Japanese
Lesson 185: The Plain Form III: Present Tense Negative Verbs
Conjugating verbs to the negative present tense in the plain form varies depending on the verb's ending. There are three types of endings we need to pay attention to:
- Group 2, or 一段 verbs, which all end in -る
- Group 1, or 五段 verbs that end in -う
- Group 1, or 五段 verbs that do not end in -う
- The irregular verbs です、ある、する、来る
For 一段 verbs, replace the -る with -ない. For example, 食べる becomes 食べない.
| I do not eat cheese because I have an allergy. | アレルギー が ある から、 チーズ を 食べない。 arerugii ga aru kara, tiizu wo tabenai. |
For 五段 verbs that end in -う, change the -う into -わない. For example, 買う becomes 買わない.
| Though her voice is beautiful, she doesn't sing. | 彼女 の 声 は 美しい けど、 歌わない。 kanozyo no koe ha utukusii kedo, utawanai. |
For 五段 verbs not ending in -う, change the う-sound into an -あ-sound, and add ない. For example, 行く becomes 行かない.
| I won't go again. | もう 行かない。 mou ikanai. |
| Although (I) don't understand it, (I) like it! | 分からない けど、 好き だ よ！ wakaranai kedo, suki da yo! |
And finally, the negative plain form for the irregular verbs is as follows:
| Plain Form Positive | Plain Form Negative |
|---|---|
| だ | じゃない |
| ある | ない |
| する | しない |
| 来る | 来ない |
And here are example sentences for each of them:
| It is not the real thing. | 本物 じゃ ない。 honmono zya nai. |
| Don't you have a good idea? | いい アイディア が ない か？ ii aidhia ga nai ka? |
| (I) won't do it. | しない。 sinai. |
| I won't come today. | 今日 は 来ない。 kyou ha konai. |