Japanese word order for English readers

The idea

English “I read a book” normally puts the verb before the object. Japanese commonly puts the predicate at the end: 私は本を読みます. Particles mark roles: は introduces a topic, を marks an object, and で can mark where an action occurs. Modifiers precede nouns. A recoverable subject can be omitted, and other phrases can move for emphasis.

Examples

• 私わたしは毎朝まいあさ、パンを食たべます。I eat bread every morning.
• 父ちちが本ほんを読よみます。My father reads a book.
• 駅えきで友達ともだちに会あいます。I meet a friend at the station.
• 赤あかいかばんを買かいます。I buy a red bag.
• 今日きょうはコーヒーを飲のみません。I will not drink coffee today.
• 明日あしたは公園こうえんへ行いきます。I will go to the park tomorrow.

Watch out

Japanese order is not an inflexible mirror of English. は is a topic marker, not an automatic translation of the English subject.

Try it yourself

1. Arrange the pieces to say “I read a book”. （私わたしは／本ほんを／読よみます）→＿

   Show answer or example answer

   私は本を読みます

   私は marks the topic, 本を the object, and 読みます closes the sentence.

2. Arrange the pieces to say “I meet a friend at the station”. （駅えきで／友達ともだちに／会あいます）→＿

   Show answer or example answer

   駅で友達に会います

   駅で marks the place of the action and 友達に marks the person met; 会います comes last.

3. Arrange the pieces to say “I buy a red bag”. （赤あかい／かばんを／買かいます）→＿

   Show answer or example answer

   赤いかばんを買います

   赤い modifies かばん before the noun; 買います is the final predicate.

Use it today

Make a sentence about something you read. Mark the object with を, put the verb last, and try omitting the subject when it is clear.