Structure
Verb[た](*) + Noun
Verb[ている](*) + Noun
(*) Only verbs in short (plain) form can modify nouns. Do not use polite-ます.
Details
Part of Speech
Expression
Word Type
Noun
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Standard
品詞
表現
単語の種類
名詞
使用域
一般
About Verb[た・ている]+ Noun
In Japanese, if you want to describe something or someone that is performing an action, one of the ways you can do this is through a relative clause. A relative clause is when two phrases are joined into one sentence, rather than two individual sentences. The た (plain-past), or ている (continuous) form of verbs are usually used.
る-Verbs and う-Verbs follow their regular conjugation rules when making a relative clause. In the first example, we can see that 'Takashi-san is a man that lives in Tokyo', is one sentence, rather than 'Takashi-san is a man. He lives in Tokyo'. In English, words like 'that', and 'which' are used to create a relative clause. However, seeing as though these words do not exist in Japanese, the first phrase is simply attached to the noun.
Caution
The ます (polite) forms of verbs may not be used when making a relative clause.
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たかしさんは東京に住んでいました男。(Unnatural Japanese)Takashi-san is a man who lived in tokyo.
Examples
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たくさん勉強をした生徒。
A student who studied a lot.
日本に住んでいる外国人。
A foreigner living in Japan.
友達から借りたペン。
A pen borrowed from a friend.
洗った服。
Washed clothes.
私が作った椅子。
A chair I made.
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Online
How to modify a noun in Japanese
MaggieSensei
How to make "Relative Clause"
Masa Sensei [Youtube]
Offline
Genki I 2nd Edition
Page 213
Genki II 1st Edition
Page 56
Genki II 2nd Edition
Page 80
Tobira
Page 70
[DBJG] A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar
Page 9 & 376
Tae Kim's Japanese Grammar Guide
Page 63
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Verb[た・ている]+ Noun – Grammar Discussion
Most Recent Replies (25 in total)
mietolim
I don’t really understand this grammar point and I feel like there is information missing. Why does 住む become 住んでいる? Specifically, where does the ん come from?
Pablunpro
Hi!
住む becomes 住んでいる because it is in its ている form, as 住む is one of those verbs that require the ている form to make real sense (you dwell and continue in the state of dwelling in a certain place).
The ん comes from the way a む ending verb takes its て form.
Click on the hyperlinks to learn more on these grammar points.
HTH!
mietolim
Thank you for the explanation!
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