Quick answer
In Japanese, you can describe a noun by placing a sentence before it — no words like “who,” “that,” or “which” are needed.
English: the book that Sakura translated
Japanese: さくらさんが訳した本
Basic pattern: [sentence in short/plain form] + noun
Before you start
This lesson is the next step after the basic verb short form + noun pattern, like 食べたケーキ (the cake I ate). New to this pattern? Start here first:
How to Describe Nouns with Verbs in Japanese →
In this lesson, we’ll use longer sentences to describe nouns:
私が昨日コンビニで買ったケーキ
the cake that I bought at a convenience store yesterday
Video
Let’s watch this short video for a quick overview.
Source: gokigen japanese official YouTube Channel
introduction
In Japanese, you can modify a noun directly with a sentence. The pattern is simple:
(Sentence) + Noun
This structure works like an adjective, providing additional information about the noun.
How It Works
Instead of using a single adjective (like 「大きい家」 – a big house) to describe a noun, you use a complete sentence to explain what kind of noun it is.
For example, to say “a book that Sakura translated”, you take the sentence 「さくらさんが訳しました」 (Sakura translated) and put it before the noun 「本」 (book). Using the short form 「訳した」, it becomes:
さくらさんが訳した本 (a book that Sakura translated)
Similarly, to say “a friend who can speak Chinese”, you take the sentence 「中国語が話せます」 (can speak Chinese) and put it before 「友だち」 (friend). Using the short form 「話せる」, it becomes:
中国語が話せる友だち (a friend who can speak Chinese)
Key Points
- Short Form: The verb used in the sentence that modifies the noun must be in its short (plain) form. This applies to all verbs, regardless of tense or politeness in the overall sentence.
- Not sure about short/plain forms yet? Review this lesson first: How to Use Japanese Short Forms (Plain Forms)
- Subject Particle が: When the subject of the verb within the modifying sentence is different from the noun being modified, that subject is marked with the particle が, not は.
- Example: 「私がはじめて読んだ日本のマンガ」 (The first Japanese manga that I read). Here, 「私」 (I) is the subject of the verb 「読んだ」 (read) within the modifying sentence, so it’s marked with が, not は.
Example Sentences
This structure can be used when the qualified noun plays various roles in the main sentence.
1. 〜は (sentence) + N です
これは、私が図書館で借りた本です。
This is a book that I borrowed at the library.
2. (sentence) + N は 〜です
トムさんが行ったラーメン屋はとても有名です。
The ramen shop Tom went to is very famous.
3. (sentence) + N を〜
昨日 私が案内した店を覚えていますか。
Do you remember the restaurant I took you to yesterday?
4. (sentence) + N が ～です
母が作るケーキが好きです。
I like the cake that my mother makes.
Common Mistakes
A frequent mistake is using the particle は for the subject inside the modifying sentence when it should be が.
Example: The first Japanese manga that Nancy read is One Piece.
❌ Wrong: ナンシーさんははじめて読んだ日本語の漫画はワンピースです。
✅ Correct: ナンシーさんがはじめて読んだ日本語の漫画はワンピースです。
Want to understand が vs は better?
This difference is important in Japanese relative clauses. For a deeper explanation, read: How to Distinguish Between wa (は) and ga (が)
Practice Time
Combine the following sentences and nouns to create modifying phrases:
- 母が作りました (Mother made) + 料理 (dish)
→ 母が作った料理 (a dish that my mother made) - アメリカにいます (Is in America) + 有名人 (famous person)
→ アメリカにいる有名人 (a famous person who is in America) - いま私が住んでいます (I am currently living) + 家 (house)
→ いま私が住んでいる家 (the house where I am currently living) - ジャックさんが運転しています (Mr. Jack is driving) + 車 (car)
→ ジャックさんが運転している車 (the car that Mr. Jack is driving)
FAQ
- QHow does this compare to using adjectives or nouns to modify nouns?
- A
Adjectives: Like in English, い-adjectives and な-adjectives can directly precede nouns to describe them (e.g., 大きい家 – a big house, 静かな町 – a quiet town). This is the simplest way for basic descriptions.
Nouns: You can use Noun + の + Noun to show possession or describe origin/type (e.g., 日本のアニメ – anime from Japan, 学生のかばん – the student’s bag).
Sentences: The (Sentence) + Noun pattern is used when you need to provide more complex information about the noun that a single adjective or a Noun+の phrase cannot convey (e.g., ジョンが日本で見たアニメ – the anime that John watched in Japan).
- QCan the verb be in the negative form or past tense within the modifying sentence?
- A
Yes. The verb in the modifying sentence can be in any tense (present, past, etc.) or polarity (affirmative, negative) as long as it is in the short form. The tense and polarity describe the action relative to the noun.
- [Negative] 昨日 食べなかったケーキが冷蔵庫にあります。= There is a cake in the fridge that I didn’t eat yesterday.
- [Past] 日本で飲んだ抹茶はとてもおいしかったです。= The matcha tea I had in Japan was very tasty.
- QCan I use this grammar in polite conversations?
- A
Yes. When using the (Sentence) + Noun structure in a polite conversation, the sentence modifying the noun must still be in the short (plain) form. The politeness is expressed by the ending of the main sentence, typically using です or ます.
- これは先生が書いた本です。(Kore wa sensei ga kaita hon desu.) – This is a book that the teacher wrote. (Modifying sentence is casual, main sentence is polite).
Conclusion
Mastering how to qualify nouns with sentences (relative clauses) is a powerful way to add descriptive detail in Japanese. Remember to use the short form of the verb and pay close attention to the subject particle が within the modifying sentence.
🎯 Try describing some nouns around you using this pattern!
