Intensive Japanese I, Grammar Lesson 7 1

文法第７課

Grammar Notes for Lesson 7

1. Formulations with Adjectives

1.1 Partial Description with N1は N2が ADJです。
1.2 Adverbial Form of Adjectives
1.2.1 Adverbial Form of the VA
1.2.2 Adverbial Form of the NA
1.2.3 Adverbial Form in a Sentence
1.2.4 Adverbial Connection with なる and する

2. Adverbs of Degree and Quantity

2.1 Adverb とても very
2.2 Adverbs 非常に and 大変  very
2.3 Adverb たくさん many, much
2.4 Adverbs 少し and ちょっと a little, a bit, a few
2.5 Adverbs あまり+neg. and そんなに+neg. not so, not very
2.6 Adverb ぜんぜん+negation not at all
2.7 Adverb なかなか quite, rather
2.8 Adverb 特に especially
2.9 Adverb たとえば for example, for instance
2.10 Combination of Adverbs

3. Comparison with Comparative and Superlative

3.1 Comparative Degree もっと
3.2 Superlative Degree 一番

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Intensive Japanese I, Grammar Lesson 7 2

文法第７課         

Grammar Notes for Lesson 7

1. Formulations with Adjectives

1.1 Partial Description with N1は N2が ADJです。

sample sentences:
マリアは目がきれいです。 
Maria wa me ga kirei desu.
Maria has beautiful eyes.

ドイツはビールがおいしいです。
Doitsu wa biiru ga oishii desu.
Germany has tasty beer.

These two very different sample sentences have one thing in common. In both cases a topic,
i.e. Maria and Germany , is mentioned. After that one specific quality or particular feature of
the foregoing topic is highlighted. Not Maria as a whole person but one part of her (her eyes)
is qualified. Not Germany as a whole nation but its special product (the beer), i.e. one small
part (in the widest sense) of it is evaluated.
In such cases where a part of a whole is qualitatively described the following structure is used:

N1は N2が Adjectiveです。

As we already know, が has the function of laying an extremely strong emphasis on the marked
noun. So this phenomenon is comparable with the enlargement of a part of the whole by a
magnifying glass:

Å NN
Maria eyes

Although you can change the word order and start the sentence with the subject instead of the
topic (N2が N1は Adjectiveです。), the most popular structure of a partial (selective) qualification is
to start with the topic.

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Intensive Japanese I, Grammar Lesson 7 3

sample sentences:

スイスは山が高いです。 Switzerland has high mountains.

学食はご飯が安いです。 The canteen has cheap meals.
秋は天気が良いです。 In autumn the weather is good. (Autumn has a good weather.)
日本は夏が暑いです。 In Japan the summer is hot. (Japan has a hot summer.)
森さんは目が小さいです。 Ms Mori has small eyes.

notice 1:
If you want to express that the qualitatively highlighted part of the whole is the only
noteworthy positive or negative feature, you can replace the が with a は as a delimination:
The harmless appearing sentence マリアは目はきれいです。 means that only her eyes are beautiful. And
the sentence ドイツはビールはおいしいです。 means contextually that the rest of the nation
is not remarkable...

notice 2:
The above mentioned structure N1はN2が ... is also used to characterize the ability, aptness,
aversion or a wish as a “part“ of a person in sentences like We can speak Japanese. She likes
sports. Children dislike vegetables. I wish I had more money. etc. This grammar is introduced in
lesson 9.

Quiz 1: Build sentences with the help of following words.

h
森さん 目 小さい
彼   手 大きい
日本語 漢字 難しい
日本  夏 暑い
ドイツ 冬 寒い
マリアさん 目 青い
あの方 髪 黒い
私 目 悪い
彼女 発音 きれいだ
母 背 低い
父 背 高い
日本語 文法 かんたんだ
夏は 果物が 安い
ドイツ ビール 有名だ
日本 何 有名だ

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Intensive Japanese I, Grammar Lesson 7 4

1.2 Adverbial Form of Adjectives

Examples:
 安く買う きれいに書く
yasuku kau kirei ni kaku
to buy cheap to write tidy

Not only nouns but also verbs can be modified by an adjective. In cases like to buy something
cheap an adjective, i.e. a qualifier describes the way of doing something. The adjective plays the
role of an appendix of the verb. The grammatical term used for the phenomenon of doing
something in a particular way is the adverbial form.
As we already know from the attributive form (lesson 5,6), we have to fulfil the requirement:
the elucidating word is followed by the elucidated word, or in our case the adjective that is used
as an appendix is followed by the dominating verb:

Adjective → Verb

This general structure covers adverbial form. Both groups of adjectives (VA and NA)
have different adverbial forms.

1.2.1 Adverbial Form of the VA

If a VA elucidates a verb, the link ∼くhas to be attached to the stem. The structure is as follows:

VAく + V
While an attributive form of a VA is modifiable (E.g. VA∼くない N), the adverbial form of a VA
can never be modified. (So you cannot say for instance I bought it not cheap.) The modification
occurs only on the verb (E.g. VA∼くVません).
早く食べます (I will) eat fast
大きく書きました (I) wrote it big
高く買いません (I will) not buy it for a high price.
遅く起きますか Will you get up late / wake up late ?

1.2.2 Adverbial Form of the NA

The adverbial form of the NA is marked by the link ∼に. So the structure is as follows:

NAに + V
The adverbial form of a NA is also not modifiable.

静かに寝ます (I will) sleep quietly

きれいに書きましたか did you write it tidy?
元気に話します (I will) talk vividly
かんたんに包みました (I) wrapped it simply

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Intensive Japanese I, Grammar Lesson 7 5

Quiz 2: Translate the following sequences.

h
to sleep well
to write small
to speak fast
to wake up early
to buy cheap
to sleep long
to sleep quietly, peacefully
to eat quietly, noiseless
to talk easily
to study diligently

1.2.3 Adverbial Form in a sentence

マイケルはネットでカメラを安く買いました。
Maikeru wa netto de kamera o yasuku kaimashita.
In the net Michael bought a camera cheap.

Theoretically speaking, the adverbial form of VA and NA as an appendix of the verb can go in
every position where a verb can stay. Though, at our stage of knowledge the position is limited to
the surrounding of a verbal predicate. In the sample sentence the adjective 安い is placed
immediately before the verb. But this position is not absolutely binding. It is sufficient if the
adjective is placed before the verb. Therefore you can build following similar sentences:

マイケルはネットで 安くカメラを 買いました。

マイケルは 安くネットで カメラを 買いました。

安くマイケルはネットで カメラを 買いました。

As you can see, the distance between the adverbial determination and the verb is getting longer
and longer. An extreme separation can sometimes cause misunderstanding. So it is
recommendable to hold the distance between the adverbial units short.

Interrogative どう
The interrogative for the adverbial form is どう (how) :

どう買いましたか。   安く買いました。  
How did you buy it? I bought it cheap.
What kind of a book did you read? I read a famous book.

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Intensive Japanese I, Grammar Lesson 7 6

Quiz 3: Answer the following questions by using an attribute or an adverbial form.

h
どんなカメラを買いましたか。（安い）
どう買いましたか。

どんな漢字を書きますか。（きれい）
どう書きますか。

どんな仕事をしますか。（長い）
どうしますか。

どんなビールを飲みましたか。（おいしい）
どう飲みましたか。

どんな部屋で勉強をしますか。（静かだ）
どうしますか。

どんな歌を歌いますか。（かんたんだ）
どう歌いますか。

1.2.4 Adverbial Connection with なる and する

子供が大きくなります。 部屋をあたたかくします。
Kodomo ga ookiku narimasu. Heya o atatakaku shimasu.
The child is growing up. I will make the room warm.
(The child is getting bigger.) (I will heat the room.)

The verbs なる (to become, to get) and する (to make) have special characteristics if you use them
in combination with adverbial forms of VA and NA:
VAくなる／NAになる
なる is an intransitive verb. I.e. the effect of the verb to become is confined within the subject, and
does not pass over to any object. So なる is used regularly with a subject, i.e. with a noun that is
usually marked by the particle が :

Nが VAくなる。 or Nが NAになる。

果物が安くなります。 Fruits are getting cheaper.

勉強がおもしろくなりました。 The study is getting interesting.
字がきれいになりました。 My handwriting became better.

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Intensive Japanese I, Grammar Lesson 7 7

The usage of なる in combination with the adverbial form of an adjective shows us that the status
of the subject is changing by degrees and in a natural or logical way without the assistance of a
visible initiator. All sample sentences mentioned above reveal this phenomenon:
A child is growing gradually and naturally by himself.
Seasonally, fruits are getting cheap and that happens in a natural or logical way according to the
system of supply and demand of the free-market economy.
Through deepening of knowledge the study is getting naturally or logically more interesting.
In the course of time or through steady practice the handwriting is getting naturally better.
In cases like it’s getting cold 寒くなりました。the subject (the climate) is not definitively mentioned,
but is implied.

VAくする／NAにする
する is a transitive verb. I.e. the verb する expresses a conscious action which passes over
to an object, it takes a direct object to complete the sense. In other words する requires
a visible direct object marked by the particle を:

Nを VAくする。 or Nを NAにする。

(私は) 部屋をあたたかくします。  I will make the room warm.

マリアはズボンを短くしました。 Maria shortened her trousers.
(お医者さんが)私を元気にしました。 The doctor helped me to recover.
As you can see from the sample sentences, there is not only an object that is getting changed. In
addition to that, the initiator (causer) of this action is explicitly mentioned (私、マリア、お医者さん),
or he is not definitively mentioned but is latent, because any conscious action always needs
someone who is doing it. (The initiator should not be always a human being. And likewise
the object should not be always a non-human. Sentences like The stress made me sick.
ストレスが私を病気にしました。 are also possible.)

Quiz 4: Build sentences including する or なる with the help of following words.

h
森さん きれい
彼   背が高い
家   大きい
仕事  速い
髪   長い
彼女  有名だ
部屋  きたない
問題  かんたん
notice:
Instead of an adjective, a noun can also be put into the sentence structures:

N1が N2になる。 N1を N2にする。

子供が大人になります。 (父は) 私を医者にしました。

Children are getting to be grown-ups. My father made me a doctor.
Children are growing up.

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Intensive Japanese I, Grammar Lesson 7 8

2. Adverbs of Degree and Quantity

In lesson 4 the adverbs as a grammatical group were already introduced. In this lesson adverbs
related to degree and quantity will be introduced. Although adverbs are nothing but words and
they have to be learnt as a part of a vocabulary, some notes to each new adverb might be
helpful for learning.

2.1 Adverb とても very

The adverb とても (very) is introduced on a list of vocabulary of lesson 5. Normally it is used in
adjectival segments, e.g. as a modifying word for predicates, attributes and adverbial segments:

Predicate:  
町はにぎやかです。  →  町はとてもにぎやかです。
The town is vivid. The town is very vivid.

Attribute:  
古い車を買いました。 →  とても古い車を買いました。
I bought an old car. I bought a very old car.
Adverbial:
マリアは電話をよくかけます。→ マリアは電話をとてもよくかけます。
Maria often speaks by phone. Maria very often speaks by phone.
(or meaning annoying habit: M. is constantly speaking
by phone.)

2.2 Adverbs 非常に and 大変  very

These adverbs are synonyms of とても (very) but it is used in more formal context. The nearest
correspondence would be achieved by translations like exceedingly, extraordinary, extremely, etc.
Both words are also used as modifying words for predicates, attributes and adverbial segments:

Predicate:  
町はにぎやかです。  →  町は非常に／大変にぎやかです。
The town is vivid. The town is very vivid.

Attribute:  
古い車を買いました。 →  非常に／大変 古い車を買いました。
I bought an old car. I bought a very old car.
Adverbial:
マリアは電話をよくかけます。→ マリアは電話を 非常に／大変 よくかけます。
Maria often speaks by phone. Maria very often speaks by phone.
(M. is constantly speaking by phone.)

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Intensive Japanese I, Grammar Lesson 7 9

2.3 Adverb たくさん many, much

The adverb たくさん (many, much, numerous) is used at our state of knowledge only as a
modifying word for verbal predicates:

森さんはご飯を食べます。 → 森さんはたくさんご飯を食べます。 
Ms Mori eats the meal. Ms Mori eats much (food).

As a typical attribute of all adverbs its position in a sentence is often arbitrary. The following
position is also acceptable:

森さんはご飯をたくさん食べます。
たくさん森さんはご飯を食べます。 

2.4 Adverbs 少し and ちょっと a little, a bit, a few

少し (a little, a few) and ちょっと (a bit, a little) are synonyms but 少し is universally used while
ちょっと is used in more colloquial context. Both words function as a modifying words for verbal
predicates, and adjectival predicates, attributes and adverbial segments:

Predicate:  
私は少し日本語を話します。私は日本語を少し話します。少し私は日本語を話します。
私はちょっと日本語を話します。私は日本語をちょっと話します。ちょっと私は日本語を話します。
I speak a little Japanese.
問題が少し難しかったです。 少し問題が難しかったです。
問題がちょっと難しかったです。 ちょっと問題が難しかったです。
The task was a bit difficult.

Attribute:  
これは少し古い車です。
これはちょっと古い車です。
This is a car that is a bit old.
Adverbial:
カメラを少し安く買いました。 少しカメラを 安く買いました。
カメラをちょっと安く買いました。ちょっとカメラを 安く買いました。
I bought a camera a little cheaper.

notice:
The last sample sentences are ambiguous, because the adverbs 少し and ちょっと can either
refer to the predicate (to buy few cameras cheap) or the adverbial sequence (to buy a camera
a bit cheaper than usual). Only the context can clarify the meaning.

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Intensive Japanese I, Grammar Lesson 7 10

2.5 Adverbs あまり+negation and そんなに+negation not so, not very

The adverbs あまり and そんなに are synonyms. Both are normally used in negative constructions.
They function as modifying words for verbal predicates, adjectival predicates, attributes
and adverbial segments:
Predicate:  
私はあまりビールを飲みません。／ 私はそんなにビールを飲みません。
私はビールをあまり飲みません。／ 私はビールをそんなに飲みません。
あまり私はビールを飲みません。／ そんなに私はビールを飲みません。
I do not drink so much beer.
カメラはあまり高くなかったです。 カメラはそんなに高くなかったです。
あまりカメラは高くなかったです。 そんなにカメラは高くなかったです。
The camera was not very expensive. 
Attribute:  
これはあまり新しい車ではありません。これはそんなに新しい車ではありません。
This is not a very new car.
Adverbial:
カメラをあまり安く買いませんでした。 カメラをそんなに安く買いませんでした。
I did not buy the camera very cheap.

2.6 Adverb ぜんぜん+negation not at all

The adverb ぜんぜん (Kanji: 全然) is normally used in a negative constructions. The meaning of
this word is (not) at all. It functions as a modifying word for verbal predicates, adjectival
predicates, attributes and adverbial segments:
Predicate:
私はぜんぜんお酒を飲みません。／私はお酒をぜんぜん飲みません。／
ぜんぜん私はお酒を飲みません。
I do not drink alcohol at all.
旅行はぜんぜんおもしろくなかったです。／ ぜんぜん旅行はおもしろくなかったです。
The trip was not interesting at all. 
Attribute:
今日はぜんぜん良い天気ではありません。／ ぜんぜん今日は良い天気ではありません。
Today the weather is not good at all.
Adverbial:
ぜんぜん早く起きませんでした。
I did not get up early at all.

notice: In a very casual conversation ぜんぜん is nowadays used in the meaning of very,
totally, or completely: これぜんぜん良い。That’s very jazzy.

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Intensive Japanese I, Grammar Lesson 7 11

2.7 Adverb なかなか quite, rather

なかなか with an adjective

The adverb なかなか in combination with adjectives is only positively used. In this case it
functions as a modifying word for predicates, attributes and adverbial segments:
Predicate:  
旅行はなかなかおもしろかったです。／ なかなか旅行はおもしろかったです。
The trip was quite interesting.
Attribute:  
今日はなかなか良い天気です。／なかなか今日は良い天気です。
Today the weather is rather good.
Adverbial:
(彼は)なかなかきれいに歌いました。
He sang quite pretty.
notice:
Positive refers to the inflection and not to the meaning of the adjective. Adjectives like bad 悪い ,
terrible 大変だ, dirty 汚い, or difficult 難しい can also be in a combination with なかなか.
なかなか with a verb
In a verbal construction なかなか can only be used negatively. It means a delay of an expected
state (not rather). So なかなか functions as a modifying word for negative verbal predicates:

電車がなかなか来ません。／なかなか電車が来ません。
The train (the tram) does not rather come.

マイケルはなかなか起きません。／なかなかマイケルは起きません。
Michael does not rather get up.

2.8 Adverb 特に especially

The adverb 特に (especially) is used as a modifying word for verbal predicates, adjectival
predicates, attributes and adverbial segments. It can be used in both positive and negative
structures:
Predicate:  
週末は特に本を読みます。／特に週末は本を読みます。
Especially on weekends I read books.

ドイツはビールが特においしいです。 ／ドイツは 特にビールがおいしいです。／

特にドイツはビールがおいしいです。
Especially beer is in Germany tasty.

Attribute:  
マリアは特にまじめな学生です。／特にマリアはまじめな学生です。
Especially Maria is a diligent student.
Adverbial:
(彼女は)特にまじめに勉強をします。／ 特に (彼女は) まじめに勉強をします。
Especially she is going to study diligently.
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Intensive Japanese I, Grammar Lesson 7 12

2.9 Adverb たとえば for example, for instance

The adverb たとえば (Kanji: 例えば) means for example or for instance or among others and it is
a universally and often used word which is usually placed at the beginning of the sentence.
All kind of sentences (N, V, VA, NA) and segments (predicate, attribute, adverbial etc.) can be
accompanied with no restriction by たとえば :

Nominal: たとえばパンは食べ物です。   Bread is, for example, a food.

Verbal: たとえば週末には本を読みました。On weekend I read, for instance, a book.
Adjectival: たとえばマリアは親切です。   Maria is, for instance, kind.

2.10 Combination of Adverbs

Two or even more adverbs can appear in one sentence, though most of the adverbs are
incompatible due to their opposed characters (e.g. たくさん versus 少し) .
Only the following combinations of adverbs are often seen:
1. Following adverbs together with the adverb たくさん but exclusively in verbal sentences.
とてもたくさん、非常にたくさん、大変たくさん、(たくさんたくさん)、あまりたくさん、
そんなにたくさん、なかなかたくさん、特にたくさん

2. たとえば plus all in this lesson mentioned adverbs ( with exception of たとえば itself).
3. たとえば plus the doubled adverbs mentioned in point 1 (e.g. たとえばとてもたくさん)

sample sentences:
とてもたくさん買い物をしました。I bought plenty of things.
マリアはなかなかたくさん漢字を書きます。Maria writes quite a lot of Kanji.
あまりたくさん食べません。I do not eat so much.
たとえば 特にたくさん 日本人が来ます。For instance, especially many Japanese will come.

Quiz 5: Put the adverb into the sentences:

h
町はにぎやかです。とても
町はにぎやかです。少し
町はにぎやかです。あまり
町はにぎやかです。特に
町はにぎやかです。そんなに
町はにぎやかです。ぜんぜん
町はにぎやかです。なかなか
町はにぎやかです。たとえば

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Intensive Japanese I, Grammar Lesson 7 13

Quiz 6: Which of the two adverbs fits to the sentence?

h
町は（とても たくさん）にぎやかです。
（そんなに 大変）新しい車を買いました。
彼は（とても ぜんぜん）よく本を読みます。
車は（そんなに 特に）古くないです。
私は（たくさん あまり）ご飯を食べます。
（少し とても）問題が難しいです。
（あまり たくさん）安くなかったです。
（そんなに 非常に）早く起きました。
（少し たくさん）日本語を話しました。
（特に たとえば）山が高いです。
旅行は（あまり 少し）おもしろくなかったです。
この家は（ぜんぜん そんなに）古くないです。
彼は（特に たとえば）大きいです。   

Quiz 7: Build sentences with help of following words:

h
英語 なかなか 難しい
漢字 非常に 複雑
飲む そんなに お酒
本 ぜんぜん 読む
大きい とても りんご 買う
昨日 勉強 する ちょっと
早い あまり 起きる
今日 寒い あまり 
そんなに 目 悪い
長い 寝る 週末 たとえば
友だち とても 来る たくさん
かんたん そんなに  
ぜんぜん ひらがな 難しい
漢字 あまり かんたん
日本語 少し 話す 昨日
有名  ドイツ  ビール 特に ワイン

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Intensive Japanese I, Grammar Lesson 7 14

3. Comparison with Comparative and Superlative

In Japanese comparison cannot be formed by using grammatical appendix like in western
languages. The comparative (bigger, smaller, darker etc.) and superlative (biggest, smallest,
darkest etc.) are formed with help of adverbs as a periphrasis. Both the comparative and
superlative are used not only with adjectives, but also with verbs (to eat – to eat more – to eat
most).

3.1 Comparative degree with もっと

もっと大事です もっと寝ます
it is more important I will sleep more 

The comparative degree is built with help of the adverb もっと. This expression means more.
Verbs and adjectives can be transformed into a comparative form by this word. Usually the
comparative expresses a higher degree of the quality or action denoted by the simple word:
食べます  →  もっと食べます。 to eat more
早いです → もっと早いです。 it is earlier, it is more early
Sample sentences:
大阪は大きいです。 → 東京はもっと大きいです。
Osaka is big. Tokyo is bigger.
ひらがなはきれいです。 → 漢字はもっときれいです。
Hiragana is beautiful. Kanji are more beautiful.
昨日早く起きました。 → おとといはもっと早く起きました。
Yesterday I got up early. The day before yesterday I got up earlier.
マリアはビールを飲みます。 → マイケルはもっと飲みます。
Maria drinks beer. Michael drinks more (beer).
昨日テレビを見ました。 → 今日はもっと見ます。
Yesterday I watched TV. Today I am going to watch more.

3.2 Superlative degree with 一番

一番大事です 一番寝ます
I will sleep the
it is most important
most time 

The superlative degree is built with help of the adverbially used nouns 一 (いち) and 番 (ばん). It is a
combination of the number one and the numeral -ban. So 一番 (いちばん) literally means number
one. It is used to compare a number of things, to express the highest degree of the quality or
action denoted by the simple word. Verbs and adjectives can be transformed into the superlative
by 一番:
食べます  →  一番食べます。 to eat the most

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Intensive Japanese I, Grammar Lesson 7 15
早いです → 一番早いです。 it is the earliest, it is most early

Since the superlative degree emphasizes the quality or action of the concerning noun in an
extremely strong way, the noun which is involved into this comparison is often marked by the
が instead of the topic marker は.
In most cases, the superlative degree is used as the last part of a three-parted comparison:
みかんは安いです。  
Tangerines are cheap.
バナナはもっと安いです。 
Bananas are cheaper.
りんごが一番安いです。
Apples are the cheapest.

森さんは歌を歌います。
Ms Mori is going to sing songs.
本田さんはもっと歌います。
Ms Honda is going to sing more (songs).
鈴木さんが一番歌います。
Ms Suzuki sings the most (songs).

かたかなはきれいな文字です。
Katakana are beautiful characters.
ひらがなはもっときれいな文字です。
Hiragana are more beautiful characters.
漢字が一番きれいな文字です。
Kanji are the most beautiful characters.

パンをよく食べます。
I eat often bread.
野菜をもっとよく食べます。
I eat more often vegetables.
肉を一番よく食べます。
I eat most often meat.

Quiz 8: Transform the sentences into comparatives and superlatives:

h
英語は難しいです。 （フランス語、日本語）
森さんは手がきれいです。（本田、鈴木）
私はビールを飲みます。（母、父）
ドイツ人は優しいです。（中国人、日本人）
彼は発音が良いです。 （彼女、私）
私は本を読みます。  （祖母、おじ）
野菜は高いです。   （魚、肉）
マイケルはびんぼうです。（マリア、私）
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Intensive Japanese I, Grammar Lesson 7 16

野菜を食べました。  （ 魚、肉）
かんたんに話します。
まじめに勉強をします。（彼、彼女）
これは新しい車です。 （それ、あれ）
昨日テレビを見ました。（今日、明日）
この問題は難しいです。（その、あの）
兄は背が高いです。  （父、私）

Quiz 9: Answer the questions:

h
何が一番高いですか。
一番おいしい食べ物は何ですか。
たとえば何が一番白いですか。
一番赤い果物は何ですか。
だれが一番お金を持っていますか。
一番速い車は何ですか。
どなたが一番背が高いですか。
何が一番大事ですか。
何が一番楽しみですか。
どなたが一番背が低いですか。
一番大きな国はどこですか。
どなたが一番お酒を飲みますか。

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