Learning Checkpoint

Studying and learning Japanese isn't as hard as it may seem. However, I have reached a point where I am feeling a bit overwhelmed. I am at the spot where I'm learning how to use adjectives in a sentence. I have gone over this information before years ago, but now I am actually needing to put it into practice. The problem is, in Japanese, there are three different types of adjectives and each type is used differently in a sentence. What the heck?!

So far Japanese has been pretty easy for me to understand and comprehend. Maybe it's because I have been trying to learn for eleven years, I don't know - but to me the challenging part hasn't been the pronunciation, their writing system, or the fact that you have to talk like Yoda (the verb ALWAYS comes last in Japanese). In fact, learning Japanese makes me realize how stupid and difficult of a language English actually is.

I can even get used to the fact that the common practice in Japanese is to use as little words as possible when communicating. Basically, you can leave out every part of the sentence (if it's all understood by context) except for the verb. It's pretty much like speed talking - a challenge sure, since in English teachers would kill you for not using complete sentences, but it kinda feels nice being able to rebel and in a way makes speaking Japanese easier!

But...adjectives...who knew those little guys to describe nouns would be where the real challenge is?! So far, they have been the first thing to slightly weaken my resolve. Yes, the concept really is that difficult. Let me explain...

Like I said, in Japanese, there are three different types of adjectives that each get their own special rules of usage. There are:

1. True adjectives - work like they do in English (easy enough)
2. Fake adjectives - are adjectives that aren't really adjectives, they're actually nouns, so require a special sentence particle
3. Pseudo-adjectives - attaches to nouns, but require a different sentence particle from #2, like a noun buffer

...I repeat - what the heck?!

Why can't adjectives just be adjectives?! =/ *sigh*

Here is an example of a fake adjective. In English, we say "It's a purple plate". The adjective is "purple", it describes the noun, which is the plate. In Japanese, there are some true color adjectives that work just like that. However, the color purple is not one of those true adjectives. White is. So, if it were a white plate it could work just like that in Japanese - white > plate. But purple is not a true adjective. Purple in Japanese is a noun. So in order to say a purple plate in Japanese, you can't just say color > noun. You literally have to say this - "Purple's plate", which requires the possessive particle "no", so it would be " むらさきのさらです。" (murasaki no sara desu).

There are dozens of fake adjectives like that, as well as the pseudo-adjectives that require a completely different particle in order to attach to nouns. My job is to memorize all the true adjectives, fake adjectives, and pseudo-adjectives and then the three different types of sentence structures that correspond to them. If that doesn't sound difficult to you then so be it - maybe you're a genius. But for me, it does and has been my first true challenge yet!

Blah...

It's okay, I can do this! I love Japanese, and I love learning it, so I am still having fun! =)

いまにほんごをべんきょうします！(I'm studying Japanese now!) またね！(Later!)