JAPANESE Lesson Thirteen - Sentence Structure

[Starry Starry Fright]

Yes, I know it's been a long time since my last lesson. This one is, I think, desperately needed.

We're going to learn about sentence structure.

It's important to understand the difference between English sentence structure and Japanese sentence stucture. We already speak English, so we know that it generally goes something like:

SUBJECT VERB OBJECT

I went to the store.

I is the subject.
Went is the verb.
Store is the object.

But in Japanese, the structure goes like this:

SUBJECT OBJECT VERB

I store went.

There is an assortment of particles that the Japanese use to give structure to their sentences, and it is important to understand how to use these properly.

Wa is very common and important. It designates the subject of your setence.

SUBJECT wa OBJECT VERB.

A common error in using wa is that beginners often designate the wrong thing as the subject. For example, if you want to talk about "my book" (watashi no hon), you would say "watashi no hon wa", NOT "watashi wa hon". That simple mistake changes the meaning from "my book" to "I am a book". Think about what it is you are really talking about before you add in that wa.

No is another common particle, used to indicate ownership. It is the equivalent of an English ' mark. Very useful.

Wo is an object marker. It goes after the object in a sentence. Another extremely useful marker.

Ga is a tricky little bugger, and really tends to get lost in translation to English. Ga is a subject marker, just like wa. But it's not entirely the same. The best way I've ever seen the difference explained is that wa places emphasis on the rest of the sentence, whereas ga places emphasis on the subject itself.

Imagine someone asks you "What is your name?". I would answer "Watashi wa Starry Starry Fright desu." or I am Starry Starry Fright. The important information in that sentence - my name - comes AFTER the subject, so wa is used.

But if someone were to ask me "Who is Starry Starry Fright?", the answer would be "Watashi ga Starry Starry Fright.". In that case, I am saying I am Starry Starry Fright. My name isn't the important information, its the fact that I am the one who belongs to it. Hence, ga is used.

I know I tend to make mistakes with this, as there are many times when ga acts as an object marker. I won't provide examples, as it is confusing enough for a whole other lesson.

It is worth noting that Japanese is a very "flat" language. People don't scream at each other in day -to-day life the way you see on animes. In fact, they tend to not put any stress or emphasis on a key word the way we do in English. That's why the difference between these two is so crucial.

De is a nifty little particle that can best be translated as "by means of". We don't really have any word like it in English. They say "watashi wa kuruma de ikimasu"... I go by means of car. It is also used to say "nihongo de ikimasu"... I speak by means of Japanese.


Those basic particles should be enough to start you off. I'll finish the lesson with an example of a multi-particle sentence.

nihonjin wa hashi de gohan wo tabemasu.

which means

Japanese people eat rice with chopsticks.

"nihonjin wa" tells us that the sentence is about Japanese people.

"hashi de" tells us that they are doing something by means of chopsticks.

"gohan wo tabemasu" tells us that they are eating rice.

I hope this lesson was clear to everyone! Fire off any questions or comments.  

[xXSakura-chanxX67]

Oh ok, so no is like wa but before the object. So when I say I like apple it will be,
watashi no ringo desu?

And wa is only used when saying I am here and stuff would na be used in this sentence?
watashi no ramen na ringo suki desu.
 

[Starry Starry Fright]

xXSakura-chanxX67

Oh ok, so no is like wa but before the object. So when I say I like apple it will be,
watashi no ringo desu?

And wa is only used when saying I am here and stuff would na be used in this sentence?
watashi no ramen na ringo suki desu.

Ahhh... not quite. "No" indicates that you possess something. Watashi no ringo means my apple. The apple (ringo) belongs (no) to me (watashi).

So let's look at the sentence "I like apples." The subject is I. I is the one doing the action (liking apples).

So we start "watashi wa"...

The best way to say it is "watashi wa ringo ga suki desu" - there is no need to use na or no at all. This is the way that it would usually be said.

Any questions?  

[xXSakura-chanxX67]

Starry Starry Fright

xXSakura-chanxX67

Oh ok, so no is like wa but before the object. So when I say I like apple it will be,
watashi no ringo desu?

And wa is only used when saying I am here and stuff would na be used in this sentence?
watashi no ramen na ringo suki desu.

Ahhh... not quite. "No" indicates that you possess something. Watashi no ringo means my apple. The apple (ringo) belongs (no) to me (watashi).

So let's look at the sentence "I like apples." The subject is I. I is the one doing the action (liking apples).

So we start "watashi wa"...

The best way to say it is "watashi wa ringo ga suki desu" - there is no need to use na or no at all. This is the way that it would usually be said.

Any questions?

Oh! Ok, thanks!!  

[Rihanna Bae]

I worship you! rofl
this was veeeeeeeeeery easy...  

[Starry Starry Fright]

Kinukio

I worship you! rofl
this was veeeeeeeeeery easy...

That's good! I try to explain things in the easiest possible way to understand... Japanese textbooks can be so dry and confusing.  

[pixseouls]

Wooow!! Now I understand the differences between "wa" and "ga". 8D

Is there a way to say I am (name here) by sounding offensive? Or do we just add in -desu?  

[Starry Starry Fright]

smilingsin272

Wooow!! Now I understand the differences between "wa" and "ga". 8D

Is there a way to say I am (name here) by sounding offensive? Or do we just add in -desu?

Sounding offensive... I'm not totally sure what you mean.  

[pixseouls]

Starry Starry Fright

smilingsin272

Wooow!! Now I understand the differences between "wa" and "ga". 8D

Is there a way to say I am (name here) by sounding offensive? Or do we just add in -desu?

Sounding offensive... I'm not totally sure what you mean.

Er...like it was a classmate that had asked that question. So you're sounding offensive because he didn't know you. Kind of like saying, I'm (name here), duh! Or something. D8  

[Starry Starry Fright]

smilingsin272

Starry Starry Fright

smilingsin272

Wooow!! Now I understand the differences between "wa" and "ga". 8D

Is there a way to say I am (name here) by sounding offensive? Or do we just add in -desu?

Sounding offensive... I'm not totally sure what you mean.

Er...like it was a classmate that had asked that question. So you're sounding offensive because he didn't know you. Kind of like saying, I'm (name here), duh! Or something. D8

Ohhh, I think I see what you mean.... Umm, well, the least formal way to say it is just ____ desu.  

[pixseouls]

Ah~ Okies then!!! 8D  

[Nana Shinu Ai]

Watashi wa orenji ga suki desu.
is this correct sensei. XD  

[Starry Starry Fright]

Phoniex of Darkness

Watashi wa orenji ga suki desu.
is this correct sensei. XD

Yes it is! biggrin  

[Bloody Rosen Knight]

is there a lesson on nouns?  

[Nana Shinu Ai]

Watashi wa orenji ga suki desu.