Language/Japanese/Grammar/Adjective-Conjugation

Japanese Grammar → Adjectives and Adverbs → Adjective Conjugation

As a Japanese language teacher for over 20 years, I have found that mastering adjectives and adverbs is essential to becoming proficient in the language. In this lesson, we will focus on how to conjugate adjectives and compare them using the basic pattern ～より～. By the end of the lesson, you will be able to use adjectives properly in your Japanese writing and speech.

Adjective Conjugation

In Japanese, adjectives come in two forms: i-adjectives and na-adjectives. i-adjectives end with い, while na-adjectives end with な. When it comes to conjugation, the rules differ slightly for each type.

Conjugating i-Adjectives

To conjugate i-adjectives into the present tense, simply remove the い and add い for affirmative sentences, or remove the い and add くない for negative sentences. For example:

Japanese	Pronunciation	English
高い (takai)	ta-ka-i	high, expensive
高くない (takakunai)	ta-ka-ku-na-i	not high, not expensive

To conjugate i-adjectives into the past tense, remove the い and add かった for affirmative sentences, or remove the い and add くなかった for negative sentences. For example:

Japanese	Pronunciation	English
静かだった (shizukadatta)	shi-zu-ka-da-ta	was quiet
静かじゃなかった (shizukajanakatta)	shi-zu-ka-ja-na-ka-ta	was not quiet

Conjugating na-Adjectives

To modify a noun with a na-adjective, simply put the na-adjective before the noun. Na-adjectives themselves do not change for tense. For example:

Japanese	Pronunciation	English
忙しい (isogashii)	i-so-ga-shi-i	busy
忙しい人 (isogashii hito)	i-so-ga-shi-i hi-to	a busy person

Comparison using ～より～

To compare two things using adjectives, use the pattern ～より～. The thing being compared is marked by ～より, and the adjective is used in the basic い-form. For example:

Japanese	Pronunciation	English
田中さんは私より背が高いです (Tanaka-san wa watashi yori se ga takai desu)	Ta-na-ka-san wa wa-ta-shi yori se ga ta-ka-i desu	Tanaka-san is taller than me.

Practice

Here are some practice exercises for you to try on your own:

• Translate the following sentences into Japanese using the correct adjective form:

1. I am not hungry. (use お腹がすいていない)
2. The movie was interesting. (use 面白かった)
3. The weather today is sunny. (use 晴れている)

• Make a comparison sentence using the following pairs of adjectives:

1. Busy - not busy
2. Delicious - not delicious
3. Beautiful - ugly

Sources

• Japanese Adjectives and Adverbs
• Japanese Verb Conjugation

Table of Contents - Japanese Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Hiragana Basics

• Hiragana Reading and Writing Practice
• Introduction to Japanese Sentence Structure
• Particle は and が
• Verb Conjugation
• Noun and Adjective Modification
• Question Words and Phrases

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Greetings
• Introducing Yourself and Others
• Describing People
• Counting Numbers and Time
• Basic Food and Drink Terminology
• Daily Activities and Hobbies
• Basic Directions and Transportation

  ---

Geography and History

• Introduction to Japanese Geography
• Brief History of Japan
• Traditional Arts and Customs
• Popular Culture and Entertainment

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjective Conjugation
• Adjective Types and Usage
• Adverb Types and Usage
• Comparison and Superlative
• Adjective and Adverbial Modification

  ---

Family and Social Relations

• Family Members and Titles
• Social Etiquette and Expressions
• Basic Workplace and Business Terminology
• Shopping and Consumer Culture

  ---

Religion and Philosophy

• Shinto and Buddhism
• Zen and Samurai Culture
• Contemporary Spiritual Movements

  ---

Particles and Conjunctions

• Particles に and で
• Particles へ and を
• Particles も and しか
• Conjunctions and Compound Sentences
• Conditional and Hypothetical Sentences

  ---

Travel and Tourism

• Basic Travel and Tourism Vocabulary
• Famous Tourist Attractions and Landmarks
• Japanese Hospitality and Service Culture

  ---

Education and Science

• Educational System and Vocabulary
• Traditional and Modern Science and Technology
• Natural Disasters and Risk Prevention

  ---

Prepositions and Interjections

• Prepositions and Postpositions
• Emphasis and Intensification
• Exclamation and Impression Expressions

  ---

Arts and Media

• Film and Theater Terminology
• Music and Dance Terminology
• Art and Literature Terminology

  ---

Politics and Society

• Basic Political Vocabulary
• Social Issues and Controversies
• Japanese Business and Work Culture