Japanese learning (A3 S21): Nested Complex Sentence like “I said that Subject+Predicate”: Watashi wa [Person] ni ([Subject]+[Predicate]) to Iimashita.

Today’s construction also uses the particle “to” that indicates the end of what to speak or what to think. And the predicate is a verb of speaking and thinking.

1. Watashi wa [what to speak/think] to [verb of speaking and thinking].

In the last two posts for A1 and A2 of the section 21, the predicate verb was “Omoimasu(think)”. Today’s verb is “Iu/Iimasu(say/speak/tell)”. Usually the verb “Iu/Iimasu” needs “to whom you are speaking to” as information. Therefore, a sentence using the verb “Iimasu” uses the word with particle “ni” as shown below.

2. Watashi wa Sensei ni Sakkaabu o Yameru to Iimashita. (I told my teacher that I was quitting the soccer club.)

Note that the predicate verb in the above sentence is in past tense “Iimashita”. If it’s in non-past tense “Iimasu”, it would mean “I am going to tell in near future”. Let us just use the past tense “Iimashita” in order to mention what has already happened rather than to say uncertain things in future.

The following examples have variation for the nested predicate. The sentence predicate is “Iimashita”.

3. V-dic: Yasumu

Watashi wa Kachou ni Ashita Yasumu to Iimashita. (I told my company manager that I was going to have day-off tomorrow.)

4. V-nai: Inai

Watashi wa Tomodachi ni Mada Ohirugohan o Tabete Inai to Iimashita. (I told my friend that I hadn’t eaten the lunch yet.)

– For the above sentence, “Tabenai to Iimashita” is wrong not only because it is inconsistent with the adverb “Mada (not yet)”, but also it means “I am not going to eat”. The current situation is “Not eating”, and “Not eating” is continuing some period of time until now. Therefore, you need to use “V-te iru”.

5. V-ta: Shita

Watashi wa Sensei ni Mou Shukudai wo Shita to Iimashita. (I told my teacher that I had already done the homework.)

6. I-adj: Hoshii

Watasi wa Haha ni Okane ga Hoshii to Iimashita. (I told my mother that I wanted money.)

– Don’t say “Okaasan” when you talk to people other than family members.

7. Na-adj: Kireida

Watashi wa Kanojo ni Kimi wa Kireida to Iimashita. (I told my girlfriend that she was beautiful.)

– Kimi is a noun that means you (not she) with a rude nuance.

– “Kirei” is not an I-adjective, but a Na-adjective!!

This post was written with reference to the exercise A3 on Section21 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”