Use familiar Dutch sentences to see where Japanese places the verb and how particles identify each phrase.

The idea

In a Dutch main clause the finite verb generally takes second position: Ik lees een boek; Morgen lees ik een boek. In a basic Japanese clause the verb comes at the end: 私は本を読みます. Particles follow nouns: は marks a topic, を an object, and で a place of action. Time and other phrases can change order for emphasis; the verb normally remains last. A subject understood from context can be omitted.

Patterns to compare
PatternRole
本をobject
家でplace of action
読みますverb at the end

Examples

  • 私わたしは本ほんを読よみます。I read a book.
  • 私わたしは家いえでお茶ちゃを飲のみます。I drink tea at home.
  • 明日あした、友達ともだちと学校がっこうへ行いきます。Tomorrow I go to school with a friend.
  • 母ははは朝あさパンを食たべます。My mother eats bread in the morning.
  • 田中たなかさんは図書館としょかんで日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうします。Tanaka studies Japanese at the library.
  • 今日きょうは公園こうえんで友達ともだちに会あいます。Today I meet a friend in the park.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

Do not carry Dutch verb-second order into Japanese or treat は as an exact subject marker. Particles, not position alone, show the role of a phrase.

Try it yourself

  1. 私わたしは本ほんを＿。（読よみます／読よみ）

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    読みます

    読みます is the polite verb and completes the clause at the end.

  2. 家いえ＿お茶ちゃを飲のみます。（で／を）

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    で

    で marks 家 as the place where drinking happens.

  3. 本ほん＿読よみます。（を／で）

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    を

    を marks 本 as the object of reading.

Use it today

Compare Ik lees thuis een boek with 私は家で本を読みます. Find the object and place, then complete the choices.