Step 6
Grammar
The promise: verb last, and particles label the words. You do not need a new verb set to see the shape.
Same four nouns
- すし — sushi — sushi
- ほん — hon — book
- がっこう — gakkou — school
- みず — mizu — water
SOV
English is subject, verb, object: I eat sushi. Japanese is subject, object, verb. The verb stays at the end.
わたし は すし を たべます。
watashi wa sushi o tabemasu.
I eat sushi.
わたし = I · は = topic · すし = sushi · を = object · たべます = eat, last
は を が
は marks the topic, the thing the sentence is about. Say wa, not ha. を marks the object, the thing the verb acts on. Say o, not wo. が marks the subject when you point at what exists, or what you like.
わたし は みず を のみます。
watashi wa mizu o nomimasu.
I drink water.
わたし = I · は = topic, say wa · みず = water · を = object, say o · のみます = drink
ほん を よみます。
hon o yomimasu.
I read a book.
ほん = book · を = object · よみます = read
みず が あります。
mizu ga arimasu.
There is water.
みず = water · が = subject · あります = exists, for a thing
すし が すき です。
sushi ga suki desu.
I like sushi.
すし = sushi · が = the thing that is liked · すき = like · です = is
In speech, を can drop: すし たべます. You will hear it. Still learn を. You need it to read, and to know which word is the object.
に で の へ
がっこう に いきます。
gakkou ni ikimasu.
I go to school.
がっこう = school · に = destination · いきます = go
がっこう で ほん を よみます。
gakkou de hon o yomimasu.
I read a book at school.
がっこう = school · で = place of the action · ほん = book · を = object · よみます = read
がっこう の ほん を よみます。
gakkou no hon o yomimasu.
I read the school's book.
がっこう = school · の = of · ほん = book · を = object · よみます = read
がっこう へ いきます。
gakkou e ikimasu.
I go toward school.
がっこう = school · へ = direction, say e · いきます = go
に is the point you reach, or a point in time. で is where the action happens. へ is the direction, and it is pronounced e. For “go”, に and へ are close. Learn both shapes.