Lesson 7: Describing Things (い/な Adjectives)

Adjectives in Japanese – Overview

Japanese adjectives are broadly divided into two main categories:

い-adjectives (i-adjectives)

• End with the hiragana い.
  Examples:
  高たかい – expensive,
  新あたらしい – new,
  可愛かわいい – cute.
• They can directly modify nouns, e.g.,
  赤あかい林檎りんご -> "a red apple"
  and conjugate on their own, e.g.,
  高たかい → 高たかくない → 高たかかった.

な-adjectives (na-adjectives)

• Often look like nouns and require な to connect to a noun.
  Examples:
  きれい(な) – beautiful/clean,
  静しずか(な) – quiet,
  有名ゆうめい(な) – famous.
• They need な before a noun, e.g.,
  静しずかな部屋へや -> "a quiet room"
  and are conjugated by adding です, ではない, etc.

い-Adjectives vs. な-Adjectives: Key Differences

• い-adjectives: End in い; conjugate by modifying their endings.
  Example:
  赤あかい林檎りんご – "a red apple"
• な-adjectives: Do not usually end in い and require な before a noun.
  Example:
  きれいな花はな – "a beautiful flower"

Cultural Note:
Some adjectives can be tricky—for example, きれい ends in い but is actually a な-adjective. This is often because many な-adjectives came from Chinese, while most い-adjectives are native Japanese. Japanese speakers naturally know which is which through exposure, but learners should pay special attention to these exceptions.

Conjugation of い-Adjectives

い-adjectives change form to express positive/negative and present/past. Below is a chart using
高たかい -> "expensive" as an example:

How to Conjugate い-Adjectives

1. Present Negative:
   Replace final い with くない
   (例: 高たかい → 高たかくない)

2. Past Positive:
   Replace final い with かった
   (例: 高たかい → 高たかかった)

3. Past Negative:
   Replace final い with くなかった
   (例: 高たかい → 高たかくなかった)

Example Sentences for い-Adjectives

Present Positive:

Present Negative:

Past Positive:

Past Negative:

Politeness Note:
In polite speech, you often add です after the adjective (e.g.,
高たかいです).
In casual settings with friends or family, the です may be omitted. The conjugation of the adjective itself doesn't change when you add です.

Conjugation of な-Adjectives

な-adjectives follow a pattern similar to nouns plus the copula. Below is a chart using
静しずか -> "quiet" as an example:

How to Conjugate な-Adjectives

1. Present Positive:
   Add です
   (例: 静しずか → 静しずかです)

2. Present Negative:
   Add ではありません or じゃありません
   (例: 静しずか → 静しずかではありません)

3. Past Positive:
   Add でした
   (例: 静しずか → 静しずかでした)

4. Past Negative:
   Add ではありませんでした or じゃありませんでした
   (例: 静しずか → 静しずかではありませんでした)

Example Sentences for な-Adjectives

Present Positive:

Present Negative:

Past Positive:

Past Negative:

Note on だ/です:
In casual speech, な-adjectives may appear with だ e.g.,
静しずかだ
or alone, but polite speech uses です. When a な-adjective directly modifies a noun, use な regardless of politeness level e.g.,
静しずかな部屋へや

Making Comparisons with より

To compare two things, use より to mark the item considered "less" in a quality, and optionally use のほうが to emphasize the "more" important item.

Basic Pattern:

A より B のほうが [adjective] です

• より: Means "than" (follows the less important item).
• のほうが: Emphasizes the item that is "more."

Examples:

Simple Comparison:

With のほうが for Emphasis:

Negative Comparison:

Comparing Locations:

Alternate Patterns:
Some speakers may use different word orders such as BのほうがAより〜 or AよりBが〜. The core idea remains the same: emphasizing a comparative difference between two things.

Cultural Note:
In Japanese culture, making direct comparisons that might imply criticism is sometimes avoided in favor of more indirect expressions. When comparing people, especially, Japanese speakers might soften comparative statements to maintain harmony.

Particles は and が with Adjectives

The choice between は and が can subtly change the nuance when describing things.

は (wa):

Marks the topic or gives a general statement.

が (ga):

Emphasizes the adjective or introduces new information.

Additional Examples:

• General Statement:
  

  この部屋へやは静しずかです。

  Kono heya wa shizuka desu

  This room is quiet (neutral).

  Note: General statement using は.

• Emphasis:
  

  この部屋へやが静しずかです。

  Kono heya ga shizuka desu

  It is this room that is quiet (emphasis).

  Note: Emphasis using が.

When to Use Which:

• Use は when commenting on a known topic
• Use が when highlighting or identifying something specific
• が is also used in exclamations or discoveries (あ、雨が降っている！)

Context Tip:
In answering questions, が often marks the answer to a "which" question:
Q: どちらの部屋へやが静しずかですか？
(Which room is quiet?)
A: こちらの部屋へやが静しずかです。
(This room is the quiet one.)

Putting It All Together: Describing Your Environment

Now that you've learned about adjectives and how to use them, you can describe your surroundings, make comparisons, and express your opinions about things in Japanese.

Common Descriptive Phrases

Practice Dialogue: Discussing Apartments

A: 新あたらしいアパートはどうですか？
(Atarashii apāto wa dō desu ka?)
("How is your new apartment?")

B: とてもいいです。部屋へやは広ひろくて明あかるいです。
(Totemo ii desu. Heya wa hirokute akarui desu.)
("It's very good. The room is spacious and bright.")

A: 前まえのアパートより大おおきいですか？
(Mae no apāto yori ōkii desu ka?)
("Is it bigger than your previous apartment?")

B: はい、新あたらしいアパートのほうが前まえのアパートより大おおきいです。
でも、家賃やちんも高たかいです。
(Hai, atarashii apāto no hō ga mae no apāto yori ōkii desu. Demo, yachin mo takai desu.)
("Yes, the new apartment is bigger than the previous one. But the rent is also high.")

A: そうですか。駅えきは近ちかいですか？
(Sō desu ka. Eki wa chikai desu ka?)
("I see. Is the station close?")

B: いいえ、駅えきは近ちかくないです。
でも、静しずかで便利べんりな場所ばしょです。
(Iie, eki wa chikakunai desu. Demo, shizuka de benri na basho desu.)
("No, the station is not close. But it's a quiet and convenient location.")

Try practicing this dialogue with a partner, substituting your own descriptions!

Cultural Note:
In Japan, apartment descriptions often focus on different qualities than in Western countries. Key features like
proximity to train stations
-> 駅えきから何分なんぷん,
brightness of rooms
-> 明るいあかるい明るい ,
and
layout efficiency
-> 間取りまどりがいい
are especially valued and commonly mentioned when describing living spaces.