Agony or Fun?! Second Language Learning

We have been learning how to use “no” that functions to make a verb a noun-equivalent in the section 38. Since whether a word is verb or noun is strictly distinguished in Japanese, you cannot connect a verb and a particle directly.

(WRONG) Sampo-suru wa Tanoshii desu.

(RIGHT) Sampo-suru no wa Tanoshii desu.

The wrong sentence above connects the verb “Sampo-suru” and the particle “wa” directly. This isn’t accepted. The right one puts “no” between “Sampo-suru” and “wa”. Note that this “no” is a little different kind from “no” that modifies a noun with another noun like “Nihon no Kuruma”. By connecting a verb and “no”, the verb can be a noun-equivalent. Therefore, you can connect  “V+no” to a particle.”

– { [V]+no } + [Particle] => {[Sampo-suru] + no } + wa

In this section 38, the exercises A1 through A4 apply “V+no” as below;

A1 : { [V]+no } + wa [Predicate].

A2 : [Topic] wa  { [V]+no } + ga [Predicate].

A3 : { [V]+no } + o Wasure mashita.

A4 : { [V]+no } + o Shitte imasuka.

In A1 through A3, the verbs are all in dictionary form. But in A4, not only dictionary form, but also Nai-form and Ta-form are used for the “V+no”. The followings are just repetition of yesterday’s sentences, but;

(1) [V-dic + no] o Shitte imasuka.

Example: Ashita Satou-san ga Taiin-suru no o Shitte imasuka. (Do you know Sato-san will be discharged from the hospital tomorrow?)

(2) [V-nai + no] o Shitte imasuka.

Example: Raishuu no Kayoubi, Gomi no Shuushuu ga Nai no o Sitte imasuka. (Do you know that garbage collecting will be done in Tuesday next week?)

(3) [V-ta + no] o Shitte imasuka.

Example: Kinou Satou-san ga Taiin-shita no o Shitte imasuka. (Do you know Sato-san was discharged

And today, more expansion of use of “no” is introduced. “no” has the function to make a verb a noun-equivalent, but not only for a verb, “no” has that function also for I-adjectives and Na-adjective. So, to be exact, “no” has the function to make a conjugating word a noun-equivalent.

1. Chichi to Haha ga Hajimete Deatta no wa Daigaku no Toshokan deshita.

(The place my dad and mom met first time was the library in the university.)

“Deatta” is the Ta-form of a verb “Deau/Daimasu” which means “encounter”, and its conjugation pattern is Group1-W.

2. Watashi ga Tabetai no wa Suigyouza desu.

(What I want to eat is boiled dumplings.)

A5 in Minna no Nihongo uses an I-adjective “Hoshii” for the sample sentence. As mentioned above, “[I-adj]+no” is also used as well as “[V]+no”. However, “-tai” of “Tabetai” in this sentence is not an I-adjective, but an auxiliary verb whose conjugation pattern is the same as I-adjective (-tai, -takunai, -takatta, -takereba). Since auxiliary verbs are also conjugating words, they take the form of “[auxiliary verb]+ no+ [particle]”.

3. Ichiban Anzen’na no wa Soto ni Denai koto desu.

(The safest is not to go outside.)

“Anzenna” is a Na-adjective. It is said that Na-adjectives came from the combination of nouns and the auxiliary verb(da/desu). Therefore, sometimes a stem of Na-adjective connects to a particle like “Anzen ga Daiichi desu. (Safety is the top priority.)”. But “[stem]+[particle]” usually sounds uncomfortable. Please don’t say “(No Good) Kirei ga Ippai, Suteki ga Takusan (There are many beautiful and nice things)”, even if Japanese are saying like this. They are just playing with words.

We have learned “[conjugating words]+no +[particle]” today. The conjugating words in front of “no” take the following forms;

– Verbs : [V-dic] + no, [V-nai] + no, and [V-ta] + no

– I-adjectives : [Stem of I-adj] + i + no

– Na-adjective : [Stem of Na-adj] + na + no

Is there anything that you can find from these forms of conjugating words? These words take forms that can be connected to a noun. Therefore, “no” that we learn in the section 38 has a certain nature as a noun. Probably it is obvious because “no” is the word that can make a conjugating word a noun-equivalent, and because a word in front of a particle is usually a noun.

Again, “no” has the function that makes a conjugating word a noun-equivalent. But haven’t we already learned a word that has the same function? It is a formal noun “koto” that was introduced in the section 18. The following argument would be issues for intermediate and advanced level Japanese learners, but it is a little difficult to learn how “koto” and “no” are interchangeable each other. In fact, “koto” can take places of “no” for most of the sentences in A1 through A4. For example;

(A1) Tomodachi to Isshoni Gohan o Taberu no wa Tanoshii desu. (It is fun to eat a meal with my friends.)

=> Tomodachi to Isshoni Gohan o Taberu koto wa Tanoshii desu.

(A2) Watashi wa Ongaku o Kiku no ga Suki desu. (I like listening to music.)

=> Watashi wa Ongaku o Kiku koto ga Suki desu.

(A3) Shukudai o Motte kuru no o Wasure mashita. (I forgot to bring the homework (that I have done).)

=> Shukudai o Motte kuru koto o Wasure mashita. In this case, “Motte kuru no o” is more common.

(A4) Kinou Satou-san ga Taiin-shita no o Shitte imasuka. (Do you know Sato-san was discharged from the hospital yesterday?)

=> Kinou Satou-san ga Taiin-shita koto o Shitte imasuka.

So, for these, “no” and “koto” are almost interchangeable. But it is not always so. Let us look at today’s sentences again.

1. Chichi to Haha ga Hajimete Deatta no wa Daigaku no Toshokan deshita.

(The place my dad and mom met first time was the library in the university.)

=>(WRONG) Chichi to Haha ga Hajimete Deatta koto wa Daigaku no Toshokan deshita.

“koto” cannot take place of “no” for this particular sentence1. “no” is a functional word usually without meaning. But in the case of the sentence 1, “no” has a meaning of “place” as the English translation indicates. On the other, “koto” is also functional word usually, but “koto” has an original meaning that is “an event”. “Daigaku no Toshokan (Library in university)” is a place, not an event. Therefore, “koto” cannot be used as alternative of “no” in this particular sentence.

2. Watashi ga Tabetai no wa Suigyouza desu.

(What I want to eat is boiled dumplings.)

=>(WRONG) Watashi ga Tabetai koto wa Suigyouza desu.

Likewise, “What I want to eat” and “boiled dumplings” are not events. They are concrete objects, in other words, foods. Also in this case, “koto” cannot substitute “no”.

3. Ichiban Anzen’na no wa Soto ni Denai koto desu.

(The safest is not to go outside.)

=>(sounds a little funny) Ichiban Anzen’na koto wa Soto ni Denai koto desu.

It is a little difficult to explain why this isn’t good. Because the sentence is consistent in respect that the subject is “koto” and the predicates is “koto”. In this case, the sentence says “The safest countermeasure is not to go outside.” Therefore, the countermeasure is not an event, but a movement for you to take.

So please note that “no” and “koto” are often interchangeable, but sometimes not, and it is difficult to explain the reason of cases being interchangeable or not.

The following is yet another intermediate/advanced level issue. What we learned in the section 38 is how to apply “no” in sentences. “no” is not for the restrictive modification of a noun by another noun, but for making a conjugating word a noun-equivalent. Let us review where such “no” is used in the sentences in the exercise A1 through A5. Let [Verb] represent [Conjugation words] in the followings;

A1 : { [V]+no } + wa [Predicate]. — “no” is applied to the subject.

A2 : [Topic] wa  { [V]+no } + ga [Predicate]. — “no” is applied to “ga-word” in wa-ga construction.

A3 : { [V]+no } + o Wasure mashita. — “no” is applied to the object.

A4 : { [V]+no } + o Shitte imasuka. — “no” is applied to the object.

A5 : { [V]+no } + wa [Predicate]. — “no” is applied to the subject.

As indicated above, in the section 38, there is no sentence that uses “no” in the predicates. What will happen if “no” is used in a predicate of a sentence? In fact, we have already learned the sentences that use “no” in the predicates. And there, not only predicates of conjugating words, but also noun predicates can use “no”(a noun doesn’t conjugate). The following sentences are what were introduces in A4 S26.

– Watashi wa Kaimono ni Ikimasen. Shigoto ga Aru ndesu. (I won’t go shopping. Because I have to work.)

Actually, “Shigoto ga Aru ndesu.” is shortened from “Shigoto ga Aru no desu.”. This is an example that “no” is used in a predicate. Most of time, especially in conversation, “no” in predicate is shortened to be “n”. Then, what will happen when “no” in words other that predicates are contracted to be “n”?

(A1) Onsen ni Hairu no wa Kimochi ga Ii desu.
=> Onsen ni Hairun wa Kimochi Ee.

(A2) Watashi wa Ongaku o Kiku no ga Suki desu.

=> Ore wa Ongaku o Kikun ga Suki ya.

(A5) Ichiban Anzen’na no wa Soto ni Denai koto desu.

=> Ichiban Anzen’nan wa Soto ni Denai koto ya.

If you contract “no” to be “n” in subject, object, or any other than predicate, it sounds like Kansai-dialect. Although Kansai-dialect is an important part of Japanese language, my posts about Japanese learning does not deal with it. If you live in Kansai region, knowing and understanding Kansai-dialect is important. But those who are beginners of Japanese language living in other areas of Japan, there is no need to speak like people in Kansai. Therefore, as to “no” that has the function to make conjugating words noun-equivalents, it would be better to say as below;

– In a predicate, it is usually “n”. Saying “no” is also okay.

Iku<n>desu, Samui<n>desu, Kireina<n>desu, Byoukina<n>desu.

Iku<no>desu, Samui<no>desu, Kireina<no>desu, Byoukina<no>desu.

– In a subject, object, other than predicate, it is better to say “no”.

Iku<no>wa — Don’t use “Iku<n>wa”

Kiku<no>ga — Don’t use “Kiku<n>ga”

Suru<no>o — Don’t use “Suru<n’>o”

Of course, if you really want to speak like Kansai people in casual conversation, saying “Ikunwa”, “Kikunga”, and “Surun’o” is okay.

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This post was written with reference to the exercise A5 on Section38 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”