Page 379 - Basic Japanese

The word onaji ‘the same’ works both as a noun and as a

prenoun. It functions as a noun when followed by the
copula: onaji desu ‘it’s the same.’ To say ‘This is the same as

that,’ you say Kore wa sore to onaji desu. To say ‘This is not the

same as that,’ you say Kore wa sore to onaji ja arimasen. To say
‘This is different from that,’ you say Kore wa sore to chigaimasu.

Notice that in each of these identifications, the particle used
is to ‘with.’

私の車は山田さんのと同じです。
Watashi no kuruma wa Yamada-san no to onaji desu.
My car is the same as Ms. Yamada’s.

人間は犬や猫と同じじゃありません。
Ningen wa inu ya neko to onaji ja arimasen.

People are not the same as dogs, cats, etc.

石田先生と林先生の専門は少し違います。
Ishida sensei to Hayashi sensei no senmon wa sukoshi

chigaimasu.
The specialty of Dr. Ishida and the specialty of

Dr. Hayashi are slightly different.

Onaji functions as a prenoun when followed by a noun:
onaji hito ‘the same man,’ onaji koto desu ‘it’s the same thing.’

田中さんは昨日と同じ服を着ていますね。
Tanaka-san wa kinō to onaji fuku o kite imasu ne.

Mr. Tanaka is wearing the same clothes as
yesterday.

私にとって働くことと遊ぶことは同じことです。

Watashi ni totte hataraku koto to asobu koto wa onaji

koto desu.