Lesson 22: The Plain Form: ない and Dictionary Form

Until now every verb was in the polite ます form. Japanese also has a plain form used with friends and family, in dictionaries, in newspapers and inside longer sentences. You must recognise it to understand real speech and to use patterns like 〜ことが できます.

The four forms

Rules

Dictionary form (the form you find in a dictionary)

• Group 1: change the い-column sound before ます to the matching う-column sound: かき → かく, のみ → のむ, はなし → はなす, かい → かう.
• Group 2: drop ます, add る: たべ → たべる.
• Group 3: する, くる.

ない-form (plain negative)

• Group 1: change the ending to the あ-column + ない: かく → かかない, のむ → のまない. Verbs ending in う use わ: かう → かわない (not かあない).
• Group 2: drop る, add ない: たべる → たべない.
• Group 3: しない, こない. ある becomes ない.

た-form (plain past)

Make it like the て-form, but with た / だ instead of て / で: かって → かった, のんで → のんだ, かいて → かいた, たべて → たべた, して → した.

Use 1: 〜ないで ください (please do not)

Use 2: can do — 〜ことが できます

(dictionary form) + ことが できます means "I can ...". You can also say a noun + が できます: にほんごが できます.

Use 3: hobbies — しゅみは 〜ことです

Plain form in casual speech with friends

Use the plain form only with close friends and family, never with a boss, teacher or customer unless they ask you to. In the workplace and in school, stay with ます / です until a senior person says you can relax.

Every ▶ button plays a clear computer voice, which is good for learning sounds and rhythm but is not a native speaker. Pitch (the rise and fall of the voice) can sound a little flat. Also listen to real Japanese as often as you can: videos, news for learners (NHK Easy), and Japanese people around you.

Check yourself

Try to answer every question before you look at the answers.

1. Give the dictionary form of かきます.
2. Give the dictionary form of たべます.
3. Give the ない-form of のむ.
4. Give the ない-form of かう.
5. Give the ない-form of する and くる.
6. What is the negative of ある?
7. Give the た-form of のむ and いく.
8. Say "Please do not take photos."
9. Say "I can speak Japanese."
10. Say "My hobby is watching movies."

Answers

Count your correct answers. If you got fewer than 7 out of 10, read the lesson again and listen to the audio once more.

1. かく.
2. たべる.
3. のまない.
4. かわない.
5. しない, こない.
6. ない.
7. のんだ, いった.
8. しゃしんを とらないで ください。
9. にほんごを はなすことが できます。
10. しゅみは えいがを みることです。