If you can write TypeScript, you can understand Japanese!
Typed Japanese is a TypeScript type-level library that enables the expression of complete Japanese sentences through the type system. It creates a domain-specific language (DSL) based on Japanese grammar rules, allowing a subset of grammatically correct natural language to be written and verified using TypeScript’s compiler.
This project also explores an intermediate format for AI in language learning. For example, LLMs could return grammar analysis of Japanese sentences using this format instead of JSON, enabling verification through TypeScript’s type checker to improve correctness.
📖 Want to learn more? Check out our detailed blog post which explains how the TypeScript type system can be used to learn Japanese grammar from the ground up. The article starts with basic programming concepts and gradually builds up to complex Japanese grammatical structures like conditional sentences and interrogative phrases.
// Define する verb
type する = IrregularVerb & { dictionary: “する” };
// Create the そうした pattern (past form of そうする)
type そうした = DemonstrativeAction
// Create the conditional phrase “ヒンメルならそうした”
type ヒンメルならそうした = ConditionalPhrase<ヒンメル, "なら", そうした>;
// Type checking examples
const properExample: ヒンメルならそうした = “ヒンメルならそうした”; // “If it were Himmel, he would do so”
// 如果是辛美尔的话，他也会这么做的” dir=”auto”>
// Define the proper noun "ヒンメル" type ヒンメル = ProperNoun<"ヒンメル">; // Define する verb type する = IrregularVerb & { dictionary: "する" }; // Create the そうした pattern (past form of そうする) type そうした = DemonstrativeAction<Demonstrative & "そう", する, "た形">; // Create the conditional phrase "ヒンメルならそうした" type ヒンメルならそうした = ConditionalPhrase<ヒンメル, "なら", そうした>; // Type checking examples const properExample: ヒンメルならそうした = "ヒンメルならそうした"; // "If it were Himmel, he would do so" // 如果是辛美尔的话，他也会这么做的
Japanese verbs are categorized into three main classes:
-
Godan Verbs (五段動詞) – Also known as “Group 1” or “u-verbs”
- Endings: う, く, ぐ, す, つ, ぬ, ぶ, む, る
- Examples: 話す (hanasu – to speak), 書く (kaku – to write)
-
Ichidan Verbs (一段動詞) – Also known as “Group 2” or “ru-verbs”
- Always end with る
- Examples: 食べる (taberu – to eat), 見る (miru – to see)
-
Irregular Verbs (不規則動詞) – Only two main verbs
- する (suru – to do)
- 来る (kuru – to come)
The system supports these conjugation forms:
- 辞書形 (Dictionary form)
- ます形 (Polite form)
- て形 (Te form)
- た形 (Past form)
- ない形 (Negative form)
- 可能形 (Potential form)
- 受身形 (Passive form)
- 使役形 (Causative form)
- 意向形 (Volitional form)
- 命令形 (Imperative form)
- 条件形 (Conditional form)
- 仮定形 (Hypothetical form)
type 買うた形 = ConjugateVerb<買う, "た形">; // 買った
type 食べる = IchidanVerb & { stem: “食べ”; ending: “る” };
type 食べるて形 = ConjugateVerb<食べる, "て形">; // 食べて
type 食べるた形 = ConjugateVerb<食べる, "た形">; // 食べた” dir=”auto”>
type 買う = GodanVerb & { stem: "買"; ending: "う" }; type 買うて形 = ConjugateVerb<買う, "て形">; // 買って type 買うた形 = ConjugateVerb<買う, "た形">; // 買った type 食べる = IchidanVerb & { stem: "食べ"; ending: "る" }; type 食べるて形 = ConjugateVerb<食べる, "て形">; // 食べて type 食べるた形 = ConjugateVerb<食べる, "た形">; // 食べた
Japanese adjectives are categorized into two main classes:
-
I-Adjectives (い形容詞) – End with い
- Examples: いい (good), 楽しい (fun), 高い (expensive)
-
Na-Adjectives (な形容詞) – Require な when modifying nouns
- Examples: 綺麗 (pretty), 静か (quiet), 好き (liked)
The system supports these conjugation forms for adjectives:
- 基本形 (Basic form)
- 丁寧形 (Polite form)
- 過去形 (Past form)
- 否定形 (Negative form)
type いい = IAdjective & { stem: "い"; ending: "い"; irregular: true }; type 綺麗 = NaAdjective & { stem: "綺麗" };
The system now supports:
- Adjectives and verbs with particles
- Connecting phrases with Japanese punctuation
- Basic sentence structures
- Conditional expressions with particles like なら
- Demonstrative forms with actions
Example: Connecting simple adjective and imperative verb phrases
type いい = IAdjective & { stem: “い”; ending: “い”; irregular: true };
type いいよ = PhraseWithParticle
// Irregular verb “kuru” (to come)
// Then add particle “yo” to imperative form of “kuru” -> “koi yo”
type 来る = IrregularVerb & { dictionary: “来る” };
type 来いよ = PhraseWithParticle
// Connect both phrases -> “ii yo, koi yo”
type いいよ来いよ = ConnectedPhrases<いいよ, 来いよ>;
// Type checking examples
const correctPhrase1: いいよ = “いいよ”; // “It’s good!” (114)
const correctPhrase2: 来いよ = “来いよ”; // “Come here!” (514)
const correctFullPhrase: いいよ来いよ = “いいよ、来いよ”; // “It’s good, come here!”” dir=”auto”>
// I-adjective "ii" (good) with irregular conjugation // Then add particle "yo" to basic form of "ii" -> "ii yo" type いい = IAdjective & { stem: "い"; ending: "い"; irregular: true }; type いいよ = PhraseWithParticle<ConjugateAdjective<いい, "基本形">, "よ">; // Irregular verb "kuru" (to come) // Then add particle "yo" to imperative form of "kuru" -> "koi yo" type 来る = IrregularVerb & { dictionary: "来る" }; type 来いよ = P
