Modifying a noun with a whole clause

Where English needs a relative pronoun, Japanese simply puts the clause in front of the noun in plain form. It is one of the biggest structural leaps for a beginner.

Also known asnoun modificationrelative clause japanese連体修飾modifying nouns

［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).

In the textbooksMinna I, lesson 22 Genki I, lesson 9

［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.

In the textbooksMinna I, lesson 22 Genki I, lesson 9