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Lesson 9N5Genki I

Kabuki — modifying nouns

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[V plain]NVerb clause modifying a noun
Noun modifier

A plain-form clause placed before a noun describes it: […が 作った]ケーキ.

これは ミラーさんが 作った ケーキです。

これは ミラーさんが つくった ケーキです。

This is the cake that Mr Miller made.

Japanese has no relative pronoun (“that/which”). The describing clause simply goes in front of the noun, with its verb in plain form. Inside the clause the subject is marked with が (not は).

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[clause]N は…Clause-modified noun as topic
Noun modifier

The modified noun can play any role, e.g. the topic of the main sentence.

きのう 見た 映画は おもしろかったです。

きのう みた えいがは おもしろかったです。

The film I saw yesterday was interesting.

The clause + noun unit behaves like any noun phrase and can take は, が, を, etc. Here [きのう 見た 映画]は is the topic of the sentence.

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もう V-ました / まだ V-て いませんもう / まだ — already / not yetGenki
Time

もう + past (〜ました) = “already done”. “Not yet” is まだ + 〜て いません — NOT the plain past negative.

もう しゅくだいを しました

I have already done the homework.

いいえ、まだ しゅくだいを して いません

No, I haven't done the homework yet.

〜ました covers both “did (yesterday)” and “have already done”. With もう (already) it means the action is complete.

For “not yet”, don't use ませんでした (that is a finished past, “didn't”). Use まだ … て いません — the action still hasn't happened.