Breakdown of watasi ha yoru ni reizouko wo akete gyuunyuu wo nomimasu.
はha
topic particle
私watasi
I
をwo
direct object particle
飲むnomu
to drink
牛乳gyuunyuu
milk
にni
time particle
夜yoru
night
開けるakeru
to open
〜て〜te
connective form
冷蔵庫reizouko
refrigerator
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Questions & Answers about watasi ha yoru ni reizouko wo akete gyuunyuu wo nomimasu.
What does 夜に mean, and why do we use the particle に after 夜?
夜 means night. The particle に marks a specific point in time. So 夜に translates as at night and tells you when the action takes place.
Why do we need 私は at the beginning? Can’t we drop it?
Japanese often omits the subject when it’s clear from context. 私は marks the topic as for me. In many cases you can drop 私は and simply say 夜に冷蔵庫を開けて牛乳を飲みます, and the meaning stays the same if listeners know you’re talking about yourself.
What is the role of the て-form in 開けて here?
The て-form connects verbs or clauses. In 開けて, it links the action open the fridge to the next action drink milk, showing that these two things happen in sequence: open the fridge and then drink milk.
Why are there two を particles in this sentence?
Each transitive verb needs its own を to mark its direct object.
- 冷蔵庫を開けて = open the refrigerator
- 牛乳を飲みます = drink milk
Why do the verbs appear at the end of the sentence in Japanese?
Japanese follows an SOV (Subject-Object-Verb) word order. Time expressions and objects come before the verb, and the verb (or verbs, when linked) comes at the end.
What is the difference between 飲みます and 飲む, and why is ます used here?
飲む is the plain (dictionary) form; 飲みます is the polite form used in formal or courteous speech. Here 飲みます makes the sentence polite.
Does 飲みます here describe a future action or a habitual action?
The non-past polite form (飲みます) can express both a general truth/fact and a habitual action. In this context it most likely describes a habit: I drink milk at night.
Why is 開けて in the plain て-form, while 飲みます is in the polite form?
When chaining actions in Japanese, you use the て-form (neutral) for all verbs except the final one. The final verb’s form (here 飲みます) sets the overall politeness level of the entire sentence.