 | This page provides links to 66 Flash animations of various grammatical structures in Japanese and 12 downloadable appendices. Before you begin, check the vocabulary items by clicking on the link. To begin an animation, click on a picture. After each animation, check your comprehension by taking a short quiz.  If you are looking for specific patterns, download this slightly improved index. If you cannot view the animations, read this page. rate this site. Do you know how to type in Japanese? Try this activity. |
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This unit explains three basic types of sentences in Japanese: those ending in a noun phrase and the copula, those ending in an adjective (and optionally the copula), and those ending in a verb. Word list Take a quiz. See also Unit 20. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains that the verb must appear last in a Japanese sentence. The exact word order of noun phrases is not as important, so long as they appear before the verb and are accompanied by correct particles. Word list Take a quiz. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains how to form simple noun phrases of the types [noun + no + head noun] and [adjective + head noun]. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 4 and 37. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains that spatial relations in Japanese are expressed with noun phrases in the form of [reference point + no + relative position] as in watashi-no ushiro “behind me.” Word list Take a quiz. See also Unit 3. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit first explains two types of adjectives: i-adjectives and na-adjectives. In addition, it explains the properties of adjective-like nouns that are somewhat difficult to distinguish from na-adjecitves. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 18, 19, and 22. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains the particles e, ni, de, kara, and made. In addition, the so-called “traversal” use of the particle o is explained. Word list Take a quiz. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains the proto-typical distinction between transitive and intransitive verbs. Apparent exceptions to the principle are also explained. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 16, 29, 36, 53, and 63. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains that the main function of the particle wa is to link related sentences into a coherent passage. Word list Take a quiz. See also Unit 9. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains that the particle mo adds a thing to a set of items that meet a certain condition. It also shows that the function and the distribution of the particle mo are very similar to those of the particle wa. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 8 and 55. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit shows that particles in Japanese are very useful in communication on their own. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 16, 17, and 58. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains how to use the demonstrative series ko-, so-, a-, and do- in the concrete as well as abstract domains. Word list Take a quiz. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit contrasts two different methods of using numeral expressions containing counters such as mai “sheet” and satsu “volume.” In one, numeral expressions are used to count items. In the other, numeral expressions are used to characterize a specific group in terms of its size. Word list Take a quiz. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit illustrates that Japanese wh questions (questions containing counterparts of who, what, why, etc.) are structured exactly like their answers and that this feature makes it quite easy to construct and answer complex wh questions in Japanese even though they may be difficult to translate into English. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 35, 37, and 47. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains how to describe change of state. Specifically, the following two types of patterns, the adjectival type and the nominal type constructions are illustrated: ku-form of adjective + naru “become”; noun-ni + naru. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 18 and 41. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains how to use expressions like ichi-jikan “one hour” and ichi-ji “one o’clock.” Word list Take a quiz. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit classifies verbs into categories on the basis of semantic characteristics of their associated noun phrases. It also shows what particles can go with what verbs. The verbs in this set are primarily transitive, or take a target. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 7, 10, and 17. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit continues with the task of classifying verbs on the basis of their associated noun phrases. The verbs in this unit are mainly intransitive. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 6, 10, 16, and 52. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains that Japanese makes a sharp distinction between elements modifying verbs and elements modifying nouns. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 5, 14, and 41. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit introduces the distinction between direct-style forms and polite forms. The primary factor for this distinction is the nature of the audience. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 20, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 46, 47, 50, 56, and 65. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains how to derive various conjugational forms of so-called one-step verbs, five-step verbs, and irregular verbs. Word list Take a quiz. See also Unit 19. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains how to express cause-effect relationships. It clarifies that the cause always precedes the effect in Japanese. Word list Take a quiz. See also Unit 22. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit focuses on te-forms as a means of connecting very closely related events. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 21, 37, 38, and 44. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains the basic use of the continuative construction [te-form + iru] in the sense of progressive aspect. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 25 and 26. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit focuses on the use of kuru “come” and iku “go” as auxiliary verbs. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 49 and 53. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains the other meaning of the te iru construction introduced in Unit 9, namely the continuation of a resultant state. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 23, 26, 53, and 64. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit examines an application of the concept explained in Unit 10. It shows how the resultant continuative construction is used to describe how a person is dressed. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 23 and 25. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains the pattern used for comparison. Word list Take a quiz. See also Unit 46. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains how the particles wa, mo, and no are combined with other particles. Word list Take a quiz. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit compares the pattern for expressing one's desire for one's own action and the pattern for expressing one's desire for other people's action. Word list Take a quiz. See also Unit 7. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains sentence-final elements deshô “it is probably the case” and kamo shirenai “there is the possibility” which mark the likelihood of an event. Word list Take a quiz. See also Unit 36. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains how to use nagara. The differences between nagara and its closest English equivalent while are pointed out. Word list Take a quiz. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit describes the purpose construction [location + ni/e + verbal stem + ni + verb of movement], which is used in sentences such as umi-ni oyogi-ni iku “I go to the beach for a swim.” Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 43, 44, and 45. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains how to give examples of things, actions, or events. The expressions involved are ka, ya, toka, and tari. Word list Take a quiz. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains constructions such as daremo … nai “no one” and shika … nai “nothing but.” Word list Take a quiz. See also Unit 35. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit continues with the topic of the construction [wh element + mo] and expands into the construction [wh element + ka]. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 13, 34, and 37. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit describes the constructions mashô and yô, which roughly correspond to let's in English. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 7, 30, 40, and 53. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains how to form and use Japanese counterparts of complex noun phrases such as the cake that Mr. Kimura made and a woman who was waiting for a bus. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 3, 13, and 22. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains how to form and use Japanese counterparts of constructions like the bracketed parts below: I remember [my mother cooking in our old kitchen]. [For me to cook] is a major event. It is surprising [that you should cook]. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 22, 50, and 52. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains the so-called “extended predicate” construction, n-desu and its variations, which is used when making explanatory comments on personal circumstances. Word list Take a quiz. See also Unit 38. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains how to quote statements or beliefs. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 19, 36, 38, and 56. Comments and suggestions |
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In Japanese, the “source of information” is typically marked at the end of a sentence by a noun-like element. Representative of this type of construction are: yô “evidence,” hazu “common understanding,” tsumori “intention, belief,” and sô “hearsay.” This unit explains the first of these. Word list Take a quiz. See also Unit 42. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit continues with the topic of marking the source of information and explains how to use hazu “common understanding,” tsumori “intention, belief,” and sô “hearsay.” Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 41 and 44. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit describes two more purpose constructions, [direct sentense + no-ni] and [direct sentence + tame-ni]. Differences between these constructions and the other purpose construction studied in Unit 32 are also pointed out. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 32 and 44. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit contrasts two markers of source of information, sô and yô, as seen in taka-sô-da and takai yô-da. It points out that sô, which takes a stem form, marks the judgment as more intuitive and immediate than yô, which takes a direct-style sentence and marks the judgment as more objective and detached. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 22, 32, 42, and 43. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains that quoting requests indirectly requires a different pattern from that for quoting statements. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 19, 40, 41, 42, and 44. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains how to compare two events using yori “than” and hô “option.” The pattern is essentially the same as the pattern described in Unit 27 for comparing two things, except that direct-style sentences are used. Word list Take a quiz. See also Unit 27. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit contrasts the embedding of a question with ka and the tara-conditional pattern, both of which can be translated into English with if. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 5, 13, and 48. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains two more conditional patterns, the reba-conditional, which is more hypothetical, and the to-conditional, which leads to an inevitable consequence. Word list Take a quiz. See also Unit 47. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit first explains the basic difference between two verbs corresponding to give. Their auxiliary usage is explained next. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 24 and 53. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains a number of constructions that contain the nominalizer koto. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 38, 40, and 52. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains that the tense (past or non-past) in the subordinate clause in Japanese is determined relative to the main clause rather than to the point where the speaker is. Word list Take a quiz. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit contrasts the pronominal and nominalizing functions of no and koto. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 38 and 50. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit summarizes a number of patterns involving te-forms and those verbs that can be used as auxiliary verbs. Specifically, the verbs described are ageru, kureru, iru, kuru, iku, oku, aru, shimau, miru, and miseru. In combination with a te-form, these verbs indicate that the event or action has some consequence or impact to a receiver, a destination, a future point, an observer, etc. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 7, 24, 25, 49, 54, and 64. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit discusses the use of te-forms followed by the particle mo. The basic meaning of this construction is that different conditions lead to an identical consequence. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 22, 53, and 55. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit describes the patterns for permission, exemption, prohibition, and obligation, which are created by combining a positive or negative te-form with mo ii (permissive attitude) or wa ikenai (restrictive attitude). Word list Take a quiz. See also Unit 54. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit describes the system of honorifics in Japanese, beginning with honorific kinship terms and ending with honorific verbs. Word list Take a quiz. See also Unit 19. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit describes the patterns for apologies and thanks consisting of a te-form and an expression of apology or appreciation. Word list Take a quiz. See also Unit 53. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit describes various patterns for requests and commands from the more polite type to the more brusque type. Word list Take a quiz. See also Unit 10. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit first explains the contrast between active and passive sentences in English. How to form passive sentences in Japanese is explained next. Word list Take a quiz. See also Unit 60. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains another type of passive construction known as “adversity” or “affective” passive. This constuction utilizes the same passive verb forms studied in Unit 59, but for a different effect. It indicates that the subject is adversely affected by someone’s action. Word list Take a quiz. See also Unit 59. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains the causative constructions in which the subject lets or forces someone to do something. Word list Take a quiz. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit explains the te morau construction, which is similar to that of the let causative. The subject in this construction is grateful for the action performed by someone. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 60 and 61. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit describes how to use pairs of closely related transitive and intransitive verbs. The effect of using such intransitive verbs with the resultant continuative construction te iru is also discussed. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 7 and 25. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit discusses the differences between te aru and te iru when paired with the type of intransitive verbs studied in Unit 63. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 25, 53, and 63. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit describes differences between male and female casual speech patterns with the focus on the endings. Word list Take a quiz. See also Units 19 and 58. Comments and suggestions |
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This unit illustrates a number of errors that a student of Japanese should avoid (although we admit that teachers of Japanese love them). Word list Take a quiz. Comments and suggestions |
 | Download the PowerPoint shows by right-clicking on the links. Units for which they may be helpful are indicated in parentheses.
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