Happy Sunday Japanophiles, Herewith the 6th issue of the Hai Japan Newsletter — your Weekly Dose of Japan!

Today, we’re simply going through some grammar: 🇯🇵 

な-adjectives

な-adjectives are one type of adjective in Japanese. Their main function is to describe nouns, but many can function as nouns themselves. (From Tofugo.com)

THE BASICS

Let's dive into the world of な-adjectives, one of the two types of adjectives in Japanese (the other being い-adjectives which we’ll cover next week). These adjectives are primarily used to describe nouns.

For instance, a famous person is 有名な人 (yuumei na hito), a convenient tool is 便利なツール (benri na tsuuru), and a safe place is 安全な場所 (anzen na basho).

PRESENT TENSE

Similar to nouns, な-adjectives can take だ or です to indicate they are in the present tense, showing that the described quality is true now or in the future. For example:

日本の電車はすごく便利だ。(Nihon no densha wa sugoku benri da.)

Trains in Japan are very convenient.

平日なら、車より電車の方が便利ですよ。(Heijitsu nara, kuruma yori densha no hou ga benri desu yo.)

If we’re talking about a weekday, the train will be more convenient than a car.

We can also choose to end a sentence with the な-adjective itself, which is common in casual spoken Japanese. In this case, present tense is assumed, even though there is no explicit marker of it, like だ or です:

• これは便利。

• This is convenient.

PAST TENSE

To indicate that the quality described by the な-adjective is in the past, use だった or でした. For example:

子供の頃、この街は静かだったけど、今はにぎやかだね。(Kodomo no koro, kono machi wa shizuka datta kedo, ima wa nigiyaka da ne.)

When I was a child, this town was quiet, but now it’s lively.

親の時代は、ディスコはすごく人気でした。(Oya no jidai wa, disuko wa sugoku ninki deshita.)

In my parents’ day and age, disco was super popular.

NEGATIVE な-ADJECTIVES

To make a な-adjective negative, use markers like じゃない or ではない. For example:

あの先生、字があまり綺麗じゃないね。(Ano sensei, ji ga amari kirei ja nai ne) That teacher’s handwriting isn’t very neat, is it?

チェスは上手ではないが、下手でもない。(Chesu wa jouzu de wa nai ga, heta demo nai.)

I’m not good at chess, but I’m not bad at it either.

POSITION OF な-ADJECTIVES IN A SENTENCE

Like い-adjectives, な-adjectives can be used in two positions to describe a noun: at the end of a sentence, and right before a noun. Some な-adjectives can function like a noun and serve as the subject or object of a sentence.

Here's an example of a な-adjective used in both positions:

1. At the end of a sentence:

   • これは便利。

   • Translation: This is convenient.

2. Right before a noun:

   • 便利なツール

   • Translation: Convenient tool.

In these examples, the な-adjective "便利 (benri)" (convenient) is used at the end of a sentence to describe "this" and is also used right before the noun "ツール" (tool) to describe it as "convenient."

AT THE END OF A SENTENCE

When a な-adjective comes at the end of a sentence, it describes the subject. For example:

最近、猫のビデオが人気だよね。(Saikin, neko no bideo ga ninki da yo ne.) Lately, cat videos are popular, aren’t they!

In Japanese, the subject is often omitted if clear from context. For instance:

最近、人気だよね。(Saikin, ninki da yo ne.)

Lately, (these) are popular, aren’t they!

Here, you're assuming the listener understands you're referring to cat videos, not something else.

BEFORE A NOUN

When a な-adjective directly precedes a noun, you must use な after the adjective. な connects the adjective to the noun, creating a concise noun phrase.

安全　+　な　+　場所　=　安全な場所 (Anzen na basho)

safe　　　　　　place　　　a safe place

This combined phrase can be used wherever a noun can be used:

安全な場所を探してください。(Anzen na basho o sagashite kudasai.)

Please look for a safe place.

Here, 安全な場所 is the object of the sentence, indicating what we're looking for. It could also be used as the subject, as shown in the next example:

安全な場所が一つもない。(Anzen na basho ga hitotsu mo nai.)

There isn't a single safe place.

AS A NOUN

Some な-adjectives can function as nouns, which is why they're referred to as "adjectival nouns" in linguistics.

These nouns represent abstract concepts such as "safety" (安全), "peace" (平和), or "freedom" (自由).

When used as nouns, they can fulfill various roles in a sentence, including the subject or object.

安全が第一だ。 Safety comes first.

平和を願っています。 We’re hoping for peace.

自由を守りましょう。 Let’s protect our freedom.

AS AN ADVERB

Some な-adjectives can function as adverbs when combined with the particle に.

For example, combining 静か (quiet) with に forms 静かに (quietly), an adverb describing how an action or event happens quietly.

私は静かにドアを閉めた。 (Watashi wa shizuka ni doa o shimeta.)

I closed the door quietly.

Similarly, 綺麗 (beautiful) combined with に becomes 綺麗に (beautifully), used to describe how flowers bloom or how a room is clean and tidy.

バラが綺麗に咲いていた。(Bara ga kirei ni saite ita.)

Roses were blooming beautifully.

Common mistakes

When using 同じ (onaji) (same), remember that it functions differently from other な-adjectives.

• When used at the end of a sentence, 同じ behaves like any other な-adjective.

• When immediately before a noun, 同じ does not take な.

• However, when used before a conjunction particle like のに, 同じ does take な.

Be cautious with 同じ, as it doesn’t follow the same rules as other な-adjectives.

That’s all folks!

Let me know if you enjoyed this simple grammar run-through :)

Have a great Sunday!