· The adjective
In Japanese, the adjective can function alone as predicate. It has the same form for singular and plural as for masculine and feminine.
The Japanese adjectives can be divided into 2 groups:
a) adjectives ending in “I” い
b) adjectives ending in “na” な (verbal adjective)
Examples of adjectives:
おもしろい-omoshiroi – interesting あかい – akai – red
さむい – samui – cold おおきい – ooki – big
あつい – atsui – hot ちさい – chisai – little
あたらしい – atarashii – new たかい – takai – expensive, high
みじかい – mijikai – short ひくい – hikui – short
ながい – nagai – long つめたい – tsumetai – cold
むずかしい – muzukashii – difficult いそがしい –isogashii - busy
ひろい – hiroi – large, spacious せまい- semai – narrow, small
ふるい – furui – old まずい – mazui – bad (taste)
おいしい – oishii - tastyしんせつな – Shinsetsuna – amiable
じょうぶ な - Jobuna – resistant しずかな – Shizukana – serene, calm
いろいろな – Iro irona – diverse, varied げんきな- Genkina – healthy, energetic
たいせつな -Taisestuna – important ゆうめいな - Yumeina – renowned, famous きれいな – Kireina – beautiful, proper まじめな - Majimena – serious, hard-working
この たてもの は たかい です
Kono tatemono wa takai desu. This building is high.
かれは しんせつな 人 です
Kare wa shinetsuna hito desu. He is an amiable man.
この ほん は ふるい です
Kono hon wa furui desu. This book is old.
かれ は まじめな がくせい です
Kare ha majimena gakusei desu. He is a hard-working student.