Japanese 141 - Stem-form + 始める and 終える

By adding はじめる (to begin) or える (to end) to a stem-form verb, you can signal that the activity described by the verb either began or finished. See the below example sentences for how this grammar point is used in context.

EnglishJapanese
The mouse finished eating the cheese.ネズミ は チーズ を べ えました。nezumi wa chiizu o tabe oemashita.
Please finish drinking the wine.ワイン を み えて ください。wain o nomi oete kudasai.
After the war, many Jewish people began coming to Canada.せんそう の あと に たくさん の ユダヤじん が カナダ に  はじめました。sensou no ato ni takusan no yudayajin ga kanada ni ki hajimemashita.

Note: the subject marker is more appropriate than in this context. The subject of the sentence is たくさんのユダヤ人 (many Jewish people), and in this case, is typically used because it is introducing new, non-contrastive information.

Rabbits start going to the park in the spring.ウサギ は はる に こうえん へ き はじめます。usagi wa haru ni kouen e iki hajimemasu.

Contributors

Want to contribute to this course?
Please let us know