Grammar
Essentially, na-adjectives and some no-adjectives, in particular, nouns, work the same way, but one takes the na な attributive copula, while the other takes the no の attributive copula.- {kirei na} neko
綺麗な猫
A cat [that] {is pretty}.
A {pretty} cat. - {futsuu no} neko
普通の猫
A cat [that] {is normal}.
A {normal} cat.
The distinction above only happens in the attributive. In every other situation, na-adjectives and no-adjectives are conjugated the same.
For example, in the predicative, both kirei and futsuu would take the predicative copula da だ.
- kono neko wa kirei da
この猫は綺麗だ
This cat is pretty. - kono neko wa futsuu da
この猫は普通だ
This cat is normal.
The negative form and past form of the no の copula is identical to the na な copula.
- {kirei denai} neko
綺麗でない猫
A cat [that] {is not pretty}. - {futsuu denai} neko
普通でない猫
A cat [that] {is not normal}. - {kirei datta} neko
綺麗だった猫
A cat [that] {was pretty}. - {futsuu datta} neko
普通だった猫
A cat [that] {was normal}.
The te て form is also identical: it's the de で copula.
- kono neko wa kirei de futsuu da
この猫は綺麗で普通だ
This cat is pretty and, is normal. - kono neko wa futsuu de kirei da
この猫は普通で綺麗だ
This cat is normal and, is pretty.
The only difference is that, is the attributive, when they come right before a noun, the na-adjective ends in the na な copula, while the no-adjective ends in the no の copula.
- {futsuu de kirei na} neko
普通で綺麗な猫
A cat [that] {is normal and, is pretty}. - {kirei de futsuu no} neko
綺麗で普通の猫
A cat [that] {is pretty and, is normal}.
Despite all no-adjectives having a no の particle coming after them, not all of them have a no の copula, specifically.
For example, no-adjectives of possession don't have a no の copula. We know this because we can't replace that no の by da だ in the predicative.
- {watashi no} namae
私の名前
The name {of me}.
My name. - sono namae wa watashi da
その名前は私だ
That name is me. (this doesn't make sense.)
Although the above forms a grammatically correct sentence, the meaning isn't what we want. To say that something is "of someone," the genitive no の must be part of the predicate.
- sono namae wa {watashi no} da
その名前は私のだ
That name is {of me}.
That name is {mine}.- Note: most of the time, no da のだ is used to assert something, and has nothing to do with no-adjectives.
- nigeru no da!
逃げるのだ！
Run away!
On the other hand, any time you have a noun plus the da だ copula, you can convert it to noun plus the no の copula.
- Sasuke wa otouto da
サスケは弟だ
Sasuke is [someone's] little brother. - {otouto no} Sasuke
弟のサスケ
Sasuke, [who] {is [someone's] little brother}.
Sasuke, the little brother. - This is called an appositive.
The most confusing case for many beginners, I believe, happens to be one of the most basic words in Japanese:
- otoko no ko
男の子
A man's child. (wrong.) - {otoko no} ko
男の子
A child [who] {is a man}.
A {male} child.
A boy. (right.)
The same confusion described above also leads people to misinterpret the homonymous internet slang otoko no ko 男の娘 as "daughter of a man," rather than "{male} girl."
No comments: