In this article, we will delve into the basics of Japanese grammar, focusing on the concept of the "subject."
The subject plays a crucial role in comprehending Japanese sentences.
We will explore the characteristics and usage of the subject and discuss important considerations when omitting it.
What is a Subject?
The subject in a sentence is the word or phrase that answers the questions "What is doing something?" or "Who is doing something?"
For example, in the sentences
Japanese
花がきれい
English
The flower is beautiful.
Example sentence description
Subject is the flower (花)
Japanese
私が走った
English
I ran.
Example sentence description
Subject is I (私)
The subject indicates the main topic of the sentence or the entity performing an action.
In Japanese sentences, the subject is typically used in conjunction with the predicate.
The predicate provides detailed information about what the subject is doing or its state.
For instance, in the sentence
Japanese
私たちは、お金が足りなかったので2駅先まで歩いた
English
We walked two stations ahead because we didn't have enough money.
Example sentence description
"私たち(We)" is the subject, and "歩いた(walked)" is the predicate. Combining the subject and predicate creates the basic structure of the sentence, answering questions like "What happened?" or "How did it happen?"
How to Identifying the Subject
To find the subject in a Japanese sentence, start by locating the predicate at the end of the sentence. Next, look for words or phrases that are related to the predicate and indicate who or what is performing the action. These words are likely the subject.
Subjects in Japanese sentences are often accompanied by particles such as "は" (wa) or "が" (ga).
Omitting the Subject
In Japanese, it is common to omit the subject under specific circumstances. This is typically done when the same subject continues throughout a series of sentences or when the subject can be understood from the context.
For example, in the paragraph
私は髪が長い。瞳は黒だ。一人暮らしをしていて、実家は遠く北海道にある。大学への進学を機に東京に出てきた。 I have long hair. My eyes are black. I live alone, and my hometown is far away in Hokkaido. I came to Tokyo when I entered university.
私は髪が長い。瞳は黒だ。私は一人暮らしをしていて、実家は遠く北海道にある。私は大学への進学を機に東京に出てきた。
so you don't need to repeat "私は(I)" before each sentence because the subject is clear from the context.
However, caution is needed when omitting the subject, especially when the subject is ambiguous or unclear.
Examples of Subject Omission
In spoken conversations, subjects are frequently omitted, relying on context for understanding. However, when omitting the subject in written text, it's essential to ensure that the meaning remains clear and easily understood.
For instance, in a conversation like
Japanese
22になった。
English
I turned 22.
Example sentence description
The listener might inquire, "What turned 22? Age? Date? Weight?" In such cases, it's crucial to clarify the subject for clarity.