Using Verb Bases
Now that you know about 30 Japanese verbs and can conjugate them, Iβll show you what you can do with those verb bases. You may want to regularly refer to the lessons on Godan verbs and Ichidan verbs while learning these.
The following chart applies to all Japanese verbs unless otherwise noted.
| γ²γγγͺ - Hiragana | Romaji (English Letters) | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Base 1 + γͺγ | Base 1 + nai | plain form negative (will not verb) |
| Base 1 + γͺγγ£γ | Base 1 + nakatta | plain form past negative (did not verb) |
| Base 2 + γΎγ | Base 2 + masu | polite form present/future tense |
| Base 2 + γΎγγ | Base 2 + mashita | polite form past tense |
| Base 2 + γΎγγ | Base 2 + masen | polite form negative (will not verb) |
| Base 2 + γΎγγγ§γγ | Base 2 + masen deshita | polite form past negative (did not verb) |
| Base 2 + γγ | Base 2 + tai | want to verb (add γ§γ (desu) to make it polite) |
| Base 3 | Base 3 | plain form present/future tense |
| Base 4 + γ° | Base 4 + ba | if verb |
| Base 4 + γ | Base 4 + ru | plain form can verb (Godan verbs only) (verb now becomes an Ichidan verb) |
| Base 4 + γΎγ | Base 4 + masu | polite form can verb (can be changed like above) |
| Base 5 + γ¨γγ | Base 5 + to suru | try to verb (this suru is the same verb learned in lesson 7 (to do something)) |
| Base βteβ + 欲γγ | Base βteβ + hoshii | want someone else to verb (hoshii is an adjective which will be covered in the next lesson) |
| Base βteβ | Base βteβ | plain form command |
| Base βteβ + δΈγγ | Base βteβ + kudasai | polite form command |
| Base βteβ + γγ | Base βteβ + iru | plain form presently verbing (this iru is the same verb learned in lesson 7 (to exist (animate)) |
| Base βteβ + γγΎγ | Base βteβ + imasu | polite form presently verbing (can be changed like above) |
| Base βtaβ | Base βtaβ | plain form past tense |
| Base βtaβ + γ | Base βtaβ + ra | if and when I verb (similar to Base 4 + ba) |
| Base βtaβ + γγγ | Base βtaβ + ri suru | do such things asβ¦ (this suru is also the same verb learned in lesson 7 (to do something)) |