N3#relative-clauses#grammar#n3#nominalization

Relative Clauses Lesson 4

Mastering complex relative clauses using the particle 'no' and nominalizers to describe nouns with phrases.

Context

Describing things in detail

In Japanese, we often need to describe a noun using a whole sentence. You have already learned how to use plain-form verbs to modify nouns, but what happens when you want to describe a noun using a phrase that isn't just a simple verb action?

Imagine you are trying to explain to a friend which book you want. Instead of saying 'the book I read,' you might want to say 'the book that I was thinking about reading yesterday.' This requires nesting more information into your relative clause.

Explanation

Complex Relative Clauses

When we want to modify a noun with a complex clause, we maintain the structure where the modifying sentence precedes the noun. The key is ensuring the verb inside the clause is in the plain form.

Sentence (plain form)Noun

The entire sentence acts as an adjective. If the sentence ends in a verb, it must be in the dictionary form or the past plain form (ta-form). If it ends in an i-adjective, you keep the 'i'. If it ends in a na-adjective or noun, you must add 'na' or 'no' respectively before the noun being modified.

Tip

Remember: You cannot use polite forms (desu/masu) inside a relative clause. Always convert them to plain form first.

Examples

Examples of Complex Clauses

Here are examples showing how to build these phrases.

昨日(きのう)買った(かった)本(ほん)を読みました。

I read the book that I bought yesterday.

昨日きのうyesterday買ったかったbought本ほんbook

明日(あした)行く(いく)場所(ばしょ)を決めています。

I have decided on the place where I will go tomorrow.

明日あしたtomorrow行くいくgo場所ばしょplace

あれは私が【住んでいる】（住む）家です。

Hint: Use the te-form + iru to indicate a state of living.

That is the house where I live.

Usage

Nuance and Usage

Relative clauses are essential for natural-sounding Japanese. They allow you to be specific without needing multiple sentences.

Relative Clause vs. Two Sentences

本を買いました。面白いです。

Two separate sentences (Choppy)

買った本は面白いです。

Relative clause (Natural/Fluid)

Which sentence correctly uses a relative clause?

昨日行きました店は美味しいです。
✓ 昨日行った店は美味しいです。

In a relative clause, the verb must be in plain form (行った) before the noun (店).

Deep dive

Deep Dive: Particles inside Clauses

A common question is what happens to particles like 'ga' inside a relative clause.

When the subject of the relative clause is different from the main sentence, we often use 'ga' to mark the subject within the clause. However, in many contexts, 'ga' can be replaced by 'no' inside a relative clause (e.g., 'watashi no katta hon' instead of 'watashi ga katta hon'). Both are grammatical, but 'no' often sounds slightly more formal or literary.

Summary

Lesson Summary

Relative clauses allow you to pack descriptive information into a single noun phrase. By using plain-form verbs and adjectives, you can modify nouns to create precise, natural sentences.

場所

ばしょnoun

place

昨日

きのうnoun

yesterday

決める

きめるverb

to decide

住む

すむverb

to live