を to describe noun with another noun

Japanese
#1

In one of the grammar points about れる・られる, there is a sentence:

私の牛乳を全部誰かに飲まれた

It appears to me that 私の牛乳を全部 is basically a noun phrase saying “all of my milk”, where 全部 is at the head and it is being clarified to be 全部 of 私の牛乳, where を is connecting them. Is that a good interpretation?

I’m still at the point in my studies where when I see a word marked by a particle, I struggle to figure out what verb is picking up that particle if it is a complex sentence, like “which verb does this particle phrase apply to” kind of thing. If を can also be followed by a noun to mark that the object is actually just describing that noun that might add one small piece of that puzzle.

Thank you to anyone who might shed some clarity!!

2 Likes
#2

Although we translate it as “all of my milk” it doesn’t quite work like that (it’s a correct translation, but it may be misleading). It may be helpful to think of the sentence as [私の牛乳を] [全部] [誰かに] [飲まれた].

を is not attached to 全部. It’s used to let you know that 私の牛乳 is the direct object of 飲まれた.

全部 is a noun, but it’s being used adverbially here. I.e., 全部 is describing the manner that the verb 飲む was done. So it’s more like “Someone drank my milk ‘all-ly.’” or “Someone drank my milk entirely.” But Bunpro’s translation of “all of my milk” sounds more natural, and I’m pretty sure it’s is how it’s normally translated.

If you wanted to connect 全部 to 私の牛乳 you could, but you would use の: 全部の私の牛乳. But I don’t know if this sounds natural.

Also this is making me realize that I don’t think there’s a lesson on adverbs on Bunpro? Unless I just can’t find it?

7 Likes
Trouble understanding simple, but common grammar patterns
#3

I could really do with one of those. It’s a continuing fault in my writing, along with particle type and placement. I don’t put the adverb by the Verb but then I read plenty of sentences that also don’t.
I started reading some article on 80/20 Japanese website that was quite good on sentence construction.

1 Like
#4

Oh that’s a super clear explanation and it helps a lot! A couple things clicked for me just now, and you prevented me trying to absorb a pattern that doesn’t actually exist as well. Thank you!

1 Like