Word Order and Sentence Structure

Subject and Predicate

• Subject + Predicate (verb/adj/noun).

• 佐藤さんが　来ました。

  • Satoo-san ga (subject) kimashita (verb) - Ms. Sato came.

• 佐藤さんがは　施設です。

  • Satoo-san wa (subject) shintestu desu. (adj). - Ms. Sato is kind.

• 佐藤さんがは　弁護士です。

  • Satoo-san wa (subject) bengoshi desu (noun). - Ms. Sato is a lawyer.

Subject, Object and Predicate

• In certain sentences there are objects or indirect objects (word or phrase receiving direct object) depending on predicate types

• If predicate takes subject and direct object, the order Subject-Object-Predicate is used

  • transitive verbs and adjectives are used

• Subject-Object-Predicate

  • 伊都さんが　ピザを　たべました。

    • Itoo-san ga (subject) piza o (object) tabemashita (predicate, verb).

      • Mr. Ito ate pizza.

  • 伊都さんが ピザが　すきです。

    • Itoo-san wa (subject) piza ga (object) suki desu (predicate, adj).

      • Mr. Ito likes pizza.

Subject + Indirect Obj + Direct Obj + Predicate

• neutral order: Subject + Indirect Obj + Direct Obj + Predicate

• 伊都さんが 山田さんに　Eメールを　出しました。

  • Itoo-san ga (subject) yamada-san ni (indirect obj) ii-meeru o (direct obj) dashimashita (predicate v).

  • Mr. Ito sent an email to Ms. Yamada.

• Words that provide more information go between the subject and direct/indirect object

• 伊都さんが 大学から 山田さんに　Eメールを　出しました

  • Itoo-san ga daigaku kara yamada-san ni ii-meeru o dashimashita.

  • Mr. Ito sent an email to Ms. Yamada from the university.

• Time words are an exception and are placed at the beginning of the sentence.

• 昨日，伊都さんが　山田さんと渋谷でピザをたべました。

  • kinoo, itoo-san ga yamada-san to shibuya de piza o tabemashita.

  • Yesterday, Mr. Ito ate pizza with Ms. Yamada in Shibuya.

each sentence layout above isn’t absolute and can have words omitted

Flexibility

• each sentence layout above isn’t absolute and can have words omitted

• Japanese is very flexible and can have the order of words change

  • PREDICATE MUST STAY AT THE END OF THE SENTENCE