i-adjectives: the sa-form

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NIHONGO ICHIBAN

The Japanese language is very flexible with adjectives. The sa-form allows to use an i-adjective as a noun or in other words to add ~ness to it (e.g. useful => usefulness, powerful => powerfulness, etc.)

It is very easy to build. Just replace “i” at the end of the word with a “sa”. So 楽しい (tanoshii, enjoyable) becomes joy as 楽しさ (tanoshisa). Here are a few more examples to make it clear.

Plain FormRomajiMeaningsa FormRomajiMeaning
楽しいtanoshiienjoyable楽しさtanoshisajoy
美しいutsukushiibeautiful美しさutsukushisabeauty
新しいatarashiinew新しさatarashisanewness
赤いakaired赤さakasaredness
大きいookiibig大きさookisasize, dimensions

Example sentences:

日本のお寺の美しさが好きです。

nihon no otera no utsukushisa ga suki desu.

I like the beauty of Japanese temples.

Related…

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Kanji Exercise Book for JLPT N5

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NIHONGO ICHIBAN

Free Download of Kanji Worksheets

When trying to learn Japanese Kanji is always a terrible challenge ! To help all the people wanting to learn Japanese and people who are planning to pass the JLPT N5 Test the NIHON ICHIBAN team created an ebook that you can view and download from here KanjiBookJLPTN5.

Each Kanji is represented on one page featuring :

  • The meaning
  • The Onyomi and Kunyomi readings
  • Vocabulary that includes this Kanji
  • The number of strokes and the strokes order ( along with a link to the NIHONGO ICHIBAN website to see the video of the stroke order)
  • The Radical (components) of the Kanji
  • A Hint to help memorize the Kanji
  • A grid to exercise writing

You can print the Kanji book pages as many times as you want and practice the writing !

Most important this ebook has NO COPYRIGHT so you may feel free to…

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Complete list of vocabulary for the JLPT N4

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NIHONGO ICHIBAN

You need to master about 1,500 vocabulary for the JLPT N4. This list is about what you need to know. Click on the words to learn how to use and how to write them. In this list all words are written with kanji. Those kanji you need to know for the JLPT N4 are marked with color.

あ

KanjiFuriganaRomajiMeaning
あ あa Ah!, Oh!
ああああaaAh!
挨拶あいさつaisatsugreeting
間あいだaidabetween
合うあうau fit, suit
会うあうauto meet
青い あおいaoiblue
赤いあかいakaired
赤ちゃんあかちゃんakachanbaby, newborn
上がるあがるagaruto go up
 明るいあかるいakaruilight, bright
赤ん坊あかんぼうakanboubaby, newborn
秋あきakiautumn, fall
開くあくakuopen
空くあくakuempty, has space
開けるあけるakeruto open
上げるあげるageruto rise
あげるageruto give
朝あさasa

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Complete list of vocabulary for the JLPT N5

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NIHONGO ICHIBAN

You need to master about 800 vocabulary for the JLPT N5. This list is about what you need to know. Click on the words to learn how to use and how to write them. In this list all words are written with kanji. Those kanji you need to know for the JLPT N5 are colored.

あ

KanjiFuriganaRomajiMeaning
 ああah Ah!
会うあうauto meet
青い あおいaoiblue
赤いあかいakaired
 明るいあかるいakaruilight, bright
秋あきakiautumn, fall
開くあくakuopen
開けるあけるakeruto open
あげるageruto give
朝あさasamorning
朝ご飯あさごはんasagohanbreakfast
あさってあさってasattethe day after tomorrow
 足あしashileg, foot
明日あしたashitatomorrow
あそこあそこasokoover there
遊ぶあそぶasobuto play
温かいあたたかいatatakaiwarm
頭あたまatamahead
 新しいあたらしいatarashiinew
 あちらあちらachiraover…

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Japanese grammar of verbs for JLPT N5

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NIHONGO ICHIBAN

All about the grammar of verbs for the JLPT N5

This is a list of grammar for verbs required to pass the JLPT N5. Place the curser above the grammar form name to get more detailed information.

VERB + masu-form (〜ます）

Kanji私は毎日新聞を読みます。
Furiganaわたしはまいにちしんぶんをよみます。
Romajiwatashi wa mainichi shinbun o yomimasu.
EnglishI read newspaper every day.

VERB + masen (〜ません）

Kanji私の母はアルコールを飲みません。
Furiganaわたしのはははアルコールをのみません。
Romajiwatashi no haha wa arukooru o nomimasen.
EnglishMy mother does not drink alcohol.

VERB + mashita (〜ました）

Kanji私は昨日本を買いました。
Furiganaわたしはきのうほんをかいました。
Romajiwatashi wa kinou hon o kaimashita.
EnglishI bought a book yesterday.

VERB + masen deshita （~ませんでした）

Kanji私はまだ朝ご飯を食べませんでした。
Furiganaわたしはまだあさごはんをたべませんでした。
Romajiwatashi wa mada asagohan o tabemasen deshita.
EnglishI have not yet eaten breakfast.

VERB + plain form

Kanji日本人は毎日御飯を食べる。
Furiganaにほんじんはまいにちごはんをたべる。
Romajinihonjin wa mainichi gohan o taberu.
EnglishJapanese eat rice every day.

VERB + NAI form…

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Grammar of nouns for JLPT N5

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NIHONGO ICHIBAN

All about grammar of nouns for the JLPT N5

This is a collection of grammar forms that are likely to be required to pass the JLPT N5 level. Place your cursor above the grammar description to get more detailed information where available.

NOUN + DESU (です）

Kanji私は日本人です。
Furiganaわたしはにほんじんです。
Romajiwatashi wa nihonjin desu.
EnglishI am Japanese.

NOUN + DEWA arimasen (ではありません)

Kanji私は日本人ではありません。
Furiganaわたしはにほんじんではありません。
Romajiwatashi wa nihonjin dewa arimasen.
EnglishI am not Japanese.

NOUN + DESHITA (でした)

Kanji昨日は日曜日でした。
Furiganaきのうはにちようびでした。
Romajikinou wa nichiyoubi deshita.
EnglishYesterday was sunday.

NOUN + DEwa arimasen deSHITA (ではありませんでした)

Kanji昨日は休みの日ではありませんでした。
Furiganaきのうはやすみのひではありませんでした。
Romajikinou wa yasumi no hi dewa arimasen deshita.
EnglishYesterday was not a vacation day.

NOUN + DA (だ)

Kanji私は学生だ。
Furiganaわたしはがくせいだ。
Romajiwatashi wa gakusei da.
EnglishI am a student.

NOUN + Dewa nai (ではない)

Kanji私は日本人ではないです。
Furiganaわたしはにほんじんではないです。
Romaji

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Grammar of adjectives for JLPT N5

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NIHONGO ICHIBAN

All grammar of adjectives for the JLPT N5

This is a collection of grammar for JLPT N5 related to the correct use of adjectives. You will find the theory as well as concrete examples. Click on the header for each grammar for to get more details.

i-Adjective + です

Kanjiこの本は面白いです。
Furiganaこのほんはおもしろいです。
Romajikono hon wa omoshiroi desu.
EnglishThis book is interesting.

i-Adjective + くない + です

Kanjiこの本は面白くないです。
Furiganaこのほんはおもしろくないです。
Romajikono hon wa omoshirokunai desu.
EnglishThis book is not interesting.

i-Adjective + くない + です

Kanjiこの本は面白くないです。
Furiganaこのほんはおもしろくないです。
Romajikono hon wa omoshirokunai desu.
EnglishThis book is not interesting.

i-Adjective + くなかった + です

Kanjiこの本は面白くなかったです。
Furiganaこのほんはおもしろくなかったです。
Romajikono hon wa omoshirokunakatta desu.
EnglishThis book was not interesting.

i-Adjective + くて

Kanjiこの本は厚くて面白いです。
Furiganaこのほんはあつくておもしろいです。
Romajikono hon wa atsukute omoshiroi desu.
EnglishThis book is thick and…

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