JLPT N5 grammar · Adjectives & Declarations

[Plain style]+[Noun] (Noun modifiers): meaning, usage and examples

[Plain style]+[Noun] (Noun modifiers) means: (Using a plain form verb/adjective phrase to modify a noun).

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 昨日きのう行いったレストラン、おいしかったですね。

   The restaurant we went to yesterday was delicious, wasn't it?

2. 私わたしが買かったパンは、おいしかったです。

   The bread (that) I bought was delicious.

3. これは母ははが作つくったケーキです。

   This is a cake my mother made.

4. 駅えきの近ちかくにある店みせで買かいました。

   I bought it at a shop near the station.

When to use it

Modify a noun with an entire clause by placing the clause (in plain form) directly before the noun.

Nuance

This is Japanese's version of relative clauses: the modifier comes before the noun it describes.

Compare

English: 'the book that I bought'. Japanese: 私わたしが買かった本ほん (the modifier wraps around the noun).

Tip: The clause must end in plain form regardless of the sentence's overall politeness level.