Affirmative and Negative Sentences | Learn Japanese Sentence Structure
In Japanese, affirmative and negative sentences are used to express facts, deny information, or communicate effectively.
To form negative sentences, expressions like “ない,” “ません,” and “ではありません” are commonly used.
Unlike English, where “not” or “don’t” are used for negation, Japanese has its own set of grammatical rules for forming negative sentences.
This page will explain how to form affirmative and negative sentences, basic rules, and example sentences in an easy-to-understand way.
Key takeaways
This page will help you understand how to create affirmative and negative sentences in Japanese.
By learning sentence structures, you will be able to use them confidently in daily conversation and writing.
- Learn the Basic Structure of Affirmative Sentences
Understand the basic rules for forming affirmative sentences using “です” and “ます.” - Learn How to Make Negative Sentences
Study how to form negative expressions like “ではありません,” “ません,” and “ない.” - Compare Affirmative and Negative Sentences for Nouns, Verbs, and Adjectives
Learn the differences between these sentence types and how to use them correctly. - Memorize Common Affirmative and Negative Phrases for Everyday Conversations
Practice frequently used expressions through example sentences.
Basics of Affirmative Sentences
Affirmative Sentences with Nouns
For affirmative sentences with nouns, the structure “A は B です” is used to describe what A is.
Basic Sentence Structure
- [Subject] は [Noun] です。わたしは がくせい です。
- I am a student.
| これは ほんです。 | This is a book. |
| かれは いしゃです。 | He is a doctor. |
- Key Points:
-
- “です” is used to make noun sentences polite.
- In casual conversation, “だ” can be used instead.
Affirmative Sentences with Verbs
In affirmative sentences with verbs, the polite form “ます” is used.
Basic Sentence Structure
- [Subject] は [Object] を [Verb] ます。わたしは すしを たべます。
- I eat sushi.
| かれは にほんごを べんきょうします。 | He studies Japanese. |
| ともだちは えいがを みます。 | My friend watches a movie. |
- Key Points:
-
- The “ます” form is a polite expression.
- In casual speech, the dictionary form is often used.
Affirmative Sentences with Adjectives
There are two types of adjectives: い-adjectives and な-adjectives.
Basic Sentence Structure
- [Subject] は [Adjective] です。この ほんは おもしろいです。
- This book is interesting.
| あの レストランは しずかです。 | That restaurant is quiet. |
| この くるまは たかいです。 | This car is expensive. |
- Key Points:
-
- い-adjectives use “~いです” at the end.
- な-adjectives use “です” to form a sentence.
Basics of Negative Sentences
Negative Sentences with Nouns
To form a negative sentence with nouns, “ではありません” or the casual “じゃない” is used.
Basic Sentence Structure
- [Subject] は [Noun] ではありません。わたしは がくせいではありません。
- I am not a student.
| これは ほんではありません。 | This is not a book. |
| かれは いしゃではありません。 | He is not a doctor. |
- Key Points:
-
- In casual speech, “じゃない” is often used.
Negative Sentences with Verbs
To form a negative sentence with verbs, “ません” is used.
Basic Sentence Structure
- [Subject] は [Object] を [Verb] ません。わたしは すしを たべません。
- I do not eat sushi.
| かれは にほんごを べんきょうしません。 | He does not study Japanese. |
| ともだちは えいがを みません。 | My friend does not watch a movie. |
- Key Points:
-
- In casual speech, “~ない” is used instead of “ません.”
Negative Sentences with Adjectives
To make adjectives negative, “くないです” or “ではありません” is used.
Basic Sentence Structure
- [Subject] は [Adjective] くないです。
この ほんは おもしろくないです。 - This book is not interesting.
| あの レストランは しずかではありません。 | That restaurant is not quiet. |
| この くるまは たかくないです。 | This car is not expensive. |
Practice: Affirmative and Negative Sentences
Try Making Both Affirmative and Negative Sentences!
| Affirmative Sentences | Negative Sentences |
|---|---|
| かれは がくせい です。 He is a student. |
彼は 学生ではありません。 He is not a student. |
| わたしは おちゃを のみます。 I drink tea. |
わたしは おちゃを のみません。 I do not drink tea. |
| この へやは きれい です。 This room is clean. |
この へやは きれいではありません。 This room is not clean. |
Conclusion
Understanding the basics of affirmative and negative sentences in Japanese will help you to express yourself more accurately in conversations and sentences!
- Understand the differences between affirmative and negative sentences with nouns, verbs, and adjectives.
- Remember key grammar rules such as “です,” “ます,” “ません,” and “ない.”
- Practice by making sentences and using them in daily conversation!
With step by step, you will learn the correct affirmative and negative sentences!
