〜い

〜い is an adjective pattern expressing i-adjective forms. Japanese adjectives conjugate for tense and negation unlike English adjectives, making them more similar to verbs. Understanding adjective patterns allows you to describe qualities, states, and degrees with precision.

This is a foundational pattern that you will use from day one of your Japanese studies.

Formation#

Remove い and add the appropriate ending. Exception: いい → よかった (past).

When to Use#

• When describing qualities of nouns using i-adjectives
• When conjugating i-adjectives (negative, past, adverbial)

When NOT to Use#

• When the meaning is closer to "na-adjective modifier" — use 〜な instead
• In very formal writing where a more sophisticated expression would be expected

Example Sentences#

• 姉は優しいです。 — My older sister is kind.
• 父は忙しいです。 — My father is busy.
• 教室は広いです。 — The classroom is spacious.

Practice#

Try reading these sentences aloud, then check the translation and vocabulary:

Common Mistakes#

1. Confusing 〜い with 〜な — While both are related, 〜い expresses "i-adjective forms" whereas 〜な expresses "na-adjective modifier." Pay attention to the specific nuance each pattern conveys.
2. Direct translation from English — The concept expressed by 〜い may not map one-to-one with its English translation. Focus on understanding the Japanese usage through example sentences rather than relying on the English gloss.

Related Patterns#

• 〜くなる (become ~) — Next step
• 〜な (na-adjective modifier) — Compare
• 〜すぎる (too much ~) — Next step