Meaning
Japanese has two main types of adjectives. I-adjectives (い形容詞) end in 'い' and directly modify nouns without any additional particles. Na-adjectives (な形容詞) require the particle 'な' between the adjective and the noun it modifies. Note that some adjectives like きれい end in 'い' but function as na-adjectives.
Formation
| Part of speech | Formation |
|---|---|
| い形容词 | い形容詞 + 名詞（例：熱いコーヒー、おもしろい映画、古い家、新しいかさ、高いかばん） |
| な形容词 | な形容詞 + な + 名詞（例：静かな夜、便利なホテル、きれいな花、親切な人、元気な人） |
Examples
-
熱いコーヒー
hot coffee -
おもしろい映画
interesting movie -
古い家
old house -
新しいかさ
new umbrella -
高いかばん
expensive bag -
静かな夜
quiet night -
便利なホテル
convenient hotel -
きれいな花
beautiful flower -
親切な人
kind person -
元気な人
energetic person
Summary
- I-adjectives (い形容詞) end in い and directly precede nouns: 熱い + コーヒー
- Na-adjectives (な形容詞) require な before the noun: 静か + な + 夜
- Some adjectives like きれい look like i-adjectives but are actually na-adjectives and need な