1. Verb Sentences 1

 

Earlier, we studied location and time expressions (Locに Xが あります, Xが Timeに あります, etc.) that use the verb あります.

つくえの うえに じしょが あります。 ("There is a dictionary on the desk.")
９じから １０じまで じゅぎょうが あります。 ("There is a class from 9 to 10.")

There are two general rules of grammar in Japanese:

  1. The verb come at the end of the sentence, and other parts of speech (subject, object, etc.) can be scrambled as long as they come before the verb.
  2. Parts of speech (subject, object, destination, time/loc. of activity, etc.) are determined by particles, not by the word order.
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2. Verbs with no direct object
 

When we talk about activities like getting up and going to bed, we use the verbs that do not take any direct object. Some of these verbs are shown below.

get up あります there is/are
おきます get up
ねます go to bed
はじまります (something) begins
おわります (something) ends
あそびます engage in play (not work)
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3. Structure
 
When stating X does something at certain time and location, you can say X, mark it by は (or が), say the time, mark it by に, say the location of activity (if it is relelvant), mark it by で and say the verb at the end.

～は(or が) Timeに Loc. of Activityで Verb

"X does something at location at time."

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4. Example (1)
 
Topic は

Here is an example using the verb あそびます ("engage in play"). To say, "Ms. Tanaka engages in play," you might start with the subject 田中さん and mark it with the topic marker は .

田中さんは
Ms. Tanaka

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5. Example (2)
 
Topic は timeに

You can continue with the time expression 3じ followed by particle に (specific time of activity). The particle に in this case means "at" in English.

田中さんは 3じに
Ms. Tanaka at 3

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6. Example (3)
 
Topic は timeにloc. of activityで

You can add the location word こうえん followed by particle で . The particle で marks the location of activity (a place where "engaging in play" takes place").

田中さんは 3じに こうえんで
Ms. Tanaka at 3 at the park

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7. Example (4)
 
Topic は timeに loc. of activityで あそびます

Finally, you can add the verb あそびます to complete the sentence "Ms. Tanaka engages in play at 3 at the park."

田中さんは 3じに こうえんで あそびます。
Ms. Tanaka at 3 at the park engages in play

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Note that except for the final verb あそびます, you can scramble the remaining parts of speech (e.g., ３じに 田中さんは こうえんで あそびます／ こうえんで ３じに 田中さんは あそびます, etc.).
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