Learn Minna no Nihongo Grammar – Lesson 22

Learn Minna no Nihongo Grammar – Lesson 22
Let’s study N5-level Japanese grammar, lesson by lesson, following the Minna no Nihongo textbook.

Lesson 22: Noun-modifying clauses

1. Vる / Vない / Vた + N
• Usage:
– A noun playing any role in a sentence can be picked out and modified by the verb of that sentence, creating a noun-modifying clause.
– When the noun is modified, the particles を, で, に from the original sentence are no longer needed.
– A modified noun can appear anywhere in the sentence and play any role (just like an ordinary noun).
• Examples:
日本へ 行く人 / 行かない人 :
Nihon e iku hito/ ikanai hito
The person who will go to Japan / the person who will not go to Japan

日本へ 行った人 / 行かなかった人 :
Nihon e itta hito/ ikanakatta hito
The person who went to Japan / the person who did not go to Japan

これは ミラーさんが 住(す)んでいる家(うち)です。
Kore wa mirā-san ga jū (su)nde iru ie (uchi)desu
This is the house Mr Miller lives in. (the modified noun is the predicate).

ミラーさんが 住(す)んでいる家(うち)は 古(ふる)いです。
Mirā-san ga jū (su)nde iru ie (uchi) wa ko (furu) idesu
The house Mr Miller lives in is very old. (the modified noun is the subject).

ミラーさんが 住(す)んでいる家(うち)を 買(か)いました。
Mirā-san ga jū (su)nde iru ie (uchi) o-kai (ka) imashita
I bought the house Mr Miller lives in. (the modified noun is the object).

あのめがねをかけている人は山田さんです。
Ano megane wo kaketeiru hito wa Yamada-san desu.
The person wearing glasses is Mr Yamada.

私は広い部屋あるうちがほしいです。
Watashi wa hiroi heya aru uchi ga hoshīdesu.
I want a house with a spacious room.

私は朝ご飯を食べる時間がありません。
Watashi wa asa gohan wo taberu jikan ga arimasen.
I do not have time to eat breakfast.

2. N が
• Usage: When a verb clause modifies a noun, the subject of that clause (the doer of the action) is marked by the particle が

• Examples:
ミラーさんは ケーキを 作(つく)りました。
Mirā-san wa kēki wo tsukurimashita.
Mr Miller made a cake.

→ これは ミラーさんが 作(つく)ったケーキです。
Kore wa mirā-san ga tsukutta kēkidesu.
This is the cake Mr Miller made.

ハイさんがうまれたところはハノイです。
Hai-san ga umareta tokoro wa Hanoidesu.
The place where Hai was born is Hanoi.

これは女の人がよむざっしです。
Kore wa onnanohito ga yomu zasshidesu.
This is a magazine that women read.