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Adjectives
| First, a word about Japanese adjectives. There are two types of adjectives in Japanese. These are 'i' adjectives and 'na' adjectives. 'I' adjectives have an extra 'i' at the end which can be used to modify their tense. 'Na' adjectives usually do not have the 'i' ending and must be followed by 'na' if they come in front of a noun. 'Na' adjectives have a different way of being modified. (It is also possible to make adjectives out of other nouns as in English.) |
i Adjectives
| English | Romaji | Kanji | Kana |
| big | ookii | 大きい | おおきい |
| small | chiisai | 小さい | ちいさい |
| cheap | yasui | 安い | やすい |
| expensive | takai | 高い | たかい |
| dark | kurai | 暗い | くらい |
| light | akarui | 明るい | あかるい |
| delicious | oishii | おいしい | |
| bad tasting | mazui | まずい | |
| difficult | muzukashii | 難しい | むずかしい |
| good | ii/yoi | いい / 良い | いい / よい |
| bad | warui | 悪い | わるい |
| heavy | omoi | 重い | おもい |
| light (in weight) | karui | 軽い | かるい |
| hot | atsui | 熱い | あつい |
| hot (weather) | atsui | 暑い | あつい |
| warm | atatakai | 温かい | あたたかい |
| warm (weather) | atatakai | 暖かい | あたたかい |
| cold | tsumetai | 冷たい | つめたい |
| cold (weather) | samui | 寒い | さむい |
| hot and humid | mushiatsui | 蒸し暑い | むしあつい |
| long | nagai | 長い | ながい |
| short (in length) | mijikai | 短い | みじかい |
| new | atarashii | 新しい | あたらしい |
| old | furui | 古い | ふるい |
| narrow | semai | 狭い | せまい |
| wide | hiroi | 広い | ひろい |
| tall | takai | 高い | たかい |
| short (in height) | hikui | 低い | ひくい |
| quick | hayai | 速い | はやい |
| slow | osoi | 遅い | おそい |
| interesting | omoshiroi | 面白い | おもしろい |
| busy | isogashii | 忙しい | いそがしい |
| fun | tanoshii | 楽しい | たのしい |
| cool/attractive/has good form | kakkouii | 格好いい | かっこういい |
| early | hayai | 早い | はやい |
| late | osoi | 晩い | おそい |
na Adjectives
| English | Romaji | Kanji | Kana |
| quiet | shizuka (na) | 静か(な) | しずか(な) |
| cool/nice | suteki (na) | 素敵(な) | すてき(な) |
| healthy | genki (na) | 元気(な) | げんき(な) |
| easy | kantan (na) | 簡単(な) | かんたん(な) |
| clean/pretty | kirei (na) | きれい(な) | |
| strange | hen (na) | 変(な) | へん(な) |
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Adjectives can be modified further using adverbs:
Example:
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