The second type of adjective is called な-adjective because it takes な when it comes before a noun. They are mostly words that feel like nouns: きれい (pretty), しずか (quiet). They act almost like nouns with です.
How な-adjectives work
| Use | Pattern | Example | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| before a noun | adj な + noun | きれいな まち (a pretty town) | ▶ |
| ending a sentence | adj + です | この まちは きれいです。 | ▶ |
| negative | adj + じゃありません | しずかじゃありません。 | ▶ |
Compare: い-adjective: おおきい いえ / おおきくないです. な-adjective: きれいな いえ / きれいじゃありません. If you are unsure, ask yourself: does the word end in い? Most do and are い-adjectives, but きれい, ゆうめい and きらい end in い and are な-adjectives.
Common な-adjectives
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| きれい | kirei | सुन्दर / सफा | pretty; clean | ▶ |
| しずか | shizuka | शान्त | quiet | ▶ |
| にぎやか | nigiyaka | चहलपहल भएको | lively, busy | ▶ |
| ゆうめい | yuumei | प्रसिद्ध | famous | ▶ |
| べんり | benri | सुविधाजनक | convenient | ▶ |
| ふべん | fuben | असुविधाजनक | inconvenient | ▶ |
| かんたん | kantan | सजिलो | easy, simple | ▶ |
| たいへん | taihen | गाह्रो / कष्टकर | hard, tough, awful | ▶ |
| げんき | genki | स्वस्थ / ठीक | healthy, energetic | ▶ |
| しんせつ | shinsetsu | दयालु | kind | ▶ |
| ひま | hima | फुर्सद | free (time) | ▶ |
| すてき | suteki | राम्रो / मनमोहक | lovely, nice | ▶ |
| すき | suki | मनपर्ने | liked | ▶ |
| きらい | kirai | मन नपर्ने | disliked | ▶ |
| じょうず | jouzu | निपुण | skilled | ▶ |
| へた | heta | अनिपुण | unskilled | ▶ |
| じゅうぶん | juubun | पर्याप्त | enough | ▶ |
| だいじょうぶ | daijoubu | ठीक / सुरक्षित | all right, safe | ▶ |
| たいせつ | taisetsu | महत्त्वपूर्ण | important, precious | ▶ |
| だめ | dame | हुँदैन | no good, not allowed | ▶ |
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| きれいな まちですね。 | kirei na machi desu ne. | सुन्दर सहर रहेछ है। | What a pretty town. | ▶ |
| この へやは しずかです。 | kono heya wa shizuka desu. | यो कोठा शान्त छ। | This room is quiet. | ▶ |
| カトマンズは にぎやかな まちです。 | katomanzu wa nigiyaka na machi desu. | काठमाडौँ चहलपहल भएको सहर हो। | Kathmandu is a lively city. | ▶ |
| この えきは べんりです。 | kono eki wa benri desu. | यो स्टेसन सुविधाजनक छ। | This station is convenient. | ▶ |
| きょうは ひまです。 | kyou wa hima desu. | आज मसँग फुर्सद छ। | I'm free today. | ▶ |
| にほんごは かんたんじゃありません。 | nihongo wa kantan ja arimasen. | जापानी भाषा सजिलो छैन। | Japanese is not easy. | ▶ |
| しんせつな ひとですね。 | shinsetsu na hito desu ne. | दयालु मान्छे रहेछन् है। | What a kind person. | ▶ |
| げんきな こども | genki na kodomo | स्वस्थ/फुर्तिलो बच्चा | a lively child | ▶ |
Asking what something is like
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| どんな まちですか。 | donna machi desu ka. | कस्तो सहर हो? | What kind of town is it? | ▶ |
| どんな ひとですか。 | donna hito desu ka. | कस्तो मान्छे हुनुहुन्छ? | What kind of person is he/she? | ▶ |
| にほんは どうですか。 | nihon wa dou desu ka. | जापान कस्तो लाग्यो? | How is Japan? | ▶ |
| きれいですが、ぶっかが たかいです。 | kirei desu ga, bukka ga takai desu. | सुन्दर छ तर मूल्य महँगो छ। | It is beautiful, but prices are high. | ▶ |
が at the end of a clause means "but", and です + が is the polite way to say "but". でも starts a sentence with "but".
Kanji spotlight
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 元気 | genki | स्वस्थ / ठीक | healthy, well | ▶ |
| 有名 | yuumei | प्रसिद्ध | famous | ▶ |
| 便利 | benri | सुविधाजनक | convenient | ▶ |
| 好き | suki | मन पर्ने | liked | ▶ |
| 上手 | jouzu | निपुण | skilled | ▶ |
| 下手 | heta | अनिपुण | unskilled | ▶ |
| 大丈夫 | daijoubu | ठीक छ | all right | ▶ |
Dialogue: first impressions of Japan
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली / English | Listen | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | にほんは どうですか。 | nihon wa dou desu ka. | जापान कस्तो लाग्यो? How is Japan? | ▶ |
| B | とても きれいで、べんりです。 でも、ぶっかが たかいです。 | totemo kirei de, benri desu. demo, bukka ga takai desu. | निकै सफा र सुविधाजनक छ। तर मूल्य महँगो छ। It is very clean and convenient. But prices are high. | ▶ |
| A | にほんごは どうですか。 | nihongo wa dou desu ka. | जापानी भाषा कस्तो लाग्यो? How about Japanese? | ▶ |
| B | むずかしいですが、おもしろいです。 | muzukashii desu ga, omoshiroi desu. | गाह्रो छ तर रोचक छ। It is difficult, but interesting. | ▶ |
Every ▶ button plays a clear computer voice, which is good for learning sounds and rhythm but is not a native speaker. Pitch (the rise and fall of the voice) can sound a little flat. Also listen to real Japanese as often as you can: videos, news for learners (NHK Easy), and Japanese people around you.
Check yourself
Try to answer every question before you look at the answers.
- Why is it called a な-adjective?
- Say "a pretty town".
- Make the negative: しずかです → ?
- Which of these is a な-adjective: きれい, おおきい?
- Name two words that end in い but are な-adjectives.
- Say "Kathmandu is a lively city."
- Say "I'm free today."
- What does でも mean at the start of a sentence?
- Ask "What kind of town is it?"
- Read: 元気, 有名.
Answers
Count your correct answers. If you got fewer than 7 out of 10, read the lesson again and listen to the audio once more.
- Because it takes な before a noun.
- きれいな まち.
- しずかじゃありません。
- きれい.
- きれい, ゆうめい (also きらい).
- カトマンズは にぎやかな まちです。
- きょうは ひまです。
- But.
- どんな まちですか。
- げんき, ゆうめい.
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