Noun.
- A dependent word that has utilize: Auxiliary verb
- A dependent word that doesn’t have to utilize: Post-position
Demonstrative
It is a word pointing things, nature, condition etc. is called 「”こそあど”言葉(“ko so a do” ko to ba)」.
“This” 「これ(ko re)」 (近称=Ki n sho u) is close to you.
“That” 「あれ(a re)」(中称=Chu- sho u) is far from you and the other person.
“That” 「それ(so re)」(遠称=E n sho u) is close to the other person.
“Which” 「どれ(do re)」(不定称=Fu te i sho u) is not determined how far from you.
Type of sentence
- Categorization of meaning
- Declarative sentence 平叙文(he i jo bu n): It is a sentence that describe a meaning of assertion and guess. It is common that a declaration phrase is the final form of inflection or auxiliary verb.
- e.g.) 私は会社員です。(wa ta shi wa ka i sha i n de su)=I’m a office worker.
- Interrogative sentence 疑問文(gi mo n bu n): It is a sentence that states a meaning of interrogation and rhetorical question. It is common that a declaration phrase’s end with “ka(?)” of a particle.
- e.g.)今日のお昼ご飯は何を食べましたか。(kyo u no o hi ru go ha n wa na ni wo ta be ma shi ta ka)=What did you eat for lunch today?
- Exclamatory sentence 感嘆文(ka n ta n bu n): It is a sentence that meaning of impression. It is often accompanied by interjection and the proportional particle that express a meaning of impression.
- e.g.)ああ、素敵な景色だ。(a a ki re i na ke shi ki da)=Wow, what a beautiful landscape!
- Imperative sentence 命令文(me i re i bu n): It is a sentence that describes a meaning of instruction, prohibition, and desire. A declaration phrase finish the form of instruction and 「な(na)」that express prohibition.
- e.g.)ここでたばこは吸うな。(ko ko de ta ba ko wo su u na)=Do not smoke here.
- Categorization of structure
- Simple sentence 単文(ta n bu n): It is a sentence that consists only of a relationship between subject and predicate.
- e.g.)私は会社員です。(wa ta shi wa ka i sha i n de su)=I’m a office worker.
- Complex sentence 複文(hu ku bu n): It is a sentence that has multiple relationships between subject and predicate and is not in a parallel relationship.
- e.g.)私は会社員を辞め、教師になった。(wa ta shi wa ka i sha i n wo ya me kyo u shi ni na tta)=I quit a office worker and became a teacher.
- Compound sentence 重文(ju u bu n): It is a sentence that has multiple relationships between subject and predicate and is a parallel relationship.
- e.g.)私は教師になり、彼は医師になった。(wa ta shi wa kyo u shi ni na ri ka re wa i sha ni na tta)=I became a teacher and he became a doctor.
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