Where do you stick adjectives?

Kotonko · May 24, 2002, 06:48

Could some one help a poor home learner?

I know the basic stucture is Subject Object Verb, so where would the adjective go normaly?
For example would the setence...
I have a small Katana be
I Katana small have or
I small Katana have?
Please help!

Domo

moyashi · May 24, 2002, 08:38

I small katana have

watashi wa chisai-na katana wo motteru.

cheers and welcome aboard!

gambatte (good luck!)

Diana · Jul 29, 2002, 11:01

Isn't it
(watashi wa) chiisai katana o motte iru?
I use o for 'wo', so don't be surprised. This is what I'm used to.

moyashi · Jul 29, 2002, 15:07

hehe, I write the way I speak

o or wo is basically the same ... even the textbooks put parathasis around the w.

Though, in this day and age the "wo" sound is definitely now "o", since the "wa-yomi line" is slowly disappearing. We no longer have "we" and "wi" ... although some of the folks that are still living past 80+ something have names that still incorporate these characters.

cheers

samuraitora · Jul 30, 2002, 00:23

@ Diana
The proper way is to add the 'watashi wa' in the front.
Normally, in spoken Japanese, if the object is understood, you just drop it. So, technically, both are right

moyashi · Jul 30, 2002, 09:56

Yep, samuraitora hit it on the nose!

Problem is that almost always in spoken Japanese the object is always dropped. I asked at one time if even Japanese new if they understood the object all the time. The person just smiled. Nope. They apparently spend part of the conversation guessing what the other person is mentioning and sometimes they miss it as much as a foreignor would .... hehehe

samuraitora · Jul 30, 2002, 22:41

Thanks moyashi.

I love the fact that the Japanese can get confused by each other...then they look down on us for not understanding...the irony is great.

Eirik · Oct 7, 2002, 04:59

"object"? you must have meant the word "subject"
watashi - the subject
katana - the object

moyashi · Oct 8, 2002, 01:25

Actually, I left out "subject" unconciously since I don't use it 80-90% of the time. So, I mentioned to what for me is dropped off frequently, the object. Hehe, I guess I've lived over here too long.

May 24, 2002, 06:48	#1
Kotonko Junior Member Join Date: May 23, 2002 Location: North America Age: 25 Posts: 7	Where do you stick adjectives? Could some one help a poor home learner? I know the basic stucture is Subject Object Verb, so where would the adjective go normaly? For example would the setence... I have a small Katana be I Katana small have or I small Katana have? Please help! Domo

May 24, 2002, 08:38	#2
moyashi Regular Member Join Date: Apr 15, 2002 Location: SonyLand Age: 40 Posts: 1,566	I small katana have watashi wa chisai-na katana wo motteru. cheers and welcome aboard! gambatte (good luck!) __________________ crazy gonna crazy

Jul 30, 2002, 00:23	#5
samuraitora Regular Member Join Date: May 29, 2002 Location: Detroit MI Age: 35 Posts: 782	@ Diana The proper way is to add the 'watashi wa' in the front. Normally, in spoken Japanese, if the object is understood, you just drop it. So, technically, both are right __________________ ja mata samuraitora (^_-)/

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Jul 29, 2002, 11:01	#3
Diana Join Date: Jul 29, 2002 Location: Mass, USA Posts: 19	Isn't it (watashi wa) chiisai katana o motte iru? I use o for 'wo', so don't be surprised. This is what I'm used to.

Jul 29, 2002, 15:07	#4
moyashi Regular Member Join Date: Apr 15, 2002 Location: SonyLand Age: 40 Posts: 1,566	hehe, I write the way I speak o or wo is basically the same ... even the textbooks put parathasis around the w. Though, in this day and age the "wo" sound is definitely now "o", since the "wa-yomi line" is slowly disappearing. We no longer have "we" and "wi" ... although some of the folks that are still living past 80+ something have names that still incorporate these characters. cheers

Jul 30, 2002, 09:56	#6
moyashi Regular Member Join Date: Apr 15, 2002 Location: SonyLand Age: 40 Posts: 1,566	Yep, samuraitora hit it on the nose! Problem is that almost always in spoken Japanese the object is always dropped. I asked at one time if even Japanese new if they understood the object all the time. The person just smiled. Nope. They apparently spend part of the conversation guessing what the other person is mentioning and sometimes they miss it as much as a foreignor would .... hehehe

Jul 30, 2002, 22:41	#7
samuraitora Regular Member Join Date: May 29, 2002 Location: Detroit MI Age: 35 Posts: 782	Thanks moyashi. I love the fact that the Japanese can get confused by each other...then they look down on us for not understanding...the irony is great.

Oct 7, 2002, 04:59	#8
Eirik Junior Member Join Date: Oct 7, 2002 Location: Bergen, Norway Age: 25 Posts: 9	"object"? you must have meant the word "subject" watashi - the subject katana - the object

Oct 8, 2002, 01:25	#9
moyashi Regular Member Join Date: Apr 15, 2002 Location: SonyLand Age: 40 Posts: 1,566	Actually, I left out "subject" unconciously since I don't use it 80-90% of the time. So, I mentioned to what for me is dropped off frequently, the object. Hehe, I guess I've lived over here too long.