1. Basic Word Order

The sentence order is very different from English. In English we use Subject-Verb-Object (SVO), but in Japanese it is usually (but not always!) Subject-Object-Verb (SOV).

Notice the "extra" words wa & o. These are called particles (or grammatical markers) and tell us a lot about the function of the word it follows. Don't worry! We will get to particles soon enough.

You can read more on Japanese Word Order here.

2. です, the Copula

です is a copula (a word used to link the subject of a sentence with a predicate). It shows that something is or isn't something else. It is one of the very few irregular forms in Japanese. です can act like the English "to be" (you know; is, am, are...) in the sense that です is used to explain who or what something or someone is. It is also used when equating one thing with another.

Let's take a look.

Most of the time you want to use the "to be" verb you will use です. Later we will learn other forms to show existence.

3. "and" - と、そして

There are several ways to say "and" (connecting words and phrases). Let's look at two of them:

4. 2 Basic verb forms - ～dictionary、～ます

There are many ways to conjugate verbs, but here we will focus on two present tense forms: "dictionary form" (also known as "plain form") and " ~masu form" (also known as "polite form")

You will notice some other changes between the two forms. I would recommend learning about the three verb groups here, but for our purposes right now, just memorize a few examples and try to find patterns with other verbs. And remember: Mistake making is memory making! (As long as you correct yourself, of course.)

5. Making Questions - か

Making questions in Japanese is easy! -- REALLY! Usually you can change a statement into a question by just adding a か ka to the end!

See "Questions and Question Words - 10 minute lesson" for more on this.

Question Words

By mastering these question words, your conversational skills will be much stronger!

	いつ itsu - when いつ　きました　か？ itsu kimashita ka? When did you come? [lit. when came? Notice the "you" is understood.]
	どこ doko - where どこ　から　きました　か？ doko kara kimashita ka? Where did you come from? [lit. where from came?]
	どうして doushite - why どうして　きました　か？ doushite kimashita ka? Why did you come? [lit. why came?]
	なぜ naze- why なぜ naze? Why? [used in the same way as doushite]
	だれ dare - who だれが　きました　か。 dare ga kimashita ka? Who came?
	何 nani - what なにを買いましたか。 nani o kaimashita ka. What did you buy? You can do a lot more with 何, see here.

MAIN POINTS:

	Even with the question word a か ka is used. (Except in casual spoken Japanese.)
	The question word is at the beginning, but after the は wa if there is one. あなた　は　だれ　です　か？ anata wa dare desu ka? Who are you? (the question word dare is after the wa)

FOR MORE ON THIS ...

Possessive "s" の

Possessive "'s" の

This is another nice thing about Japanese.

To show relationship or possession between two things just put a の no between them. The trick is knowing (erm... のing) which goes to the left of the no and which goes to the right...

Think of の as a 's (apostrophe S)

わたし　の　ねこ watashi no neko My cat [I's cat]

日本　の　車 nihon no kuruma Japanese car [Japan's car]

ねこ　の　おもちゃ neko no omocha Cat's toy

Also think of:
わたしの watashino as "my" and
あなたの anatano as "your"

But でも

But, a small word, but... There are other "buts" but demo is the most common. Learn this first and you can pick the others up later.

でも demo - but

日本語　が　好き　でも　フランス語　は　きらい　です。
nihongo ga suki demo furansugo wa kirai desu.
I like Japanese, but I hate French.

Pronouns

Pronouns are not used nearly as much in Japanese as they are in English. Often the pronoun is used once and then after (until the topic shifts to someone else) the pronoun is dropped. Still they are very important!

Learn watashi and anata well	tachi and ra are endings that indicate plurality! Easy! :)
I - わたし watashi	WE - わたしたち watashi tachi
YOU - あなた anata	YOU - あなたたち anata tachi
HE - かれ kare SHE - かのじょ kanojo IT - IT isn't used but in IT's place sore (that) is often used -- Don't worry! Remember to breath!	THEY - かれら kare ra

NOTE:

	Another meaning of kare (he) is actually "boyfriend" and kanojo is "girlfriend"!
	When the meaning is obvious, the pronoun is usually dropped. Both of the following is clear in meaning: わたしはアメリカからきました。 watashi wa amerika kara kimashita. I came from America. アメリカからきました。 amerika kara kimashita. (I) came from America.

FOR MORE ON THIS ...

Fillers ええと

In English, we have our "ah" and "um." In Japanese, they have their "eeto." This is the sound you make when you can't think of what to say, but want to say something!

何 の　動物 が　好き　です　か？
nan no doubutsu ga suki desu ka?
What animal do you like?

ええと。。。　ねこ　が　すき。
eeto... neko ga suki.
Um... I like cats.

Introduction to Particles

Particles may seem a little foreign to you at first, but for the most part, they aren't too difficult to grasp.

These particles are placed after a word (or phrase) and show its relationship (grammatical function) to the rest of the sentence.

In other words, the particle itself isn't really translatable, but it tells you a lot about the function of the word it follows.

The best way to learn to use them is to memorize useful examples and try them out for size!

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は wa - overall topic particle - shows the main topic of the conversation. It may be helpful to think of it as "As for..."

[NOTE: it is a hiragana ha but pronounced as "wa"]

あなた　 は 　やさしい。
anata wa yasashii .
You are nice.
[Makes "you" the main topic: "As for YOU, you are nice."]

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が ga - the subject particle - sometimes the difference between wa and ga is hard to tell. Sometimes they can be used interchangeably with only a slight change in meaning. See next entry for more on this.

ねこ　 が 　へん。
neko ga hen.
The cat is strange.
[Makes the "cat" the subject]

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Comparing は and が (by Paul_b)

The topic particle は can easily be confused with the subject particle が. That is because は overrides が, in other words, in a sentence something can very easily be both the topic and the subject of that sentence. In such cases the が "disappears" and it looks like the は is acting as a subject marker.

Take this simple sentence.

わたしはクレイです。
watashi wa kurei desu.
I am Clay.
["I" (that is the speaker, Clay) is the topic and now this is known, it won't be repeated unless the topic changes]

What is the subject of the sentence? That's right - "I" watashi is. But because "I" is also the topic only the topic marker は is used. Now we'll let Clay continue and say another sentence ...

ねこがすきです。
neko ga suki desu.
(I) like cats.
["cats" is the subject here. "I" is still the topic. He could have said "watashi wa neko ga suki desu." but that is unnecessary because he has already said "watashi wa" establishing the topic in the previous sentence.]

if both are in a sentence, the wa is first.

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を o - The Direct Object particle

本　 を 　よみました。
hon o yomimashita.
(I) read a book.
[NOTE: it makes "book" the object. If we were to say "I" it would be watashi wa at the beginning.]

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に ni - usually shows movement (to)

日本　 に 　いきましょう！
nihon ni ikimashou!
Let's go to Japan!
[There is movement going to Japan ]

or shows time (at)

６時　 に 　いきましょう！
roku ji ni ikimashou!
Let's go at 6.

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で de - Shows location (at, in)

日本　 で 　遊びましょう！
nihon de asobimashou!
Let's play (have fun) in Japan!
[Notice there is no movement]

FOR MORE ON THIS ...

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Do you have an iPhone/iPod Touch? You may be interested in this iPhone App for mastering Japanese Particles. It is produced by TJP's good friends over at JapanNewbie.com. It covers the basic particles plus those found on the JLPT N5 and N4 tests. Use the Study Mode and Quiz to test yourself. Click here to jump to the iTunes Japanese 101: Particles page

If もし

We will look at a few examples that actually contain fairly advanced grammar. In other words, to say "if..." you must start with もし moshi--and this is easy. However, you must also change the verb at the end with a ～ば ba, たら tara, or なら nara or some other conditional.

That being said, you should become familiar with もし moshi since it is extremely useful. Try to memorize one or two example sentences and then listen or look for other examples online or with friends.

ENGLISH	JAPANESE
If you come.	もし　あなた　が　きたら。 moshi anata ga kitara.
If it's sunny.	もし　はれ　たら。 moshi hare tara.

Special useful phrases:

もし　よければ。。。
moshi yokereba...
If it is ok with you... [let's do this...]

もし　ほしかったら、
moshi hoshikattara,
If you want (it),
(when offering something to someone)