Particles Revolution

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The last three particles (Not!)



The Inclusive 「と」 particle


（１）　スプーンフォーク食べた。- Ate fish by means of fork and spoon.
（２）　雑誌葉書買った。- Bought book, magazine, and post card.

（１）　友達話した。- Talked with friend.
（２）　先生会った。 - Met with teacher.

The Vague Listing 「や」 and 「とか」 particles


（１）　飲み物カップナプキンは、いらない？- You don't need (things like) drink, cup, or napkin, etc.?
（２）　シャツ買う。- Buy (things like) shoes and shirt, etc...

（１）　飲み物とかカップとかナプキンは、いらない？- You don't need (things like) drink, cup, or napkin, etc.?
（２）　とかシャツ買う。- Buy (things like) shoes and shirt, etc...

The 「の」 particle


（１）　ボブ。- Book of Bob.
（２）　ボブ。- Bob of book.
The first sentence essentially means, "Bob's book." (not a bible chapter). The second sentence means, "Book's Bob" which is probably a mistake. I've translated （１） as "book of Bob" because the 「の」 particle doesn't always imply possession as the next example shows.

（１）　ボブは、アメリカ大学学生だ。- Bob is student of college of America.

（１）　そのシャツシャツ？- Whose shirt is that shirt?
（２）　ボブのシャツだ。- It is shirt of Bob.
to become:
（１）　そのシャツ？- Whose shirt is that?
（２）　ボブだ。- It is of Bob.

（１）　白いは、かわいい。- Thing that is white is cute.
（２）　授業行く忘れた。- Forgot the event of going to class.

（２）　授業行くこと忘れた。- Forgot the thing of going to class.

（１）　毎日勉強するのは大変。 - The thing of studying every day is tough.
（２）　毎日同じ食べるのは、面白くない。- It's not interesting to eat same thing every day.
You might have noticed that the word 「同じ」 is directly modifying 「」 even though it obviously isn't an i-adjective. I have no idea why this is possible. One explanation might be that it is actually an adverb, which we will soon learn doesn't require any particles.

（１）　静か部屋が、アリスの部屋だ。- Quiet room is room of Alice.
（１）　静かのが、アリスの部屋だ。- Quiet one is room of Alice.


The 「の」 particle as explanation


The sentence would be expressed like so:
（１）　忙しい。- The thing is that (I'm) busy now.

（２）　忙しいのだ。- The thing is that (I'm) busy now.

（１）　忙しい？- Is it that (you) are busy now? (gender-neutral)

（１）　ジムのだ。- It is of Jim. (It is Jim's.)
（２）　ジムのだ。- It is Jim (with explanatory tone).



「んだ」 attached to different conjugations
(You may substitute 「の」 or 「のだ」 for 「んだ」)

「んだ」 itself is conjugated
(You may substitute 「の」 for 「ん」 and 「の」 or 「のだ」 for 「んだ」)



Let's see some examples of the types of situations where this grammar is used. The examples will have literal translation to make it easier to see how the meaning stays the same and carries over into what would be very different types of sentences in normal English. A more natural English pronunciation is provided as well because the literal translations can get a bit convoluted.

Example 1

アリス：　どこ行く？- Where is it that (you) are going?
ボブ：　授業行くんだ。- It is that (I) go to class.
Alice: Where are you going? (Seeking explanation)
Bob: I'm going to class. (Explanatory)

Example 2

アリス：　授業あるんじゃない？- Isn't it that there is class now?
ボブ：　は、ないんだ。- Now it is that there is no class.

Example 3

アリス：　授業ないんじゃないの？- Isn't it that there isn't class now?
ボブ：　ううんある。- No, there is.
Bob: No, I do have class.

Example 4

アリス：　その買うんじゃなかったの？- Wasn't it that that person was the one to buy?
ボブ：　ううん先生買うんだ。- No, it is that teacher is the one to buy.

Example 5

アリス：　朝ご飯食べるんじゃなかったよ。 - It is that breakfast wasn't to eat, you know.
ボブ：　どうして？ - Why?
Bob: How come?


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This page has last been revised on 2005/6/1
Removed unknown reference to 「そこ」 and 「あそこ」 (2005/6/1)