Professional Documents
Culture Documents
> + nai =
> + nai =
Infinitive
The infinitive is the form to which you can add
other verbs, honour or both. Its the base form
from which standard / Japanese is
spoken.
The infinitive form is almost stand-alone, in
that the conjugations used in this form can be
used almost exclusively.
Changing the dictionary form of to the
infinitive form, drop the final vowel (u), and
add i. So, becomes . To this we add
the suffix , to make the word to go.
>
> + masu =
Another example:
(to drink)
> > + masu =
You can conjugate this form to negative by
using the suffix, e.g., (do not
go), (do not drink).
Dictionary Form
The dictionary form is the standardized
form for finding all verbs in dictionaries.
This form, for all verbs, regardless of their
conjugation schemes, will end with a u.
Just leave a verb alone to get the dictionary
form!
Imperative/Conditional Form
This form is used to give commands, make
suggestions or hypothetical statements.
Sometimes this form has no suffix.
Changing to the imperative form, we drop
the u and add e.
Please, please, please dont say this though! It
will get you into a lot of trouble ><
Adding the suffix to the imperative form
makes the true conditional form. would
be translated to Why dont you go? or What
if you went?
>
+ e
imperative
(imperative) + ba = conditional
Maybe you hear it means, IF
Volitional
The form is the one that is probably the
most confusing. The volitional form is
essentially the lets form.
You change to the volitional form by
dropping u and adding ou2dd ou. The
suffix in this case would be the u of ou it is
merely the extension of the sound.
becomes - lets go. can also
be conjugated in this form, simply converting
the - ending to a - .
- ku >
+ kou
Example
negative
- u, + anai =
infinitive
- u, + imasu =
dictionary
Do nothing to u
ending form
imperative/conditional
- u, + eba =
volitional
- u, + ou =
Verb Conjugation
Now we will move on to the second group.
These are known as Group 2/ichidan/ruverbs/V1 verbs.
These verbs are most verbs that end in iru or
eru. This includes the verb to be, for
animates.
Well follow the verb (to eat) through the
conjugations for this group.
Negative
Drop the ru and add -nai.
> + nai
Infinitive
Drop the ru and add masu.
> + masu
Imperative/Conditional
Drop the ru and add ro.
>
> =
>
> =
Volitional
Drop the ru and add you.
> > =
That was all really easy, right?
Form
Example
negative
>
infinitive
>
dictionary
>
imperative/conditional
>
>
volitional
>
Verb Conjugation
Finally were going to look at the irregular
verbs. There are many out there, but these are
two that you are going to run into the most
often and .
Negative
>
Infinitive
>
Dictionary
>
Imperative/Conditional
>
>
Volitional
>
Negative
>
Infinitive
>
Dictionary
>
Imperative/Conditional
>
>
Volitional
> *
* NEVER USED
te-form
Te-form is an incredibly important part of
Japanese. Although I wont go into its many
uses, if you want to say anything beyond
the most basic Japanese, you need to learn
this.
The u-verbs are the most difficult to
remember when conjugating , so try this
little song:
-verb te form!
It tells us that verbs ending u, ru or tsu
drop their ending, and adopt instead.
Similarly for mu, bu, nu verbs, these are
Verb type
Rule
Example
Drop final
syllable, add
Drop final
syllable, add
Drop final
syllable, add
Drop final
syllable, add
ru-verbs conjugate a lot more easily for teform. All you have to do is drop the ru
and whack on a .
For example