Comparison (bigger than etc.)

[A] より [B] は [adj] です
Inu yori neko wa suki desu = I like cats more than dogs

[A] より [B] の方が (のほうが) [adj] です
Inu yori neko nohouga ookii desu = Cats are bigger than dogs

yori comes after the word that has the lower extent of [adj¨], so [B] is “more” [adj]

Bunpro

Question

[A] と [B] と どちらのほうが [adj] ですが
Between [A] and [B], which one is more [adj]?
Inu to neko to dochiranohouga suki desu ka = between dogs and cats, which one do you like?

Only used for two choices, not more.

Bunpro

Anybody/nobody, anything/nothing, anywhere/nowhere…

Take the question word, e. g. だれ and add も and use with negative verb to say “nobody” etc.

Take the question word, e. g. だれ and add でも and use with positive verb to say “anybody” etc.

だれ = who
だれも = nobody/not anybody. だれも来ませんでした = nobody came
だれでも = anybody/anyone. だれでもできます = anyone can do it

なに = what
なにも = nothing/not anything. I don’t eat anything = nanimo tabemasen
なんでも= anything

どこ = where
どこも = nowhere/not anywhere. I didn’t go anywhere = dokomo ikimasendeshita
どこでも = anywhere. どこでもいいです = anywhere ist fine

いつ = when
Only with でも: いつでも = anytime
Not with いつ (いつも = always)

て form

Building from -masu form:

Part before -masu is ending in an i-sound: Replace part before -masu and masu itself with…

  • …い, ち, り: って (kaimasu -> katte, machimasu -> matte, torimasu -> totte) dictionary form: u/tsu/ru -> tte, iku -> itte
  • …に, び, み: んで (shinimasu -> shinde, asobimasu -> asonde, yomimasu -> yonde) dictionary form: mu/bu/nu -> nde
  • …き: いて (kikimasu -> kiite) dictionary form: ku -> ite, kuru -> kite
  • …ぎ: いで (oyogimasu -> oyoide) dictionary form: gu -> ide
  • …し: して (hanashimasu -> hanashite) dictionary form: suru -> shite, su -> shite

Part before -masu is ending in an e-sound (て, え),
part before -masu is only one Hiragana,
or a few “disguised” words: Just add て instead of masu.

  • tabemasu -> tabete, oshiemasu -> oshite (e-sound)
  • mimasu -> mite, nemasu -> nete, kimasu (to wear) -> kite (only 1 Hiragana)
  • okimasu -> okite, to wake up (disguised word)

Exceptions:

  • きます (to come): きて
  • します (to do): して
    also when combining a noun with shimasu, e.g. benkyoushimasu -> benkyoushite

Tofugu article
Masa Sensei YouTube Video
Te–Form song

  • te-form links actions, events, and states
  • [verb] て [verb] = and (eg. I wake up and eat)
  • if the two actions are overlapping, it is simultaneous: literally “I run and go to school” rather means “I go to school by running” – main action and sub action
  • connect adjectives: the room is quiet and spacious
  • can also mean “so” instead of “and”: I had a headache so I couldn’t sleep
  • te form at the end of sentence = command/request (casual). Add ください to soften or make formal.
  • て + います: am doing right now. 食べています = (I) am eating
  • て + いいですか = asking for permission. 食べていいですか = can (I) eat?
  • て + はいけません = cannot do something (rule). 食べてはいけません = (you) cannot eat
  • て + ください: please [verb]. 食べてください = please eat

ために: The purpose of something

In order to x, y…

Nouns: Noun + の + ために + sentence
母 の ために やさい お たべる = for my mother, I eat the vegetables.

Verbs: Verb in dict. form + ために + sentence
あそぶ ために 玉 お かいます = for the purpose of playing, I buy a ball

You can chain longer sentences using ために: にほんご お すこし はなす ために 日本 の ほん たくさん よみます。In order to speak a little bit Japanese I read a lot japanese books. (todo: check grammer on this one)

The last verb defines whether the sentences is formal or casual. So you can use the casual dictionary form in the first sentence and end with ます = formal.

Casual form and dictionary forms of verbs

~です = だ
~でした = だった
~じゃありません = じゃない
~じゃありませんでした = じゃなかった

Questions: Omit か (and even だ) and use vocal intonation

Dictionary forms of Verbs:

When stem is ending in a え sound: Stem + る. Eg. たべる、はじめる、わすれる。。。

When stem is ending in a い sound: Replace last kana with う-sound (み = む、き = く etc.). Eg. のむ、いく、あそぶ、わかる、おもう。。。Exceptions

Irregular verbs: します = する (to do), きます = くる (to come). Plus verbs built with a noun + します: べんきょうする, りょこうする。。。

あります/います

(location)  に  (object)  が  あります/います

あります = verb indicating the existence of “non-feeling”things.
こうえん に 木 が ありません = there are no trees in the park
あそこに何がありますか = what is over there?

います = for people/animals.
こうえん に Joさん がいません = Jo is not in the park
こうえん に だれ がいます か = who is in the park? 

To emphasize the location of the object:
(object) は (location) に あります.
ringo は tsukue no ue ni あります = the apple is on the table

Hard/easy to do: にくい/やすい

Stem + にくい + です = hard/difficult to […]
たべにくいです = hard to eat

Stem + やすい + です = easy to […]
よみやすいです = easy to read

These are now い-Adjectives! Mostly conjugated to past tense, although the other forms do exist too.

かきにくかった です = was hard to write
ならいやすかった です = was easy to learn

Particles overview

は (pronounced “wa”): topic marker (“as for X, …”) presents the topic you want to talk about

を (pronounced “o”): indicates direct object = what is involved/affected by the event. used with verbs. ほん を よみます = I read a book

に: movement and time. 日本 に いきます = I go to Japan. Used for months/days of the weeks and numerical time expressions but not for relative time expressions (today, tomorrow), regular intervals (every day, sometimes) and “when” (いつ). Time: ごる or ごるに instead of に = approximately (12:00 ごるに = at about 12:00)

に : between な-Adjectives + noun = Adverb. しずか　に　のみました = drank quietly

ヘ (pronounced “e”): for movement equal to に (but not for time!)

で: place. うち で = at home

も: also. 私も日本人です = i am also japanese

も: questionword + も = strong negation. こうえんに何もありません = in the park is nothing. 木の下にだれもいません = nobody is under the tree.

と: and. そこ に 本 と 木 です = there is a book and a tree

What/who/how much… question words

なに / なん = what

いくら = how much (いくらですか = how much is is? このとけいはいくらですか = how much is this watch?) 

どれ = which one (use with が not with は – > どれがあなたのえんぴつですか = which one is your pen?) 

どの + noun = which [noun]. Question word and also used with が. どのとけいが1000えん ですか = which watch is 1000 yen? 

どこ = where (トイレはどこですか = where is the toilet?) 

だれ = who (だれですか = who is it?)

いつ = when (いつが暇ですか = when are you free?)

どう = how (これはどう書きますか = how does one write that? どうですか = How is it?)

なぜ / どうして = why (その本はなぜつまらなかったんですか = why was that book boring?)

use 〜んですか instead of only 〜ですか if you want more of an explanation instead of only a short answer