Particle より (yori)

This particle can be used in two situations expressing a comparison or having the meaning “from”.

1. Comparison:

In this case the particle より (yori) is used to compare two nouns with each other.

Kanji	金は銀より高いです。
Furigana	きんはぎんよりたかいです。
Romaji	kin wa gin yori takai desu.
English	Gold is more expensive than silver.

2. Meaning “from”:

In this case the particle より (yori) is used to express receiving something from someone else. It can be used as an alternative to the Particle から (kara).

Kanji	この本は先生より貰いました。
Furigana	このほんはせんせいよりもらいました。
Romaji	kono hon wa sensei yori moraimashita,
English	I received this book from my teacher.

Filed Under: Particles Tagged With: Japanese grammar

Particle から (kara)

March 27, 2011 by Nicolas 5 Comments

This particle describes the beginning of something and can be used in a temporary or geographical context or it has the meaning “from”.

1. Temporary context:

In this context the particle から (kara) is used to express that a period of time starts.

Kanji	会議は十時からです。
Furigana	かいぎはじゅうじからです。
Romaji	kaigi wa juuji kara desu.
English	The meeting starts at 10 o’clock.

2. Geographical context:

In this case から (kara) is used to express the meaning of “from this place onwards”.

Kanji	ここからは入りません。
Furigana	ここからははいりません。
Romaji	koko kara ha hairimasen.
English	No entry from here onwards.

3. Meaning: “from”:

In this case the particle から (kara) is used to express receiving something from someone else. It can be used as an alternative to the Particle より (yori).

Kanji	この本は先生から貰いました。
Furigana	このほんはせんせいからもらいました。
Romaji	kono hon wa seinsei kara moraimashita.
English	I received this book from my teacher.

Filed Under: Particles Tagged With: Japanese grammar

The Japanese language uses a multitude of prefixes. In this section you will find a selection of the most common other prefixes. The Japanese language uses a lot of compound nouns. This means that a lot of words, which are used for combinations can also be classified as prefixes.

PREFIX 最 (SAI)

The prefix 最 (SAI) has the meaning “most” and can be combined with a multitude of other words.

Kanji	Furigana	Romaji	Translation
最後	さいご	saigo	at last
最新	さいしん	saishin	latest, newest
最悪	さいあく	saiaku	the worst
最低	さいてい	saitei	least, lowest

PREFIX 以 (I)

The prefix 以 (I) expresses a boundary or limit.

Kanji	Furigana	Romaji	Translation
以上	いじょう	ijou	above, exceeding
以下	いか	ika	below, not exceeding
以外	いがい	igai	with the exception
以内	いない	inai	within, inside

PREFIX 真 (MA)

The prefix 真 (MA) intensifies the meaning of the following word.

Kanji	Furigana	Romaji	Translation
真直ぐ	まっすぐ	massugu	straight ahead
真っ赤	まっか	makka	deep red
真っ白	まっしろ	masshiro	pure white

PREFIX 反 (HAN)

The prefix 反 (HAN) expresses an opposite or opposition similar to the English prefix anti-.

Kanji	Furigana	Romaji	Translation
反対	はんたい	hantai	opposition

PREFIX 再 (SAI)

The prefix 再 (SAI) expresses a repetition similar to the English prefix re-.

Kanji	Furigana	Romaji	Translation
再入国	さいにゅうこく	sainyuukoku	reentry (to Japan)

PREFIX 毎 (MAI)

The prefix 毎 (MAI) expresses a repetition with the meaning of every-.

Kanji	Furigana	Romaji	Translation
毎度	まいど	maido	each time
毎日	まいにち	mainichi	every day
毎月	まいつき	maitsuki	every month
毎年	まいとし	maitoshi	every year

PREFIX 新 (SHIN)

refix 新 (SHIN) expresses that something is new.

Kanji	Furigana	Romaji	Translation
新型	しんがた	shingata	new type, new style
新規	しんき	shinki	new, fresh

PREFIX 全 (ZEN)

The Prefix 全 (ZEN) expresses completeness.

Kanji	Furigana	Romaji	Translation
全部	ぜんぶ	zenbu	entire, whole
全体	ぜんたい	zentai	whole, entirely
全然	ぜんぜん	zenzen	not at all

PREFIX 半 (HAN)

The prefix 半 (HAN) expresses a half and corresponds to the English prefix semi-.

Kanji	Furigana	Romaji	Translation
半分	はんぶん	hanbun	half, half a minute
半年	はんとし	hantoshi	half a year
半日	はんにち	hannichi	half a day

PREFIX 小 (KO)

The prefix 小 (KO) expresses that something is small.

Kanji	Furigana	Romaji	Translation
小型	こがた	kogata	small type

Related posts:

Filed Under: Nouns Tagged With: Japanese grammar

Negating prefixes

March 27, 2011 by Nicolas Leave a Comment

PREFIX 未 (MI)

The prefix 未 (MI) expresses that something has not yet happen or that something will happen in the future.

Kanji	Furigana	Romaji	Translation
未払い	みはらい	miharai	unpaid
未来	みらい	mirai	future

PREFIX 不 (FU)

The prefix 不 (FU) expresses something negative. It is similar to the English prefixes un-, in- or im-.

Kanji	Furigana	Romaji	Translation
不便	ふべん	fuben	unpractical
不可能	ふかのう	fukanou	impossible

PREFIX 無 (MU)

The prefix 無 expresses that something does not exist. It is similar to using non- in English.

Kanji	Furigana	Romaji	Translation
無理	むり	muri	impossible
無料	むりょう	muryou	free of charge

PREFIX 非 (HI)

The prefix 非 (HI) also indicates a meaning corresponding to the English non-.

Kanji	Furigana	Romaji	Translation
非常	ひじょう	hijou	unusual

Filed Under: Nouns Tagged With: Japanese grammar

The masu-form for Japanese verbs

March 27, 2011 by Nicolas 1 Comment

The masu-form is used for polite Japanese and expresses presence or future. The basic construction of the masu-form is made by adding “-masu” or “-imasu” to the stem of the verb.

verb-type	example	stem	masu-form
u-verb	読む yomu	読- / yo-	読みます yomimasu
iru-verb	見る	見- / mi-	見ます mimasu
eru-verb	食べる	食べ- / tabe-	食べます tabemasu
irregular	来る	来- / ki-	来ます kimasu
irregular	する	し- / shi-	します shimasu

Filed Under: Verbs Tagged With: Japanese grammar