月: 2026年3月

Japanese Learning: Wa-Ga Construction for Verb “Arimasu”; [Person]+wa+[Something]+ga+Arimasu.

We are learning today yet another “Wa-ga construction” sentences that use an intransitive verb for the predicates.

1. Watashi wa Okane ga Arimasu. (I have money.)

Although the verb “have” in English is a transitive verb, the verb “Arimasu” in Japanese is an intransitive verb. If a verb is transitive verb, particle “o” is used to mark an object on which the action of the transitive verb exerts. But in this particular case, you want to identify what is existing (Arimasu). And the verb “Arimasu” is completely an intransitive verb. It is fact that, in some of “Wa-ga construction” sentences, “ga” seems to be an object marker as was explained yesterday.

2. [Subject] wa [Object] ga [Verb predicate]

example; Watashi wa Nihongo ga Wakarimasu.

However, some of “Wa-ga construction” sentences seem to be as follows;

3. [Broader topic] wa [Subject] ga [Predicate].

   ≒ As for [Broader topic], its [Subject] is [Predicate]

example: Nihon wa Sakana ga Oishii desu. (In Japan, fishes are tasty.)

Wa-ga construction of this type “3.” will be explained in the section 16 (Now section 9). It is difficult to say the Wa-ga construction using “Arimasu” is a type “2.” or “3.”. Probably it has both traits.

Wa-ga construction using “Arimasu” can express the possession of concrete objects like “1.”, and also it can express the existence of an event or other such thing as below;

4. Watashi wa Shigoto ga Arimasu. (I have a work.)

Practice and remember the following conversation;

A : Nichiyoubi, Satou-san wa Nani ga Arimasuka. (Sato-san, what do you have on Sunday?)

B : Nichiyoubi, Watashi wa Tesuto ga Arimasu. (I have a test on Sunday.)

<この投稿は“スリーエーネットワーク、みんなの日本語 初級I 第2版, 第9課A4”の内容を参照しています。>

Japanese Learning: Wa-Ga Construction for Verb “Wakarimasu”; [Person]+wa+[Something]+ga+Wakarimasu.

We have already learned two “Wa-ga construction” sentences. Their predicates are Na-adjectives “Sukina” and “Jouzuna”. Today we are going to learn a “Wa-ga construction” in which a verb is used for predicate.

1. Watashi wa Nihongo ga Wakarimasu. (I understand Japanese.)

The sentence 1 is of Wa-ga construction. Usually “Wa-ga construction” is explained as follows;

 [Topic] wa [Subject] ga [Predicate].

However, the sentence 1 seems to be;

[Subject] wa [Object] ga [Verb predicate]

Compare the following sentence with the sentence 1 above;

2. Watashi wa Nihongo o Benkyoushimasu. (I study Japanese.)

The verbs “understand” and “study” in English are in most cases transitive verbs. So, can you say two verbs “Wakarimasu” and “Benkyoushimasu” are both transitive verbs, and “ga” is also object marker as “o”?

The verb “Wakarimasu” is not a transitive verb but an intransitive verb. “Wakarimasu” doesn’t use particle “o” but uses “ga” for the object. Probably it is not enough to say “Wakarimasu is an intransitive verb” for the reason why Wakarimasu uses “ga” for its object. The explanation would not be easy. I just recommend you to remember the example sentence like 1, and to be able to use the expression “[Something] ga Wakarimasu”. But if I say something about “ga Wakarimasu”, it would be that the verb “Wakarimasu” contains the meaning of “possible”. As to the meaning of Wakarimasu, it is usually said to be like “understand” in English, but think it can also be like “can tell”. If you want to say you can do something, you will put emphasis on what you can do. In Japanese, if you want to identify an object, in the cases below, “ga” is used for that object.

– you want (～ga hoshiidesu.)

– you like (～ga sukidesu.)

– you are good at(～ga jouzudesu.)

– you understand(～ga wakarimasu.) — Today’s expression

– you have(～ga arimasu.)

– you can(～ga dekimasu.)

Wakarimasu, arimasu, and dekimasu are verbs. But they are in some extent stative. If the verb is actionable, and the verb is a transitive verb or is a mobile intransitive verb, do not forget the following basics;

[Subject] ga [object] o [Verb] masu.

And know that “Wa-ga construction” is not versatile any time.

Practice and remember “Wa-ga construction” sentences through the following conversations.

A : Satou-san wa Eigo ga Wakarimasuka. (Do you understand English?)

B : Hai, Watashi wa Eigo ga Wakarimasu. (Yes, I understand English.)

<この投稿は“スリーエーネットワーク、みんなの日本語 初級I 第2版, 第9課A3”の内容を参照しています。>

Japanese Learning: Wa-Ga Construction for Na-adjective “Jouzuna”; [Person]+wa+[Something]+ga+Jouzudesu.

This time is also about “Wa-ga construction”. We learned one of “Wa-ga construction” sentences that uses Na-adjective “Sukina” as the following.

1. Watashi wa Ryokou ga Sukidesu. (I like traveling.)

Today’s “Wa-ga construction” sentence uses also Na-adjective which is “Jouzuna”. Jouzuna means “be good at”. Note that adjectives are word that express state and/or nature.

Some of Japanese learners like “Wa-ga construction” very much because its structure shapes the meaning. Structural thing is also important in Japanese, but the functions of particles are also important. Thanks to the functions of particle, Japanese sentences have freedom for the order of words in some extent. If you stick to “Wa-ga construction” too much, you would not be able to learn the functions that each particle has. The very basic of Japanese is that particle “ga” is for subject, “o” for object. “Wa-ga construction” is out of this basic. Since damage caused by sticking to “Wa-ga construction” is severe, I will continue to explain this problem.

Today we are learning a Na-adjective “Jouzuna” which means “be good at”. Practice and remember the following conversations. Note that neither A or B are Sato-san.

A : Satou-san wa Nani ga Jouzudesuka. (What is Sato-san good at doing?)

B : Satou-san wa Ryouli ga Jouzudesu. (She is good at cooking.)

<この投稿は“スリーエーネットワーク、みんなの日本語 初級I 第2版, 第9課A2”の内容を参照しています。>