012: Grades

Okay back to verbs. Now that you know how to spot Ichidan, Godan and Exception verbs we are going to start into conjugation. There are 7 verb bases, each of which adjust the ending of two main types of verbs, Ichidan and Godan. We are going to start by learning the first 5 bases as they are the easiest. 

 

First off, by changing the bases you can change the meanings of any of the verbs you use. By conjugating verbs we not only change the form we also slightly change the function. Think of each of these bases like puzzle pieces. You have to have the verb in the correct form to connect it to the correct suffix.

Each one of these bases correlates to a vowel: 

Base 1: a/あ

Base 2: i/い

Base 3: u/う

Base 4: e/え

Base 5: ou *long sound おう 

 

Here are some basic examples with each verb type as they conjugate slightly differently. 

Godan Verbs: nomu – to drink

Nomu in Base 1 = noma のま

Nomu in Base 2 = nomi のみ

Nomu in Base 3 = nomu のむ

Nomu in Base 4 = nome のめ

Nomu in Base 5 = nomou  のもう 

 

Are you spotting a pattern here? 

For Godan verbs, simply shift the verb into romaji and then change the last letter of the base verb. Now one more note. You notice that we call this verb Nomu? Base 3 is called the dictionary form. It is the most basic form of a verb. When you search a verb in the dictionary or hear it without any honorifics or form changes it will be in Base 3.

 

Ichidan verbs are a little more tricky because they don’t logically follow a standard pattern like the Godan Verbs. 

Ichidan verbs: taberu – to eat

Taberu in Base 1 = tabe たべ

Taberu in Base 2 = tabe たべ

Taberu in Base 3 = taberu たべる

Taberu in Base 4 = tabero たべろ

Taberu in Base 5 = tabeyou たべよう 

 

With Ichidan verbs base 1 & 2 are the same, simply cut off the last る. 

But base 4 and 5, you add ろ & よう respectively. 

For today's test spot the Godan verb used in this chapter, and change it into all 5 forms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

おい  - Hey (Male informal)

遊び(B2 あそぶ)- To Play 

に - Direction Particle

行こう(B5 行く) - To Go

ぜ  - Male Exclamitive

 行きたい (B2 行く + Tai) - Want to Go

けど - But

行けない - (Potential Form 行く)

んだ - Indicates Explanation

なんで - Why

だ - Predicate

よ - !

なに - What

か - Question Particle

する - To Do

こと - Intangible Thing

ある - To Exist

の - ?

 勉強する(べんきょう)- To Study

しない(B1する+ない) 

んだ - Indicates Explination

といけない - Must Verb 

 

Asobu = 

B1 Asoba

B2 Asobi

B3 Abosu

B4 Asobe

B5 Asobou 

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