Word
机 の 上 に 大きい 荷物 が ある と じゃま です。tsukue no ue ni ookii nimotsu ga aru to jama desu.
Meaning
When there is a big piece of luggage on the desk, it is in the way.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Lesson
Breakdown of tsukue no ue ni ookii nimotsu ga aru to jama desu.
ですdesu
to be
大きいookii
big
がga
subject particle
のno
possessive case particle
Questions & Answers about tsukue no ue ni ookii nimotsu ga aru to jama desu.
In 机の上, what does の mean, and why is it used between 机 and 上?
の is linking 机 (desk) and 上 (top / upper side) into one noun phrase:
- 机の上 = the top/surface of the desk → naturally translated as on the desk.
This is the common pattern:
- N1 の N2 → N2 of N1 / N2 belonging to N1 / N2 related to N1
Examples:
- 箱の中 = inside the box
- 駅の近く = near the station
- 家の前 = in front of the house
So here の is not “possessive” in the strict sense, but an attributive linker: 机の上 = “the upper part that belongs to/relates to the desk” → the desk’s top.
Why is に used after 上 (机の上に) instead of something like で, and why not just 机に?
