Foreign languages, not just Japanese, are difficult.
But it would surely be a lot of fun if you could speak freely.
Today, let's read the article "Let's talk using adjectives" from the Basic Conversation Level Start series.
If you memorize adjectives and can talk about how things are, your Japanese will become much richer!
Now, let's do our best in our studies today.
●If you find it difficult to read, please try reading the translation of this page into other languages such as English or Chinese. You can select the language you want to display using the button on the top right of the page.
●Please read all the "words" and sample sentences out loud. It's OK if you can speak them with a comfortable voice.
① [Beat]...The beat for pronouncing Japanese words. Speak each sound clearly, as if you were hitting a drum or typing on a keyboard.
● Imagine the situation and feelings you are having while speaking, and the person listening to you. "Where am I?" "What time is it?" "What am I doing?" And "What do I want to say?" → "Okay! Let's talk about my feelings and thoughts like this!"
Read the book imagining the feelings and emotions of the person speaking. Then say out loud the example words and sentences in Japanese. If the Japanese you speak matches the image of the adjectives perfectly and you can say the words out loud, it will be very lively and good Japanese.
Even if you do the same thing or see the same thing, your feelings will vary widely, and that's okay. The big task is to find the Japanese words to express what's inside your heart.
1. Make sure you remember these adjective words!
2. Why are there adjectives with "i" and "na"?
3. When expressing with two adjectives
4. Expressing reasons using adjectives
1. Make sure you remember these adjective words!
First, let's study vocabulary.
We will review basic vocabulary in two groups: "i-adjectives" and "na-adjectives."
There are probably many words you already know, so please review them.
Use a dictionary to remember basic meanings of words you don't know.
-① I adjective
Hot (atsui) [3] ： a tsu i →Example) It’s hot today.
It's cold (samui) [3] : sa mu i
Hot (atsui) [3] : a tsu i →Example) This soup is really hot!
Cold (tsumetai) [4] :
Takai (expensive) [3] : ta ka i →Example) This chocolate is really expensive! / Tokyo Skytree is really expensive!
Cheap (yasu) [3] : ya su i
Low (hikui) [3] : hi ku i
Big (Ookii) [4] ：oo ki i
Small (chiisai) [4] : chi i sa i
Wide [3] : hi ro i
Narrow (narrow) [3] : se ma i
Many (ooi) [3] : ooi
Few (sukunai) [4] :
New (atarashii) [5] : a ta ra shi i
Old (old) [3] ：fu ru i
Long (nagai) [3] : na ga i
Short [4] ：mi ji ka i
Heavy (omoi) [3] : o mo i
Light (karui) [3] ： ka ru i
Bright (akarui) [4] ：a ka ru i
Dark [3] ：ku ra i
Dirty (kitanai) [4] : dirty
Round (marui) [3] ：ma ru i
Square [4] ： shi ka ku i
Fun ( fun ) [4]
I'm happy (I 'm happy ) [4]
Lonely (sabishii) [4] : sa bi shi i
Scary (frightening) [3] : ko wa i
Sleepy (nemui) [3] : ne mu i
Interesting (interesting) [5] : o mo shi ro i
Boring [5] : boring
Busy [5] : I so ga shi i
Difficult (difficult) [5] :
Noisy [4] ：u ru sa i
Easy [4] ：ya sa shi i
Cool (cool) [5] : ka k ko ii
Delicious (delicious) [4] ：oi shi i
Sweet (amai) [3] : a ma i
Spicy (spicy) [3] : ka ra i
Bitter (nigai) [3] : ni ga i
Good (ii) [2] : ii
↑※When writing, you say "yoi" as a proper expression. When conjugating in the normal form, make a word from "yoi".
Good [2]: yo i ⇒ not good, good, not good, etc.
【Tips!】
Most color words are nouns, but only the following six can also be used as adjectives.
Red [3] ： a ka i
Black (kuroi) [3] : ku ro i
White (shiroi) [3] : shi ro i
Blue (ao) [3] : aoi
Yellow [4] : ki i ro i
Brown (chairoi) [4] : cha i ro i
-② adjective
Genki (Energetic) [3] : ge N ki
Quiet (Shizuka) [3] : shi zu ka
Lively (busy) [4] : ni gi ya ka
Convenient [3] : be N ri
Inconvenience [3] ：fu be N
Easy [4] : ka N ta N
Free time [2] : hi ma
Wonderful [3] : su te ki
Important (Taisetsu) [4] ： ta i se tsu
Like (like) [2] : su ki
Dislike [3] : ki ra i
Skilled [3] : jyo o zu
Heta (poor) [2] ：he ta
Worry (shinpai) [4] : shi N pai
Famous [4] : yu u me i
Beautiful (clean) [3] : ki re i
2. Why are there adjectives with "i" and "na"?
First, let's look at some basic adjectives that you should remember. (See the previous section "1")
Why are there two types of adjectives in Japanese? What is the difference between "i-adjectives" and "na-adjectives"?
First, let me tell you the secret behind your name.
■When attached to a word (= noun) to add detailed information, they take the form "~i" or "~na" respectively.
Example: Test ← So, what does this noun "test" mean? If you simply say "test, " it's hard for the listener to understand and imagine what it means .
"I-adjectives": A difficult test
"Na adjectives": A simple test
In this way, the set of "adjective + noun" can be used to describe in more detail "what something is" as if it were a single word.
The same applies below.
● Delicious ramen
● Expensive car
● Quiet night
Free time
....
Each language has its own rules for changing the form of words, called "conjugation."
↓↓
As an "i" adjective, for example: hot (atsui)
Hot Not hot It was hot It wasn't hot
You can see that words are made up of the tail parts of "atsu" + "i" etc.
It 's hot every day. [4,3]
It's not hot today. [3,5 ]
It was hot yesterday. [4,5]
It wasn't hot last week . [5,7]
As an "adjective" Example: Shizuka (quiet)
It's quiet. It's not quiet. It was quiet. It wasn't quiet.
"Shizuka" remains the same as "Shizuka". The tail part is added separately to the end of the word to complete the shape, and you can see that each part becomes a sentence with its own meaning. From this point of view, you can think of it in the same way as a noun. *I would be happy if you think of easy-to-remember words as "na adjectives" .
This town is quiet . [5,4]
This store is not quiet . [5,6 ]
The sea was calm in the morning. [6,6 ]
The movie theater was not quiet . [6,8]
This rule applies to all adjectives. Some of them are a little long and may be confusing, but you should practice them thoroughly and memorize them.
[Here are some points to note!]
→As you can see from this organization, please note that the difference between "i-adjectives" and "na-adjectives" is not the difference between the final sound of the word, "i" or "na."
Below are four "na" adjectives that are easily confused.
Beautiful [3] : ki re i
dislike [3] : ki ra i
Worry (na) [4] : shi N pa i
Famous [4] : yu u me i
As words, these (even in the form they appear in dictionaries) all end with "i," but they are "na adjectives."
Let's look at the conjugation of the word 'kirai' (hate) as an example.
I don't hate it, I don't hate it, I didn't hate it
I do n't like green peppers. [5,4 ]
I don't dislike shiitake mushrooms. [5,6]
I used to hate carrots. [4,5,6]
I 've never disliked beans. [5,3,8]
As shown above, the form of the word changes by following the rules for "na adjectives."
If you remember this much, you'll be able to take the first step in your studies.
In the next section, we'll look at how to create sentences using adjectives.
3. When expressing with two adjectives
When you want to talk about "something," using two adjectives can help you convey a more detailed feeling.
When you want to speak using two adjectives, make sentences following the rules below.
■Let's use the "te form"
The "te form" is a form of words for various connections. Let's memorize each of the "i" and "na" adjectives.
"I-adjective" ・・◯◯ i ⇒ ◯◯ kute
Example: Delicious ⇒ Delicious
"Na adjective"... ◯◯ ⇒ ◯◯ de *We could also say "de form", but for the sake of grammatical organization we have standardized on the name "[te] form".
Example: I'm fine ⇒ I'm fine
"I-adjectives" also change the tail of the word, but "na-adjectives" are as simple as adding "de" to the tail.
Now let's actually create a sentence.
↓↓
① Talk about the lunch at this restaurant . It's delicious and cheap.
...Example) The lunch at this restaurant is delicious and cheap . [10]
② Talk about "this computer." It 's old and slow.
...Example sentence) This computer is old and heavy . [9] ：fu ru ku te o mo i de su
③ Talk about "A University's library." It's clean and quiet.
...Example sentence) The library at University A is clean and quiet . [9]
④ Talk about "part-time work on rainy days." Bored/ bored
...Example) Working part-time on a rainy day is boring and boring . [10] ：hi ma de tsu ma ra na i de su
This way you can speak quite freely.
The Tokyo subway is cheap and convenient .
My elementary school class was always lively and energetic . [11 ]
I long for long, beautiful (hair) like hers. [8(-2)] ：na ga ku te ki re i na (-ka mi)
Hmm, it's a small and dirty (karaoke place) . [8(-4)] ：se ma ku te ki ta na i (-ka ra o ke)
This juice is bitter and not tasty . [10]
This room is old and a little smelly ... [4(3-)3] ：fu ru ku te ( su ko shi -) ku sa i
I realized after I moved here that the neighborhood is inconvenient and noisy all day long .
*This helps you to understand much better what the speaker is trying to say, whether it's positive or negative.
■ Use "but." Speak in two sentences.
Example : Studying kanji is difficult . But it's fun ! [7, 2 ,6]
[Like the example above, when you want to talk about a positive thing and a negative thing together , use two sentences with the word "but."]
＜Positive things＞ ・＜Negative things＞
This smartphone has a good camera. But it's a little small . [4+1,2,(3-)4+2] ：yo i de su +ne, de mo , ( su ko shi- ) chi i sa i +ka na
＜Negative things＞・＜Positive things＞
This restaurant is a little expensive . But the pizza here is really delicious! [5,2,6+1] ：ta ka i de su, de mo oi shi i de su +yo
This movie is long . But it was interesting . [3,2,9+1] ：na ga i, de mo , o mo shi ro ka t ta de su +yo
This bag is a little heavy. Oh, but the inside is really big . [(3-)5+1,2,(3-)6+1]： ( su ko shi- ) o mo i de su +ne, de mo , ( su go ku- ) oo ki i de su +ne
He is a nice guy. But sometimes he is really noisy! [6＋1,2,(4,5-)4] ：ya sa shi i de su ＋yo, de mo , ( to ki do ki, ho N to o ni-) u ru sa i
This company is really busy . But the salary is very good . [5,2,(3-,5-)2+3] ：i so ga shi i, de mo ( su go ku-, kyu u ryo o ga-) ii +N de su
■ Express your feelings at the end of the sentence!
At the end of this section, let's look at how to speak when using adjectives that express impressions (images) or feelings .
First, the example sentence mentioned above. ↓
"Working part-time on rainy days is boring and boring ."
I'm bored... (so)... it's boring
↑Cause ↑※Conclusion: Feelings
If you speak in this order, your Japanese will sound natural and beautiful.
Example: This is sweet and delicious . [8<4,4>]
↑This (=sweets, etc.) is sweet. And the overall impression is that it is "delicious."
Example: This cafe is always quiet, and I like it. [6<4,2>] ：shi zu ka de, su ki
↑The cafe is quiet. That's one of the reasons why I like it .
In this way, first use adjectives to provide information about "something," and then secondly, use adjectives to describe how you thought or felt.
Mr. A is really cool and wonderful ! [(5-) 6,4+1] ：( ho N to o ni-) ka k ko yo ku te, su te ki da +na
This class is easy and fun ! [5,4] ：ka N ta N de, ta no shi i
Ah, this song has a good rhythm and is interesting . [(4-)3,5+1] ：( ri zu mu ga-) yo ku te, o mo shi ro i +na
The karaoke place near my school is dirty and I don't like it .
My dog has been feeling unwell lately, and I'm worried about him .
4. Expressing reasons using adjectives
This ice cream is so delicious I eat it every day.
↑※Reason (↑What I want to talk about)
●I think that if you express what you want to say using adjectives and give reasons for it, like in the example sentence above, it will be a very simple and easy-to-understand sentence.
＜How(adjective)＞ → Therefore → "It is/is 〜〜〜."
(↑What I want to talk about)
Here too, let's use the connection form (the te form conjugation).
Example: This ice cream is so delicious that I eat it every day. [5,(4-)6+2] ： oi shi ku te , ( ma i ni chi- ) ta be cha u N da +yo ne
Example: My dog is very energetic and wants to go for a walk every day. [(3-)4,(4-) 15 +1]:
In this way, you can state the reason simply with one adjective, and then say what you want to say after "-kutetsu" or "-de."
"I-adjective"
I was so busy last week that I didn't have time to eat a proper meal every day.
I'm so sleepy today that I can't concentrate on anything even though I'm studying. [4,(7,4-)9] : I ca n't concentrate on anything even though I'm studying.
He is kind and popular with everyone. [ 5,(5-)3]
These takoyaki are so hot that you might get burned if you put them in your mouth .
"Na adjective"
This is a quiet place where I can concentrate on writing .
I was so bored that I fell asleep before I knew it. [3, (6-) 10+1] ： I was so bored that I fell asleep before I knew it.
But this photo is important to me , so I didn't throw it away. [5, (6-) 11] ： I kept it , (I'm so glad I did)
He is a bad singer and has finally stopped coming to karaoke. [(3-) 3, (6,4-) 10] ：( u ta ga-) he ta de , ( ka ra o ke ni mo, to o to o-) ko na ku na t te shi ma t ta
Using just one adjective can make Japanese feel more lively!
That's all for today's study.
Let's work hard to become fluent in Japanese!
In today's blog post, as a first step in speaking using adjectives, we have looked at the basic forms of how to construct sentences, while keeping in mind the classification of "i-adjectives" and "na-adjectives."
All of these are important Japanese language patterns, so be sure to review them thoroughly and use them in your own words.
When speaking a foreign language, the size of your vocabulary is what matters most in any situation.
Make sure you remember the vocabulary well. Daily practice will surely lead to great results.
Once you have memorized the words, speak politely, seriously, and formally in the sentence patterns. The Japanese you use in practice will become a memory you will never forget, and will become your language skills. By doing this, you will naturally be able to remember vocabulary that was difficult to remember.
This environment, where internal practice and real-life situations are alternated, is ideal for improving your Japanese.
Foreign languages are difficult, but they're also a lot of fun.
We hope that your studies will help you to advance your career in Japan!
If you are having trouble studying on your own, please feel free to come and see us at JLS for our Japanese lessons.
You'll be amazed at the discoveries you'll make about the Japanese language in lessons taught by professional teachers with extensive experience and a proven track record.
We will do our best to support everyone coming from overseas.
Thank you very much for reading the article today.
