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I saw this:

アンさんはべんきょうをおしえるひとです。

Is this a correct sentence? I got confused with おしえる人. I thought we cannot follow a verb with another noun without nominalizing it with either の or こと. Should this be おしえるの人?

chocolate
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Shiniboi
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2 Answers2

5

This is a very important construction called a relative clause.

[教]{おし}える[人]{ひと}
a person who teaches

The rule is described in detail in this question: Relative clauses distinguishing whom/with which/that

chocolate
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naruto
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  • I am so sorry I am still confused. I read the link you posted but I have some questions hope you can help. If おしえるひと is a relative clause then what is こと and の for? Are they called nominalizers? When will I know that I need nominalizers on a verb? Because おしえる is a verb and the reason why I thought I need a nominalizer is because I will use おしえる to describe 人 so in a way I use it as an adj. 👈 what is wrong in this line of thinking? – Shiniboi Nov 19 '18 at 19:42
  • Please check what is wrong with my understanding :

    アンさんは人です - is the main sentence.

    Since I want to add more info about what kind of person アンさん is I need something that will describe 人. I have the sentence アンさんは勉強をおしえるです (?) and I will add it to 人 so it will be 勉強をおしえる add の to 人 because that is one noun phrase?

    Should の be added to verb if and only if it is not in a relative sentence?

    – Shiniboi Nov 19 '18 at 19:59
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    @Shiniboi Use a nominalizer when you want to turn a verb into a noun. Use a relative clause when you want to use a verb as an adjective. Don't add の when you use a relative clause. Something like 教えるの人 is always ungrammatical in Japanese. – naruto Nov 20 '18 at 00:35
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In general, it is safe to use a verb directly before a noun. There is no modification needed. If you add の after a verb, you turn it into a noun. Two nouns cannot be connected directly, there has to be a の inbetween, as in 私の本.

HTH Zeyuan

user3856370
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Zeyuan
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