Expanding On なAdj+Noun
“Do it, fix it, try it.” - Tom Peters
One cool thing about what you just learned on the last page is that you can treat the [なadj+noun] combination just like you’d treat a noun if it was on its own. This means that whatever can be done to a single noun can also be done to a [なadj+noun] combination. For example:
すし を たべました
I ate sushi
As you learned recently, you can do something to a noun with a verb. In this case, I “did” eating to the sushi (i.e. I ate the sushi). So, if we take the noun (すし) and do the なadj thing to it (すきなすし), we can treat it the same as before.
[すきなすし] を たべました
I ate [the sushi I like]
This works with other grammar patterns you know as well.
くるま が すき です
I like cars
You know how to say you like something – now let’s take that something (the noun) and attach a なadj to it.
[あんぜんなくるま] が すき です
I like safe cars
Instead of saying you like cars, you like “safe cars.” Of course, you can attach any なadj you want.
[べんりなくるま] が すき です
I like convenient cars
[はでなくるま] が すき です
I like showy cars
[すきなくるま] が すき です
I like cars that I like
Of course, the [brackets] are just there to make sure you see this part of the sentence as a single piece. If you were actually writing these things, there would be no brackets. For now, though, let’s keep them on. Think of them like little language training wheels.
Let’s think about other things that you know that use nouns.
ほん は １４５０円 です
The book is 1450 yen
Now, let’s take the noun (ほん), and add a なadj to it.
[にんきなほん] は １４５０円 でした
The popular book was 1450 yen
You can even add a bit of identity to it.
ひとみさん の [にんきなほん] は １４５０円 でした
Hitomi’s popular book was 1450 yen.
Really, if you think of any grammar pattern you know that has a noun in it (that’s pretty much everything), you can use the なadj to describe the noun. Why don’t you give it a shot?
あの じじい が すき じゃありません
I don’t like that old man over there (じじい is a mean way to say old man, be careful!)
あの がんこなじじい が すきじゃありません
とうきょう に いきました
I went to Tokyo
きれいなとうきょう に いきました
ほん の なまえ は 「Kitchen」です
The book’s name is “Kitchen”
すきなほん の なまえ は 「kitchen」です
Make sure you can understand why these three examples work. If you’re having trouble, re-read the previous page – in theory, this is all things you’ve done, so reviewing should cure any issues up. When you’re ready, I’ve also put together a worksheet for you to practice with. This worksheet contains both before and after な adjectives, meaning it covers everything from the entire chapter. Once you get through it, you can move on to the next page.