conjugation of verbs
᳓ߪ߈ࠇߓ߾ߥ߆ߞߚߢߔ߈ࠇߓ߾ߥ߆ߞߚߢߔޕ [polite]
mizu wa kiree ja nakatta desu
“The water was not clean.”
࠹ࠬ࠻ߪ◲නߛߞߚ◲නߛߞߚޕ [plain]
tesuto wa kantan datta
“The exam was easy.”
The other class of adjectives, i-adjectives, has a different conjugation pattern. Therefore, it is important to learn to which class each adjective belongs.
“am/are/is not big”
Past ᄢ߈߆ߞߚ߆ߞߚ ookikatta
“was/were big”
ᄢ߈ߊߥ߆ߞߚߊߥ߆ߞߚ ookiku nakatta
“was/were not big”
Polite Non-past ᄢ߈ߢߔߢߔ
ookii desu
“am/are/is big [polite]”
ᄢ߈ߊߥߢߔߊߥߢߔ ookiku nai desu ᄢ߈ߊࠅ߹ߖࠎߊࠅ߹ߖࠎ ookiku arimasen
“am/are/is not big [polite]”
Past ᄢ߈߆ߞߚߢߔ߆ߞߚߢߔ ookikatta desu
“was/were big [polite]”
ᄢ߈ߊߥ߆ߞߚߢߔߊߥ߆ߞߚߢߔ ookiku nakatta desu ᄢ߈ߊࠅ߹ߖࠎߢߒߚߊࠅ߹ߖࠎߢߒߚ ookiku arimasen deshita
“was/were not big [polite]”
ᦨㄭޔᔔߒߢߔᔔߒߢߔޕ [polite]
saikin, isogashii desu
“I have been busy lately.”
ᤓᣣߪᥦ߆ߊߥ߆ߞߚᥦ߆ߊߥ߆ߞߚޕ [plain]
kinoo wa atatakaku nakatta
“It wasn’t warm yesterday.”
Basic conjugation of verbs
Japanese verbs are classified into three types according to their conjugation pattern: godan dooshi “FIVE-ROW VERBS”, ichidan dooshi “ONE-ROW VERBS”,
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Conjugation patterns of predicates
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and irregular verbs. (See Unit 2 for the explanation of “rows”.) One com-monly used classification system refers to the three types as Type I, Type II, and Type III. Alternatively, five-row verbs and one-row verbs may be referred to as “ru-verbs” and “u-verbs,” or “consonant verbs” and
“vowel verbs.” However, in this book, we will adopt the translation of the traditional Japanese terminology, “five-row verbs” and “one-row verbs.”
We will start with one-row verbs, which exhibit the simplest conjugation pattern.
One-row verbs (ru-verbs)
The following table shows the conjugation pattern of one-row verbs, with taberu “eat” as an example. Note that the translations of the non-past forms below contain “will” in the parentheses. This is because the non-past forms of Japanese action verbs (see Unit 3) such as taberu “eat” usually describe future actions or present habits.
[One-row verb]
“(will) not eat”
Past 㘩ߴߚߚ
tabeta
“ate”
㘩ߴߥ߆ߞߚߥ߆ߞߚ tabenakatta
“did not eat”
Polite Non-past 㘩ߴ߹ߔ߹ߔ
tabemasu
“(will) eat [polite]”
㘩ߴ߹ߖࠎ߹ߖࠎ tabemasen
“(will) not eat [polite]”
Past 㘩ߴ߹ߒߚ߹ߒߚ
tabemashita
“ate [polite]”
㘩ߴ߹ߖࠎߢߒߚ߹ߖࠎߢߒߚ tabemasen deshita
“did not eat [polite]”
The basic rules for deriving these forms are as follows:
(i) The plain non-past affirmative form is the dictionary form.
(ii) Delete -ru from the dictionary form.
(iii) Attach -nai to (ii) to make the plain non-past negative form.
(iv) Attach -ta to (ii) to make the plain past affirmative form.
(v) Attach -nakatta to (ii) to make the plain past negative form.
(vi) Attach -masu, -masen, -mashita, and -masen deshita to (ii) to form the polite counterparts of (i), (iii), (iv), and (v).
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Basic conjugation of verbs
One-row verbs appear uniformly with an i-row or e-row syllable before the conjugational suffixes, as shown below. This is why they are called one-row verbs.
߅߈߈ߥ okinai “do(es) not wake up”
߅߈߈߹ߔ okimasu “(will) wake up [polite]”
߅߈߈ࠆ okiru “(will) wake up”
߅߈߈ࠈ okiro “Wake up!”
߅߈߈ࠃ߁ okiyoo “Let’s get up!”
㘩ߴߴߥ tabenai “do(es) not eat”
㘩ߴߴ߹ߔ tabemasu “(will) eat [polite]”
㘩ߴߴࠆ taberu “(will) eat”
㘩ߴߴࠈ tabero “Eat!”
㘩ߴߴࠃ߁ tabeyoo “Let’s eat!”
Here are a couple of example sentences.
ᣣޔᤋ↹ࠍ߹ߔ߹ߔޕ [polite]
ashita, eega o mimasu
“I will see a movie tomorrow.”
ᤨ߹ߢ߈ߥ߆ߞߚ߈ߥ߆ߞߚޕ [plain]
kuji made okinakatta
“I didn’t wake up until 9.”
Five-row verbs (u-verbs)
In contrast to one-row verbs, five-row verbs appear with one of the five syllable types (a-, i-, u-, e-, or o-row syllable):
⺒߹߹ߥ yomanai “do(es) not read”
⺒ߺߺ߹ߔ yomimasu “read [polite]”
⺒ yomu “read”
⺒ yome “Read!”
⺒߽߽߁ yomoo “Let’s read!”
The basic conjugation of five-row verbs involves the first three syllable types (a-, i-, and u-row). Here is the conjugation pattern, with kaku “write”
as an example. The bold endings are the same as those of the one-row verb conjugations.
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kaku“(will) write”
ᦠ߆ߥߥ
kakanai
“(will) not write”
Past ᦠߚߚ
kaita
“wrote”
ᦠ߆ߥ߆ߞߚߥ߆ߞߚ kakanakatta
“did not write”
Polite Non-past ᦠ߈߹ߔ߹ߔ
kakimasu
“(will) write [polite]”
ᦠ߈߹ߖࠎ߹ߖࠎ kakimasen
“(will) not write [polite]”
Past ᦠ߈߹ߒߚ߹ߒߚ kakimashita
“wrote [polite]”
ᦠ߈߹ߖࠎߢߒߚ߹ߖࠎߢߒߚ kakimasen deshita
“did not write [polite]”
The basic rules for deriving these forms are as follows:
(i) Dictionary forms of five-row verbs end in an u-row syllable: kaku
“write,” hanasu “speak,” wakaru “understand,” etc.
(ii) Before plain negative endings -nai/-nakatta, the u-row syllables of dictionary forms change into a-row syllables. If the dictionary form ends in the syllable u (߁), use wa. Aru “exist” is an exception to these patterns.
u-row → a-row ⺒ “read” → ⺒߹߹ߥ ⺒߹߹ߥ߆ߞߚ (Regular negative) yomu yomanai yomanakatta
u → wa ⸒߁߁ “say” → ⸒ࠊࠊߥ ⸒ࠊࠊߥ߆ߞߚ
(߁ending case) iu iwanai iwanakatta
Exception: ࠆ “exist” → ߥߥ ߥ߆ߞߚߥ߆ߞߚ
aru nai nakatta
(iii) How to produce the plain past affirmative form depends on the last syllable of the dictionary form. The verb iku “go” is an exception.
-u/-tsu/-ru → -tta ⸒߁߁/ᓙߟߟ/Ꮻࠆࠆ → ⸒ߞߚߞߚ/ᓙߞߚߞߚ/Ꮻߞߚߞߚ
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Basic conjugation of verbs
-su → -shita ߔߔ hanasu → ߒߚߒߚ hanashita
“speak” “spoke”
-ku → -ita ᦠߊߊ kaku → ᦠߚߚ kaita
“write” “wrote”
-gu → -ida ᵒߋߋ oyogu → ᵒߛߛ oyoida
“swim” “swam”
Exception: ⴕߊߊ iku → ⴕߞߚߞߚ itta
“go” “went”
(iv) Before polite endings -masu, -mashita, -masen, and -masen deshita, the u-row syllables of dictionary forms change into i-row syllables.
This rule applies to all five-row verbs.
u-row → i-row ⺒ yomu → ⺒ߺߺ߹ߔ yomimasu
“read” “read”
Here are some example sentences.
Ფㅳ㊄ᦐᣣޔࡊ࡞ߢᵒ߉߹ߔᵒ߉߹ߔޕ [polite]
maishuu kinyoobi, puuru de oyogimasu
“I swim in the pool every Friday.”
⾰߇ಽ߆ࠄߥ߆ߞߚಽ߆ࠄߥ߆ߞߚޕ [plain]
shitsumon ga wakaranakatta
“I didn’t understand the question.”
One-row and five-row verbs exhibit different conjugation patterns throughout Japanese grammar. Therefore, it is important to firmly learn from the beginning which verb belongs to which class. If you have already been exposed to many polite forms, here is one way to tell between a one-row verb and a five-row verb when you learn their dictionary forms.
One-row or five-row?
If the dictionary form of a verb ends in anything other than ru (ࠆ), it is a five-row verb without exception.
㆑߁߁ޔᓙߟߟޔ⺒ޔ߱߱ޔⴕߊߊޔᵒߋߋޔߔߔ → Five-row chigau, matsu, yomu, yobu, iku, oyogu, dasu
“differ”, “wait”, “read”, “call”, “go,” “swim”, “take out, send”
If the dictionary form of a verb ends in ru (ࠆ), look at the dictionary form and the polite form of the verb. Delete ru from the dictionary form and delete masu from the polite counterpart. If you are left with an identical form, it is a one-row verb. If not, it is a five-one-row verb.
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“eat” taberu tabemasu
Ꮻࠆࠆ: Ꮻࠆ but Ꮻࠅ߹ߔ different! → Five-row
“return” kaeru kaerimasu
Irregular verbs
There are two irregular verbs: kuru “come” and suru “do.” The reading for the kanji ᧪ changes between ku, ko, and ki.
[Irregular verb]
Affirmative Negative
Plain
Non-past ᧪ࠆࠆ
kuru“(will) come”
᧪ߥߥ
konai
“(will) not come”
Past ᧪ߚߚ
kita“came”
᧪ߥ߆ߞߚߥ߆ߞߚ konakatta
“did not come”
Polite Non-past ᧪߹ߔ߹ߔ
kimasu
“(will) come [polite]”
᧪߹ߖࠎ߹ߖࠎ kimasen
“(will) not come [polite]”
Past ᧪߹ߒߚ߹ߒߚ kimashita
“came [polite]”
᧪߹ߖࠎߢߒߚ߹ߖࠎߢߒߚ kimasen deshita
“did not come [polite]”
Affirmative Negative
Plain
Non-past ߔࠆࠆ suru“(will) do”
ߒߥߥ
shinai
“(will) not do”
Past ߒߚߚ
Polite Non-past ߒ߹ߔ߹ߔ
shimasu
“(will) do [polite]”
ߒ߹ߖࠎ߹ߖࠎ shimasen
“(will) not do [polite]”
Past ߒ߹ߒߚ߹ߒߚ shimashita
“did [polite]”
ߒ߹ߖࠎߢߒߚ߹ߖࠎߢߒߚ shimasen deshita
“did not do [polite]”
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