You too can learn Japanese language with my totally free daily lessons. Today’s lesson is Japanese adverbs.
Hello and welcome to the learn Japanese Language.
More proof that Japanese is not that hard to learn! Today we will discuss creating adverbs.
Let’s start the learn Japanese language lesson with a bang!
Let’s think about this in English first:
“I run fast.”
The adverb here is fast. It is describing the verb.
So how would we say this in Japanese?
Did you study your adjectives?
Yes?
Good, because knowing adjectives means you also know adverbs. We are going to simply convert Japanese adjectives to adverbs.
As with a lot of Japanese language rules, changing or adding something to the end of a word completely modifies it.
Remember there are two types of adjectives, na and i.
Consider the above English example:
“run fast”.
The Japanese for run?
hashiru
The Japanese adjective for fast?
hayai
hayai is an i adjective. To change an i adjective into an adverb we simply drop the i and add ku.
The result:
hayaku hashiru
Let’s try a na adjective:
In English, “I read quietly.”
The Japanese word for read?
yomu
The Japanese word for quietly?
shizuka
So, simply use the adjective without the na and add ni in its place: shizuka ni yomu
There you are. That’s it!
Before I go for today, I give you a quiz and then recap.
Translate the following sentences to Japanese:
1. “Walks slowly”
2. “Sings loudly”
Translate the following sentences to English:
3. kirei ni kaku
4. hayaku nomu (hint: I could be talking about myself here)
So, remember, you can create an adverb from an adjective simply by remembering whether it is a na or i adjective.
I hope this learn Japanese language lesson has been useful for you.
Please feel free to send me any feedback you may have.
The answers to the quiz are at the bottom of the page.
See you in the next lesson, David
Answers:
1. osoku aruku
2. urusaku utau
3. “nice/clear writing”
4. “drinks fast”