How do you describe or specify a person with verbs? (convert verbs to adjectives)


How do you describe or specify a specific target person by their current verb
in action? Or perhaps more simply, how do you use a verb as an adjective?

Here are some examples:

  * The **man wearing** a hat is handsome. _(alt. The **hat-wearing man** is handsome.)_
  * Is the **person singing** your friend? _(alt. Is the **singing-person** your friend?)_
  * The **child screaming** is holding candy. _(alt. The **screaming-child** is holding candy.)_

If I was to guess the grammar, perhaps:

  1. 帽子【ぼうし】をかぶる男【おとこ】の人【ひと】はかっこいい。
  2. 歌う【うたう】人は友達【ともだち】ですか？
  3. 叫ぶ【さけぶ】子供【こども】はキャンディを持って【もって】いる。

or do I use the present continuous:

  1. 帽子をかぶっている男の人はかっこいい。
  2. 歌っている人は友達ですか？
  3. 叫んでいる子供はキャンディを持っている。




>   1. 帽子【ぼうし】をかぶる男【おとこ】の人【ひと】はかっこいい ~~だ~~ 。
>   2. 歌う【うたう】人は友達【ともだち】ですか？
>   3. 叫ぶ【さけぶ】子供【こども】はキャンディを持って【もって】いる。
>

These are not very natural. 「Plain form verb + 人」 can mean "someone who will /
is going to do~~", so these examples may sound like "The man who will wear a
hat..." "Is the person who will sing..." "The child who will scream..."
帽子をかぶる男の人 could also mean "A man who usually/often wears a hat."

And かっこいい **だ** is incorrect. You don't attach a copula だ to an i-adjective.

>   1. 帽子をかぶっ **ている** 男の人はかっこいい ~~だ~~ 。
>   2. 歌っ **ている** 人は友達ですか？
>   3. 叫ん **でいる** 子供はキャンディを持っている。
>

These sentences are fine. They mean "The man who is wearing a hat..." "Is the
person who is singing..." "The child who is screaming..."

* * *

As a side note, #1 can be rephrased as 帽子をかぶっ **た** 男の人は...  
歌っ **た** 人 and 叫ん **だ** 子供 would mean "the person who **sang** " and "the
child who **screamed** ", respectively. 歌っ **ていた** 人 and 叫ん **でいた** 子供 would
mean "the person who **was singing** " and "the child who **was screaming** ".  
To say "The man who **wore/was wearing** a hat...", you'd say 帽子をかぶっ **ていた**
男の人.

For more on 「かぶっ **ている** 人」「かぶっ **た** 人」, 「持っ **ている** 人」「持っ **た** 人」, 「着
**ている** 人」「着 **た** 人」 etc., please refer to there threads:

  * [Use of かける (N5 question)](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/29671/9831)
  * ["太ってる猫" vs "太った猫"](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/3361/9831)
  * [Why does 音を表したことば use the past tense?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/43864/9831)




>   1. 帽子【ぼうし】をかぶる男【おとこ】の人【ひと】はかっこいい ~~だ~~ 。
>   2. 歌う【うたう】人は友達【ともだち】ですか？
>   3. 叫ぶ【さけぶ】子供【こども】はキャンディを持って【もって】いる。
>

These are not very natural. 「Plain form verb + 人」 can mean "someone who will /
is going to do~~", so these examples may sound like "The man who will wear a
hat..." "Is the person who will sing..." "The child who will scream..."
帽子をかぶる男の人 could also mean "A man who usually/often wears a hat."

And かっこいい **だ** is incorrect. You don't attach a copula だ to an i-adjective.

>   1. 帽子をかぶっ **ている** 男の人はかっこいい ~~だ~~ 。
>   2. 歌っ **ている** 人は友達ですか？
>   3. 叫ん **でいる** 子供はキャンディを持っている。
>

These sentences are fine. They mean "The man who is wearing a hat..." "Is the
person who is singing..." "The child who is screaming..."

* * *

As a side note, #1 can be rephrased as 帽子をかぶっ **た** 男の人は...  
歌っ **た** 人 and 叫ん **だ** 子供 would mean "the person who **sang** " and "the
child who **screamed** ", respectively. 歌っ **ていた** 人 and 叫ん **でいた** 子供 would
mean "the person who **was singing** " and "the child who **was screaming** ".  
To say "The man who **wore/was wearing** a hat...", you'd say 帽子をかぶっ **ていた**
男の人.

For more on 「かぶっ **ている** 人」「かぶっ **た** 人」, 「持っ **ている** 人」「持っ **た** 人」, 「着
**ている** 人」「着 **た** 人」 etc., please refer to there threads:

  * [Use of かける (N5 question)](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/29671/9831)
  * ["太ってる猫" vs "太った猫"](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/3361/9831)
  * [Why does 音を表したことば use the past tense?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/43864/9831)

