9 attributive modifier
Table Of Content
Grammar
Grammar: Attributive Modifier (Attributive phrase or Attributive Form) + Noun
この辞書 This dictionary (Attributive phrase + Noun)
その小説 That novel (Attributive phrase + Noun)
走る人 Running person (Verb in attributive form + Noun)
What is an attributive modifier?
An attributive modifier refers to an attributive phrase or attributive form e.g. あの 店、厚い 辞書、綺麗な 人、咲く 花 The words in red are attributive modifiers.
What are attributive phrases and attributive forms?
Simply put, there are two types of attributive modifiers: attributive words and attributive forms. Attributive words include "この" (this), "その" (that), "あの" (that), and so on. Attributive forms refer to the conjugated forms of verbs, adjectives, and adjectival verbs used to modify nouns. These are the inflected forms used when connecting verbs, adjectives, or adjectival verbs to nouns (inflection refers to changes in word endings), such as the "きれいな" in "きれいな人" (beautiful person). The "体" (form) in attributive words and attributive forms refers to the "form" of nouns. Therefore, "連体" (attributive) means connecting to nouns, or modifying nouns. Since we haven't learned about adjectives, adjectival verbs, and verbs in this lesson yet, let's just have a basic understanding for now.
Attributive Modifier (Prenominal) + Noun
| Prenominal | Noun | Attributive Modification | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| この (kono) | 人 | この人 | This person |
| その (sono) | 子供 | その子供 | That child |
| あの (ano) | レストラン | あのレストラン | That restaurant |
Attributive Form (Rentai-kei) + Noun
| Attributive Form | Noun | Attributive Modification | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 走る (hashiru) verb | 人 | 走る人 | Running person |
| おいしい (oishii) adjective | 料理 | おいしい料理 | Delicious food |
| 綺麗な(kirei na) na-adjective | 花 | 綺麗な花 | Beautiful flower |
Summary of Attributive Modifiers
| Part of Speech | Usage | Example | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noun | Noun + の + Noun | 私の本 | My book |
| Prenominal | Prenominal + Noun | この本 | This book |
| Verb | Verb (attributive form) + Noun | 売れる本 | Best-selling book |
| Adjective | Adjective (attributive form) + Noun | 厚い本 | Thick book |
| Na-adjective | Na-adjective (attributive form) + Noun | 綺麗な本 | Beautiful book |