What's a Noun?
A noun is a word that describes a person, place, or object/thing. There are two different types of nouns. Proper and common nouns.
Proper nouns are used in English to describe places and people with specific names. But common nouns are nouns that do not have a specific name or title. In Japanese, some proper nouns may be capitalized while others are not. For example, month and days of the week are not capitalized (using romaji/English form of Japanese words).
Example 1: ジョンさんは東京に行きます。/ John is going to Tokyo.
Gender
Japanese do not have a gender (not scientifically speaking but in language). There are no endings that show whether someone is speaking in feminine, masculine, or neuter forms.
Articles
In Japanese, there are no words that signify an article. Articles are words such as "a, an, and the".
Numbers
1. Numbers are a way of describing if a noun is singular or plural. Singular nouns mean there is only one of something and plural nouns mean there are multiple. Some nouns do not require any add-ons to indicate it as a plural noun. While other objects do have add-ons; indicating a plural noun. The same word can be used for more than one.
2. While referring to people, the suffix "-tachi" can be used to indicate that there are more than one. Although, you do not always need to use them.
Example for Number 1: 本/ほん "Book/books"
Example for Number 2: 子供たち/こどもたち "Child/children"
While talking about someone and their family/group, you can use this suffix at the end of that specific person's name. For example, 田中さんたち (Mr. Tanaka and his family) or スミスさんたち (Mrs. Smith and her group).
Next chapter will be about names and politeness towards others.
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Learn Japanese: Guide to Japanese Grammar
RandomThis book will give you tips on how Japanese sentences are formed. One will read and learn how to form sentences correctly. And how to use proper Japanese grammar.
