Noun Modifier in Japanese

1. Noun modification

You learned how to modify nouns in Lesson 2 and Lesson 8.

Examples 1. ミラ-さん の うち. Mr. Miller’s house (L.2) 2. あたらしいい うち. a new house (L.8) 3. あたらしいい うち. a beautiful house (L.8)

In Japanese, whatever modifies a word, whether it’s a word or a sentence, it always comes before the word to be modified. Here you learn another way to modify nouns.

2.Noun modification by sentences

The predicate of the sentence which modifies a noun is in the plain form. In the case of な-adjective sentences, -だ becomes な. In the case of noun sentences だ becomes の.

Examples (1)きょうと へ いく ひと. a person who goes to Kyoto. (2)きょうと へ いかない ひと. a person who does not go to Kyoto. (3)きょうと いかった ひと. a person who went to Kyoto. (4)きょうと へ いかなかった ひと. a person who did not go to Kyoto. (5)せ が たかくて, かみ が くるい ひと. a person who is tall and has black hair. (6)しんせつ で けれい な ひと. a person who is kind and pretty. (7)65さい の ひと. a person who is 65 years old.

3.Nouns, which are various elements of the sentence, are picked out of it and can be modified by it.

Examples (1)わたし は せんしゅう えいが を みました. I saw a movie last week. (1)わたし が せんしゅう みた えいが. the movie that I saw last week. (2)ワンさん は びょういん で はたらいて います. Mr. Wang works at a hospital. (2)ワンさん が はたらいて いる びょういん. the hospital where Mr. Wang works. (3)わたし は あした ともだち に あいます. I will meet a friend tomorrow. (3)わたし が あした あう ともだち. the friend whom I will meet tomorrow.

When the nouns underlined in 2 3 and 4 are modified, the particles を, で and に attached to them respectively are unnecessary.

The noun modified by a sentence (“the house where Mr. Miller lived” in the example sentences below) can be used in various parts of a sentence.

Examples (1)これ は ミラ-さん が すんで いた うち です. This is the house where Mr. Miller lived. (2)ミラ-さん が すんで いた うち は ふるい です. The house where Mr. Miller lived is old. (3)ミラ-さん が すんで いた うち を かいました. I bought the house where Mr. Miller lived. (4)ミラ-さん が すんで いた うち へ いった こと が あります. I have been to the house where Mr. Miller lived.

N が When a sentence modifies a noun, the subject in the sentence is indicated by ga.

Examples (1)ミラ-さん は ケ-キ を おくりました. Mr. Miller baked a cake. (2)これ は ミラ-さん が つくった ケ-キ です. This is the cake which Mr. Miller baked. (3)わたし は カリナさん が かいた え が すき です. I like the picture that Ms. Karina drew.

4. V dictionary form じかん / やくそく / ようじ

When expressing the time for doing some activity, put the dictionary form of the action before じかん.

Examples 1.わたし は あさごはん を たべる じかん が ありません. I have no time to eat breakfast. You can also say the content of the arrangement (appointment), etc. by putting the dictionary form of that action before やくそく, etc. 2. わたし は ともだち と えいが を みる やくそく が あります. I have an arrangement to see a movie with a friend of mine. 3. きょう は しやくしょ へ いく ようじ が ありあます. I have something to do that at the city hall today.