N4Lesson 33 of 438 min
Quoting, thinking, and describing nouns
と思う, と言う, and relative clauses: the three things that let you build long sentences.
Up to now your sentences have been one clause each. This lesson is where they start nesting: reporting what someone said, saying what you think, and describing a noun with a whole clause. All three attach to the plain form, which is why plain form came first.
〜と思います: I think that…
Take a plain-form sentence, add と, then 思います. The と marks everything before it as the content of the thought.
- 明日は雨が降ると思います あしたはあめがふるとおもいますअशिता वा अमे गा फुरु तो ओमोइमासुI think it will rain tomorrow
- この本は面白いと思います このほんはおもしろいとおもいますकोनो होन वा ओमोशिरोइ तो ओमोइमासुI think this book is interesting
- 彼は来ないと思います かれはこないとおもいますकारे वा कोनाइ तो ओमोइमासुI don’t think he is coming
〜と言います: quoting
Same structure. Direct quotes keep 「」 and the original politeness; indirect quotes use plain form.
- 田中さんは「行きます」と言いました तानाका सान वा "इकिमासु" तो इइमाशिताTanaka said "I will go": direct
- 田中さんは行くと言いました たなかさんはいくといいましたतानाका सान वा इकु तो इइमाशिताTanaka said he would go: indirect
- 名前は何と言いますか なまえはなんといいますかनामाए वा नान तो इइमासु काWhat is it called?
Relative clauses: describing a noun with a sentence
In Japanese an entire clause can sit in front of a noun and describe it, with no equivalent of "who", "which" or "that". The clause just goes before the noun, in plain form.
| English | Japanese | Literally |
|---|---|---|
| the book I read | 私が読んだ本 | I-read book |
| the person who is speaking | 話している人 | is-speaking person |
| the restaurant we went to | 行ったレストラン | went restaurant |
| a friend who lives in Tokyo | 東京に住んでいる友達 | Tokyo-in living friend |
- 昨日買った本は面白いです きのうかったほんはおもしろいですकिनोउ कात्ता होन वा ओमोशिरोइ देसThe book I bought yesterday is interesting
- 母が作った料理が好きです ははがつくったりょうりがすきですहाहा गा त्सुकुत्ता र्योउरि गा सुकि देसI like the food my mother made