タグ: masu-form

Japanese Learning (A1 S18): 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 (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”

Japanese Learning (A4 S13): Purpose of Movement; [Verb in Masu-form without “masu”]+ni Ikimasu.

We already know that verbs in Japanese conjugate. When we learned expressions of desire for action, verbs needed to be “Masu-form without Masu” in order to be followed by the auxiliary verb “-tai”. Today’s expression also uses “Masu-form without Masu” of a verb.

Suppose a winter vacation is coming. you are talking to your friend, Sato-san. The topic is what you are going to do in the vacation. Hearing that Sato-san is going to Hokkaido, you want to know what kind of activities she will take in Hokkaido. The conversation with Sato-san would be like as following;

A : Satou-san, Hokkaidou e Nani o Shi ni Ikimasuka. (Sato-san, for what to do are you going to Hokkaido?)

B : Watashi wa Hokkaidou e Kani o Tabe ni Ikimasu. (I am going to Hokkaido to eat Crab.)

Look at Sato-san’s comment (B), “Ikimasu” which means “am going” is in Masu-form. Can you find “Masu-form without Masu” in B? It’s “Tabe” whose masu-form is “Tabemasu”. Given that today’s title is “Purpose of Movement”, two verbs in the comment B, Ikimasu and Tabemasu, can be thought of as below:

– Purpose : Kani o Tabemasu

– Movement : Hokkaido e Ikimasu

Therefore, in the construction;

1. [Subject] wa [Place] e [V1-masu] ni [V2].

(V1-masu: Masu-form without masu)

[V1-masu] is the purpose of movement, which is in “Masu-form without masu”

[V2] is a verb to describe movement for which “Ikimasu” is often used.

Then, let us think about time sequence of V1 and V2 of above construction.

Sentence B is;

B : Watashi wa Hokkaidou e Kani o Tabe ni Ikimasu. (I am going to Hokkaido to eat Crab.)

At first, Sato-san goes to Hokkaido. Once she has arrived in Hokkaido, and then she eats crab. So, V2 happens first, and V1 happens after V2. The order in the sentence is V1 and then V2, but in the time sequence, the order is in reverse, V2 first, V1 second.

Not today, but we will soon learn the other construction that uses two verbs.

2. [Subject] wa [V1te], [V2].

In this construction, V1 becomes “Te-form”. And V1 happens first and V2 second. The order of V1 and V2 in the sentence is the same as the order of time that V1 and V2 happen. Many of Japanese learners like the construction 2 better than 1. If Sato-san’s comment B is changed to be 2;

B2 : Watashi wa Hokkaido e Itte, Kani o Tabemasu.

However, if the purpose of going to Hokkaido is to eat crab, the construction 1 is much better. The construction 1 should be learned well before the construction 2 is introduced to Japanese learners of beginner’s level.

This post was written with reference to the exercise A4 on Section 13 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”