Japanese Learning: Dictionary Form of Verbs, Introduction as a form to place in front of a Noun; [V-dic] + [Noun].

Have you noticed that I use both dictionary form and masu-form when introducing a verb?

It’s like “Taberu/Tabemasu”. I think it depends on each Japanese teacher’s belief as to which form to be used, dictionary form or masu-form. I myself put on priority to Masu-form, because Masu-form can be used in conversation. If you use Dictionary form for sentence endings in your conversation, you would sound too much casual, friendly, or childish, sometimes even rude. But if it’s not conversation, especially you are learning grammar, you would feel the Dictionary form is better because verbs in dictionary form are concise. That’s the reason I use both forms in this blog when showing a verb.

In Minnano Nihongo, dictionary forms are introduced at Exercise A1 in Section 18. You will find that all the dictionary forms end by the vowel “u”. And Group2 and Group3 verbs end with the letter “ru”. In the following, verb examples are shown in the order of Masu-form and Dictionary form;

Group2

Mimasu => Miru (look at, watch, see)

(Fuku o ) Kimasu => Kiru (wear a cloth, not “come”)

Demasu => Deru (get out of)

Oshiemasu => Oshieru (teach/tell some information)

Group3

Kimasu => Kuru (come, not “wear a cloth”)

Shimasu => Suru (do)

Unten shimasu => Unten suru (drive a car)

Group1

Gr1-W : Kaimasu => Kau (buy)

Gr1-K : Hatarakimasu => Hataraku (work)

Gr1-G : Isogimasu => Isogu (hurry, hasten)

Gr1-S : Dashimasu => Dasu (take something out)

Gr1-T : Machimasu => Matsu (wait)

Gr1-B : Tobimasu => Tobu (fly)

Gr1-M : Yomimasu => Yomu (read)

Gr1-R : Norimasu => Noru (Get on (a train/car))

What is the purpose of introducing Dictionary at this stage of Japanese learning? It is important to know Dictionary form, because when you are checking the meaning of a verb in dictionary, you need to know the dictionary form of the verb. Although the sentence endings with dictionary forms can save your time and space in notebook, such short endings are not suitable to conversation with other people. Then, why dictionary form now?

At this stage of Japanese learning, you need to know that a verb in Dictionary form can be connected to a noun behind. Dictionary form is not the only form to connect to a noun, Nai-form and Ta-form are also connected to a noun. But let us concentrate on Dictionary form today. Do you remember that, if there is a Te-form, there is also another conjugation word behind? Sometimes a verb in Te-form is directly connected to another verb, for example, “Motte Kimasu”, “Hanashite imasu”, and so on.

Simply put;

– Te-form is to be followed by another verb. (example; Tabete imasu)

– Dictionary form is to be connected to a noun behind. (example: Taberu koto*)

You need to apply different forms of verb whether the following word is a noun or a verb. The important thing is, a noun and a verb must be strictly distinguished in Japanese.

*The noun “koto” in the example above will be explained tomorrow.

This post was written with reference to the exercise A1 on Section 18 of “Minna no Nihongo (2^nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”