When you're learning Japanese, one important thing to understand is how to use subordinating clauses. These help you put together different ideas in one sentence, which makes your speaking and writing more interesting. As you move from beginner to intermediate Japanese, getting good at using these clauses can really help you improve. But there are some common mistakes that many learners make. Here are six mistakes to watch out for.
1. Misplacing Your Clauses
One big mistake is putting the subordinating clause in the wrong spot. In Japanese, the order is usually: first the subordinate clause, then the main clause. For example, if you want to say "I will study because I want to improve," you would say "上達したいので勉強します" (Jōtatsu shitai node benkyō shimasu). Here, "上達したい" (jōtatsu shitai) means "because I want to improve," and "勉強します" (benkyō shimasu) means "I will study." A common error is to say "勉強します上達したいので" (benkyō shimasu jōtatsu shitai node), which sounds awkward. Keeping the right order helps make your sentences clear.
2. Forgetting Conjunctions
Another mistake is not using the right conjunctions to join the subordinate and main clauses. In Japanese, you need words like "ので" (node) for reasons, "が" (ga) for contrasts, and "と" (to) for conditional sentences. For example, "It rains so I can't go outside" translates to "雨が降るので外に行けません" (Ame ga furu node soto ni ikemasen). If you forget to use "ので" (node), your sentence could become unclear.
3. Incorrect Verb Conjugation
A third mistake is not changing the verbs correctly in the subordinate clause. Just like in English, the verb tense should match. For example, if you say "Because I studied yesterday, I feel ready today," you can say "昨日勉強したので、今日、準備ができた感じがします" (Kinō benkyō shita node, kyō, junbi ga dekita kanji ga shimasu). If you say "昨日勉強しますので" (Kinō benkyō shimasu node), it confuses the time you're talking about.
4. Using Particles Wrongly
Next, learners often mix up particles like "が" (ga), "を" (o), and "に" (ni) incorrectly. These little words are important and can change the meaning of your sentence. For example, to say "The person who is studying is my friend," the correct way is "勉強している人は私の友達です" (Benkyō shite iru hito wa watashi no tomodachi desu). Using "が" (ga) instead of "は" (wa) changes who you're talking about.
5. Directly Translating from English
Another common error is translating English sentence structures directly into Japanese. This often doesn't work well. For instance, in English, you might say, "If I finish my homework, I will watch a movie." In Japanese, it's better to say "宿題を終えたら映画を見ます" (Shukudai o oetara eiga o mimasu). This uses a specific Japanese form. It’s important to focus on how Japanese language works instead of directly copying English.
6. Ignoring Context
Lastly, don’t forget about context! The way you speak in Japanese can change based on how formal or polite you need to be. For example, "Although it is cold, I will go out" can be said as "寒いですが外に行きます" (Samui desu ga soto ni ikimasu). If it's a formal situation, saying it in a casual way might not be appropriate.
In summary, subordinating clauses are key to making complex sentences in Japanese. To avoid mistakes:
With practice and by avoiding these common pitfalls, you'll become more fluent and skilled in Japanese. Don’t feel discouraged if you make mistakes—each one is a chance to learn and grow! Keep going, and you'll get better and more confident in expressing yourself in Japanese.
When you're learning Japanese, one important thing to understand is how to use subordinating clauses. These help you put together different ideas in one sentence, which makes your speaking and writing more interesting. As you move from beginner to intermediate Japanese, getting good at using these clauses can really help you improve. But there are some common mistakes that many learners make. Here are six mistakes to watch out for.
1. Misplacing Your Clauses
One big mistake is putting the subordinating clause in the wrong spot. In Japanese, the order is usually: first the subordinate clause, then the main clause. For example, if you want to say "I will study because I want to improve," you would say "上達したいので勉強します" (Jōtatsu shitai node benkyō shimasu). Here, "上達したい" (jōtatsu shitai) means "because I want to improve," and "勉強します" (benkyō shimasu) means "I will study." A common error is to say "勉強します上達したいので" (benkyō shimasu jōtatsu shitai node), which sounds awkward. Keeping the right order helps make your sentences clear.
2. Forgetting Conjunctions
Another mistake is not using the right conjunctions to join the subordinate and main clauses. In Japanese, you need words like "ので" (node) for reasons, "が" (ga) for contrasts, and "と" (to) for conditional sentences. For example, "It rains so I can't go outside" translates to "雨が降るので外に行けません" (Ame ga furu node soto ni ikemasen). If you forget to use "ので" (node), your sentence could become unclear.
3. Incorrect Verb Conjugation
A third mistake is not changing the verbs correctly in the subordinate clause. Just like in English, the verb tense should match. For example, if you say "Because I studied yesterday, I feel ready today," you can say "昨日勉強したので、今日、準備ができた感じがします" (Kinō benkyō shita node, kyō, junbi ga dekita kanji ga shimasu). If you say "昨日勉強しますので" (Kinō benkyō shimasu node), it confuses the time you're talking about.
4. Using Particles Wrongly
Next, learners often mix up particles like "が" (ga), "を" (o), and "に" (ni) incorrectly. These little words are important and can change the meaning of your sentence. For example, to say "The person who is studying is my friend," the correct way is "勉強している人は私の友達です" (Benkyō shite iru hito wa watashi no tomodachi desu). Using "が" (ga) instead of "は" (wa) changes who you're talking about.
5. Directly Translating from English
Another common error is translating English sentence structures directly into Japanese. This often doesn't work well. For instance, in English, you might say, "If I finish my homework, I will watch a movie." In Japanese, it's better to say "宿題を終えたら映画を見ます" (Shukudai o oetara eiga o mimasu). This uses a specific Japanese form. It’s important to focus on how Japanese language works instead of directly copying English.
6. Ignoring Context
Lastly, don’t forget about context! The way you speak in Japanese can change based on how formal or polite you need to be. For example, "Although it is cold, I will go out" can be said as "寒いですが外に行きます" (Samui desu ga soto ni ikimasu). If it's a formal situation, saying it in a casual way might not be appropriate.
In summary, subordinating clauses are key to making complex sentences in Japanese. To avoid mistakes:
With practice and by avoiding these common pitfalls, you'll become more fluent and skilled in Japanese. Don’t feel discouraged if you make mistakes—each one is a chance to learn and grow! Keep going, and you'll get better and more confident in expressing yourself in Japanese.