nagai monogatari o yonda.

I read a long story.

Breakdown of nagai monogatari o yonda.

• を: direct object particle
• 読よむ: to read
• 長ながい: long
• 物語ものがたり: a story; narrative

Questions & Answers about nagai monogatari o yonda.

Why does 長い come before 物語?

In Japanese, adjectives usually come before the noun they describe, just like in English.

• 長い物語 = a long story

Here, 長い is directly modifying 物語.

This is the normal pattern:

• 小さい犬 = a small dog
• 古い家 = an old house
• 面白い本 = an interesting book

So 長い物語 is simply the standard Japanese way to say long story.

Why is it 長い and not something like 長な?

Because 長い is an い-adjective.

Japanese adjectives are often divided into two major types:

• い-adjectives
• な-adjectives

長い belongs to the first type, so it naturally ends in い when it comes before a noun:

• 長い物語

A な-adjective would need な before a noun, but 長い is not that kind of adjective.

For example:

• 静かな部屋 = a quiet room
• 有名な人 = a famous person

But:

• 長い道 = a long road
• 新しい本 = a new book