Using さ and み to Turn Adjectives Into Nouns || N4 Grammar

Q: How to turn な adjectives into nouns?

Use the stem form of the word (without な), and add さ . Example: 便利 (Convenient) becomes 便利さ (Convenience)

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Home A2 Using さ & み to turn adjectives into nouns

TURNING ADJECTIVES INTO NOUNS

Turning adjectives into nouns in Japanese is called nominalising, and it gives us more flexibility when speaking or writing.

Without nominalisation, adjectives would normally be stuck only modifying nouns.

After they are formed into nouns, they can be the subject, topic, or object of the sentence, or take all kinds of prepositions like in, on, at, with, by, to, etc.

USING さ FOR い & な ADJECTIVES

い-adjectives use さ

Forming adjectives into nouns is very simple for い adjectives:

PATTERN

Remove い + add さ instead

Example:

ADJECTIVE	REMOVE い AND ADD さ	NOUN
高い	高い + さ	高さ
takai	takai + sa	takasa
Tall	>>	Height

Now that 高い has been nominalised into 高さ, it can be used like a noun in any number of situations.

For example, it can now take the particle を.

高さを比べる

takasa wo kuraberu

Compare height

な-adjectives use さ

Use the stem form of the word (without な), and add さ.

PATTERN

Stem form without な + add さ

Example:

ADJECTIVE	ADD さ	NOUN
便利	便利 + さ	便利さ
benri	benri + sa	benrisa
Convenient	>>	Convenience

MORE USAGES OF さ

さ is not strictly limited to adjectives.

It can also modify word suffixes that behave like い adjectives, like:

~たい
~やすい
~にくい
~づらい
~らしい
and ~っぽい.

Examples:

KANJI	ROMAJI	ENGLISH
女らしさ	onnarashisa	Femininity
女らしい	onnarashii	Feminine

子どもっぽい	kodomoppoi	Childish
子どもっぽさ	kodomopposa	Childishness

Nominalising adjectives with さ is like adding -ness to a word in English.

It refers to the degree of the adjective that something possesses.

For this reason, さ has a nuance of certainty. It implies that the adjective is certainly present. The word “redness” for instance, implies that some degree of red exists.

TURNING ADJECTIVES INTO NOUNS WITH み

Another way to nominalize is to add み to the end of adjectives.

It is conjugated in the same way that さ is, but instead of adding さ, we add み.

PATTERN

Remove い + add み instead

Example:

KANJI	ROMAJI	ENGLISH
痛い	itai	Painful
痛み	itami	Pain

There are differences between さ and み.

さ can be applied to any い adjective,
while み is used on a more limited number of adjectives.

While さ refers to quantity, み refers more to quality, and gives the impression of a personal experience of the adjective.

“み refers more to quality”

Let us continue to examine the adjective 痛い.

Here is a breakdown of the different conjugations and their respective translations:

KANJI	ROMAJI	ENGLISH
痛い	itai	Painful
痛さ	itasa	Degree of pain
痛み	itami	The feeling/experience of pain

Let’s now examine the adjective 重い:

KANJI	ROMAJI	ENGLISH
重い	omoi	Heavy
重さ	omosa	Heaviness, weight of an object
重み	omomi	Importance, weight of a thought

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FAQs

How to turn い adjectives into nouns?

Turning adjectives into nouns is very simple for い adjectives:

Remove the い and add さ instead.

Example: 高い (Tall) becomes 高さ (Height)

How to turn な adjectives into nouns?

Use the stem form of the word (without な), and add さ.

Example: 便利 (Convenient) becomes 便利さ (Convenience)

Do you offer Online Japanese Classes?

Yes we do!

You can study with us 24/7 on our online platform Flexi Classes by choosing what and when to study.

If you prefer a more traditional approach to learning you can study with one of certified teacher in individual classes and stick to a schedule decided beforehand.

How to use さ?

さ is used to turn な adjectives into nouns, but can also modify word suffixes that behave like い adjectives, like:

~たい

~やすい

~にくい

~づらい

~らしい

and ~っぽい.

Example:

女らしさ (Femininity) becomes 女らしい (Feminine)

子どもっぽい (Childish) becomes 子どもっぽさ (Childishness)

How to use み?

Adding み at the end of an adjective also nominalise it.

It is conjugated in the same way that さ is, but instead of adding さ, we add み.

There are differences between さ and み.

さ can be applied to any い adjective,

while み is used on a more limited number of adjectives.

While さ refers to quantity, み refers more to quality, and gives the impression of a personal experience of the adjective.

Can I study in Japan with LTL?

Yes you can!

We now offer in person classes in Tokyo, Japan.

You can study in group or in 1-on-1 classes with your teacher, and even have the opportunity to live with a Japanese homestay family for more immersion in the culture.

Let’s talk about your project now 👋