Japanese Adjectives – Vocabulary & Key Grammar

Flashcards covering key Japanese adjectives (い and な types) and essential grammar points for forming affirmative and negative sentences.

あたらしい (atarashii)

new (い-adjective)

おもしろい (omoshiroi)

interesting (い-adjective)

たのしい (tanoshii)

enjoyable / fun (い-adjective)

すきな (sukina)

liked; fond of (な-adjective) – na is dropped before です

きれいな (kireina)

beautiful; clean (な-adjective)

ゆうめいな (yuumeina)

famous (な-adjective)

べんりな (benrina)

convenient (な-adjective)

げんきな (genkina)

healthy; energetic (な-adjective)

しずかな (shizukana)

quiet (な-adjective)

にぎやかな (nigiyakana)

lively; crowded (な-adjective, positive nuance)

しんせつな (shinsetsuna)

kind-hearted (な-adjective)

ひまな (himana)

free; having spare time (な-adjective)

かんたんな (kantanna)

easy; simple (な-adjective)

おおきい (ookii)

big (い-adjective)

たかい (takai)

1) tall / high 2) expensive (い-adjective)

ながい (nagai)

long (い-adjective)

ひろい (hiroi)

wide; spacious (い-adjective)

ふとい (futoi)

thick; fat (い-adjective)

おもい (omoi)

heavy (い-adjective)

ちいさい (chiisai)

small (い-adjective)

ひくい (hikui)

short; low (height) (い-adjective)

みじかい (mijikai)

short (length) (い-adjective)

せまい (semai)

narrow; cramped (い-adjective)

ほそい (hosoi)

thin; slender (い-adjective)

かるい (karui)

light (weight) (い-adjective)

おいしい (oishii)

delicious (い-adjective)

あつい (atsui)

hot (weather or objects) (い-adjective)

ふるい (furui)

old (not for people) (い-adjective)

あかるい (akarui)

bright; cheerful (い-adjective)

やわらかい (yawarakai)

soft (い-adjective)

つよい (tsuyoi)

strong (い-adjective)

はやい (hayai)

fast; early (い-adjective)

いそがしい (isogashii)

busy (い-adjective)

むずかしい (muzukashii)

difficult (い-adjective)

まずい (mazui)

bad-tasting; disgusting (い-adjective)

みにくい (minikui)

ugly (い-adjective)

やすい (yasui)

cheap; inexpensive (い-adjective)

くらい (kurai)

dark (い-adjective)

かたい (katai)

hard; solid (い-adjective)

よわい (yowai)

weak (い-adjective)

あさい (asai)

shallow (い-adjective)

おそい (osoi)

slow; late (い-adjective)

うるさい (urusai)

noisy; annoying (い-adjective, negative nuance)

せいけつな (seiketsuna)

clean; hygienic (な-adjective)

いい / よい (ii / yoi)

good (irregular い-adjective—negative form よくない)

い-adjective

Adjective ending in い; negative formed by replacing い with くない + です

な-adjective

Adjective followed by な before a noun; na is dropped before です; negative formed with ではありません / じゃありません

～くないです

Polite negative ending for い-adjectives (e.g., おもしろくないです = is not interesting)

～ではありません

Polite negative ending for な-adjectives and nouns (e.g., しずかではありません = is not quiet)

Term drop of な before です

Rule: In sentences like 本は有名です, the な in 有名な is omitted before です