Grammar Info

N4 Lesson 5: 15/20

()Completely, Exactly, Right

Structure

(っ) + [い]Adjective[
(っ) + Noun

+ ま(*)・な(*):
(なか)(まえ)(まる)

+ か(*)・さ(*)・しゃ(*):
黄色(きいろ)(しろ)(さき)正直(しょうじき)

+ は(*)(**):
だか

Exceptions:
あおい →
あかい →

(*) column in the kana chart
(**) H sound becomes P sound

Details

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    Standard

About 真(っ)

The prefix ま, coming from the kanji () (true), is attached to words in Japanese to express that something is 'completely', 'exactly', 'genuinely' (A). Depending on the word that follows (), several different conjugation patterns will be used. This conjugation depends on which column the first kana of the word after ()comes from. ま comes from the ま, み, む, め, も column, for example.

When linked with a ま column, or な column word, () will become ()ん.

When linked with a か column, さ column, or しゃ sound word, () will become ()っ.

When linked with a は column, () will become ()っ, and the first kana of the following word will change to a 'P' sound.

Caution

There are several exceptions to the standard changes that happen when using () as a prefix. These are as follows.

When linked with (あお)い, () will become ()っ, and (あお)い will become (さお).

When linked with (あか)い, () will become ()っ, and (あか)い will become ().

Examples

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    (みち)()(なか)鹿(しか)がいた。

    There was a deer right in the middle of the road.

    ()(まる)(えん)()ける(ひと)がいます

    Is there anyone who can draw an exact circle? (perfectly circular)

    この道路(どうろ)()()()てください

    Please go (exactly) straight down this street.

    (かれ)(たけ)(かたな)()(ぷた)()った

    He cut the bamboo right in two with a sword.

    (きゅう)()ったから()(まえ)()(くら)になってしまった。

    Because I stood up suddenly, everything went completely black.

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