How to Use Adjectives with Nouns in Japanese | Adj + Noun Pattern for Beginners

Introduction

Want to say:

• “an old book”
• “a beautiful sea”
• “a lively town”

In Japanese, you can use both い-adjectives and な-adjectives to directly modify nouns. This is one of the simplest and most useful patterns in Japanese — and it helps you speak more naturally and descriptively!

In this lesson, you’ll learn:

✔ How to attach adjectives to nouns
✔ The difference between い and な adjectives in this pattern
✔ Common mistakes to avoid
✔ Easy examples and practice

Let’s learn how to say things like “a scary movie” and “a quiet room” in natural Japanese!

1. What Is the “Adj + Noun” Pattern in Japanese?

Just like in English (“a beautiful flower”), adjectives in Japanese come before the noun they describe.

But how you connect the adjective depends on whether it’s an い-adjective or a な-adjective.

2. い-Adjectives + Noun

Rule: Just place the adjective before the noun. No extra particle needed.

Tip: Particle “の” is unnecessary

The particle の (no) is used to connect two nouns, showing possession or a relationship between them. Example:

• 私の本 (watashi no hon) → my book
• 弟の自転車 (otouto no jitensha) → my younger brother’s bicycle

In these cases, both words are nouns, so using の is correct.

However, adjectives (like おもしろい, たかい, ふるい, etc.) can directly describe a noun — you don’t need の. So:

• ❌ おもしろいの映画えいが (incorrect)
• ✅ おもしろい映画 (correct) → an interesting movie

gokigen penguin

Remember: の connects noun + noun, but adjectives already connect directly to a noun, so の is unnecessary.

3. な-Adjectives + Noun

Rule: Insert な between the adjective and the noun.

Don’t forget the な!
→ × しずか 部屋
→ ✓ しずかな 部屋

4. Practice: Describe These Things!

Examples with Pictures:

にぎやかな町まちです。(It’s a lively town.)

大おおきいかばんです。(That’s a big bag.)

きれいな部屋へやです。(That’s a clean room.)

5. Mini Q&A Practice

Try answering the following with Adj + N patterns:

• はなさんはどんな人ひとですか。
  　→ やさしい人です。 (She is a kind person.)
• やまださんはどんな人ですか。
  　→ 元気げんきな人です。 (He is a healthy person.)
• たつやさんはどんな人ですか。
  　→ 面白おもしろい人です。 (He is a funny person.)
• きのうのテストはどうでしたか。
  　→ 難むずかしいテストでした。 (It was a difficult test.)

6. FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

7. Conclusion

Now you can use adjectives to describe the world around you:

✅ おもしろい本ほん → an interesting book
✅ きれいな海うみ → a beautiful sea
✅ こわい映画えいが → a scary movie
✅ しずかな部屋へや → a quiet room

🎯 Practice by describing 3 objects near you right now!