こんにちは！ (Konnichiwa!)
Learning Japanese can feel like entering a completely new world — different alphabet, different word order, and even a different way of thinking. But once you understand a few key grammar rules, you’ll see how beautifully logical Japanese really is.
Here are 10 must-know grammar rules for beginners — with literal translations to help you think in Japanese.
1. Word Order: Subject → Object → Verb
In Japanese, the verb always comes last.
Example:
私はリンゴを食べます。
Romaji: Watashi wa ringo o tabemasu.
Literal: I + (topic) + apple + (object) + eat → “I eat an apple.”
👉 The sentence literally means: As for me, apple (I) eat.
This word order (S-O-V) is one of the biggest early adjustments for English speakers.
2. Particles: The Glue of Japanese
Particles show the role of each word in the sentence.
Here are the most common:
| Particle | Meaning | Example | Literal |
|---|---|---|---|
| は (wa) | topic marker | 私は先生です。 Watashi wa sensei desu. |
I + (as for) + teacher + am → “As for me, (I am) a teacher.” |
| を (o) | marks the object | 水を飲みます。 Mizu o nomimasu. |
Water + (object) + drink → “I drink water.” |
| が (ga) | subject marker | 猫がいます。 Neko ga imasu. |
Cat + (subject) + exists → “There is a cat.” |
Particles are small, but mastering them unlocks how Japanese really works.
3. Making Sentences Negative
To say something doesn’t happen, change ます (-masu) to ません (-masen).
Example:
食べます → 食べません
Romaji: Tabemasu → Tabemasen
Literal: eat → not eat → “(I) don’t eat.”
This is the polite way to say you don’t do something.
4. Talking About the Past
To describe something that already happened, change ます (-masu) to ました (-mashita).
Example:
見ます → 見ました
Romaji: Mimasu → Mimashita
Literal: see → saw → “(I) saw / watched.”
Negative past: ませんでした (masen deshita) = “did not.”
食べませんでした — Tabemasen deshita → “did not eat.”
5. Describing with Adjectives
There are two main kinds of adjectives in Japanese:
-
い-adjectives: end in -i (e.g. たのしい tanoshii “fun”)
-
な-adjectives: need na before nouns (e.g. しずかな shizukana “quiet”)
Examples:
この本は面白いです。
Romaji: Kono hon wa omoshiroi desu.
Literal: this book (as for) interesting is → “This book is interesting.”
あの部屋は静かではありません。
Romaji: Ano heya wa shizuka de wa arimasen.
Literal: that room (as for) quiet (not) is → “That room is not quiet.”
6. Saying “There Is / There Are”
Use あります (arimasu) for things and います (imasu) for people/animals.
Examples:
公園に猫がいます。
Romaji: Kōen ni neko ga imasu.
Literal: park (in) cat (subject) exists → “There is a cat in the park.”
机の上に本があります。
Romaji: Tsukue no ue ni hon ga arimasu.
Literal: desk (of) top (on) book (subject) exists → “There is a book on the desk.”
7. Asking Questions with “か (ka)”
To make a polite question, just add か at the end of a sentence.
Examples:
これは何ですか？
Romaji: Kore wa nan desu ka?
Literal: this (as for) what is (?) → “What is this?”
あなたは学生ですか？
Romaji: Anata wa gakusei desu ka?
Literal: you (as for) student are (?) → “Are you a student?”
8. Connecting Ideas with “と (to)” and “も (mo)”
と (to) = “and”
も (mo) = “also / too”
Examples:
ケーキとコーヒーを飲みます。
Romaji: Kēki to kōhī o nomimasu.
Literal: cake and coffee (object) drink → “I drink coffee and eat cake.”
私も行きます。
Romaji: Watashi mo ikimasu.
Literal: I also go → “I’ll go too.”
9. Expressing “Because” and “So”
You can explain reasons with から (kara) or ので (node).
Examples:
雨が降るから、出かけません。
Romaji: Ame ga furu kara, dekakemasen.
Literal: rain (subject) falls because, not-go-out → “I’m not going out because it’s raining.”
頭が痛いので、休みます。
Romaji: Atama ga itai node, yasumimasu.
Literal: head (subject) hurts since, rest → “Since my head hurts, I’ll rest.”
10. Politeness Matters
Japanese communication relies heavily on politeness levels.
The –ます / –です form (polite) is ideal for beginners.
Later, you’ll learn plain form (dictionary form) used with friends and family.
Example:
行きます (ikimasu) — go (polite)
行く (iku) — go (casual)
Final Thoughts
Grammar is not just about memorization — it’s the structure that makes communication clear and respectful in Japanese.
When you understand the logic behind each rule (and the literal meaning behind each word), you start to think in Japanese instead of translating word-for-word.
At Strømmen, our tutors use this human-centric, literal-first method to help students reach fluency faster and with deeper understanding. Whether you’re learning for travel, career, or curiosity, our private Japanese lessons (available online or in Los Angeles) make grammar come alive.
