Now and not

Conjugations, Stage 1chunk 2 of 15Verb forms

Present and negative in both registers: the four forms behind most sentences.

-u / -ruPlain present and future: I do, I will do.
-masuPolite present and future: I do, I will do.
-naiPlain negative: I don't, I won't.
-masenPolite negative: I don't, I won't.

Mix-ups Plain and polite pairs blur together; aranai for nai, and -u verbs losing their w (kaanai for kawanai).

-u / -ru

dictionary form〜う・〜る

Plain present and future: I do, I will do.

The everyday verb form with friends and family. It also goes before a noun to describe it: taberu mono (things to eat).

Make it It's the form you find in the dictionary, so nothing changes. Every verb ends in u: ichidan in -iru/-eru, godan in u, ku, gu, su, tsu, nu, bu, mu or ru; plus suru and kuru.

Polite -masu

There's no separate future tense: taberu covers both 'I eat' and 'I'll eat'. For 'I'm eating now', use -te iru.

taberu	taberu	食べる
miru	miru	見る
kau	kau	買う
matsu	matsu	待つ
kaeru	kaeru	帰る
nomu	nomu	飲む
asobu	asobu	遊ぶ
kaku	kaku	書く
oyogu	oyogu	泳ぐ
hanasu	hanasu	話す
iku	iku	行く
suru	suru	する
kuru	kuru	来る

casual

ashita nan ji ni kuru?

What time are you coming tomorrow?

明日何時に来る？

polite

ashita nan ji ni kimasu ka?

What time are you coming tomorrow?

明日何時に来ますか？

Heard 541,997× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles (23.7% of verbs)

-masu

polite present〜ます

Polite present and future: I do, I will do.

With strangers, staff, colleagues and anyone you'd call -san. The safe default while you're learning.

Make it Ichidan: drop ru, add masu (tabemasu). Godan: change the last u to i, add masu (kaimasu, machimasu, hanashimasu). suru → shimasu, kuru → kimasu.

The final u is nearly silent: tabemasu sounds like 'tabemas'.

taberu	tabemasu	食べます
miru	mimasu	見ます
kau	kaimasu	買います
matsu	machimasu	待ちます
kaeru	kaerimasu	帰ります
nomu	nomimasu	飲みます
asobu	asobimasu	遊びます
kaku	kakimasu	書きます
oyogu	oyogimasu	泳ぎます
hanasu	hanashimasu	話します
iku	ikimasu	行きます
suru	shimasu	します
kuru	kimasu	来ます

casual

kono densha wa shibuya ni ikimasu ka?

Does this train go to Shibuya?

この電車は渋谷に行きますか？

Heard 42,700× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles (1.9% of verbs)

-nai

plain negative〜ない

Plain negative: I don't, I won't.

The everyday 'don't / won't' with friends and family. -nai desu is a softer polite option.

Make it Ichidan: drop ru, add nai (tabenai). Godan: change the last u to a, add nai (kakanai, matanai); a final u becomes wa (kawanai). suru → shinai, kuru → konai, aru → nai.

Polite -masen

With a rising tone, ikanai? is an invitation (want to go?), not just a question.

taberu	tabenai	食べない
miru	minai	見ない
kau	kawanai	買わない
matsu	matanai	待たない
kaeru	kaeranai	帰らない
nomu	nomanai	飲まない
asobu	asobanai	遊ばない
kaku	kakanai	書かない
oyogu	oyoganai	泳がない
hanasu	hanasanai	話さない
iku	ikanai	行かない
suru	shinai	しない
kuru	konai	来ない

casual

kyou wa ikanai. chotto tsukareta

I'm not going today. I'm a bit tired.

今日は行かない。ちょっと疲れた。

polite

kyou wa ikimasen. chotto tsukaremashita

I'm not going today. I'm a bit tired.

今日は行きません。ちょっと疲れました。

Heard 113,039× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles (5.0% of verbs)Main list -nai (Stage 1)

-masen

polite negative〜ません

Polite negative: I don't, I won't.

Politely saying you don't or won't do something, including polite refusals.

Make it Swap -masu for -masen: tabemasen, kaimasen, machimasen. suru → shimasen, kuru → kimasen.

In everyday polite talk -nai desu (tabenai desu) is also common and sounds a little softer.

taberu	tabemasen	食べません
miru	mimasen	見ません
kau	kaimasen	買いません
matsu	machimasen	待ちません
kaeru	kaerimasen	帰りません
nomu	nomimasen	飲みません
asobu	asobimasen	遊びません
kaku	kakimasen	書きません
oyogu	oyogimasen	泳ぎません
hanasu	hanashimasen	話しません
iku	ikimasen	行きません
suru	shimasen	しません
kuru	kimasen	来ません

casual

sumimasen, osake wa nomimasen

Sorry, I don't drink alcohol.

すみません、お酒は飲みません。

Heard 22,113× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles (0.97% of verbs)