Relative Clauses Lesson 7
Mastering the use of relative clauses to describe nouns using complex verb phrases and particles in N3 Japanese.
Describing the World
In Japanese, you don't use 'which' or 'that' to connect sentences. Instead, you modify nouns directly using clauses. Imagine you are trying to describe a specific person or object in a crowded room. You need to be precise.
The Modifier Structure
To create a relative clause, you place the modifying sentence directly before the noun. The verb inside the modifier must be in the plain (dictionary) form.
Watch out
Examples in Action
Observe how the verb phrase acts as an adjective for the noun.
昨日買った本は面白いです。
The book I bought yesterday is interesting.
あそこで話している人は誰ですか。
Who is the person talking over there?
私が住んでいる町は静かです。
The town where I live is quiet.
Which sentence correctly uses the relative clause structure?
- 昨日買いました本は高いです。
- ✓ 昨日買った本は高いです。
- 昨日買うた本は高いです。
The modifier must use the plain form (買った) before the noun (本).
Nuance and Register
Relative clauses are used in both spoken and written Japanese. They are essential for clarity.
Relative Clause vs. Simple Sentence
本を買いました。面白いです。
Two separate sentences; less cohesive.
買った本は面白いです。
One cohesive relative clause; more natural.
Why do we use 'が' instead of 'は' inside the relative clause?
- To make the sentence sound more polite.
- ✓ To mark the subject of the relative clause specifically.
- Because 'は' is forbidden in all Japanese sentences.
- To emphasize the topic of the entire sentence.
In relative clauses, 'が' is used to mark the subject of the modifying verb, as 'は' would create a topic-comment structure that conflicts with the modification.
Advanced Usage
Sometimes, the noun being modified is the object of the relative clause, or even a location/time.
Modifying with Time and Place
Lesson Recap
Relative clauses allow you to pack descriptive information into a single noun phrase. By placing a plain-form verb phrase before a noun, you can identify, specify, and describe objects or people with precision.