Japanese Grammar Overview

Overview

This grammar guide provides a comprehensive introduction to key Japanese grammar concepts, focusing on practical exposure and encouraging natural language acquisition through reading and listening, rather than rote memorization.

Getting Started with Japanese

• Know hiragana, katakana, kanji basics, and study vocabulary separately.
• Install a mouseover dictionary like Yomichan or Rikaisama for reading assistance.
• Practice kana and vocabulary daily using resources like DJT Kana or exposure.
• Japanese pronunciation is regular; learn about vowels, long vowels, devoicing, and pitch accent early.

Essential Grammar Fundamentals

• Japanese sentences rely on particles (post-positional markers) to indicate grammatical relationships.
• "Copulas" (is-words) include だ and です; use だ for casual and です for polite speech.
• Basic tenses: simple (non-past) and simple past; non-past is used for present and future.
• Nouns and pronouns don't change for plural or case; context often implies subject or plural.
• Particles like は (topic), が (subject), を (object), も (also), で (means/place), へ/に (direction/location) structure sentences.

Verbs and Adjectives

• Verbs are categorized as one-form (ichidan/ru-verbs) or five-form (godan/u-verbs) for conjugation.
• Negative verbs: replace endings with ない (-nai form).
• Past tense: five-form verbs have irregular stems; one-form verbs are regular.
• Adjectives: -い (-i) and -な (-na) types; -i adjectives conjugate like verbs, -na attach to nouns.
• Use relative clauses by placing the modifier before the noun.

Key Sentence Patterns and Conjugations

• て-form (te-form) connects actions, forms requests, and links sentences.
• Imperative forms (commands) differ for one-form and five-form verbs.
• Politeness: Add ます (masu) to stems for polite verb forms; です is a polite copula.
• Questions use か or rising intonation; remove だ before adding か.
• Express existence with いる (for animate) and ある (for inanimate).

Intermediate Grammar Concepts

• Express "also" with も and inclusion/exclusion in negative sentences.
• Demonstratives (this/that) have three distinctions: こ-, そ-, あ- series.
• Express ability (potential) with potential verb forms; ambiguity in passive/potential for one-form verbs.
• Express desire with たい (-tai), ほしい (hoshii), or volitional form (let's/want to).
• Conditionals: ば (-ba), たら (-tara), と (to) for "if/when" statements.
• Use と/や/か/とか for listing items (and, or, etc.).

Advanced Patterns and Nuances

• Passive and causative forms change verb endings and relationships.
• Various particles and endings (ね, よ, な, ぞ, さ, かな, etc.) add nuance, emphasis, and emotion.
• ている expresses ongoing actions or resultant states.
• Nominalize verbs/adjectives using こと or の to treat whole phrases as nouns.
• Logical connectives (から, ので, けど, のに, しかし) express cause, contrast, and other relations.
• Approximation (ごろ, くらい), limits (まで, しか), and comparisons (より, ほど) refine meaning.

Key Terms & Definitions

• Particle — a short word marking a phrase’s role (e.g., は, が, を, で).
• Copula — words for "is", such as だ or です.
• Ichidan/Godan verbs — one-form/five-form verbs, differing in how they conjugate.
• Te-form (て-form) — verb form used for linking, requests, and other grammar.
• Potential form — verb form expressing ability (“can do”).
• Relative clause — phrase that describes a noun, placed before it in Japanese.
• Demonstrative — words for "this" (これ), "that" (それ), "that over there" (あれ).
• Nominalizer — こと or の, turns verbs/adjectives into nouns.

Action Items / Next Steps

• Install a mouseover dictionary and start reading simple Japanese texts.
• Drill kana and build basic vocabulary daily with flashcards (e.g., Anki).
• Review one new grammar lesson per day, but regularly read to reinforce.
• Refer to Tae Kim's Guide or other recommended resources for alternative explanations.
• Focus on consuming real Japanese (reading/listening) for true acquisition.