Modifying Nouns with Clauses — Japanese Relative Clauses

In English, we say "the book I bought yesterday" or "the person who is drinking beer" — these are relative clauses that modify a noun.

Japanese has an equivalent structure, and it's actually simpler than English: just put the clause directly in front of the noun. No "who," "which," or "that" needed.

Basic Structure

Clause (verb in plain form) + Noun

Place the modifying clause before the noun, with the verb in plain form (not masu-form).

Note: the verb inside a modifier clause must be in plain form (dictionary form, ta-form, te-iru form, etc.), never masu-form.

Modifier Clauses Can Be Long

Japanese modifier clauses can contain a complete sentence — they can be quite long:

君が最近探していた本はこれですか？ → Is this the book you've been looking for lately?

Breaking it down:

• Modifier clause: 君が最近探していた (that you've been looking for lately)
• Modified noun: 本 (book)
• Main clause: 〜はこれですか？ (Is it this one?)

Another long example:

そのテストで100点が取れた学生はクラスに一人もいなかった。 → Not a single student in the class got 100 points on that test.

The modifier そのテストで100点が取れた modifies 学生.

Inside a Modifier Clause, は Becomes が

Inside a modifier clause, the subject cannot be marked with は — use が instead:

Why? Because は is the topic marker, and a sentence has only one topic. The modifier clause is not the main clause, so it can't claim the topic position.

母が買ったケーキは美味しい。 → The cake (that) Mom bought is delicious.

Here ケーキ is the main clause topic (は), while "Mom" inside the modifier uses が.

Inside a Modifier Clause, が Can Become の

Here's a useful trick: inside a modifier clause, が can be replaced with の without changing the meaning. It often sounds more natural.

壁にかけてある絵は私が描いたものです。 = 壁にかけてある絵は私の描いたものです。 → The painting hanging on the wall is one I painted.

Caution: if replacing が with の creates ambiguity (e.g., when another の follows immediately), don't make the swap.

The Role of the Modified Noun

An interesting aspect: the modified noun can play different roles within the modifier clause.

Noun as Subject

先に帰った人は林さんです。 → The person who left first is Mr. Hayashi.

「人」is the subject of「先に帰った」(the person left = the person who left).

Noun as Object

母が買ったケーキは美味しい。 → The cake Mom bought is delicious.

「ケーキ」is the object of「母が買った」(Mom bought the cake).

Noun as Place or Time

私が生まれた町は小さい。 → The town where I was born is small.

「町」is the place in the modifier clause (I was born in that town).

日本に来た日のことを覚えています。 → I still remember the day I came to Japan.

「日」is the time in the modifier clause (I came to Japan on that day).

てくれた in Modifier Clauses

The giving/receiving verb てくれた appears frequently in modifier clauses, expressing "the person/thing that did something for me":

お金を拾ってくれた人にお礼を言いました。 → I thanked the person who picked up the money for me.

The modifier お金を拾ってくれた modifies 人: the person who picked up money for me.

その歌を聞いたお爺さんは、歌を褒めてあげました。 → The old man who heard the song praised the singing.

Example Sentences

今入ってきた人はどなたですか？ → Who is the person who just came in?

この部屋は寒くなってきましたね。 → This room has been getting colder, hasn't it?

公園で誰かが落としたお金を拾いました。 → I picked up money that someone dropped in the park.

壁にかけてある絵は私の描いたものです。 → The painting on the wall is one I painted.

Summary

• Japanese modifies nouns with the pattern Clause + Noun — the clause goes directly before the noun
• Verbs inside modifier clauses use plain form, not masu-form
• The subject inside a modifier clause uses が (not は), and が can be replaced with の
• The modified noun can serve as the subject, object, place, time, or other role within the modifier clause

Practice Questions

Q1. Translate into Japanese: "The food Mom made is delicious."

Q2. In「壁にかけてある絵は私が描いたものです。」, what does「壁にかけてある」modify?

Q3. Replace が with の in this sentence:「花が咲いている公園で遊びましょう。」