Lesson 13 · about 4 minutes
Time, place, then the verb
toki → basho → doushi · ookii neko · ringo o · neko ga
とき → ばしょ → どうし・おおきい ねこ・りんご を・ねこ が
You'll learn Japanese sentence order: time → place → verb — plus where adjectives, を-objects, and が-subjects sit in the same line.
The pattern
あさ、しごと に いきます。
| Romaji | Japanese | Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| toki → basho → doushi | とき → ばしょ → どうし | とき → ばしょ → どうし | time first, place next, verb last | |
| ookii neko | おおきい ねこ | おおきい ねこ | adjective sits right before its noun | |
| ringo o | りんご を | りんご を | object before the verb, marked with を | |
| neko ga | ねこ が | ねこ が | subject marked with が, usually early |
Say it out loud
あさ、しごと に いきます。おおきい ねこ が りんご を たべます。
How they differ
English: “I go to work in the morning.” Japanese stacks the scene, then acts.
Core order: time → place → verb
asa, shigoto ni ikimasu (あさ、しごと に いきます) = In the morning, I go to work.
Slots you already know: 1. Time first — asa / kyou / kuji ni (あさ / きょう / くじ に) 2. Place next — shigoto ni / eki ni / kafe de (しごと に / えき に / カフェ で) — ni for destination, de for where you do the action 3. Verb last — ikimasu / tabemasu / kaerimasu (いきます / たべます / かえります)
Where the extras sit (same sentence) - Adjectives stick to the noun: ookii neko (おおきい ねこ) = big cat — adj before noun, never after. - Object before the verb with o: ringo o tabemasu (りんご を たべます) = eat an apple. - Subject with ga, usually early: neko ga… (ねこ が…) = the cat (as subject).
Full friendly stack (use only the pieces you need): time → place → (誰 が) → (何 を) → verb
Example: asa, uchi de neko ga ringo o tabemasu (あさ、うち で ねこ が りんご を たべます). You can drop pieces: asa, shigoto ni ikimasu still works with no が / を.
Note: asa / kyou often stand alone (no ni). Clock times often take ni (kuji ni).
Memory trick: When → where → who/what → do. Adj hugs its noun.
One line: asa, shigoto ni ikimasu.
Next: reuse this frame with words you already know — don’t wait for a bigger vocab list.
See it in a sentence
asa, shigoto ni ikimasu
あさ、しごと に いきます。
I go to work in the morning. (polite)
ookii neko desu
おおきい ねこ です。
It’s a big cat. (adj before noun)
ringo o tabemasu
りんご を たべます。
I eat an apple.
(object + を before verb)
neko ga imasu
ねこ が います。
There is a cat. / A cat is there.
(が subject)
asa, uchi de neko ga ringo o tabemasu
あさ、うち で ねこ が りんご を たべます。
In the morning at home, the cat eats an apple.
Watch out
Order is time → place → (が) → (を) → verb — not English SV-order. Adj before noun (ookii neko), never after. Destination ni vs place-of-action de. Object takes o before the verb. が marks the subject; は (topic) is a different job you already met — don’t swap them by feel alone.
Try it
Build one line out loud: time + place + verb (e.g. asa, shigoto ni ikimasu). Then add either an を-object or a が-subject if you can.
asa, shigoto ni ikimasu · Check order: time → place → (が) → (を) → verb. Adj before its noun. · In the morning, I go to work.