Minna no Nihongo (New Edition) Grammar Lesson 22: Clauses modifying nouns.

Lesson 22: Clauses modifying nouns.

Beginner 1 (N5)
Minna no Nihongo (New Edition) • 6 key grammar patterns
6 key grammar patterns
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Part 1: Nouns, adjectives, and verbs modifying nouns

Sentence Pattern
N1 の N2
Aい N
Aな N
V 普通形ふつうけい N
In Japanese, modifiers always come before the noun they modify. Specifically: Nouns take the particle の, i-adjectives keep their い, na-adjectives keep their な, and Verbs are conjugated into the plain form (普通形ふつうけい).
Example Sentences (3)
① 私わたしの本 ほん

→ ① My book

② おもしろい本 ほん / きれいな本 ほん

→ ② Interesting book / Beautiful book

③ 買かう本 ほん / 買かった本 ほん / 買かわない本 ほん / 買かわなかった本 ほん

→ ③ Book to buy / Book bought / Book not to buy / Book not bought

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Part 2: Noun Modification Clauses

Sentence Pattern
〜が V 普通形ふつうけい N
A noun modifying clause acts like an adjective to modify the noun directly following it. The subject within the modifying clause is marked by the particle が instead of は.
Example Sentences (4)
① わたしが 買かった 本ほん

→ ① The book that I bought.

② わたしが 本屋ほんやで 買かった 本ほん

→ ② The book that I bought at the bookstore.

③ わたしが 友達ともだちと 本屋ほんやで 買かった 本ほん

→ ③ The book that I bought at the bookstore with my friend.

④ わたしが きのう 友達ともだちと 本屋ほんやで 買かった 本ほん

→ ④ The book that I bought at the bookstore with my friend yesterday.

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Part 3: Sentences with a Modifying Clause as Subject

Sentence Pattern
〜が V 普通形ふつうけい N は 〜
The noun modified by a clause can act as the subject of the main sentence (followed by the particle は).
Example Sentences (1)
① わたしが きのう 友達ともだちと 本屋ほんやで 買かった 本ほんは にほんごの ほんです。

→ ① The book that I bought at the bookstore with my friend yesterday is a Japanese book.

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Part 4: Sentences with a Modifying Clause as Predicate or Object

Sentence Pattern
〜は 〜が V 普通形ふつうけい N です / を V / が 〜
The modified noun can act as the predicate or the object of the sentence (used with particles like です, を, が, etc.).
Example Sentences (3)
① これは 私わたしが きのう 友達ともだちと 本屋ほんやで 買かった 本ほんです。

→ ① This is the book that I bought at the bookstore with my friend yesterday.

② 母ははは 私わたしが きのう 友達ともだちと 本屋ほんやで 買かった 本ほんが とても 好すきです。

→ ② My mother really likes the book that I bought at the bookstore with my friend yesterday.

③ 母ははは 私わたしが きのう 友達ともだちと 本屋ほんやで 買かった 本ほんを よんでいます。

→ ③ My mother is reading the book that I bought at the bookstore with my friend yesterday.

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Part 5: Sentences with a Modifying Clause as both Subject and Predicate

Sentence Pattern
〜 V 普通形ふつうけい N は 〜 V 普通形ふつうけい N です
Combines modified nouns acting as both the subject and the predicate in the same sentence.
Example Sentences (1)
① 母ははが よんでいる 本ほんは 私わたしが きのう 友達ともだちと 本屋ほんやで 買かった 本ほんです。

→ ① The book my mother is reading is the book I bought at the bookstore with my friend yesterday.

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Part 6: Vましょうか (Shall we V / Let me V)

Sentence Pattern
V ましょうか
Meaning: Let's V / Shall I V ~
The speaker offers to do something for the listener, or suggests that both the speaker and listener do something together.
Example Sentences (1)
① この 部屋へや、きょう 見みる ことが できますか。
…ええ。今いまから 行いきましょうか。

→ ① Can I see this room today? ...Yes. Shall we go right now?

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