Relative Clauses I: Noun Modification Basics

Learn how Japanese clauses come before nouns and how to read basic noun-modifying structures smoothly.

Understand that Japanese relative clauses come before the noun they modify.Read basic noun-modifying patterns with verbs and adjectives.Track particles correctly inside the modifying clause.

Guided study

Core idea

In Japanese, a clause can directly modify a noun without a relative pronoun like 'who' or 'that.' The whole clause comes before the noun.

昨日買った本を読みました。

I read the book that I bought yesterday.

The whole clause 昨日買った modifies 本.

駅の近くにある店は安いです。

The store that is near the station is cheap.

駅の近くにある describes which 店.

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