Describing words and phrases go before the noun
Adjectives, の-phrases and whole sentences all sit in front of what they describe.要点The idea
Everything that describes a noun comes before it: adjectives, の-phrases, even whole sentences.赤あかい 車くるまakai kurumaa red car
日本にほん の 車くるまnihon no kurumaa Japanese car
昨日きのう 買かった 車くるまkinou katta kurumathe car I bought yesterdayA whole sentence (I bought it yesterday) describes the car. No word for “that” or “which” is needed.
父ちち が 焼やいた パンchichi ga yaita panthe bread my dad bakedInside a describing sentence the subject takes が, not は; in short clauses it can also take の (see the dialogue).
A車くるま は 赤あかい。kuruma wa akai.The car is red.
B赤あかい 車くるまakai kurumaa red car
- Aどの 人ひと が 田中たなかさん？dono hito ga tanaka-san?Which one is Tanaka?
- Bあそこ で コーヒー を 飲のんで いる 人ひと だ よ。asoko de koohii o nonde iru hito da yo.The person drinking coffee over there.
- Aあの 背せ の 高たかい 人ひと？ano se no takai hito?The tall one?
- Bうん、 その 人ひと。un, sono hito.Yes, that one.