These are 26 Japanese sentences showing the Parts of Speech (POS).
While these sentences are very basic, there is quite a bit you can learn from them as they will show a brief example of how verbs are conjugated, the placement of indirect objects (John), direct objects (the apple), and their respective pronouns (him, it).
Let’s dive right in.
- The apple is red.
りんごは赤いです。
Ringo wa akai desu.
The apple is red.
りんごは赤いです。
- りんご [ringo](noun) — “apple”
- は [wa](particle) — topic marker, indicates that “apple” is the topic
- 赤い [akai](adjective) — “red”
- です [desu](copula) — polite sentence ending, adds politeness and formality, translates to “is”
Translation: “The apple is red.”
2. It is John’s apple.
それはジョンのりんごです。
Sore wa Jon no ringo desu.
It is John’s apple.
それはジョンのりんごです。
- それ [Sore](pronoun) — “that”
- は [wa](particle) — topic marker, indicates “that” is the topic
- ジョン [Jon](proper noun) — “John”
- の [no](particle) — possessive marker, indicating “John’s”
- りんご [ringo](noun) — “apple”
- です [desu](copula) — polite sentence ending, “is”
Translation: “It is John’s apple.”
3. I give John the apple.
私はジョンにりんごをあげます。
Watashi wa Jon ni ringo o agemasu.
I give John the apple.
私はジョンにりんごをあげます。
- 私 [watashi](pronoun) — “I”
- は wa(particle) — topic marker, indicates “I” is the topic
- ジョン [Jon](proper noun) — “John”
- に [ni](particle) — indirect object marker, indicating the recipient “to John”
- りんご [ringo](noun) — “apple”
- を [o](particle) — direct object marker, indicating the object “the apple”
- あげます [agemasu](verb) — “give” (polite form)
Translation: “I give John the apple.”
4. We give him the apple.
私たちは彼にりんごをあげます。
Watashitachi wa kare ni ringo o agemasu.
We give him the apple.
私たちは彼にりんごをあげます。
- 私たち [watashitachi](pronoun) — “we”
- は [wa](particle) — topic marker, indicates “we” is the topic
- 彼 [kare](pronoun) — “he” or “him”
- に [ni](particle) — indirect object marker, “to him”
- りんご [ringo](noun) — “apple”
- を [o](particle) — direct object marker, “the apple”
- あげます [agemasu](verb) — “give” (polite form)
Translation: “We give him the apple.”
5. He gives it to John.
彼はそれをジョンにあげます。
[Kare wa sore o Jon ni agemasu.]
He gives it to John.
彼はそれをジョンにあげます。
- 彼 [kare](pronoun) — “he”
- は [wa](particle) — topic marker, “he” is the topic
- それ [sore](pronoun) — “it”
- を [o](particle) — direct object marker, “it”
- ジョン [Jon](proper noun) — “John”
- に [ni](particle) — indirect object marker, “to John”
- あげます [agemasu](verb) — “give” (polite form)
Translation: “He gives it to John.”
6. She gives it to him.
彼女はそれを彼にあげます。
Kanojo wa sore o kare ni agemasu.
She gives it to him.
彼女はそれを彼にあげます。
- 彼女 [kanojo](pronoun) — “she”
- は [wa](particle) — topic marker, “she” is the topic
- それ [sore](pronoun) — “it”
- を [o](particle) — direct object marker, “it”
- 彼 [kare](pronoun) — “he” or “him”
- に [ni](particle) — indirect object marker, “to him”
- あげます [agemasu](verb) — “give” (polite form)
Translation: “She gives it to him.”
7. I must give it to him.
私はそれを彼にあげなければなりません。
Watashi wa sore o kare ni agenakereba narimasen.
I must give it to him.
私はそれを彼にあげなければなりません。
- 私 [watashi](pronoun) — “I”
- は [wa](particle) — topic marker, “I” is the topic
- それ [sore](pronoun) — “it”
- を [o](particle) — direct object marker, “it”
- 彼 [kare](pronoun) — “he” or “him”
- に [ni](particle) — indirect object marker, “to him”
- あげなければ [agenakereba](verb phrase) — “must give” (negative conditional form of the verb “give”)
- なりません [narimasen](verb) — “must” (indicating necessity)
Translation: “I must give it to him.”
8. I want to give it to her.
私はそれを彼女にあげたいです。
Watashi wa sore o kanojo ni agetai desu.
I want to give it to her.
私はそれを彼女にあげたいです
- 私 [watashi](pronoun) — “I”
- は [wa](particle) — topic marker, “I” is the topic
- それ [sore](pronoun) — “it”
- を [o](particle) — direct object marker, “it”
- 彼女 [kanojo](pronoun) — “she” or “her”
- に [ni](particle) — indirect object marker, “to her”
- あげたい [agetai](verb) — “want to give” (desire form of “give”)
- です [desu](copula) — polite sentence ending
Translation: “I want to give it to her.”
9. I’m going to know tomorrow.
私は明日知るつもりです。
Watashi wa ashita shiru tsumori desu.
I’m going to know tomorrow.
私は明日知るつもりです。
- 私 [watashi](pronoun) — “I”
- は [wa](particle) — topic marker, “I” is the topic
- 明日 [ashita](noun) — “tomorrow”
- 知る [shiru](verb) — “know”
- つもり [ tsumori](noun) — “plan” or “intention”
- です [desu](copula) — polite sentence ending
Translation: “I’m going to know tomorrow.”
10. I can’t eat the apple.
私はそのりんごを食べられません。
Watashi wa sono ringo o taberaremasen.
I can’t eat the apple.
私はそのりんごを食べられません。
- 私 [watashi](pronoun) — “I”
- は [wa](particle) — topic marker, “I” is the topic
- その [sono](determiner) — “that”
- りんご [ringo](noun) — “apple”
- を [o](particle) — direct object marker, “the apple”
- 食べられ [taberare](verb) — potential form of “eat,” meaning “can eat”
- ません [masen](verb) — negative polite form, “cannot”
Translation: “I can’t eat the apple.”
11. I have eaten the apple.
私はそのりんごを食べました。
Watashi wa sono ringo o tabemashita.
I have eaten the apple.
私はそのりんごを食べました。
- 私 [watashi](pronoun) — “I”
- は [wa](particle) — topic marker, “I” is the topic
- その [sono](determiner) — “that”
- りんご [ringo](noun) — “apple”
- を [o](particle) — direct object marker, “the apple”
- 食べました [tabemashita](verb) — past polite form of “eat,” meaning “ate”
Translation: “I have eaten the apple.”
12. Is the apple red?
りんごは赤いですか？
Ringo wa akai desu ka?
Is the apple red?
りんごは赤いですか？
- りんご [ringo](noun) — “apple”
- は [wa](particle) — topic marker, “apple” is the topic
- 赤い [akai](adjective) — “red”
- ですか [desuka](copula + question marker) — polite form of “is” with a question marker, meaning “is it?”
Translation: “Is the apple red?”
13. The apples are red.
りんごは赤いです。
Ringo wa akai desu.
The apples are red.
りんごは赤いです。
- Same breakdown as sentence 1.
Explanation:
In Japanese, the plural form is often implied by context and doesn’t require a specific plural marker. Both singular “apple” and plural “apples” use the same word: りんご (ringo).
If you want to emphasize the plural explicitly, you can use a word like 複数のりんご (fukusuu no ringo), meaning “multiple apples,” but this is less common in natural conversation.
14. The apple was red.
りんごは赤かったです。
Ringo wa akakatta desu.
The apple was red.
りんごは赤かったです。
- りんご [ringo](noun) — “apple”
- は [wa](particle) — topic marker, “apple” is the topic
- 赤かった [akakatta](adjective) — past tense of “red,” meaning “was red”
- です [desu](copula) — polite sentence ending
Translation: “The apple was red.”
15. It was John’s apple.
それはジョンのりんごでした。
Sore wa Jon no ringo deshita.
- Same structure as sentence 2, except:
- でした (copula) — past polite form of “です,” meaning “was”
Translation: “It was John’s apple.”
16. I gave John the apple.
私はジョンにりんごをあげました。
Watashi wa Jon ni ringo o agemashita.
I gave John the apple.
私はジョンにりんごをあげました。
- 私 [watashi](pronoun) — “I”
- は [wa](particle) — topic marker, “I” is the topic
- ジョン [Jon](proper noun) — “John”
- に [ni](particle) — indirect object marker, “to John”
- りんご [ringo](noun) — “apple”
- を [o](particle) — direct object marker, “the apple”
- あげました [agemashita](verb) — past polite form of “give” (あげる), meaning “gave”
Translation: “I gave John the apple.”
17. We gave him the apple.
私たちは彼にりんごをあげました。
Watashitachi wa kare ni ringo o agemashita.
We gave him the apple.
私たちは彼にりんごをあげました。
- 私たち [watashitachi](pronoun) — “we”
- は [wa](particle) — topic marker, “we” is the topic
- 彼 [kare](pronoun) — “he” or “him”
- に [ni](particle) — indirect object marker, “to him”
- りんご [ringo](noun) — “apple”
- を [o](particle) — direct object marker, “the apple”
- あげました [agemashita](verb) — past polite form of “give” (あげる), meaning “gave”
Translation: “We gave him the apple.”
18. He gave it to John.
彼はそれをジョンにあげました。
Kare wa sore o Jon ni agemashita.
He gave it to John.
彼はそれをジョンにあげました。
- 彼 [kare](pronoun) — “he”
- は [wa](particle) — topic marker, “he” is the topic
- それ [sore](pronoun) — “it”
- を [o](particle) — direct object marker, “it”
- ジョン [Jon](proper noun) — “John”
- に [ni](particle) — indirect object marker, “to John”
- あげました [agemashita](verb) — past polite form of “give” (あげる), meaning “gave”
Translation: “He gave it to John.”
19. She gave it to him.
彼女はそれを彼にあげました。
Kanojo wa sore o kare ni agemashita.
She gave it to him.
彼女はそれを彼にあげました。
- 彼女 [kanojo](pronoun) — “she”
- は [wa](particle) — topic marker, “she” is the topic
- それ [sore](pronoun) — “it”
- を [o](particle) — direct object marker, “it”
- 彼 [kare](pronoun) — “he” or “him”
- に [ni](particle) — indirect object marker, “to him”
- あげました [agemashita](verb) — past polite form of “give” (あげる), meaning “gave”
Translation: “She gave it to him.”
20. I had to give it to him.
私はそれを彼にあげなければなりませんでした。
Watashi wa sore o kare ni agenakereba narimasen deshita.
I had to give it to him.
私はそれを彼にあげなければなりませんでした。
- 私 [watashi](pronoun) — “I”
- は [wa](particle) — topic marker, “I” is the topic
- それ [sore](pronoun) — “it”
- を [o](particle) — direct object marker, “it”
- 彼 [kare](pronoun) — “he” or “him”
- に [ni](particle) — indirect object marker, “to him”
- あげなければ [agenakereba](verb phrase) — “must give” (negative conditional form of the verb “give”)
- なりません [narimasen](verb) — “must” (indicating necessity)
- でした [deshita](copula) — past polite form, meaning “was”
Translation: “I had to give it to him.”
21. I wanted to give it to her.
私はそれを彼女にあげたかったです。
Watashi wa sore o kanojo ni agetakatta desu.
I wanted to give it to her.
私はそれを彼女にあげたかったです。
- 私 [watashi](pronoun) — “I”
- は [wa](particle) — topic marker, “I” is the topic
- それ [sore](pronoun) — “it”
- を [o](particle) — direct object marker, “it”
- 彼女 [kanojo](pronoun) — “she” or “her”
- に [ni](particle) — indirect object marker, “to her”
- あげたかった [agetakatta](verb) — past tense of “want to give” (あげたい), meaning “wanted to give”
- です [desu](copula) — polite sentence ending
Translation: “I wanted to give it to her.”
22. I was going to know yesterday.
私は昨日知る予定でした。
Watashi wa kinou shiru yotei deshita.
I was going to know yesterday.
私は昨日知る予定でした。
- 私 [watashi](pronoun) — “I”
- は [wa](particle) — topic marker, “I” is the topic
- 昨日 [kinou](noun) — “yesterday”
- 知る [shiru](verb) — “know”
- 予定 [yotei](noun) — “plan” or “schedule”
- でした [deshita](copula) — past polite form, meaning “was”
Translation: “I was going to know yesterday.”
23. I couldn’t eat the apple.
私はそのりんごを食べられませんでした。
Watashi wa sono ringo o taberaremasen deshita.
I couldn’t eat the apple.
私はそのりんごを食べられませんでした。
- 私 [watashi](pronoun) — “I”
- は [wa](particle) — topic marker, “I” is the topic
- その [sono](determiner) — “that”
- りんご [ringo](noun) — “apple”
- を [o](particle) — direct object marker, “the apple”
- 食べられ [taberare](verb) — potential form of “eat,” meaning “can eat”
- ません [masen](verb) — negative polite form, “cannot”
- でした [deshita](copula) — past polite form, meaning “was”
Translation: “I couldn’t eat the apple.”
24. I had eaten the apple.
私はそのりんごを食べていました。
Watashi wa sono ringo o tabete imashita.
I had eaten the apple.
私はそのりんごを食べていました。
- 私 [watashi](pronoun) — “I”
- は [wa](particle) — topic marker, “I” is the topic
- その [sono](determiner) — “that”
- りんご [ringo](noun) — “apple”
- を [o](particle) — direct object marker, “the apple”
- 食べて [tabete](verb) — te-form of “eat,” used for ongoing actions
- いました [imashita](verb) — past progressive form of “be,” indicating continuous action in the past, meaning “was eating”
Translation: “I had eaten the apple.”
25. Was the apple red?
りんごは赤かったですか？
Ringo wa akakatta desu ka?
Was the apple red?
りんごは赤かったですか？
- りんご [ringo](noun) — “apple”
- は [wa](particle) — topic marker, “apple” is the topic
- 赤かった [akakatta](adjective) — past tense of “red,” meaning “was red”
- ですか [desu ka](copula + question marker) — polite form of “is” with a question marker, meaning “was it?”
Translation: “Was the apple red?”
26. The apples were red.
りんごは赤かったです。
Ringo wa akakatta desu.
The apples were red.
りんごは赤かったです。
- りんご [ringo](noun) — “apple”
- は [wa](particle) — topic marker, “apple” is the topic
- 赤かった [akakatta](adjective) — past tense of “red,” meaning “was red”
- です [desu](copula) — polite sentence ending
Translation: “The apple was red.”