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 日本語を少し話すために、日本の本をたくさん読みます。In order to speak a little bit Japanese I read a lot japanese books.

The last verb defines whether the sentences is formal or casual. So you use the dictionary form + ために 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