Japanese Grammar
Japanese Grammar
The Tired Feeling
Once upon a time, there was a man who easily got tired by speaking. One day, he met his wife’s mother. She said to the man, “Did you often hear it from my daughter?” He answered, “そうなのですよ！ よく聞きましたよ！” (“Yes, I heard it very often! “) He also said this several times, “すみません。” (“Sorry.”)
As they talked longer and longer, the man eventually got tired. His wife’s mother asked to him, “You often heard it from my daughter, didn’t you?” He answered, “そうなんですよ！ よっききましたよ。" (“Yes, I heard it very often.”) He finally said, “すんません、ちょっと疲れました。” (“Sorry, I’m a little bit tired.”)
Here, let's think about grammar.
Formula: "そう" + "な" + "ん" + "です" + "よ！"
Well, ... excuse me... sorry,...I’m tired. I need to have coffee. Good bye! See you! すんません。
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Something You Have Just Mentioned
............こと : This expression is often used to make a noun clause from something you have just mentioned on the part ".............".
食べる (たべる) : to eat (verb)
食べること : eating, an action that you eat something (noun)
食べることについて : about eating ("食べる" is something you have just mentioned before "こと".)
書く (かく) : to write (verb)
書いた。(かいた) : You wrote it.
食べることについてエッセイを書いた。: I wrote an essay about eating.
聞く (きく) : to hear, to listen (verb)
聞いた。(きいた) : You heard it.
テレビのニュースで聞いた。: You heard something on the tv news.
テレビのニュースで聞いたこと : something you heard on the tv news ("テレビのニュースで聞いた" is something you have just mentioned before "こと".)
教える (おしえる) : to inform, to teach (verb)
教えた。: You informed. You taught.
母 (はは) : your mom
テレビのニュースで聞いたことを、母に教えた。: I informed my mom what I heard on the tv news.
言う (いう) : to say, to tell (verb)
表現 (ひょうげん) : an expression (noun)
「こと」と言う表現 : the expression "こと"
「こと」と言う表現を使う : to use the expression "こと" (verb)
「こと」と言う表現を使うこと : using the expression "こと" ("「こと」と言う表現を使う" is something you have just mentioned before "こと".)
ストーリーで、「こと」と言う表現を使うことが多い。: You use the expression "こと" very often.
私 (わたし) : I/my/me
時々(ときどき): sometimes, from time to time
変 (へん) : strange, odd, weird, stupid
変なこと: something that is strange, weird or stupid (noun)
思いつく: to get an idea, Something comes to your mind (verb)
変なことを思いつく: to get a stupid, strange or weird idea (verb)
私は、時々、変な事を思いつきます。: I sometimes get a strange or stupid idea.
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Regular Activities Vs. Progress
日本語 (にほんご) : Japanese language
勉強 (べんきょう) : study (noun)
今晩 (こんばん) : tonight
最近 (さいきん) : recently
今 (いま) : right now
今晩、日本語を勉強します。: I will study Japanese tonight. I am going to study Japanese tonight.
日本語を勉強しています。: I study Japanese regularly/daily/every day/often/usually these days or recently. (As recent regular activities). I am studying Japanese right now. (Present Progress)
最近、日本語を勉強しています。: Recently, I study Japanese.
今、日本語を勉強しています。: I am studying Japanese right now. (Present Progress)
子供の頃、日本語を勉強していました。: I studied Japanese when I was a child.
今朝、日本語を勉強していました。: I was studying Japanese this morning.
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If You Have Ten Minutes
What you can do in ten minutes: Read a short dialogue aloud more than 10 times.How to waste ten minutes: Try to understand a grammatical formula.
もし10分あれば
10分あれば出来ること: 短い会話を10回以上朗読する。
10分を無駄にする方法: ひとつの文法の公式を理解しようと努力する。
If You Have Ten Minutes
もし10分あれば
10分 (じゅっぷん) : the tenth minute in an hour (for example, "10" in "2:10 P.M."), ten minutes (the period of time)
10分間(じゅっぷんかん): ten minutes ("間" can be omitted. We assume that you are saying "10 minutes" as the length of time from the context.)
有る (ある) : It is here/there. There is a thing. You have it. I is available.
有れば (あれば) : if you have it, if it is here/there, if it is available
What you can do in ten minutes: Read a short dialogue aloud more than 10 times.
10分あれば出来ること: 短い会話を10回以上朗読する。
10分あれば : if you have ten minutes
出来ること(できること): what you can do
短い (みじかい) : short (adjective)
会話 (かいわ) : a conversation, a dialog (noun)
短い会話 : a short conversation, a short dialog
以上 (いじょう): more than something, higher than something
10回以上 : more than ten times
朗読する(ろうどくする): to read it aloud (verb)
会話を朗読する : to read aloud a dialog (verb)
短い会話を朗読する : to read aloud a short dialog (verb)
10回朗読する。: to read something aloud ten times (verb)
10回以上朗読する。: to read something aloud more than ten times (verb)
How to waste ten minutes: Try to understand a grammatical formula.
10分を無駄にする方法: ひとつの文法の公式を理解しようと努力する。
無駄な : wasteful (adjective with a following noun)
無駄に : wastefully (adverb)
無駄にする : to waste something (verb)
10分を無駄にする : to waste ten minutes (verb)
する方法 : how to do something (noun)
無駄にする方法 : how to waste something (noun clause)
文法 (ぶんぽう): a grammar (noun)
ひとつの文法 : a grammar
文法の公式 : a grammar formula, grammar formulas
ひとつの文法の公式 : a grammar formula
理解 (りかい): understanding (noun), what you understand (noun)
理解する : to understand (verb)
公式を理解する : to understand a formula (verb)
努力 (どりょく) : an effort, an endeavor (noun)
努力する(どりょくする): to try hard, to make efforts (verb)
しようと努力する。: to try to do something (verb)
理解しようと努力する。: to try to understand (verb)
公式を理解しようと努力する。: to try to understand a formula (verb)
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Just Read It Aloud!
If you want to learn natural expressions, just read the story aloud many times as you read the Bible. Forget the all cute grammar terms, pretty charts and fantastic formulas!ただ朗読すること！
もし自然な表現を学びたければ、聖書を読む時の様に、ストーリーを、何度も、ただ声に出して読む事です。可愛らしい文法用語や、美しい表、素晴らしい公式は忘れましょうね！
朗読（ろうどく）：reading aloud
すること！ : Do it!
もし : if
自然（しぜん）：nature
表現（ひょうげん）：an expression(s)
自然な表現：a natural expression(s)
学ぶ（まなぶ）：to learn
表現をまなぶ : to learn expressions
まなびたい！ : I want to learn!
学びたければ : If you want to learn it
聖書（せいしょ）：The Bible
読む（よむ）：to read
聖書を読む : to read the Bible
時（とき）：the time, when something happens, when you do something
聖書を読む時 : when you read the Bible
様に（ように）：as
聖書を読む時の様に : as you read the Bible, in the same way that you read the Bible
ストーリー : a story
ストーリーを読む : to read a story
何度も（なんども）：again and again, many times, repeatedly
声（こえ）：voice
出す（だす）：to pull something out, to push something out, to draw something out
声に出す（こえにだす）：to voice out, to speak out loud
読む（よむ）：to read
声に出して読む：to read sentences aloud
事です（ことです）：That’s it.
ただ〜する事です。：Just do 〜.
ただ読む事です。: Just read!
可愛らしい（かわいらしい）：cute
文法（ぶんぽう）：grammar
用語（ようご）：technical terms
文法用語 : grammar terms
美しい（うつくしい）：pretty, beautiful
表（ひょう）：charts
文法用語や表 : grammar terms and/or charts
文法用語や、表、公式 : grammar terms, charts and/or formulas
素晴らしい（すばらしい）：wonderful, fantastic
公式（こうしき）：formulas
忘れる（わすれる）：to forget
忘れましょう！: Please forget it! Let's forget it!
忘れましょうね！: Please forget it! Let's forget it! (cute, casual and spoken expression)
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Grammar Terms, Charts and Formulas
I have a chat with several people who are from the same country. I saw that everyone wrote unnatural Japanese sentences in the same way. As I chatted with them, I learned that they all used the same grammar book. Some of them sent me photos of the book. There were strange grammar terms, charts and formulas. They tried to assemble their sentences with the charts and formulas. I told them that natural expressions can not be assembled with such grammar charts or formulas. As long as they stuck to such methods, they would keep making unnatural sentences in future. In my personal opinion, you eventually need to trash all grammar books and focus on reading stories, reports, news, etc., aloud many times. Read as many as you can, until your brain completely forgets about all grammar charts and formulas. Then your brain will begin learning patterns naturally and gradually. Practice Japanese like exercises and sports, not like mathematics. This is my personal opinion.
I have also received several complaints about my moments from someone who claimed that he was a professional Japanese language teacher from an authorized school. He said that I should learn how to teach Japanese through their authorized methods. The problem is, I just feel dizzy as soon as I see a few grammar charts and formulas. I no longer wish to see such materials. I have stopped accepting any photos of such things in my message exchanges.
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Basic Grammar Terms
Here is the list of basic grammar terms which I use to explain Japanese words and phrases. I use very limited terms only.
subject : 主語 (しゅご)
verb : 動詞 (どうし)
adjective : 形容詞 (けいようし)
adverb : 副詞 (ふくし)
tense : 時制 (じせい)
future tense : 未来時制 (みらいじせい)
present tense : 現在時制 (げんざいじせい)
past tense : 過去時制 (かこじせい)
progressive tense : 進行形 (しんこうけい)
present progress : 現在進行形 (げんざいしんこうけい)
past progress : 過去進行形 (かこしんこうけい)
situation : 様子 (ようす) / 状況 (じょうきょう)
current situation :現在の様子 (げんざいのようす)
recent situation : 最近の様子 (さいきんのようす)
past situation : 過去の様子 (かこのようす)
noun clause : 名詞節 (めいしせつ)
mimetic word : 擬態語 (ぎたいご)
casual expression : 打ち解けた表現 (うちとけたひょうげん)
spoken expression : 話し言葉 (はなしことば) / 喋るときの表現 (しゃべるときのひょうげん)
polite expression : 丁寧な表現 (ていねいなひょうげん)
business like expression : 仕事の表現 (しごとのひょうげん) / ビジネス的な表現 (びじねすてきなひょうげん)
Some Vietnamese speakers helped me with this list. Thank you very much!
noun (ナウン) - danh từ
subject (サブジェクト) - chủ ngữ, Chủ từ
verb (ヴァーブ) - động từ
adjective (アジェッティヴ) - tính từ
adverb (アドヴァーブ) - trạng từ
past tense (パーストテンス) - thì quá khứ
progressive tense (プログレッスィヴ・テンス) - thì tiếp diễn
situation (シチュエーション) - tình huống
noun clause (ナウンクローズ) - mệnh đề danh từ, mệnh đề danh từ
mimetic word (ミメティックワード) - từ tượng thanh tượng hình
casual expression (カジュアルエクスプレッション) - Ngôn ngữ hàng ngày
spoken expression ( スポークンエクスプレッション) - Văn nói
polite expression ( ポライトエクスプレッション ) - Cách nói lịch sự
business like expression ( ビジネスライクエクスプレッション) - Ngôn ngữ dùng trong văn phòng, ngôn ngữ dùng trong kinh doanh, thương mại
Note: I am not a native English speaker. Here, I provided the list for katakana sounds for those who have a hard time for reading English words aloud but want to enjoy my posts anyway. For such a purpose, reading these grammar terms in katakana sounds will be acceptable as you focus on Japanese words and phrases but not on English pronunciations.
*えいごの、せいかくな、はつおんは、しょうらい、じかんがあるときに、だれかに、ならってください。(You should learn accurate English pronunciations from someone who is native speaker of English when you will have time.)
noun (ナウン)
English (katakana) : Vietnamese
Some Vietnamese speakers helped me with this list. Thank you very much!
noun (ナウン) - danh từ
subject (サブジェクト) - chủ ngữ, Chủ từ
verb (ヴァーブ) - động từ
adjective (アジェッティヴ) - tính từ
adverb (アドヴァーブ) - trạng từ
tense (テンス) - thời tên gọi khác là thì
future tense (フューチャーテンス) - thì tương lai
present tense (プレゼントテンス) - thì hiện tạipast tense (パーストテンス) - thì quá khứ
progressive tense (プログレッスィヴ・テンス) - thì tiếp diễn
present progress (プレゼントプログレス) -thì hiện tại tiếp diễn
past progress (パーストプログレス) -thì quá khứ tiếp diễnsituation (シチュエーション) - tình huống
current situation (カレントシチュエーション) - tình huống xảy ra hiện tại, tình huống (xảy ra) hiện tại
recent situation (リーセントシチュエーション) - tình huống (xảy ra) gần đây, tình huống xảy ra gần đây
past situation (パーストシチュエーション) - tình huống (xảy ra trong quá khứ), tình huống đã xảy ra trong quá khứnoun clause (ナウンクローズ) - mệnh đề danh từ, mệnh đề danh từ
mimetic word (ミメティックワード) - từ tượng thanh tượng hình
casual expression (カジュアルエクスプレッション) - Ngôn ngữ hàng ngày
spoken expression ( スポークンエクスプレッション) - Văn nói
polite expression ( ポライトエクスプレッション ) - Cách nói lịch sự
business like expression ( ビジネスライクエクスプレッション) - Ngôn ngữ dùng trong văn phòng, ngôn ngữ dùng trong kinh doanh, thương mại
English with Katakana sounds
Note: I am not a native English speaker. Here, I provided the list for katakana sounds for those who have a hard time for reading English words aloud but want to enjoy my posts anyway. For such a purpose, reading these grammar terms in katakana sounds will be acceptable as you focus on Japanese words and phrases but not on English pronunciations.
*えいごの、せいかくな、はつおんは、しょうらい、じかんがあるときに、だれかに、ならってください。(You should learn accurate English pronunciations from someone who is native speaker of English when you will have time.)
noun (ナウン)
subject (サブジェクト)
verb (ヴァーブ)
adjective (アジェッティヴ)
adverb (アドヴァーブ)
tense (テンス)
future tense (フューチャーテンス)
present tense (プレゼントテンス)
past tense (パーストテンス)
progressive tense (プログレッスィヴ・テンス)
present progress (プレゼントプログレス)
past progress (パーストプログレス)
situation (シチュエーション)
current situation (カレントシチュエーション)
recent situation (リーセントシチュエーション)
past situation (パーストシチュエーション)
noun clause (ナウンクローズ)
mimetic word (ミメティックワード)
casual expression (カジュアルエクスプレッション)
spoken expression ( スポークンエクスプレッション)
polite expression ( ポライトエクスプレッション )
business like expression ( ビジネスライクエクスプレッション)
A Russian person helped me with this list. Thank you very much!
noun : существительное
Russian
A Russian person helped me with this list. Thank you very much!
noun : существительное
subject : тема, подлежащее
verb : глагол
adjective : прилагательное
adverb : наречие
tense : время
future tense : будущее время
present tense : настоящее время
past tense : прошедшее время
progressive tense : продолженное
present progress : настоящее продолженное
past progress : прошедшее продолженное
situation : ситуация
current situation: данная ситуация
recent situation: недавняя ситуация
past situation: ситуация в прошлом
noun clause: придаточное в роли существительного
mimetic word : подражательные слова
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Beyond The Grammar
Please, pay more attention to the context and to the situation rather than the grammar or the word definition. Please, do not match one word with one definition. Instead, try to get the feeling of each word or phrase.
文法や単語の定義よりも、脈略や状況に着目して下さい。ひとつの単語をひとつの意味だけで捉えないで、単語やフレーズのフィーリングを習得して下さい。
文法(ぶんぽう): grammar
単語(たんご): a word
定義(ていぎ): a definition
〜よりも、…… : ……… instead of 〜 / …… rather than 〜
脈略(みゃくりゃく): a context
状況(じょうきょう): a situation
〜に着目する(〜にちゃくもくする): to pay your attention to 〜
〜や…… : 〜 and …… (for a positive meaning) / 〜or ……(for a negative meaning)
Example:
犬や猫は好きですが、蛇やトカゲは好きではありません！(いぬや ねこは すきですが、へびや とかげは すきでは ありません): I love dogs and cats but not snakes or lizards.
一つ / 1つ (ひとつ): one
意味(いみ): a meaning
捉える(とらえる): to catch, to grasp, to take
意味を捉える(いみをとらえる): to grasp the meaning
フレーズ: a phrase
フィーリング: a feeling
〜を習得する(〜をしゅうとくする): to master 〜
漢字を習得する(かんじを しゅうとくする): to master kanji
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Thanks!
ありがとうございます。
It is thankful that you did/do/will do it for me.
It was thankful that you did it for me.
“ありがとうございました。” is literally past tense. However, we actually use this expression and “ありがとうございます。” interchangeably very often especially when thanking someone for his or her past action.
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で
What's the Meaning of 'で'? What's the function of it? How does it work?
そうではない : That’s not true.
ただではない : It’s not free.
机の上で歌う : You sing on the table.
マイクで歌う : You sing with a microphone.
カラオケで歌う : You sing with karaoke.
ひとりで歌う : You sing alone.
今日で終わり : Today is the last day.
これで終わり : That’s all.
30歳で結婚した。: You married when you are thirty years old.
電車で来た: You came here by train.
箸で食べる : You eat food with chopsticks.
レストランで食べる: You eat a meal at a restaurant.
生で食べる: You eat food raw.
気温が30度でとても暑い: It's very hot because the temperature is 30 C.
綺麗で可愛い: You are beautiful and cute.
自分で探す: You search it by yourself.
家の中で探す : You search it in the house.
寝ないで勉強する : You study all night.
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Adjectives
い型形容詞(いがたけいようし) : i-adjective, the stupidest grammar term in the Japanese language
な型形容詞(ながたけいようし) : na-adjective, the second stupidest grammar term in the Japanese language
Verbs
た形(たがたどうし) : ta-verb, the third stupidest grammar term in the Japanese language
て形(てがたどうし) : te-verb, the forth stupidest grammar term in the Japanese language
い型形容詞(いがたけいようし) : i-adjective, the stupidest grammar term in the Japanese language
な型形容詞(ながたけいようし) : na-adjective, the second stupidest grammar term in the Japanese language
Verbs
た形(たがたどうし) : ta-verb, the third stupidest grammar term in the Japanese language
て形(てがたどうし) : te-verb, the forth stupidest grammar term in the Japanese language
Adjectives
Once upon a time, there was a family who always used an adjective when talking about someone or something.
One morning, he saw an advertisement on TV. He said to his wife, “この宣伝は嘘っぽい。” : This advertisement sounds faked. Literally, “This advertisement is 嘘っぽい.”
After breakfast, he left home. He realized that he forgot his wallet at home. He said to his wife, “私は最近、忘れっぽい。”: I am recently forgetful. Literally, “I am recently 忘れっぽい.”
At a shopping center, a cashier made a mistake. The man was angry. His daughter said, “お父さんは、怒りっぽい。”: My dad gets angry easily. Literally, “My dad is 怒りっぽい.”
In the evening, his wife talked to their son about him. The son said, “お母さんは、愚痴っぽい。”: My mom often complains at something. Literally, “My mom is 愚痴っぽい.”
嘘っぽい（うそっぽい）
忘れっぽい（わすれっぽい）
怒りっぽい（おこりっぽい）
愚痴っぽい（ぐちっぽい）
These words are adjectives. Are there any adjective words which probably have the similar meanings in English?
宣伝 (せんでん) : an advertisement, advertising (noun)
私 (わたし) : I/my/me
最近 (さいきん) : recently
お父さん (おとうさん) : dad (casual expression)
お母さん (おかあさん) : mom (casual expression)
Japanese formula
Once upon a time, there was a man who thought about Japanese language. One day, he wrote a formula which described his personal opinion and posted it on Hello Talk, “The word which a person said + the context (situation, feeling, emotion) + how the other person guess = the meaning.”
日本語の公式
ある時、日本語について考えている男がいた。ある日、彼は、自らの個人的な考えを説明する公式を記述し、それをハロートークに投稿した。「1人が言った言葉 + 脈絡(背景、印象、感情) + 相手の推測 = 意味」
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ある時（あるとき）：Once upon a time
日本語(にほんご): Japanese
考える（かんがえる）：to think
男（おとこ）：a man
ある日（あるひ）：One day
自らの考え（みずからのかんがえ）：one’s personal opinion, one’s personal thoughts
説明する（せつめいする）：to describe
公式(こうしき): formula
記述する（きじゅつする）：to write
ハロートーク：Hello Talk
投稿する（とうこうする）：to contribute an article to a paper, to post a writing on the internet
1人(ひとり): one (person)
言う(いう): to say
言った(いった): said
言葉(ことば): a word, a phrase, a sentence
脈絡(みゃくらく): the context
印象(いんしょう): the feeling
感情(かんじょう): the emotion
相手(あいて): the other person or party who you are speaking to
推測(すいそく): a guess
意味(いみ): the meaning
+ (プラス)
-(マイナス)
=(イコール)
New Japanese Verbs
Once upon a time, there was a man who tried to teach new type of verbs in his Japanese class at Hello Talk Junior High School. He explained each phrase as one verb word without telling about any grammar rules or logics.
One day, the parents of the students visited his class on the parents day.
The teacher said to his students, “I'm teaching new verbs today. The first verb is 'りんごを1個たべる'. The definition of this verb is to eat an apple. Don’t breakdown this word into small parts such as りんご, を, １個 and 食べる."
A student asked a question, “What if I want to eat two apples?” The man answered, "'りんごを2個たべる'. The definition of this verb is to eat two apples. Don’t try to analyze this word grammatically . Okay?"
The student asked again, “How about an orange?” Teacher answered, "'みかんを1個たべる'. The definition of this verb is to eat an orange. Forget any charts and formulas."
The student said, “If I eat a fish, how can I say it?” The teacher said, "'さかなを１匹たべる'. The definition of this verb is to eat a fish."
Student asked, “Then, two?” The teacher said, "'さかなを２匹たべる. The definition of this verb is to eat two fish. Forget any excessive grammar terms.”
Another student asked, "What should I do with my grammar book?" The man answered, "Trash, burn or shred it at home today."
After the class, the parents of some students visited the principal at his office. One of them said to the principal, “I have a concern about the way of teaching of that Japanese man. Does he really have the teacher license?” The principal said, “No he doesn’t. Actually, he is not an employee of this school. I don’t know who he is or where he came from.”
Verbs
りんごを1個たべる(りんごをいっこたべる) : to eat an apple (verb)
りんごを2個たべる(りんごをにこたべる) : to eat two apples (verb)
みかんを1個たべる(みかんをいっこたべる) : to eat an orange (verb)
みかんを2個たべる(みかんをにこたべる) : to eat two orange (verb)
さかなを１匹たべる(さかなをいっぴきたべる) : to eat a fish (verb)
さかなを２匹たべる(さかなをにひきたべる) : to eat two fish (verb)
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