Jap. word order

[Yuriy]

i have a bout the word order. i no it's subject-object-verb whereas english is subject-verb-object. but then u have to apply 2 the grammer with +ing the 'ga', 'wa', 'yo', etc. and i guess that's the part i don't get.

ok, so i was never good at the english subject where i used 2 have been an ell/esl kid but still...i still don't get how u would find the subject of a sen if it were sth like, i went over to my sister's house, or sth like that.

smo please clarify 4 me?

[geishaboy]

Woooh Wooh! Here comes the grammar train!

Ga, wo, wa, ni ect.. are all what are called particles. Japanese has lots of particles.

Now, for the word ordering of things.

私はラーメンを食べます
watashi wa raamen wo tabemasu
I will eat noodles

私は
The first part of that sentance is "watashi wa"、 this is the topic "I" or "me". the particle "wa" is indicating that the word before it is the topic of the sentance.

ラーメンを
The second part "raamen wo" this is the object "noodles". The word raamen means noodles and the particle "wo" (pronounced "oh") is indictaing that this is the object of the sentance.

食べます
The last part is the verb, verbs in Japanese allways come last so they do not normally need a particle. "Tabemasu" ia the verb that means "to eat", it is in the polite ~masu form. The plain form of this is "taberu" 食べる

So a very basic way forming sentances in Japanese is:

(topic)は(object)を(verb)
(topic)wa (object)wo (verb)


Tell me if you want to know more, because a decent explaination of verbs is going to need it's own thread.

[Xehanort]

Ni is Japanese for 2.

[geishaboy]

Ni is Japanese for 2.

"ni" に is also a particle used for showing the location of something.

[Xehanort]

Coooool.

[Okami_chan]

as in, machi ni ikimasho.
(let's go to town)

or, koko ni suwatte kudasai
(please sit here)

[Yuriy]

ok. cool.

[Mazda Rx-7 F3SD]

ichigatsu is monday(i think or maybe january?)

[geishaboy]

ok. cool.

but was is the difference between the topic and the subject. topic for wa and sub for ga, rite? that's wat i don't get. wat is the difference between the 2?

When it comes to wa and ga, at first it seems compltetly random ny nature. probably the best way to describe it to a beginner is that "wa" indicates the main topic and "ga" indicates the secondary topic. Like, "wa" is stronger than "ga".

It is WAY more complicated than that, but that should give you a bit of understanding for now.

Ichigatsu is January.

[OniKira]

ichigatsu is jan.

[nozomi]

Yup. Japanese is an SOV language. Subject - object - verb. Fun.

[killies]

ok i get the subect object verb thing but what if its a big sentence with more than one object and stuff? would it be subject object object (however many more times) verb?

[geishaboy]

ok i get the subect object verb thing but what if its a big sentence with more than one object and stuff? would it be subject object object (however many more times) verb?

Ohh boy, this is going to take a while

In English it is easy, we just link all our sentances with "and". It does not work this way in Japanese

I ate noodles and pork

For something like this, you are linking nouns, The particle "to" と is used in this case. The particle "ya" is a softer form of "to", but really means the same thing

私はラーメンと豚肉を食べた
watashi wa raamen to butaniku wo tabeta

buta niku = pork
tabeta = ate, past tense of eat


I went to the park and looked at clouds

Now, when you are linking verbs it gets really tricky, and I doubt you guys will understand without alot of Japanese studying. Let me just say that the verb itself changes, there is no sperate word to link verbs. When linking verbs in this manner, the verbs go to what is called a -te ーて　form

私は公園に行って雲にみた
watashi wa kouen ni itte kumo ni mita

kouen = park
itte = -te form of iku, to go
kumo = cloud
mita = past tense of look, looked

I hope that helps

[asdfsdf]

Woooh Wooh! Here comes the grammar train!

Ga, wo, wa, ni ect.. are all what are called particles. Japanese has lots of particles.

Now, for the word ordering of things.

私はラーメンを食べます
watashi wa raamen wo tabemasu
I will eat noodles

私は
The first part of that sentance is "watashi wa"、 this is the topic "I" or "me". the particle "wa" is indicating that the word before it is the topic of the sentance.

ラーメンを
The second part "raamen wo" this is the object "noodles". The word raamen means noodles and the particle "wo" (pronounced "oh") is indictaing that this is the object of the sentance.

食べます
The last part is the verb, verbs in Japanese allways come last so they do not normally need a particle. "Tabemasu" ia the verb that means "to eat", it is in the polite ~masu form. The plain form of this is "taberu" 食べる

So a very basic way forming sentances in Japanese is:

(topic)は(object)を(verb)
(topic)wa (object)wo (verb)


Tell me if you want to know more, because a decent explaination of verbs is going to need it's own thread.

Hmm I knew and understood this already, but when the sentence gets more complicated, I get lost.

I don't know how to explain it really.

[geishaboy]

Hmm I knew and understood this already, but when the sentence gets more complicated, I get lost.

I don't know how to explain it really.

lol, well, have a think about it, I can't really help you out if you can't tell me what you want to know

[asdfsdf]

Hmm I knew and understood this already, but when the sentence gets more complicated, I get lost.

I don't know how to explain it really.

lol, well, have a think about it, I can't really help you out if you can't tell me what you want to know

I know I know lol. I just can't really... explain it. I'll try and come up with a sentence and show you. (Since I can't write it myself, hence my problem lol)

Oh and btw Geisha, do you live in Japan?