Language/Japanese/Grammar/Adjectives
In today's lesson, we will be discussing Japanese adjectives. Adjectives are an important part of the Japanese language and are used to describe nouns. We will look at how to form adjectives, how to use them in sentences, and how to make comparisons with them. We will also look at some common adjectives and how they are used. By the end of this lesson, you should have a better understanding of Japanese adjectives. Please feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
Forming Adjectives
Adjectives in Japanese are formed in two ways: by adding the suffixes -i or -na to the stem of the adjective, or by using the verb stem plus the suffix -ku.
-i and -na Suffixes
The -i suffix is used for adjectives that end in a consonant, while the -na suffix is used for adjectives that end in a vowel. For example, the adjective 'big' is ookii in Japanese, and the adjective 'small' is chiisai.
Verb Stem + -ku
The verb stem plus the -ku suffix is used to form adjectives from verbs. For example, the verb 'to be happy' is ureshii in Japanese, and the adjective 'happy' is ureshiku.
Using Adjectives in Sentences
Adjectives can be used in sentences to describe nouns. For example, the sentence 'The cat is big' can be translated as 'Neko wa ookii desu'.
Adjectives can also be used to make comparisons. For example, the sentence 'The cat is bigger than the dog' can be translated as 'Neko wa inu yori ookii desu'.
Common Adjectives
Here are some common adjectives in Japanese:
- Ookii (big)
- Chiisai (small)
- Ureshii (happy)
- Kanashii (sad)
- Yasashii (kind)
- Kirei (beautiful)
- Sugoi (amazing)
- Hayai (fast)
- Osoi (slow)
- Atarashii (new)
- Furui (old)
These adjectives can be used to describe people, places, and things. For example, the sentence 'The cat is old' can be translated as 'Neko wa furui desu'.
Conclusion
In this lesson, we have looked at how to form adjectives, how to use them in sentences, and how to make comparisons with them. We have also looked at some common adjectives and how they are used. With this knowledge, you should now have a better understanding of Japanese adjectives.