[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]
[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.
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.
~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
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。。。
Stem + ましょうか = shall we ~ ? (proposal)
Stem + ましょう = let’s ~ (proposal)
Stem + たい = want to do ~
(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
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
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
Order: Adjective + verb
Put に between Adj without な + Verb
Think of Adverb+verb as one entity and treat like normal verbs.
しずか に のみました = drank quietly
Replace い of the Adjective with く and add verb
はやく たべました = ate quickly
Exception: いい becomes よく
よく できました = did (something) well
よく わらいました = had a good laugh = laughed a lot
Adj. + noun: Just concatenate without particle.
はやいくるま です = it is a [fast car]
Use with でした etc.
はやい くるま ですた = it was a [fast car]
Look at [Adj. + noun] as a single entity grammar-wise, eg. teat as a normal noun. For example use with の like you would with a normal noun: Joのはやいくるま = Jo’s fast car
Noun + Adj.: Use は particle
くるま は はやい です = this car is fast
But DO NOT use with でした, じゃありません and じゃありませんでした !
Conjugation:
〜い present/future
〜かった past
〜くない negative
〜くなかった past negative
Add です for politeness (です for all tenses)
あたらしかったです
It was new
Exception: いい (good) uses the alternate version (よい) of the word for conjugation.
いい → Good
〜ます present/future
〜ました past
〜ません negative
〜ませんでした past negative
Add 〜たい to the stem of a verb to say “want to do 〜”
see this post