タグ: ta-form

Japanese Learning (A3 S19): Expression of Two Actions without much care about Sequence of the Two; Tari-Tari Construction

We have already learned some complex sentences. Complex sentences are sentences that have two or more pairs of subject and predicate. Let us review a such complex sentence using two verbs, which appeared in A2 S16.

1. [V1-te] + kara, [V2].

Example: Te o Aratte kara, Gohan o Tabemasu. (I wash my hands, and then I eat meal.)

Think about time sequence of V1 and V2 in the above sentence construction.Washing hands is the action number one, and eating meal is the action number two. After you finishing the action number one, and then, you do action number two.

But if you do not care much about sequence of two actions, how do you express those two actions? For example, you do two actions on Sunday; watching a TV, and taking a walk. TV first, and then walk, or walk first, and then TV, either is okay for you. Perhaps you do only one of them in a particular Sunday. Then you say in Japanese;

– Watashi wa Maishuu Nichiyoubi, Terebi o Mitari, Sampo ni Ittari shimasu.

(Every Sunday, sometimes I watch TV and sometimes I take a walk.)

This construction is called “Tari-tari construction”, and symbolized like follows;

2. [V1-ta]+ri, [V2-ta]+ri shimasu.

Practice and remember the following conversation;

A : Satou-san wa Maiban Nani o Shimasuka. (What kind of things do you do every night?)

B : Watashi wa Maiban Hon o Yondari, Sumaho o Mitari Shimasu. (I read a book and/or watch my smartphone.)

This post was written with reference to the exercise A3 on Section 19 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”

Japanese Learning (A2 S19): Expression to say you have an experience in the past; [V-ta]+Koto ga Arimasu.

Today we are going to learn one of constructions that use Ta-form of verbs. And the construction uses a formal noun “koto”. “Koto” has a meaning like “a thing” and/or “a matter”, but more importantly than meaning, “koto” has a function that makes a verb clause a noun-equivalent. Recently we learned a construction in which “koto” works to turn a verb to be a noun-equivalent. That was;

1. Watashi wa Piano o Hiku koto ga Dekimasu. (I can play a piano.)

Then, today’s construction also uses “koto” for the same purpose to make a verb a noun equivalent.

2. Watashi wa Hokkaidou e Itta koto ga Arimasu. (I have an experience of having been to Hokkaido.)

What is common, and what is different between the sentences 1 and 2?

Both sentences are “Wa-ga construction” with predicates of stative verbs. And both use “koto” to make a verb clause a noun equivalent so that the verb clause could be placed in front of the particle “ga”.

Of course, difference is that they are different constructions to describe different things; 1 is to say “someone can do something”, and 2 is to say “someone has an experience doing an action in the past.”. A difference more in detail, 1 uses Dictionary form of a verb, while 2 uses Ta-form. Since the sentence 2 is talking about an experience in the past, Ta-form is used.

Practice and remember the following conversation;

A : Miraa-san wa O-Sashimi o Tabeta koto ga Arimasuka. (Miller-san, have you eaten raw fish?)

B : Hai, Watashi wa O-Sashimi o Tabeta koro ga Arimasu. (Yes, I have eaten raw fish.)

“O-” attached in front of “Sashimi” is a prefix that makes the word more polite.

This post was written with reference to the exercise A2 on Section 19 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”

Japanese Learning (A1 S19): One of Verb Conjugation Forms, “Ta-Form”; [Verb Stem]+ ta/ita/ida/tta/nda/shita

We have already learned Te-form of verbs. Today we are going to learn another conjugation pattern, Ta-form. It seems that the difference between Te-form and Ta-form is only for vowels “e” or “a”. Yes, it’s the only difference in terms of spelling, but there is a huge difference between the two about the function they have.

– Te-form is used not for ending, but for continuing a sentence. Another conjugating word must follow after the verb in Te-form. Usually, the word behind is another verb.

– Ta-form can be the ending of a sentence with nuance of past and/or perfect, though it sounds rough or casual. If a word follows after a verb in Ta-form, the word is a noun. In other words, a Ta-form can modify a noun, with nuance of past and/or perfect.

Although you need to put these differences in your mind, how to make Ta-form from Te-form is easy. Just replace “e” in Te-form with “a”.

The followings are examples of “Ta-form” of verbs. Note that the list is written in the order of Masu-form, Te-form, and Ta-form.

Group 2 Verbs

– Imasu — Ite — Ita

– Mimasu — Mite — Mita

– Nemasu — Nete — Neta

– Okimasu — Okite — Okita

Group 3 Verbs

– Kimasu — Kite — Kita

– Shimasu — Shite — Shita

– Benkyoushimasu — Benkyoushite — Benkyoushita

Group 1 Verbs

– Tsukaimasu — Tsukatte — Tsukatta

– Kakimasu — Kaite — Kaita

– Ikimasu — Itte —Itta

– Isogimasu — Isoide — Isoida

– Hanashimasu — Hanashite — Hanashita

– Machimasu — Matte — Matta

– Tobimasu — Tonde — Tonda

– Yomimasu — Yonde — Yonda

– Tsukurimasu — Tsukutte — Tsukutta

summary

– Ta-form has a nuance of past and/or perfect of the verb.

– Ta-form can be the ending of a sentence in concise style.

– Ta-form can modify a noun behind

This post was written with reference to the exercise A1 on Section 19 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”