Читать книгу Japanese for Fun - Taeko Kamiya - Страница 7

A few Words About Japanese Grammar

It is not the purpose of this book to explain Japanese grammar. However, it is probably worthwhile to point out a few basic differences between Japanese and English to help you have a better idea of how the sentences are formed.

1. Japanese verbs come at the end of a sentence.

e.g., Watashi wa biiru o nomimahss. (I drink beer or literally, “I beer drink”.)

2. Japanese nouns generally do not have plural forms. The noun kodomo, for example, can mean either “child” or “children.”

3. Articles and some common English adjectives are not used in Japanese. There are no Japanese equivalents for words like “a,” “the,” “some,” and “any.”

4. The subject of a sentence, especially watashi (I) and anata (you), is often dropped.

5. The same verb form is used for both the present and future tenses.

e.g., Watashi wa ikimahss. (I go./I will go.)

6. Three important Japanese particles have no equivalents in English.

Wa follows the topic or subject of a sentence.

e.g., Watashi wa Honda dess. (I am Honda.)

Ga follows the subject of a sentence.

e.g., Hoteru ga arimahss. (There is a hotel.)

Wo follows the direct object of a verb.

e.g., Biiru wo nomimahss. (I drink beer.)

7. Adding the word ka to the end of a sentence makes it a question.

e.g., Kore wa hoteru dess ka? (Is this a hotel?)