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.

Hiragana:(u)(e)
Phonemes:ue
Romanization:ue
Meaning:up, upper
Hiragana:(hi)(da)(ri)
Phonemes:hidari
Romanization:hidari
Meaning:left
Hiragana:(mi)(gi)
Phonemes:migi
Romanization:migi
Meaning:right
Hiragana:(si)(ta)
Phonemes:sita
Romanization:shita
Meaning:down, lower


Hiragana:(ma)(e)
Phonemes:mae
Romanization:mae
Meaning:forward

Hiragana:(u)(si)(ro)
Phonemes:usiro
Romanization:ushiro
Meaning:backward


Hiragana:(ki)(ta)
Phonemes:kita
Romanization:kita
Meaning:north
Hiragana:(ni)(si)
Phonemes:nisi
Romanization:nishi
Meaning:west
Hiragana:(hi)(ga)(si)
Phonemes:higasi
Romanization:higashi
Meaning:east
Hiragana:(mi)(na)(mi)
Phonemes:minami
Romanization:minami
Meaning:south

8.6.2. Temporal nouns


I have written that all nouns in a Japanese sentence is marked by a postposition, but temporal nouns, which stand for 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.

OffsetDayYear
-2
Hiragana:(o)(to)(to)(i)
Phonemes:ototo'i
Romanization:ototoi
Meaning:the day before yesterday
(o)(to)(to)(si)
oto'tosi
ototoshi
the year before last
-1
Hiragana:(ki)(no)(u)
Phonemes:kino'u
Romanization:kinô
Meaning:yesterday
(ki)(small yo)(ne)(n)
kyo'neN
kyonen
last year
0
Hiragana:(ki)(small yo)(u)
Phonemes:kyo'u
Romanization:kyô
Meaning:today
(ko)(to)(si)
kotosi
kotoshi
this year
+1
Hiragana:(a)(si)(ta)
Phonemes:asita'
Romanization:ashita
Meaning:tomorrow
(ra)(i)(ne)(n)
raineN
rainen
next year
+2
Hiragana:(a)(sa)(small tu)(te)
Phonemes:asa'Qte
Romanization:asatte
Meaning:the day after tomorrow
(sa)(ra)(i)(ne)(n)
saraineN
sarainen
the year after next
+3
Hiragana:(si)(a)(sa)(small tu)(te)
Phonemes:siasa'Qte
Romanization:shiasatte
Meaning:three days later
 -

Note: The noun (to)(si) /to si/ "toshi" means year. The prefix (ra)(i) /ra i/ "rai" means coming.


OffsetMonthWeek
-2
Hiragana:(se)(n)(se)(n)(ge)(tu)
Phonemes:seNseNgetu
Romanization:sensengetsu
Meaning:the month before last
(se)(n)(se)(n)(si)(small yu)(u)
seNseNsyuu
sensenshû
the week before last
-1
Hiragana:(se)(n)(ge)(tu)
Phonemes:se'Ngetu
Romanization:sengetsu
Meaning:last month
(se)(n)(si)(small yu)(u)
seNsyuu
senshû
last week
0
Hiragana:(ko)(n)(ge)(tu)
Phonemes:koNgetu
Romanization:kongetsu
Meaning:this month
(ko)(n)(si)(small yu)(u)
koNsyuu
konshû
this week
+1
Hiragana:(ra)(i)(ge)(tu)
Phonemes:ra'igetu
Romanization:raigetsu
Meaning:next month
(ra)(i)(si)(small yu)(u)
raisyuu
raishû
next week
+2
Hiragana:(sa)(ra)(i)(ge)(tu)
Phonemes:saraigetu
Romanization:saraigetsu
Meaning:the month after next
(sa)(ra)(i)(si)(small yu)(u)
saraisyuu
saraishû
the week after next

Note: The suffix (ge)(tu) /ge' tu/ "getsu" means month, and the noun (si)(small yu)(u) /syu' u/ "shû" means week. The prefix (se)(n) /se' N/ "sen" means previous. The prefix (ko)(n) /ko' N/ "kon" means now.


Example:

Hiragana:(o)(to)(to)(i)  (te)(n)(pu)(ra)(wo)  (ta)(be)(ta)(period)
Phonemes:ototo'iteNpuraota'beta
Romanization:Ototoitempuraotabeta.
Structure:adverb
(the day before
yesterday)		noun
(tempura)		accusative
marker		verb
(ate)
Meaning:I ate tempura the day before yesterday.

Hiragana:(ki)(no)(u)  (e)(i)(ga)(wo)  (mi)(ta)(period)
Phonemes:kinoueigaomi'ta
Romanization:Kinôeigaomita.
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.


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