This page will give you a complete overview of the major constructions
in the Japanese language. For detailed information on how each construction
is made, click the appropriate links.
Here you will find English constructions and instructions on how
to make similar constructions in Japanese, and Japanese constructions
and their counterparts in English.
A wa B da.
A very useful and versatile construction that the Japanese are
very fond of using. |
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Interrogative
forms
How to make questions and requests. |
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A wa B ga C da.
An advanced variation on "A" wa "B" da. |
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Negative forms
How to say "no" in Japanese. |
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Causative forms
How to let / have / make somebody do something. |
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Passive forms
How to say that something is being done. This form is also used
to show discontent. |
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Clauses
How to combine to sentences and use subordinate and coordinate
clauses. |
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Polite forms
Respect and classification are important in Japanese society.
Here's how to show respect and use the correct levels of politeness. |
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Comparative
forms
More, most, and the same as in Japanese. |
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Potential forms
How to say that you are able to perform tasks, and how to say
things are possible. |
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Conditional
forms
"If" and "when" in
Japanese. |
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Prohibitive
forms
How to say that something must not be done. |
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Counting &
classifiers
The intricacies of counting. |
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Requests
How to ask or invite people to do things. |
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Desiderative forms
How to say you want something, or want to do something. |
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Sentence construction
Where to place what in a sentence. |
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Direct & indirect
speech
How to quote people, or recall what someone thought or said. |
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Subjunctive
forms
How to say "Let's do this." or "Shall we?" |
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Dubitative
forms
How to describe you have doubts, or that you are not sure about
something. |
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Tenses
The correct use of the different tenses, or how to say you did
something already, are planning to do something, or are busy
doing something. |
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Gender forms
The Japanese make a distinction between masculine speech and
feminine speech. How not to sound like a little girl if you're
man, and how not to sound like a construction worker if you're
a woman. |
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To be or not to
be
The intricacies of the Japanese verb "to be". How
and when to use it, and when not to. |
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Imperative
forms
How to order people around, or say that you must / need to /
have to do things. |
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