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Minna No Nihongo Lesson 8 Grammar

Minna No Nihongo Lesson 8 Grammar

1. Adjective­­­s

Adjectives are used as 1) predicates and 2) noun modifiers. They inflect and are divided into two groups, い-adjectives and な-adjectives, according to the inflection.

2. N は な-adj []です/ N は い-adj (…い) です

  • ですat the end of an adjective sentence shows the speaker’s polite attitude toward the listener. A い-adjective with い at the en­­d comes before です whereas a な -adjective without  [な] comes before です.

ワット先生は親切です。                        Mr.Watt is kind.

富士山は高いです。                                Mr.Fuji is high.

ですis used when a sentence is non-past and affirmative.

  • な-adj [] じゃありません

The negative form of な –adj [] です is な-adj [な] じゃありません. (な-adj [] ではありません)

あそこは静かじゃ (では)ありません。         It’s not quiet there.

  • い-adj (….い) です-> …くないです

To make the negative form of a い -adjective,  い at the end of the い-adjective is alerted to くない.

この本はおもしろくないです。                                 This book is not interesting.

The negative for いいですis よくないです.

  • Questions using adjective sentences are made in the same way as those using noun or verb sentence. In answering a question, you repeat the adjective used in the question. そうです or そうじゃありません cannot be used.

ペキンは寒いです。                                       Is it cold in Bejing?

…はい、寒いです。                                       … Yes, it is.

琵琶湖の水はきれいですか。                       Is the water of Lake Biwa clean?

…いいえ、きれいじゃありません                … No, it isn’t.

3. な-adj N / い-adj (…い) N

An adjective is put before a noun to modify it. A  な -adjective needs なbefore a noun.

ワット先生は親切な先生です。                    Mr.Watt is a kind teacher.

富士山は高い山です。                                   Mr.Fuji is a high mountain.

4. とても/あまり

とても and あまり are adverbs of degree. Both come before the adjectives they are modifying.

とても is used in affirmative sentences, and means “very”. あまり is used in negative sentences. あまりand a  negative form means “not very”.

ペキンはとても寒いです。                               Bejing is very cold.

これはとても有名な映画です。                       This is a very famous movie.

シャンハイはあまり寒くないです。              Shanghai is not very cold.

桜大学はあまり有名な大学じゃありません。

Sakura University is not a very famous university.

5. Nはどうですか

This question is used to ask an impression or an opinion about a thing, place or person, etc…, that the listener has experienced, visited or met.

日本の生活はどうですか。                              How is life in Japan?

…楽しいです。                                                 …It’s enjoyable.

6. Nはどんな N2 ですか

When the speaker wants the listener to describe or explain N1, this question pattern is used. N2 denotes the category N1 belongs to. The interrogative どんな is always followed by a noun.

奈良はどんな街です。                                     What kind of town is Nara?

…古い町です。                                                  …It’s an old town.

7. Sが、S2

がis a conjunctive particle, meaning “but”.It is used to link sentences.

日本の食べ物はおいしいですが、高いです。

Japanese food is good but expensive.

8. どれ

This interrogative is used to ask the listener to choose or designate one from more than two things concretely shown or named.

ミラーさんのかさはどれですか。                      Which is Mr.Miller’s umbrella?

…あの青い傘です。                                               …That blue one is.

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