Japanese i-adjectives

Part 2

Let’s review! Ok , so now we know that there are 2

types of adjectives in Japanese right?

Can you remember what they are called?

That’s right !

• i-adjectives• na-adjectives

We also learned that there are 2 types of speech in Japanese.

Can you remember what the two types of speech were ?

Right again !

• Formal speech• Informal speech

We also learned about the 4 tenses in Japanese!

Can you remember the 4 tenses were?

Yes? …Good job!

•Present Affirmative ( is X )•Present Negative ( is not X )•Past Affirmative ( is X )•Past Negative ( is not X )

Now let’s go over one some new facts about i-adjectives.

1. There are true and false i-adjectives

WHAT? TRUE AND FALSE I-ADJECTIVES?!!....

Don’t worry , let me break it down for you.

True adjectives are those that end in

( i ) , hence their name , makes sense right?

For example :

• takai (expensive) • ookii (big)• chikai (near/close)• samui (cold )• oishii (delicious)• ureshii (happy)

But…..

Every now and then you’ll see anadjective like this one kirei (pretty/clean)

And you’ll say , “ hey that’s an i-adjectivebecause it ends in i !”

Right?...........

WRONG!

And you’ll think to yourself

(How can that be ?!, kirei ends in i- so it has to be an i-adjective! )

Well in this case (kirei ) is a na-adjective.

Why

The reason why it’s a na-adjective isbecause “true” i-adjectives end in ( i )

butnever in (ei )!

Since Kirei (pretty)ends in (ei ) it is a false

i-adjective..therefore it is called a na-adjective.

So it’s easy to identify the false i-adjectives that end in (ei) like kirei.

2. But there are other false i-adjectives that are harder to identify.

Unfortunately you will just have to memorize them.

Check out the following list on the next slide , andnotice how kirei (ei) and genki (i) are both naadjectives.

(kirei) is easy to identify as a false i-adj because itends in ei, therefore it is really a na-adj.

(Genki) is the tricky one here, but this is one of the

ones that you’ll just have to memorize as being naadjectives , and not an i-adjective, but don’t worryThere are only a handful of na-adjectives that end

ini , and ei.

Some adjectives that seem like i-adjectives but are really na-adjectives…..

Kirei (pretty/clean) NA kireinaきれい きれいな

Benri (Convenient) NA benrinaべんり 　　 べんりな

Suki (like/favorite) NA sukina すき 　　　　 すきな

Genki (healthy/well) NA genkinaげんき 　　　　　　　 げんきな

EXERCISE TIME !

Identify which are i-adjectives/na-adjectives. Ex: kirei = na adj.

1. oishii(delicious)= 2. kirei(pretty/clean)=3. takai(expensive)=4. kirai(dislike)=5. ureshii(happy)=

6. tanoshii(fun) = 7. benri(convenient)=8. yasui(cheap)=9. teinei(polite)=10. yuumei(famous)=

RECAP

In this lesson we learned that i-adjectives end in ( i ) but never in ( ei )

We also learned that there are exceptions to this rule because even though (genki)ends in i , it is still a na-adjective.

yosh minna !, ganbatte ne!(Alright everyone ! Good luck!)

NEW LESSONS COMING SOON !