The Difference Between 「木を倒します」「木が倒れています」「木が倒されています」
In Japanese, even when talking about the same situation (“a tree falls/is down”), the verb form changes depending on:
whether someone does the action, whether it happens naturally, or whether something/someone causes it. ① 木を倒します (Transitive Verb) Form 木 を 倒します 「倒す」 = transitive verb Meaning
“Someone knocks down a tree.”
A person or agent performs the action.
Key Points Uses the particle 「を」 There is someone doing the action Focuses on “who did it” Examples 作業員が木を倒します。 “The workers will cut down the tree.” 台風で危ない木を倒しました。 “We cut down a dangerous tree because of the typhoon.” 兄が木を倒しています。 “My older brother is knocking down a tree.” Image
👉 “A person performs an action.”
② 木が倒れています (Intransitive Verb) Form 木 が 倒れています 「倒れる」 = intransitive verb Meaning
“The tree is down / has fallen over.”
This describes the state or result. It does not focus on who caused it.
Key Points Uses the particle 「が」 Describes a state or result Often sounds natural/spontaneous Focuses on the current condition Examples 道に木が倒れています。 “A tree has fallen on the road.” 台風のあと、公園の木が倒れていました。 “After the typhoon, trees in the park had fallen over.” 古い木が倒れています。 “An old tree is lying fallen over.” Image
にほんごのべんきょうおつかれさまでした。 Than you for your hard work studying Japanese.
Today's lesson
New words
びょういんhospital ゆうびんきょくpost office しょうがっこうelementary school ちゅうがっこうjunior high school こうこうhigh school だいがくuniversity としょかんlibrary えいがかんmovie theatre いえhouse/うちhome (nearly equal)
How to indicate the location of an object: うえの みぎから ３ばんめ Third from the right at the top したの ひだりから ４ばんめ Fourth from the left at the bottom うえの みぎから １ばんめ＝うえの いちばん みぎ The first one from the right at the top=The rightmost one at the top したの ひだりから １ばんめ＝したの いちばん ひだり The first one from the left at the bottom=The leftmost one at the bottom
TEXT おやすみは なんようびですか。 どようびと にちようびです。
おたんじょうびは いつですか（なんがつ なんにち ですか。） １１月１日（ついたち）です。
４月５日に ミキさんの おたんじょうかいが あります。 （Timeに eventが あります。） Miki's birthday party will be held on April 5th.
らいしゅうの どようびと にちようびに きんじょで おまつりが あります。 (Timeに placeで eventが あります。） There is a festival in my neighborhood next Saturday and Sunday.
Thank you for joining the lesson. First, I introduced the glowing plankton I saw in Enoshima last night. We talked about favorite ice cream flavors while looking at American-style burgers sold at KFC in Japan and the flavors available at Baskin-Robbins in Japan. We also talked about Oreo-flavored ice cream. We reviewed how to use “～そうです.” Please note that “かわいいらしい” and “かわいそう” are different expressions with different meanings.
Thank you for coming to the lesson. First, I shared about the bioluminescent plankton I saw in Enoshima last night. Tabitha talked about many things that happened last week, such as having a party with friends and trying different foods in Chinatown. We also worked on practice exercises to change written Japanese into conversational Japanese.
