Guide to Japanese Verb

Tenses
RU verbs and U Verbs
Ru verbs end in iru or eru; you dont
double the t when making their te
or ta forms. For example, taberu =
'eat', tabete = 'eating', tabeta = 'ate'.
Unfortunately, u verbs aren't as easy
to defne. Most u verbs don't end in
ru, but a number of them do. For
example, the following verbs are all u
verbs: ganbaru 'do one's best'!,
suwaru 'sit'!, noru 'board a vehi"le'!,
toru 'take'!, hairu 'enter'!, hashiru
'run'!, iru 'need'!, kiru '"ut'!, shiru
'know'! and kaeru 'return'!. #hat
these verbs have in "ommon is that
you double the t when making their
te or ta forms. For example, the verb
shiru $ 'know.' %ts te form is shitte
'knowing'!. %ts ta form is shitta
'knew'!. &he double t's tell us that
it's a u verb.
&he root of a verb is the pre'u or pre'
ru form. For verbs ending in au, iu, or
ou, the root adds a (w) when making
the negative form, e.g., kawanai
'won't buy'!, iwanai 'won't say'!,
omowanai 'won't think'!, but not
when making the 'let)s' or '% shall'
form, e.g., kaoo 'let's buy'!, ioo 'let's
say'!, omooo let's think! or when
making the eba form, e.g., kaeba 'if %
buy'!, ieba 'if % say'! and omoeba 'if %
think'!.
For verbs ending in tsu, the root is the
pre'su form. For example, the root of
tatsu (stand)! is tat. Tatanai $ (won)t
stand.) Tatoo $ (let)s stand.) Tateba
$ (if % stand.)
&he stem of a verb is the pre'masu
form. For an ru verb, the root and the
stem are the same. For example,
taberu = tabemasu $ 'eat.' %ts root is
its pre'ru form, or tabe. %ts stem is its
pre'masu form, whi"h is also tabe. *y
way of "ontrast, nomu = nomimasu =
'drink.' %ts root is its pre'u form, or
nom. %ts stem is its pre'masu form, or
nomi.
&he e rule says that, looking at
transitive+intransitive verb pairs,
transitive verbs tend to end in
eru, e.g., akeru 'open'! is transitive
and aku 'open'! is intransitive;
shimeru '"lose'! is transitive and
shimaru '"lose'! is intransitive. But su
usuall trumps eru in determining
whi"h verb is transitive, e.g., kesu
'turn on'! is transitive and kieru 'go
on'! is intransitive; dasu 'put out'! is
transitive and deru 'go out'! is
intransitive; nekasu 'put to sleep'! is
transitive and neru 'go to sleep'! is
intransitive; kowasu 'break'! is
transitive and kowareru (break! is
intransitive.
,pparent e!"eptions to the e rule
in"lude kiru '"ut'! is transitive and
kireru 'be "ut'! is intransitive; uru
'sell'! is transitive and ureru ('be
sold') is intransitive; nuru 'paint'! is
transitive and nureru 'get wet'! is
intransitive. &hese intransitive
ex"eptions all seem to be potential
forms see the dis"ussion of the
potential tense on the next page! of
their related transitive verbs, i.e.,
kireru also $ (able to "ut); ureru also
$ (able to sell); and nureru also $
(able to paint.) -erhaps they have
a".uired new meanings, in addition to
their potential meanings, with the
passage of time.
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&he te form of intransitive verbs is
always followed by imasu, whether
des"ribing an ongoing a"tion or a fxed
"ondition. For example, mado ga aite
imasu "an mean either 'the window is
opening' or 'the window is open.' Aite
is the te form of aku 'open,'
intransitive!. /ote that, sin"e aku is an
intransitive verb, you "an never say
mado ga aite arimasu.
0imilarly, the te form of transitive
verbs is also followed by imasu, when
des"ribing an on#oin# a"tion, e.g.
mado o akete imasu $ '% am opening
the window.'
1owever, the transitive aru rule
says that the te form of transitive
verbs is usually followed by arimasu
when des"ribing a $!ed "ondition.
For example, mado o akete arimasu $
'the window is open' by someone!.
Mado ga akete arimasu is also 23,
sin"e you may use either o or ga after
the dire"t ob4e"t of a transitive verb
when des"ribing a fxed "ondition.!
Unfortunately, some verbs are
e!"eptions to the transitive aru
rule, e.g., Hajimete imasu = 'it is
started' by someone!. Nakushite
imasu = 'it is lost' by someone!.
%nother e!"eption o""urs when you
want to impl that the speaker
performed the a"tion resulting in
the fxed "ondition. %n that "ase, you
"an use imasu with a transitive verb,
e.g., mado o akete imasu = 'the
window is open' by me!.
&ain# 'if' or ''hen'
&o express the idea of 'if, then,' for u
verbs, add eba to the root. For ru
verbs: add reba to the root. For
example, nomu $ '% drink'!. Nomeba $
'if % drink, then ...' Akeru $
'% open.' Akereba $ 'if % open, then ...'
&o express the idea of 'if' or ''hen,'
add ra to the plain spee"h past form
of a verb or ad4e"tive. &his is "alled
the tara form. For example, the plain
past form of taberu (eat)! is tabeta
(ate)!. ,dding ra, we get tabetara $
(if % eat) or (when % eat.) &he plain
past form of nomu (drink)! is nonda
(drank)!. ,dding ra, we get nondara
= 'if % drink' or 'when % drink.' Samui $
'"old.' &he plain past form is
samukatta = 'it was "old.' ,dding ra,
we get samukattara $ 'if it's "old' or
'when it's "old.'
,nother way to express the idea of 'if'
or ''hen' is to add to to a plain non'
past verb. For example, nomu to $ 'if %
drink' or 'when % drink.' Akeru to $ 'if %
open' or 'when % open.' 1owever, don)t
use to or eba before a re.uest,
suggestion, wish et". For example, you
"annot say oosaka ni iku to, okashi o
katte kudasai $ 'if you go to 2saka,
please buy sweets.' /or "an you say
oosaka ni ikeba, okashi o katte
kudasai. %nstead you may say oosaka
ni ittara, okashi o katte kudasai.
Use tara to sound more personal. For
example, tabako o suttara karada ni
okunai desu $ 'if you smoke, it's not
good for the body.' Use to to sound
more impersonal. For example, tabako
o suu to karada ni okunai desu $ 'if
one smokes, it's not good for the
body.' Use to to give dire"tions or talk
about natural laws. For example, !uu
ni naru to, samuku narimasu = 'when
it be"omes winter, it be"omes "old.'
&o say in "ase it is, add nara to a
noun, ad4e"tive or verb. For example,
eki mae ni aru ginkoo nara, dokodemo
ii desu o $ 'in the "ase of exist'in'
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front'of'the'station banks, anywhere is
good for sure.'
,fter i ad4e"tives and verbs, you may
use no nara or "n nara. For example,
samuin nara ikimasen $ 'if it's "old, %
won't go.'
,nother way to say 'in "ase it is' is to
add dattara to a noun, ad4e"tive or
verb. For example, sono hea ga kirei
dattara karimasu $ 'if that room is
"lean, %'ll rent it.'
The potential tense
&o show that something is possible
potential tense! for u verbs, add
eru to the root. For example, nomu $
'drink.' Nomeru $ nomemasu $ '% "an
drink.'
&o show that something is possible for
ru verbs, add rareru to the root. For
example, akeru $ 'open' transitive!.
Akerareru $ akeraremasu $ '% "an
open.' #areru "an be shortened to
reru, meaning that you "an remove
the 'ar.' &he three irregular verbs are:
$kareru $ ikaremasu $ ikeru $
ikemasu $ '% "an go.' %orareru =
koraremasu = koreru = koremasu = '%
"an "ome.' &ekiru = dekimasu = '% "an
do.'
#hen using potential verbs, you may
follow nouns with either ga or o' e.g.,
tegami o kakeru = tegami ga kakeru
= '% "an write a letter.'
Tari
2ne way to express the idea of
(et"etera) is to add tari to the past
stems of plain spee"h verbs and
ad4e"tives. Follow the last listed item
if you are listing more than one! with
suru or desu. For example, kaimono o
shitari sooji o shitari shimasu $ 'he's
doing shopping, doing laundry, et".'
Tabetari nondari desu $ 'she's eating,
sleeping et".'
Tari "an also be used to mean
'sometimes it is; sometimes it isn't.'
For example, isogashikattari hima
dattari desu $ 'sometimes it's busy;
sometimes it's free time.'
&ain# 'shall' or 'let's'
&o say a plain spee"h ( shall or
lets, for a u verb, add oo to the
root. For example, nomoo $ '% shall
drink' or 'let's drink.' For an ru verb,
add yoo to the root. For example,
tabeoo $ '% shall eat' or 'let's eat.' For
the three irregular verbs, say ikoo '%
shall go'!, kooo '% shall "ome'!, and
shioo '% shall do'!.
&o say '( shall' or 'let's' using masu
verbs, "hange their endings to shoo.
Using the same verbs mentioned in
the previous paragraph, we get
nomimashoo, tabemashoo, ikimashoo,
kimashoo and shimashoo.
&ain# 'tr to do'
&o express the idea (tr to do,) use
the plain (let)s) form of the verb
followed by to suru. For example,
ooide kawa o wataroo to shimasu $
'swimming, % will try to "ross the river.'
(ogu $ 'swim.' )ataru $ '"ross.'
To)oro and Ba)ari
Tokoro means 'pla"e' or 'part.' For
example, ii tokoro desu $ 'it's a ni"e
pla"e.' %n addition, there are other
ways to use tokoro: Hashiru tokoro
desu = 'he's on the verge of running.'
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Hashitte iru tokoro desu $ 'he's in the
pro"ess of running.' Hashitta tokoro
desu $ 'he 4ust fnished running.' %n
"ontrast, Hashitta bakari desu $ 'he
fnished running a while ago.'
&o report what you see as an
e!"lamation, use the past plain
spee"h tense of a verb. For example,
kita kita $ 'it)s "oming, it)s "oming5'
%uru $ '"ome.' %ita $ '"ame.'
(mperative verbs
&o form an imperative verb, for a u
verb, add e to the root. For example,
nome $ 'drink5' For an ru verb, add ro
to the root. For example, tabero $
'eat5' &he three irregular verbs are ike
'go5'!, koi '"ome5'! and shiro 'do5'!.
0uggested mnemoni": 'there)s a white
koi in the pond' shiro $ (white); ike $
(pond)!.
*ausative verbs
#ith "ausative verbs, mark the
person "ausing the a"tion with wa or
ga and the vi"tim with ni or o. For a u
verb, add aseru to the root. For
example, okusan ga kodomo ni tegami
o kakaseru $ 'the honorable wife to
the "hild will make write a letter.' %aku
$ 'write.'
&o form the "ausative tense with an
ru verb, add saseru to the root. For
example, *hi*hi wa otooto ni asai o
tabesasemashita $ 'father to my
younger brother made eat
vegetables.' &he three irregular verbs
are: $kaseru = 'make go.' %osaseru =
'make *ome.' Saseru = 'make do.' %n
"ollo.uial spee"h, aseru "an be
shortened to asu; saseru "an be
shortened to sasu.
+assive verbs
%n ,n#lish, only transitive verbs
have passive forms. For example,
"onsider the senten"e 'he wrote the
book.' %n this senten"e, 'wrote' is a
transitive verb, and 'book' is its ob4e"t.
/ext think about the following
senten"e: '&he book was written.' %n
this senten"e, 'book' is the sub4e"t,
and 'was written' is a passive verb
form.
%n 6apanese, when using a passive
verb, mark the person "ausin# the
a"tion 'ith ni and the vi"tim 'ith
wa or ga.
&o make the passive form of a u
verb, add areru to the root, i.e., the
pre'u form. For example, kono kimono
wa junkosan ni erabareta $ 'as for this
kimono, by 6unko, it was "hosen.'
+rabu $ '"hoose.'
&o make the passive form of an ru
verb, add rareru to the root, i.e., the
pre'ru form. For example, hiroshisan
wa omawarisan ni kuruma o
tomerareta $ 'as for 1iroshi, by a
poli"eman the "ar was stopped on
him' on 1iroshi!. Tomeru $ 'stop,'
transitive.
&he passive forms of the three
irre#ular verbs are ikareru $ 'to go'
on someone!; korareru, $ 'to "ome'
on someone!, sareru $ 'to do' on
someone!. For example, oru osoku
tomoda*hi ni korarete komarimashita
$ (late at night by the friend he "ame
on me and % was in"onvenien"ed.)
,nother example: )atashi wa, sensei
ni, motto ji o kirei ni kaku oo ni, *huui
saremashita $ (as for me, by the
tea"her, more to write "hara"ters
"leanly she did a "aution on me.)
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(n Japanese, both transitive and
intransitive verbs have passive
forms. &he passive form of
intransitive verbs may imply
something unfortunate. For example,
juutai ni makikomareta $ 'to a tra7"!
4am they got involved.' Makikomu $
'involve in.' ,lternatively, the passive
form may be used to show
politeness. For example, keikosan ga
koraremashita $ '3eiko honorably
"ame.' &o use the passive form in this
way is similar to using the truly
honorif" verb irassharu 'honorably
"ome, go or exist'!, but the passive
form is not .uite as polite as the
honorif" form.
*ausative +assive verbs
&he fnal tense we will "over in these
lessons is the "ausative passive
tense. &here is nothing .uite like this
verb form in 8nglish. &his tense is
used to show that a vi"tim is being
for"ed to do something unwanted and
thus su9ers dis"omfort.
#hen using this form, mark the
person "ausin# the a"tion 'ith ni
and the vi"tim 'ith wa or ga.
&o form the "ausative passive tense
of a u verb, add aserareru to the root
of the verb. &he suggested mnemoni"
is 'asteroid era rerun.'! &his may be
shortened to asareru, ex"ept for verbs
that end with su, like hanasu, whi"h
only a""ept the longer version. &he
suggested mnemoni" for asareru is
'asa rerun' or 'morning rerun.'! For
example, seitota*hi wa nihongo no
sensei ni sakubun o kakaserareru $
'as for the students, by the 6apanese
language tea"her, they will be made
to write a "omposition.' Sakubun $
'"omposition.' %akaserareru think
(asteroid era rerun'! may be shortened
to kakasareru think 'morning rerun'!.
&o form the "ausative passive tense
for an ru verb, add saserareru to the
root. &he mnemoni" is
'0askat"hewan era rerun.'! For
example, Hanada san wa ka*hoo ni
o*ha o iresaserareru $ 'as for 1anada,
by the se"tion manager, honorable tea
she will be made to make.' $reru $ 'put
in' and also $ 'make tea or "o9ee.'
%f we re-'rite the previous
senten"e using the "ausative tense,
it be"omes: %a*hoo wa hanada san ni
o*ha o iresaseru $ 'as for the se"tion
manager, to 1anada, honorable tea he
will make her make.' /ote that there
is almost no di.eren"e in meanin#
bet'een the "ausative passive
tense and the "ausative tense. 2f
"ourse, the point of vie' is
di.erent. %n the "ausative passive
senten"e 1anada is the topi" the
senten"e is written from her point of
view!, whereas in the "ausative
senten"e the se"tion manager is the
topi" the senten"e is written from his
point of view!. %n addition, with the
"ausative passive senten"e we get a
stronger sense that 1anada is
un"omfortable with what she is being
made to do.
&he "ausative passive forms of the
three irre#ular verbs are as follows:
ikasareru $ 'made to go'
un"omfortably!, kosaserareru $
'made to "ome' un"omfortably!,
saserareru $ 'made to do'
un"omfortably!. For example,
kodomo wa okaasan ni kaimono ni
ikasareru $ 'as for the "hild, by the
mother, for the purpose of shopping,
he will be made to go.' think 'morning
rerun'! $mooto wa sensei ni gakkoo ni
kosaserareru $ 'little sister, by the
5
tea"her, will be made to "ome to
s"hool.' think '0askat"hewan era
rerun'! ,oko san wa iroiro na
tetsudai o saserareru$ 'as for :oko,
various helps, she will be made to do.'
think '0askat"hewan era rerun'!
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