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MORE VERBS
Once you know how the polite auxiliary -MASU attaches to the stem, you don't need to worry about the verb's group or tenses.
BUT, you can't keep on using the -MASU form for every verb you write down.
As a rule, use -MASU on the final verb and on verbs that precede conjunctions GA, KEREDOMO, KEREDO, KEDO, KARA, and NODE.
-MASU | Positive | Negative |
---|---|---|
Pres/Fut/Dict
Past Volit/Probab |
-masu
-mashita -mashou |
-masen
-masen deshita -masen deshou |
The negative auxiliary -NAI has its own inflection. It is inflected like an I-Adjective.
It can also stand alone as the Negative of ARU (be).
-NAI | Plain | Polite |
---|---|---|
Pres/Fut
Volit/Probab Past Negative |
na-i
na-i darou na-katta naku wa nai* |
nai desu
nai dashou nakatta desu naku wa nai desu* |
TARA-Cond
BA-Cond Adverbial TE-Form |
na-kattara
na-kere-ba naku* nakute / nai de |
DESU | Pos Plain | Pos Polite | Neg Plain | Neg Polite |
---|---|---|---|---|
Pres
Vol/Prob Past |
da
darou datta |
desu
deshou deshita |
de wa nai
de wa nai darou de wa nakatta |
de wa arimasen OR
de wa nai desu de wa nai deshou de wa arimasen deshita OR de wa nakatta desu |
TARA-Cond
TE-Form |
dattara
de |
de (wa) nakattara
de (wa) nakute |
You can manipulate either -NAI or -MASU to negate the verb as seen in the two ways to negate the polite present and past tenses.
There is no one word for English "not"... But oh well...
ADJECTIVES
I-Adjectives
OOKII (big) Pos Plain Neg Plain Pos Polite Neg Polite Present ooki-i ooki-ku (wa) nai ooki-i desu ooki-ku arimasen OR ooki-ku nai desu Volit/Probab ooki-i darou ooki-ku nai darou ooki-i deshou ooki-ku nai deshou Past ooki-katta ooki-ku nakatta ooki-katta desu ooki-ku arimasen deshita OR ooki-ku nakatta desu TARA-Cond ooki-kattara ooki-ku nakattara BA-Cond ooki-kereba ooki-ku nakereba Adverbial ooki-ku TE-Form ooki-kute
NA-Adjectives
KIREI (pretty) Pos Plain Neg Plain Pos Polite Neg Polite Present kirei da kirei de (wa) nai kirei desu kirei de (wa) arimasen OR kirei de (wa) nai desu Volit/Probab kirei darou kirei de (wa) nai darou kirei deshou kirei de (wa) nai deshou Past kirei datta kirei de (wa) nakatta kirei desshita kirei de (wa) arimasen deshita OR kirei de (wa) nakatta desu TARA-Cond kirei dattara kirei de (wa) nakattara Adverbial kirei ni TE-Form kirei de
Posted: 1999-03-21 (Sun)