Particles:
· The nominal particle の / No
- It can replace a noun or it can transform other parts of speech into nouns
Ex:
この かばん は わたし の かばん です
Kono kaban wa watashi no kaban desu
This bag is my bag.
この かばん は わたし の です
Kono kaban wa watashi no desu
This bag is mine.
あかい くつした を ください
Akai kutsushita wo kudasai
Give me some red socks.
あかい の を ください
Akai no wo kudasai
Give me the red ones.
· で / De
- It has several functions:
a) It indicates the place where an action takes place
はなや で はなを かいます
Hana ya de hana wo kaimasu
I’m buying flowers at the florist.
b) It marks the cumulative (associative) complement
ぜんぶ で いくら ですか
Zenbu de ikura desuka
How much do they cost altogether?
Numerals:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
hito- futa- mi- yo- itsu- mu- nana- ya- kokono- too
- Unlike the numbers, which can be used independently (e.g. in mathematics), the numerals are used only in compound words
- combined with –tsu (unit) for the numbers 1-9, the Japanese numerals are used to count: abstract nouns (ideas, news, etc.), small things, square or round shaped objects, or nouns defining objects of enormous dimensions (mountains, lakes, islands, countries)
=> hitotsu, futastu, mittsu, yottsu, itsutsu, muttsu, nanatsu, yattsu, kokonotsu
- the interrogative word which corresponds to the series of numerals is :
いくつ / ikutsu – How many ? (units)
E.g.:
あの へやに いすは ひとつ あります
Ano heya ni isu wa hitosu arimasu. In that room there is a chair.
あそこに やま は いくつ ですか。
みっつ です
Asokoni yama wa ikutsu desuka. Mittsu desu.
How many mountains are there? Three.