Beginner Japanese confusion

[auranoir]

Hello everyone!

I'm using multiple sources to learn japanese and I've observed some differences from one source to another, which confuses me and I'm not sure which is the right to learn. For example

In one place 'white' is written 'shiro' 白
Another place writes it as 'shiroi' 白い

Pretty much the same with 'kuro' (black) and the words are not used in any context. I'm wondering why this occurs, which form should I learn? Do I read the 'i' or is it silent (I heard it read both with and without the 'i') and do I write the 'i'?

I would appreciate if someone could shed some light on this for me
Thanks in advance!

[mazz93]

Don't hold me to this because my Japanese still needs much improved, but as far as I know, when it is 'shiroi' 白い it is being used as an adjective, whereas 'shiro' 白 is just the noun?
But I'm sure other people know much better than me!

[Nagoyankee]

Originally Posted by auranoir

Hello everyone!

I'm using multiple sources to learn japanese and I've observed some differences from one source to another, which confuses me and I'm not sure which is the right to learn. For example

In one place 'white' is written 'shiro' 白
Another place writes it as 'shiroi' 白い

Pretty much the same with 'kuro' (black) and the words are not used in any context. I'm wondering why this occurs, which form should I learn? Do I read the 'i' or is it silent (I heard it read both with and without the 'i') and do I write the 'i'?

I would appreciate if someone could shed some light on this for me
Thanks in advance!

白 = the color white (noun)

白い = white-colored (adjective)

You need to learn both forms, which shouldn't be that difficult.
__________

Smith: What color is your house?　
Jones: 白です。(Natve speakers don't say 「白いです」 here.)

Smith: What's your favorite color?
Jones: 白です。(Same thing as above.)
___________

白い花 = a white(-colored) flower.
黒い家 = a black(-colored) house.
___________

There's no such thing as a silent い in Japanese. You can keep both books for now. Pretty soon, at least one of them will be teaching you crap, I'm sure. You know who to talk to then.

[yuujirou]

Originally Posted by Nagoyankee

白 = the color white (noun)

白い = white-colored (adjective)

You need to learn both forms, which shouldn't be that difficult.
__________

Smith: What color is your house?　
Jones: 白です。(Natve speakers don't say 「白いです」 here.)

Smith: What's your favorite color?
Jones: 白です。(Same thing as above.)
___________

白い花 = a white(-colored) flower.
黒い家 = a black(-colored) house.
___________

There's no such thing as a silent い in Japanese. You can keep both books for now. Pretty soon, at least one of them will be teaching you crap, I'm sure. You know who to talk to then.

and here i was pondering whether to be nice or... >.>'''''

[auranoir]

Originally Posted by Nagoyankee

白 = the color white (noun)

白い = white-colored (adjective)

You need to learn both forms, which shouldn't be that difficult.
__________

Smith: What color is your house?　
Jones: 白です。(Natve speakers don't say 「白いです」 here.)

Smith: What's your favorite color?
Jones: 白です。(Same thing as above.)
___________

白い花 = a white(-colored) flower.
黒い家 = a black(-colored) house.
___________

There's no such thing as a silent い in Japanese. You can keep both books for now. Pretty soon, at least one of them will be teaching you crap, I'm sure. You know who to talk to then.

thanks! that clarifies a lot, but I got a little confused with your example.

in the first example 'white' serves as an adjective. but the Japanese don't say shiroi there. but generally otherwise they would use shiroi?

What is your favorite color?
White - thus shiro

but

I need to buy a white shirt. - white-colored - thus 'shiroi'

am I understand this right or are there some exceptions I should know of?

[SceptileMaster]

Originally Posted by Nagoyankee

白 = the color white (noun)

白い = white-colored (adjective)

You need to learn both forms, which shouldn't be that difficult.
__________

Smith: What color is your house?　
Jones: 白です。(Natve speakers don't say 「白いです」 here.)

Smith: What's your favorite color?
Jones: 白です。(Same thing as above.)
___________

白い花 = a white(-colored) flower.
黒い家 = a black(-colored) house.
___________

There's no such thing as a silent い in Japanese. You can keep both books for now. Pretty soon, at least one of them will be teaching you crap, I'm sure. You know who to talk to then.

Does this apply to other adjectives other than colours?

[SSJup81]

Originally Posted by auranoir

thanks! that clarifies a lot, but I got a little confused with your example.

in the first example 'white' serves as an adjective. but the Japanese don't say shiroi there. but generally otherwise they would use shiroi?

What is your favorite color?
White - thus shiro

but

I need to buy a white shirt. - white-colored - thus 'shiroi'

am I understand this right or are there some exceptions I should know of?

Yeah, pretty much. In that instance, you would use "shiroi" as opposed to "shiro" because "white" is being used as an adjective (白いシャツ).

Originally Posted by SceptileMaster

Does this apply to other adjectives other than colours?

Probably only the ones that can be nouns and adjectives, which only colors seem to fall into. I honestly can't think of any other adjective (outside of colors, like in the examples) that can be used as a noun as well. I could be wrong though.

[auranoir]

Great! Thanks a lot for all the explanations!