Language/Japanese/Grammar/How-to-Use-Have
Hi Japanese learners! ๐
In this lesson, we will explore how to use the verb "to have" in Japanese, which is "ๆใค (ใใค)" or "ๆใฃใฆใใ (ใใฃใฆใใ)". Understanding how to use this verb will allow you to express possession and make sentences in a more natural way. Don't forget to practice these examples with native speakers on Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
Basic Use of "ๆใฃใฆใใ" to Express Possession[edit | edit source]
In Japanese, the verb "ใใฃใฆใใ" is used to express current possession of something. Here are some examples:
Japanese | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
ใใณใๆใฃใฆใใพใใ | "Pen o motte imasu." | I have a pen. |
่ปใๆใฃใฆใใพใใ | "Kuruma o motte imasu." | I have a car. |
็ฌใ๏ผๅนๆใฃใฆใใพใใ | "Inu o ni hiki motte imasu." | I have two dogs. |
As you can see, we add "ใ" (pronounced "o") after the thing we possess and then add "ๆใฃใฆใใพใ" (pronounced "motte imasu") at the end of the sentence.
Use of "ๆใค" to Express Possession[edit | edit source]
The verb "ๆใค" is used when we want to express that we possess something in general, but we may not necessarily have it at the moment. Here are some examples:
Japanese | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
ๆใ่ปใๆใฃใฆใใพใใใ | "Mukashi, kuruma o motte imashita." | I used to have a car. |
็งใฏๅฏๅฃซๅฑฑใฎๅ็ใๆใฃใฆใใพใใ | "Watashi wa Fujisan no shashin o motte imasu." | I have a photo of Mt. Fuji. |
ๅฝผใฏๅคใใฎ็ต้จใๆใฃใฆใใพใใ | "Kare wa ooku no keiken o motte imasu." | He has a lot of experience. |
In these examples, we use "ๆใฃใฆใใพใใ" (pronounced "motte imashita") to express that we used to possess something in the past, "ๆใฃใฆใใพใ" to express that we possess something now, and "ๆใฃใฆใใพใ" to express that someone has something in general.
Use of "ๆใใใ" to Indicate Causative =[edit | edit source]
The causative form indicates that someone causes or makes something happen. In Japanese, the causative form of "ๆใค" is "ๆใใใ (ใใใใ)" and is used when we want to express that someone makes another person hold something. Here are some examples:
Japanese | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
ๅ ็ใฏ็ๅพใซๆฌใๆใใใพใใใ | "Sensei wa seito ni hon o motasemashita." | The teacher made the student hold the book. |
ๅฝผใฏ็งใซ่ท็ฉใๆใใใพใใใ | "Kare wa watashi ni nimotsu o motasemashita." | He made me hold the luggage. |
ๆฏใฏๅญไพใซๆใๆใใใพใใใ | "Haha wa kodomo ni te o motasemashita." | My mother made the child hold her hand. |
In these examples, we use "ๆใใใพใใ" to indicate that one person made another person hold something.
Use of "ๆใฃใฆใใ" and "ๆใฃใฆๆฅใ" to Express Movement[edit | edit source]
In Japanese, we use different verbs to express if we're bringing something towards us (ๆใฃใฆใใ) or taking something away from us (ๆใฃใฆใใ). Here are some examples:
Japanese | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
ในใผใใผใซ่กใๅใซใใ้ใๆใฃใฆใใฆใใ ใใใ | "Suupaa ni iku mae ni, okane o motte kite kudasai." | Please bring money before going to the supermarket. |
ไผ่ญฐๅฎคใซๆธ้กใๆใฃใฆ่กใใพใใใ | "Kaigishitsu ni shorui o motte ikimashita." | I took documents to the meeting room. |
As you can see, we use "ๆใฃใฆใใชใใงใใ ใใ" (pronounced "motte konai de kudasai") to ask someone not to bring something, and "ๆใฃใฆใใฆใใ ใใ" (pronounced "motte kite kudasai") to ask someone to bring something. We also use "ๆใฃใฆใใ" to express that we took something away from where we were, and "ๆใฃใฆใใ" to express that we brought something towards us.
Dialogue[edit | edit source]
To help you understand the usage of the verb "to have" in context, let's listen in on a conversation between two friends:
- Person 1: ใ็งใๅญไพใฎๆใใใใใ้ฃผใฃใฆใใพใใใใ("Watashi ga kodomo no toki, petto o kaite imashita.") - "When I was a child, I had a pet."
- Person 2: ใๆฌๅฝใงใใ๏ผไฝใฎใใใ๏ผใ("Hontou desu ka? Nani no petto?") - "Really? What kind of pet?"
- Person 1: ใ็ฌใจ็ซใฎ2ๅนใ้ฃผใฃใฆใใพใใใใ("Inu to neko no nihiki o kaite imashita.") - "I had two pets, a dog and a cat."
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
Learning how to use "ๆใค (ใใค)" and "ๆใฃใฆใใ (ใใฃใฆใใ)" in Japanese is essential to describe your possessions in a natural way. Furthermore, knowing how to use "ๆใฃใฆใใ (ใใฃใฆใใ)" and "ๆใฃใฆใใ (ใใฃใฆใใ)" will allow you to express movement accurately. Don't hesitate to practice with native speakers on Polyglot Club and integrate these grammar points to improve your sentences.
โก If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
โก Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. ๐
Great work on completing this lesson! Take a moment to investigate these connected pages: Question Words and Phrases & Adjective and Adverbial Modification.
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Plurals
- Negation
- Adverbs ๅฏ่ฉ
- How to Use Be
- Nouns
- Negation ๅฆๅฎ
- Plural ่คๆฐ
- Questions
- Feminine ๅฅณๆง
Sources[edit | edit source]
- Japanese Grammar Made Easy: A Step-by-Step Guide
- The Japanese Grammar Index
- Japanese grammar - Wikipedia