In a Japanese sentence the verb generally comes at the end of the sentence, however, word order is flexible.
For instance, “Michael yesterday in Shibuya Mami with a movie saw,” would be the standard word order in Japanese.
However, you are free to rearrange words as follows: “yesterday Michael Mami with a movie Shibuya at saw.”
The standard word order in English would be “Michael saw a movie with Mami in Shibuya yesterday.”
Thus if you placed the subject (Michael) at the beginning and rearranged the rest of the words in reverse, it would be the same as the Japanese structure.
This idea also applies to writing addresses. While in English, they start with the addressee, and end with the prefecture (county), in Japanese they are written in order of prefecture, city, area name, number, and addressee.
English sentences begin with the main point with details following.
However, in Japanese sentences the details are mentioned first and the main point comes at the end.
The English order is suitable for precisely conveying information, such as news, to others.
Conversely, in Japanese you don’t discover the conclusion until you hear the end. Because of this they often end with an unexpected twist.
“mami to eiga wo…” may be altered in the end as “eiga wo miru hazu deshita ga, kanojo ha kimasenn deshita” (Michael was to see a movie, but she didn’t show up).
The huge influence this sentence structure has had on Japanese culture can be seen in arts such as rakugo or senryu where a big laugh can be created by the final word.
日本語
nihonngo
(a) Japanese sentence
一般的に
ippannteki ni
generally
動詞は
doushi ha
(the) verb
文章
bunnshou
(the) sentence
柔軟です。
jyuunann desu.
flexible
たとえば、
tatoeba,
is for instance
「マイケルは
maikeru ha
Michael
標準的な
hyoujyunnteki na
(the) standard
語順と
gojyunn to
word order
マイケルは
maikeru ha
Michael
のように、
no youni,
as follows
置きかえることが
okikaeru kotoga
to rearrange (words)
標準的な
hyoujyunnteki na
(the) standard
語順では、
gojyunn deha,
word order
「マイケルは
maikeru ha
Michael
のようになります。
no youni narimasu.
would be
主語(マイケル)を
shugo maikeru wo
(the) subject (Michael)
先頭に
senntou ni
the beginning
並べ直す
narabe naosu
rearrange (the rest of the words)
日本語の構文と
nihonngo no koubunn to
(the) Japanese structure
なります。
narimasu.
(it) would be
この発想
kono hassou
this idea
住所表記と
jyuusho'hyouki to
writing addresses
同じです。
onaji desu.
applies to
名前
namae
(the) addressee
始まり
hajimari
(they) start and
県
kenn
(the) prefecture (county)
名前
namae
(and) addressee
書きます。
kakimasu.
(they) are written
英語の文では
eigo no bun deha
English sentences
まず結論を
mazu ketsuronn wo
(the) main point
詳細が
shousai ga
(with) details
続きます。
tsuzuki masu.
following
日本語の
nihonngo no
Japanese
詳細を
shousai wo
(the) details
結論が
ketsuronn ga
(the) main point
英語の語順は
eigo no gojyunn ha
(the) English order
簡潔に
kannketsu ni
precisely
伝える
tsutaeru
conveying (information)
適切と
tekisetsu to
suitable
それに対して
soreni taishite
conversely
結論は
ketsuronn ha
(the) conclusion
わかりません。
wakarimasenn.
(you) don’t discover
そのため、
sonotame,
because of this
意外な結末に
igai na ketsumatsu ni
(an) unexpected twist
なることもあります。
narukotomo arimasu.
(they) often end with
「真美と映画を……」は、
mami to eiga wo ha,
mami to eiga wo…
見るはずでした
miru hazu deshita
(Michael) was to see
来ませんでした」
kimasenndeshita
didn’t show up
こともあります。
kotomo arimasu.
may be altered (in the end)
日本語の構文は
nihonngo no koubunn ha
this <Japanese> sentence structure
最後の一言
saigo no hitokoto
(the) final word
笑わせる、
warawaseru,
(where a) big laugh can (be created)
日本文化
nihonnbunnka
Japanese culture (can be seen in arts)
大きな影響を
ookina eikyou wo
(the) huge influence
与えています。
ataete imasu.
has had