8.6. Space-time
8.6.1. Directions
All of the direction words in Japanese are nouns, while the English words up and down are not nouns.- | うえ u e up, upper | - |
ひだり hi da ri left | - | みぎ mi gi right |
- | した si ta down, lower | - |
まえ | うしる |
ma e forward | u si ro backward |
- | きた ki ta north | - |
にし ni si west | - | ひがし hi ga si east |
- | みなみ mi na mi south | - |
8.6.2. Temporal nouns
I have written that every noun in a Japanese sentence is marked by a postposition, but temporal nouns, which stand for a time relative to now, are the exceptions. You don't have to add a postposition when you use them as an adverb. It is the same as in English because you don't use any preposition for the temporal nouns such as yesterday and today.Offset | Day | Year |
---|---|---|
-2 | おととい o to to i the day before yesterday | おととし o to to si the year before last |
-1 | きのう ki nô yesterday | きょねん kyo ne n last year |
0 | きょう kyô today | ことし ko to si this year |
+1 | あした a si ta tomorrow | らいねん ra i ne n next year |
+2 | あさって a sa t te the day after tomorrow | さらいねん sa ra i ne n the year after next |
+3 | しあさって si a sa t te two days after tomorrow | - |
Note: The noun とし "tosi" means year. The prefix らい "rai" means coming.
Offset | Month | Week |
---|---|---|
-2 | せんせんげつ se n se n ge tu the month before last | せんせんしゅう se n se n syû the week before last |
-1 | せんげつ se n ge tu last month | せんしゅう se n syû last week |
0 | こんげつ ko n ge tu this month | こんしゅう ko n syû this week |
+1 | らいげつ ra i ge tu next month | らいしゅう ra i syû next week |
+2 | さらいげつ sa ra i ge tu the month after next | さらいしゅう sa ra i syû the week after next |
Note: The suffix げつ "getu" means month, and the noun しゅう "syû" means week. The prefix せん "sen" means previous. The prefix こん "kon" means current.
Example:
Kana: | おとといてんぷらをたべた。 |
Romanization: | O to to i te m pu ra o ta be ta . |
Structure: | (adverb, the day before yesterday) (noun, tempura) (accusative marker) (verb, ate) |
Meaning: | I ate tempura the day before yesterday. |
Kana: | きのうえいがをみた。 |
Romanization: | Ki nô e i ga o mi ta . |
Structure: | (adverb, yesterday) (noun, movie) (accusative marker) (verb, saw) |
Meaning: | I saw a movie yesterday. |
In both of the sentences, temporal nouns work as adverbs.